Neocerambyx paulae Miroshnikov, 2021

Miroshnikov, A. I., 2021, The longicorn beetle tribe Cerambycini Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) in the fauna of Asia. 16. New or little-known species of the genus Neocerambyx J. Thomson, 1861, Russian Entomological Journal 30 (3), pp. 288-296 : 293-295

Neocerambyx paulae Miroshnikov , sp.n.

Figs 36–40 .

MATERIAL. Holotype ♀ (cAM) ( Fig. 36 ), Vietnam, Quang Binh Province, Le Thuy distr., Lam Thuy env., 04.2020 (local collector). Paratype: 1♀ (cGZ) , same label as holotype.

34 35

DIAGNOSIS. This new species belongs to the paris - group [sensu Miroshnikov, 2020a] and seems to be especially similar to N. paris (Wiedemann, 1821) , but differs by the sculpture of the head, in particular, the longer median groove, distinctly extending beyond the anterior margin of the eyes, as in Figs 37–38 (cf. Figs 42–43 ); the presence of the partly isolated impression on both sides of the median groove near the lower margin of the eyes, as in Figs 37–38 (cf. Figs 42– 43 ); the structure of the pronotum, in particular, the narrower constriction at the apex, the quite peculiar sculpture of the disc in the middle part of the basal half, as in Figs 37–38 (cf. Figs 42–43 ); the shape of the external apical angle of antennomeres 6–9, as in Fig. 40 (cf. Fig. 41 ); the less strongly developed recumbent light setation of the head and pronotum in general, and some other traits.

DESCRIPTION. Female. Body length 68–75 mm, humeral width 18.9–23.8 mm, thereby holotype smallest. Dorsum, antennae, mostly legs black; colouration of venter mainly combines black-brown and reddish brown tones.

Head with well-developed antennal tubercles; with a very deep, predominantly wide, median groove between eyes and partly antennal tubercles; eyes moderately convex; with small dense, partly rugose puncturation at vertex and nech dorsally, partly with rough dense punctures at antennal tubercles; very distinctly impressed behind upper lobes of eyes on inner part, thereby with a partly isolated suboval or roundish impression on both sides of median groove; genae long; submentum predominantly with very distinct dense punctures, partly with a rugose sculpture in middle part, as in Fig. 39 ; neck with more or less rough transverse wrinkles both ventrally and laterally; antennae about reaching the last fifth of elytra; length ratio of antennomeres 1–11 (holotype taken as an example), 35: 6: 39: 23: 34: 32: 33: 28: 25: 20: 22; antennomere 1 with coarse transverse folds ventrally and mainly less coarse transverse folds on inner side of basal part, in addition, with a distinct dense puncturation, apical external angle rounded; antennomere 2 barely transverse; external apical angle of antennomeres 6–10 not drawn downwards, as in Fig. 40 (in N. paris , apical external angle at least of antennomeres 6–8 usually distinctly drawn downwards in shape of a tooth, at least so in female, as in Fig. 41 ), devoid of spine; last antennomere rounded apically.

Pronotum 1.22–1.26 times as wide as long; at base clearly wider than at apex; with a sharp narrow constriction at apex, as in Figs 37–38 (in N. paris with a sharp comparatively wide constriction at apex, as in Figs 42–43 ); on disc slightly convex; with coarse and very coarse, irregular, partly transverse folds, in middle part of basal half with a peculiar area also bearing transverse folds, but much less coarse than the rest ones, as in Fig. 37–38 , on sides of this area without a long longitudinal deep groove, only with transverse coarse and very coarse folds (in N. paris , middle part of basal half of disc with a peculiar area bearing only gentle transverse wrinkles or mainly smooth surface excluding distinct small punctures; on sides of this area with a very well-expressed, longitudinal, somewhat sinuous, deep groove, as in Figs 42–43 ); in addition, with a distinct, small, mostly dense puncturation.

Scutellum triangular, with small dense punctures.

Elytra 2.24–2.26 times as long as humeral width; about parallel-sided in basal half starting from base; with a very small, dense and very dense, partly rugose puncturation; apical external angle rounded, sutural angle with a short denticle.

Prosternum with a moderately deep transverse groove in front of middle, with rough, more or less short, mostly transverse wrinkles in front of it and with more or less coarse transverse folds behind groove; prosternal process strongly broadened in last third, as in Fig. 39 , with a distinct, but not too strong apical tubercle; mesosternal process between coxae more than 1.6 times as wide as prosternal process, without tubercle dorsally; meso- and metasterna and abdominal sternites with a very small dense puncturation; metasternum with a well-developed groove, this being most sharp in posterior part; last (visible) abdominal sternite at apex broadly rounded, barely emarginate; last (visible) abdominal tergite at apex with a more distinct emargination.

Legs moderately long; metatarsomere 1 distinctly shorter than metatarsomeres 2 and 3 combined in length.

Recumbent setation on head dorsally, pronotum, antennae and partly legs mainly yellow and yellowish tones, on remaining parts grey and greyish; elytra with a recumbent setation forming an iridescent pattern like in N. paris and other closely related species.

ETYMOLOGY.I am pleased to dedicate this new species to Ms Paula Rylko (Gdansk, Poland), a friend of Mr Greg Zubrzycki, who steadfastly supports his passion for entomology.

DISTRIBUTION. Vietnam: Quang Binh Province.

Acknowledgements. I am very grateful to Greg Zubrzycki (Gdansk, Poland) and Meiying Lin ( IZAS) who kindly provided a very valuable material for study and shared some specimens, to Luboš Dembický (Brno, Czech Republic) for the opportunity to examine the various species of Neocerambyx , including from photographs of the type specimens. I am deeply indebted to Gérard Chemin (Champigny-sur-Marne, France) and Alexander S. Konstantinov ( USNM) for the generous provision of helpful pictures of some type specimens and important information, to Kirill V. Makarov (Moscow Pedagogical State University, Moscow, Russia) for having rendered his great help in the preparation of some pictures. I give special thanks to my wife Tatiana P. Miroshnikova who helped a lot in the preparation of the illustrations for publication .

Figures

Figs 36–43. Neocerambyx spp.: 36–40 — N. paulae sp.n. (38 — photograph by Greg Zubrzycki); 41–43 — N. paris; 36–37, 39–40 — holotype; 38 — paratype; 36–42 — females; 43 — male; 36 — habitus; 37–38, 42–43 — head, dorsal view, and pronotum; 39 — head, ventral view, and prosternum; 40–41 — right antennomeres 6–11. Рис. 36–43. Neocerambyx spp.: 36–40 — N. paulae sp.n. (38 — фотографиЯ Грега Зубжицкого); 41–43 — N. paris; 36–37, 39–40 — голотип; 38 — паратип; 36–42 — самки; 43 — самец; 36 — обЩий вид; 37–38, 42–43 — голова сверху и переднеспинка; 39 — голова сниЗу и простернум; 40–41 — 6–11-й правые членики усиков.