Aechmutes boliviensis, Clarke, 2012

Clarke, Robin O. S., 2012, Bolivian Rhinotragini V: New Species Of Erythroplatys White, 1855, Rhinotragus Germar, 1824, Ornistomus Thomson, 1864, And Aechmutes Bates, 1867 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 52 (5), pp. 55-79 : 71-74

Aechmutes boliviensis sp. nov.

Figs. 6A, 6B

Holotype male: 11.85 mm. Deposited at MNKM.

Diagnosis: Separation of Aechmutes boliviensis sp. nov., from Aechmutes subandinus sp. nov., is outlined under the description of the latter.

A. boliviensis is readily separated from Aechmutes lycoides Bates, 1867 by the following: pronotum with elongate, bell-shaped fascia occupying basal half of midline (in A. lycoides this fascia is absent); antennomeres III-XI chestnut (in A. lycoides antennae almost entirely black); metafemoral clave almost entirely dark chestnut, including apex (in A. lycoides this clave yellow at base and apex); male abdomen tapering from base to apex (in A. lycoides abdomen strongly constricted between urosternites II and III).

A. boliviensis is readily separated from Aechmutes armatus Gounelle, 1911 by the following: disc of pronotum with three black fasciae (in A. armatus only one, on midline); and sides of elytra for apical half only slightly arced (in A. armatus moderately strongly arced).

Description of holotype: colour opaque; dull, chestnut to black, and yellow to orange-yellow. Head orange-yellow, the following black: apex of mandible; apical palpomeres; vertex with two parallel fasciae behind antennal tubercles; rectangular fascia on area behind eyes; antennal scape and pedicel (rest of antennal segments chestnut, VIII-XI yellow at base). Prothorax orange-yellow, the following black: pronotum with bell-shaped fascia occupying basal half of midline; and from apical margin to basal fifth, broad, elongate fascia to each side of disc (these three fasciae leaving characteristic, inverted, Y-shaped area between them); each side of prosternum (including procoxal process) with broad, parallel fascia. Mesosternum (including mesosternal process) orange-yellow; sides (including mesepimeron), and scutellum, black. Elytra black, the following yellow: humeri for basal quarter broadly orange-yellow (but leaving adjacent margin of suture broadly black); and broad yellow fascia occupying apical three-quarters (both basal and apical margins of this fascia scalloped). Metathorax almost entirely black, only metasternal process and adjacent area yellowish. Abdomen black, only centre and sides of urosternite I yellowish. Legs dark chestnut (tarsi darker), the following yellowish: coxae; most of sides and underside of profemora; and most of metafemoral peduncle (except extreme base).

General pubescence: dorsad almost glabrous, sides and basal depression of pronotum with short, dense, recumbent, golden coloured pubescence. Similar, but white, pubescence on underside; most noticeable on centre of prosternum, sides of mesosternum, mesepimeron, base and midline of metasternum, and latero-posterior margins of urosternites I-IV. Protibiae thickly clothed with short, rigid, yellowish pubescence mesally.

Surface ornamentation: dorsad almost entirely covered by contiguous, alveolate punctures; smaller and more uniform on head and pronotum; larger, and semi-alveolate (almost asperate) on elytra (except pre-apical yellow fasciae with small, non-alveolate punctures). Mentum-submentum with sparse punctures, isolated by multiple, arced carinae; but midline almost impunctate. Centre of prosternum strongly shagreened, with large, well-defined, rectangular patch of small, dense, semi-alveolate punctures. Mesosternum reticulate and densely covered by very small setiferous punctures, mixed with larger punctures towards sides and on mesepimera. Midline of metasternum densely and finely punctured, followed by smooth area with large, separated punctures; becoming confluent, and alveolate towards sides, and on metepisterna. Abdomen shining, with very fine reticulation; punctures at centre of urosternite I similar to those of metasternum; small, shallow and sparse at centre of II-V (denser and, somewhat, bevelled laterally). Sexual puncturation seems to be lacking in this species.

