Villiersicometes absalom, Tavakilian & Santos-Silva, 2012

Tavakilian, Gérard L. & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2012, A new species of Villiersicometes Santos-Silva, 2003 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Disteniinae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (233), pp. 1-3 : 1-2

Villiersicometes absalom sp. nov.

( Fig. 1, 2)

Diagnosis. Villiersicometes absalom sp. nov. differs from other species in the genus by: larger size (length can surpass 6 mm); elytral base orangish, well delimited, distinctly contrasting with the remaining color. Other species in the genus are smaller (length always less than 6 mm), the elytra do not have an orangish area at base (in V. lineatus Villiers, 1957 the lighter area of the elytra is not restricted to the base and distinctly surpasses the middle).

Etymology. In the Bible, Absalom, David’s handsome son, was killed by Joab who found him caught by the branches of a tree, due to his very long hair. It is considered a noun in apposition.

Description. Male ( Fig. 1). Integument dark-brown; parts of mouthparts, pedicel and antennomeres III- V or III-IV brown; part of coxae and trochanters lighter brown; elytral base orangish (including humeri and scutellum); dark portions of elytra with violaceous reflections, ascending along the suture towards the scutellum, but not reaching it, and along the epipleuron up to base of humerus.

Upper ocular lobes reaching the level of the apex of antennal tubercles; distance between upper ocular lobes equal to 1.3 times largest width of the scape. Last segment of maxillary palps strongly thickened, truncate at apex. Antennae 1.5 times longer than body; scape 1.1 times longer than antennomere III, slightly curved at inner base, not distinctly narrowed at basal third.

Prothorax longitudinal; lateral tubercles small, acute, projected and placed before middle. Pronotum with short setae, decumbent, whitish and moderately dense. Elytra very coarsely confluently punctate throughout; each elytron with two distinct carinae, starting at base: the innermost only surpassing the middle of the elytron; the outermost reaching the apical third to fourth; setae rather short, bristling, aligned in streaks on basal two-thirds; elytral apex truncate. Prosternal process distinctly narrowed towards apex; apex slightly rounded; setae long, relatively abundant. Metasternum with violaceus reflections; punctation coarse, shallow, more dense towards metepisterna and finer and sparser towards central sulcus; setae long, decumbent. Ventrites with violet reflections; punctation moderately coarse (in parts finer), shallow and more dense laterally; setae long, not notably dense.

Female ( Fig. 2). Very similar to the male. Differing by the shape of last segment of maxillary palps, distinctly narrower and fusiform.

Dimensions in mm (male/female). Total length, 5.4-6.5/6.4; prothorax: central length, 0.9-1.0/1.0; width between apex of lateral tubercles, 1.0-1.2/1.1; anterior width, 0.8-0.9/0.9; posterior width, 0.8-0.9/0.9; humeral width, 1.1-1.2/1.3; elytral length, 3.7-4.5/4.3.

Type material. Holotype male, from FRENCH GUIANA: Route de Kaw (pk 46; light trapping), 28.VIII.1986, G. Tavakilian coll. (ex collection IRD # 984 in MNHN) . Paratypes, 1 male and 1 female, both from French Guiana , as follows: Male Haute Courcibo (DZ EDF; light trapping), 16.VII.1990, J.- M. Baloup coll. ( MZSP) ; Female - Piste de Bélizon (Pk 24; light trapping), 06.VIII.1991, A. Docquin & Sénécaux coll. ( MNHN) .