Oxylopsebus brachypterus, S., 2008

S., O., 2008, OXYLOPSEBUS BRACHYPTERUS: a new genus and species of Oxycoleini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Cerambycinae) from Bolivia Robin O. S. Clarke ABSTRACT, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 48 (9), pp. 61-67 : 61-67

Oxylopsebus brachypterus sp. nov.

Etymology: The name of the species refers to the short elytra.

Body and legs devoid of reticulation, only antennomeres III-XI microscopically (40x) asperate and reticulate. General colour shining dark chestnut to black. Head, scape, pedicel, prothorax and mesosternum black. Antennomeres III-XI brown. Metasternum and first urosternite variable, from fulvous to chestnut, or reddish; remaining urosternites from chestnut to dark chestnut. Legs chestnut to black, hind coxae and femora may be paler, protarsi fulvous. Elytra semi-translucent pale ochre, slightly darker at base, humeri and sides chestnut.

Dorsad: general pubescence and puncturation inconspicuous, pubescence fine and recumbent, and apparently without associated punctures (40x), except very short (0.05 mm) dense pubescence found in patches on head, pronotum, and uniformly, but sparsely, on elytra. Y-shaped indentation of frons, and vertex to well beyond eyes, and neck and sides of neck, finely punctured and pubescent, each puncture with a short erect hair. Basal and apical margins of pronotum, as well as inner sides of the sinuous tubercles, very finely punctured and pubescent (40x). Each elytron with an ill-defined carina which is broad and almost impunctate from humerus to middle, from where it becomes narrow and salient until reaching tip of elytron; elytron to inside of this carina depressed, with large irregularly distributed punctures, separated by two or three times their own diameter; sides of elytra narrow and more closely punctured.

Ventrad: glabrous with sparse long hairs laterally, except for the following: metepimeron and metepisternum with patches of short white pubescence; centre and base of prosternum, including its process, with short dark pubescence; sides of mesosternum, metasternum, and most of metepisternum clothed with long erect hairs. Abdomen of both sexes almost glabrous (but with sparse, long hairs at sides) and impunctate.

Femora with scattered, shallow, setose punctures, only distinct on metafemur. Apex of protibia densely pubescent mesally, apical half of mesotibia closely punctured and pubescent, metatibia with large scattered punctures bearing elongate setae.

Measurements in mm, ♂ / ♀ respectively: Total length 6,4-8,1/7,7-7,9; length of pronotum 1,1-1,3/1,2; maximum width of pronotum 1,0-1,3/1,2; length of elytra 2,8-3,3/3,1-3,2; width at humeri 1,3-1,6/1,5.

Type material: Holotype ♀, BOLIVIA, Santa Cruz: 420 m, Hotel Flora & Fauna, 5 km SSE Buena Vista , 17°29’96”S/ 63°39’13”W, 3.IX.2005, R. Clarke/ S. Zamalloa col., flying to/on flowers of “ Barbasquillo ” vine ( MNKM) . Paratypes with same data as holotype, ♂, 23.VIII.2005 ( MNRJ); ♂, 30.VIII.2005 and ♀, 8.IX.2005 ( MZSP); ♂, 26.VIII.2005 ( RCSZ) .

The vine (known locally as “Barbasquillo”) referred to on the data labels is a locally common species occurring at forest edge and clearings but is more exhuberant covering the vegetation at the edge of abandoned cultivations.