Scythropopsis granitica, Vlasak & Santos-Silva, 2020

Vlasak, Josef & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2020, New species of Cerambycinae and Lamiinae from Ecuador and Honduras, with transference of a species of Rhinotragini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Zootaxa 4748 (3), pp. 455-470 : 456-458

Scythropopsis granitica sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–8 )

Description. Male ( Figs. 1–4 ). Integument black.

Head. Frons and vertex coarsely, shallowly, sparsely punctate; with white pubescence (forming irregular denser maculae) partially obscuring integument, and dark pubescence partially obscuring integument, with yellowish-brown pubescent maculae interspersed; with long, erect, sparse dark setae on frons; central area between antennal tubercles and upper eye lobes carina-shaped; area between upper eye lobes depressed. Area behind upper eye lobes and wide area close to lower eye lobes with white pubescence not obscuring integument, with yellowish-brown pubescence interspersed; area behind lower eye lobes close to prothorax glabrous. Genae 1.5 times length of lower eye lobe; finely punctate; with pubescence as on area behind and close to lower eye lobes. Antennal tubercles with white pubescence centrally, mostly yellowish-brown anteriorly and posteriorly. Gulamentum transversely sulcate slightly before middle, slightly elevated from this point toward prothorax, strongly obliquely inclined from sulcus to anterior margin; posterior area smooth, glabrous; anterior area minutely, abundantly punctate, with yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, and a few long, erect dark setae near anterior margin. Postclypeus nearly glabrous centrally close to frons, with moderately short, decumbent fringe of yellowish-brown setae anteriorly on remaining wide central area, glabrous laterally; with a few long, erect dark setae on wide central area. Labrum with yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument (whiter depending on light intensity), with long, sparse dark setae directed forward, and fringe of golden setae on anterior margin. Outer margin of mandibles triangularly excavated on posterior half; with yellowishwhite pubescence not obscuring integument on posterior half, with a few long, erect dark setae interspersed, glabrous on anterior half. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.59 times length of scape (0.40 times distance between outer margins of eyes); in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.96 times length of scape (0.65 times distance between outer margins of eyes). Antennae 1.1 times elytral length, almost reaching posterior quarter of elytra. Scape subpiriform; with yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, forming narrow fringe on apex. Pedicel with yellowish-white pubescence denser on posterior half of dorsal surface, and posterior 3/4 of ventral surface. Antennomere III with narrow yellowish-white pubescent band basally, and wide yellowish-white pubescent ring about middle; remaining surface with slightly conspicuous dark pubescence; apex with a few short dark setae ventrally. Antennomere IV with dense yellowish-white pubescence on anterior 2/3, slightly conspicuous dark pubescence on posterior third; apex with a few short dark setae ventrally. Antennomeres V–VIII with dense yellowish-white pubescence anteriorly, slightly conspicuous dark pubescence on remaining surface (yellowish-white pubescent area gradually shorter toward VIII).Antennomeres IX–XI with slightly conspicuous dark pubescence.Antennomeres VIII–XI with moderately long, erect dark setae ventrally (sparser on VIII). Antennal formula (ratio) based on length of antennomere III: scape = 0.78; pedicel = 0.22; IV = 0.68; V = 0.40; VI = 0.33; VII = 0.28; VIII = 0.21; IX = 0.19; X = 0.18; XI = 0.20.

