Stultutragus tippmanni, Bezark, Antonio Santos-Silva Larry G. & Martins, Ubirajara R., 2012

Bezark, Antonio Santos-Silva Larry G. & Martins, Ubirajara R., 2012, New genera and species of Neotropical Rhinotragini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Cerambycinae), Zootaxa 3571, pp. 66-80 : 73-74

Stultutragus tippmanni sp. nov.

( Figs 12–14 )

Rhinotragus bizonatus ab. rufithorax Tippmann, 1960: 121.

Diagnosis. Stultutragus tippmanni sp. nov. is similar to S. nigricornis (Fisher, 1947) , S. endoluteus Bezark et al. (2011) , and S. poecilus (Bates, 1873) , but differs as follows: pronotum without dark maculae; distal area of peduncle of meso- and metafemora dark-brown; ventrite V of male slightly elevated laterally. In S. nigricornis , S. endoluteus , and S. poecilus the pronotum often with dark maculae (sometimes absent in the former), the peduncle of meso- and metafemora are wholly yellowish, and ventrite V of male is distinctly elevated laterally.

Etymology. The epithet is dedicated to Friedrich F. Tippmann.

Male ( Figs 12–14 )—The following orange: pro- and mesothorax (in the former, except on anterior edge, that is brown), base of metathorax, distal fourth of metepisterna, coxae, trochanters, peduncle of profemora, nearly all lateral and ventral surface of clavate portion of profemora, nearly all of the peduncle of mesofemora, basal two thirds of peduncle of metafemora. The following black: head, remaining surface of metasternum and metepisterna, three elytral bands (one basal; one on middle; the last covering apex). The following dark-brown: scape, pedicel, antennomere III, dark parts of femora, tibiae, tarsi, nearly all surface of ventrites. The following brown: dorsal surface of antennomeres IV–VI, distal half of antennomeres VII–XI, apex of ventrites I and II. Elytra with two yellowish areas: the first on basal half, from epipleura to suture, almost reaches the scutellum along suture; the second on distal half, also from epipleura to suture, pentagonal.

Dorsal surface of head moderately coarsely, abundantly punctate, except two irregular areas near distal margin of inferior ocular lobes; pubescence short, sparse, longer between upper ocular lobes and prothorax. Clypeus with pubescence very short, sparse, with one very long seta on each side. Labrum with short, moderately abundant setae on distal portion, and with one long seta on each side. Outer surface of mandibles with short, sparse setae, mixed with two long setae. Laterally, below inferior ocular lobes, with long setae. Ventral surface finely transversely sulcate, with moderately short, sparse setae. Scape, pedicel, and antennomeres III–VI with long, dark, thick setae. Pronotum pubescent (slightly conspicuous), mixed with long setae. Basal two-thirds of prosternum very shortly pubescent; distal third, shining, glabrous and shallowly punctate. Elytra with some short setae on base. Metasternum and metepisterna pubescent. Ventrites pubescent. Pronotal punctation moderately coarse, very abundant. Elytra coarsely, abundantly punctate.

Length of area between base of inferior ocular lobe and apex of labrum equal to 0.7 times length of one inferior ocular lobe in frontal view. Distance between inferior ocular lobes equal to 0.1 times length of one lobe in frontal view. Antennae as long as 1.1 times elytral length; apex of antennomere XI reaches about base of distal elytral fourth; antennomeres III–V filiform, slightly widest at apex; antennomeres VI–VII moderately enlarged from base towards apex; antennal club not well marked.

Elytra reach abdominal apex, slightly dehiscent at sutural fourth; elytral apex obliquely truncate, with two spines (the external somewhat longer). Apex of metafemora surpasses abdominal apex. Metatarsomere I about 1.25 times longer than II–III together. Lateral of ventrite V slightly elevated.

Female. Distance between inferior ocular lobes equal to 0.55 times the length of one inferior lobe in frontal view. Antennae as long as elytra.

Variation. Male: metepisterna wholly black; The following orange: metacoxae brown; peduncle of profemora and light part of mesofemora yellowish; middle and distal dark band of elytra, or only the distal, dark-brown; distal half of antennomere III brown; ventrites I–II reddish-brown; antennomere IV brownish; basal two thirds of antennomeres V–VI wholly orange.

Dimensions in mm (male/female). Total length (from mandibular apex to abdominal apex), 7.5–9.1/8.4–9.3; prothorax: length, 1.5–1.8/1.7–1.8; anterior width, 0.9–1.1/1.1–1.2; posterior width, 1.1–1.3/1.3–1.4; humeral width, 1.4–1.6/1.6–1.8; elytral length, 5.1–6.0/5.8–6.1. Length of holotype: 8.9.

Type material. Holotype male, from BRAZIL, São Paulo: São Paulo (Saúde), I.5.1918, Melzer col. ( MZSP). Paratypes – BRAZIL, São Paulo: São Paulo (Saúde), 3 males, 2 females, I.1.1918, Melzer col. ( MZSP); (Jabaquara), XI.04.1942, “ holotype male of Rhinotragus bizonatus ab. rufithorax, ex col. Zellibor ( USNM); male, XII.1943, ex col. Zellibor ( MZSP); female, I.1945, ex col. Zellibor ( MZSP).

Key. Stultutragus tippmanni can be included in the alternative of couplet “9”, from Bezark et al. (2011):

9(8). Peduncle of metafemora partially dark; ventrite V slightly elevated laterally. Brazil (São Paulo)....... S. tippmanni sp. nov. Peduncle of metafemora wholly yellowish; ventrite V distinctly elevated laterally.............................. 9a / 9b 9a. Anterior margin of the pronotum not preceded by narrow furrow. Brazil (Espírito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul), Argentina, (Misiones), Uruguay................................................................ S. poecilus (Bates, 1873) 9b. Anterior margin of the pronotum preceded by narrow furrow. Brazil (Rondônia, Bahia, Distrito Federal, Goiás, São Paulo, Santa Catarina)................................................................. S. nigricornis (Fisher, 1947)

Remarks. This new species was described by Tippmann (1960) as an aberration of Rhinotragus bizonatus . The aberration “ rufithorax ” does not agree with R. bizonatus , and also is not a Rhinotragus . According to ICZN (1999: Article 45.6.2.): “it is deemed to be infrasubspecific if its author used one of the terms "aberration", "ab." or "morph”. Thus, as Tippmann (1960) proposed the “name” as an aberration, it has no nomenclatural status (see ICZN, 1999: Articles 45.5 and 45.6).

Tippmann wrote on the “ paratype ” female (translation): “ Paratype: [female symbol], from the same locality, 7.XI.1944. H. Zellibor leg. In the collection H. Zellibor, S. Paulo.” Zellibor’s Collection was bought by Carlos Alberto Campos Seabra. This latter is currently deposited in the MNRJ. However, Dr. Miguel A. Monné (personal communication) said that the specimen is not there.

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 19. 10, Thomasella igniventris, male, ventral. 11, Ischasioides giesberti sp. nov., holotype female, dorsal. 12 – 14, Stultutragus tippmanni sp. nov., holotype male: 12, dorsal; 13, lateral; 14, ventral. 15 – 17, Stultutragus ventriguttatus sp. nov., holotype female: 15, dorsal; 16, ventral; 17, lateral. 18, Stultutragus romani, sytntypes, dorsal. 19, Oxylymma durantoni, male, basal antennomeres and pronotum (photo by Jean-Louis Giuglaris).