Thorax. Prothorax with large, conical tubercle laterally. Pronotum with large, elevated tubercle on each side, from anterior to posterior quarter (abruptly inclined anteriorly, gradually inclined toward posterior quarter), elongated, slightly elevated gibbosity centrally on posterior half, followed by slightly elevated carina from its apex to anterior third; center of anterior third triangularly convex from apex of carina to anterior margin; anterior quarter with very coarse, deep, sparse punctures; remaining surface coarsely, sparsely punctate, except smooth central gibbosity, and area close to it moderately finely punctate; with wide white pubescent band bordering central gibbosity and triangularly convex anterior area, from anterior to posterior margin; with oblique white pubescent band on lateral tubercles of prothorax; remaining surface with white pubescence not obscuring integument (denser on some areas), with yellowish-brown pubescent maculae interspersed; with a few long, erect dark setae on sides of posterior third. Sides of prothorax coarsely, sparsely punctate; with rounded protuberance anteriorly close to prosternum; with yellowish-brown pubescence partially obscuring integument (nearly golden depending on light intensity and source), with white pubescence interspersed (pubescence sparser on anterior area, which is gradually widened toward prosternum). Prosternum and prosternal process with yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument; prosternal process wider than procoxal cavities, nearly parallel-sided in anterior 2/3, slightly widened in posterior third. Ventral surface of mesothorax with yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument on wide central area of mesoventrite and mesoventral process, denser, yellower on mesanepisternum and mesepimeron. Mesoventral process wider than mesocoxal cavities, concave at apex; sides distinctly carinate anteriorly (nearly tubercle-shaped); central area slightly convex. Ventral surface of metathorax with yellowish-white pubescence, distinctly denser and more conspicuous laterally (not obscuring punctures), with yellowish-brown pubescent maculae interspersed laterally (darker and more conspicuous near mesocoxae); coarsely, moderately abundant laterally, punctures becoming finer toward central area of metaventrite. Scutellum with dense white pubescent band laterally (not covering anterolateral areas), and dark, slightly conspicuous pubescence on wide central area. Elytra. With small, sparse granules on anterior quarter; with short centrobasal crest anteriorly (covered by small, abundant granules), followed by oblique, distinct carina from its apex to posterior quarter of elytra; surface coarsely, moderately sparsely punctate. With three important groups of dark pubescence maculae: one transverse, triangular placed before middle, centrally partially divided by transverse white band; one nearly zig-zagged about middle; another less conspicuous, fragmented on posterior quarter; remaining surface with white pubescence partially obscuring integument, with dense, irregular, both white and yellowish-brown pubescent maculae, and small, subcircular dark pubescent maculae interspersed; apex truncate with outer angle distinctly triangularly projected. Legs. Femora with yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, except on peduncle of profemora, and narrow ring on apex of peduncle of meso- and metafemora. Tibiae with light yellowish-brown pubescence on basally, and large yellowish-white pubescent ring centrally; remaining surface with dark pubescence; all tibiae with moderately long, erect, sparse dark setae; protibiae somewhat flattened, distinctly widened toward apex.

Abdomen. Ventrites I–IV with yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, sparser centrally (especially on IV), with yellowish-brown pubescent band on each side of posterior margin (less conspicuous on IV); ventrite V with sparse yellowish-white pubescence laterally, nearly glabrous centrally, with moderately long, erect, thick and abundant dark setae on sides; apex of ventrite V truncate.

Female ( Figs. 5–8 ). Body stouter; scape more slender; antennae shorter, reaching posterior third of elytra. Erect setae on ventral surface of distal antennomeres absent. Elytra with one or two moderately large, elliptical dark pubescent macula before zig-zagged macula; dark pubescent macula on posterior quarter of elytra present or absent. Ventrite V ( Fig. 5 ) more narrowed at apex.

Dimensions in mm (holotype male / paratypes female). Total length, 12.50/12.40–13.50; prothoracic length, 2.40/2.65–2.70; anterior prothoracic width, 2.80/2.95–3.05; posterior prothoracic width, 3.25/3.45–3.70; widest prothoracic width (between apices of lateral tubercles), 4.10/4.50–4.65; humeral width, 5.15/5.50–6.05; elytral length, 8.55/8.70–9.35.

Type material. Holotype male from ECUADOR, Pichincha: Crater Pululahua (2500 m), 19.VI.2019, J. Vlasak col. ( MZSP) . Paratypes (3 females) – same label ( JVCO) .

Etymology. The name refers to the granite-like elytral pubescence.

Remarks. Scythropopsis granitica sp. nov. is similar to S. albitarsis Laporte, 1840 , but differs as follows: integument of antennomeres entirely black; white pubescence on pronotum and elytra not covering large areas; tarsi black. In S. albitarsis , most antennomeres are bicolorous, white pubescence on pronotum and elytra covers large areas, and all tarsi are yellowish.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Scythropopsis granitica. 1–4) Holotype male: 1) Dorsal habitus; 2) Ventral habitus; 3) Lateral habitus; 4) Head, frontal view. 5) Paratype female, ventral habitus. 6–8) Paratypes female, dorsal habitus: 6) Specimen 1; 7) Specimen 2; 8) Specimen 3.