Structure: forebody 1.2 longer than abdomen (5.25 mm). Head with eyes (1.55 mm), distinctly narrower than pronotum. Rostrum moderately wide (1.00 mm) with sides slightly narrowed to middle; long (0.60 mm), slightly shorter than length of inferior lobes of eyes (0.75 mm). Labrum wide, ca. three times wider than long; front margin slightly excavate, sides rounded and explanate; one large setiferous puncture to each side, two groups of 6-8 smaller ones between them. Clypeus with apex narrower than base of labrum, and separated from frons by shallow declivity. Eyes large and convex; distal margin of inferior lobe lying on frons, proximal margin slightly oblique; inferior lobes moderately close, width of one lobe 5.3 times interocular space (0.15 mm); the latter moderately inclined, prominent at sides, with relatively deep, V-shaped depression (only wide enough to accommodate a single row of punctures to either side of narrow frontal suture). Width of one superior lobe of eye about half interocular space (0.40 mm). Antennal tubercles with rounded, prominent apices; the distance between them narrower than maximum width of scape (0.40 mm). Antennae short, almost reaching apex of urosternite I; basal segments moderately robust, apical ones distinctly less so; underside of segments I-VI densely setose; antennomeres III-VI incrementally wider; V serrate; VI moderately strongly serrate; VII-X incrementally narrower and less serrate; XI not serrate, longer and narrower than X, with relatively long apical cone. Scape strongly pyriform (viewed laterally); moderately long (0.80 mm); and densely punctured (these confluent, large and deep). Pedicel short (0.30 mm) with subparallel sides; the apical half slightly tumid. Antennomere III subcylindrical, short, but slightly longer (0.85 mm) than scape and IV (0.60 mm); V (0.75 mm); VI (0.70 mm); VII (0.65 mm); VIII (0.60 mm); IX (0.55 mm); X (0.50 mm); XI (0.65 mm). Prothorax: subtrapezoidal; slightly longer (2.05 mm) than wide (1.90 mm), widest well behind middle (at this point sides slightly rounded to front margin, straighter and subparallel to basal margin); apical margin (1.30 mm) distinctly narrower than basal margin (1.75 mm). Surface of pronotum weakly convex, slightly irregular (but lacking distinct calli); apical and basal constrictions weak; but the latter deep and narrow, and furnished with large fovea towards each side; basal angles square. Prosternum depressed across apical fifth, moderately inclined to prosternal process; base of latter ca. seven times narrower (0.10 mm) than width of procoxal cavity; apex inclined upwards, large, trapezoidal, with weak, slightly raised borders; procoxal cavities closed at sides and behind; procoxae slightly more prominent than mesocoxae. Mesosternal declivity deep and abrupt. Mesosternal process with broad, with raised sides; moderately wide (0.30 mm), half width of coxal cavity; apex bilobed (separated by relatively small notch). Mesocoxal cavity narrowly open to mesepimeron; the latter not broad, and distinctly narrowed towards middle. Scutellum small, elongate, subrectangular, narrowly depressed at midline. Elytra hiding meso- and metasterna; for basal half moderately narrowed; sides subparallel, somewhat flattened between humero-apical costae and suture, and steeply inclined to sides; towards apex slightly depressed between humero-apical costae and suture, weakly inclined to sides, and moderately flared to apex; humero-apical costa elevated for middle half, absent from apical fifth; border of epipleuron, narrow, from above visible from mid-humerus to apex. Elytra 3.5 longer than width of humeri (2.25 mm); spatula-shaped; suture almost straight, with slight gape from scutellum to apical fifth; laterally distinctly curved outwards from middle to near apex; maximum width (3.35 mm) at apical fifth; humeri slightly rounded, not prominent, nor projecting; apices of elytra divergent, apical margin oblique (suture the longest), and slightly bisinuate; both suture and lateral border prolonged into short spine. Metathorax with posterior margin distinctly oblique. Metasternum not much broader than prothorax; convex, but broadly flattened (and slightly depressed) to either side of midline; and slightly more prominent than mesocoxae; metasternal suture almost entire, deep posteriorly, not quite reaching metasternal process. Metepisternum moderately large, subrectangular, weakly tapering to acuminate apex. Abdomen strongly convex; tapering from base to apex. Urosternites II-IV transverse with slightly rounded, subparallel sides; and subequal in length. Urosternite V long, ca. as long as IV; conical; surface slightly convex (not flattened, nor depressed); apex strongly excavate, each side prolonged into oblique, blunt tooth. Abdominal process triangular; almost planar with rest of abdomen; and abruptly acuminate.

Legs moderately robust and long; length of front, middle and hind legs in the ratio 1.0:1.3:1.9. Pro- and mesofemora strongly pedunculate-clavate (claves flattened laterally; profemoral peduncle very short; mesofemoral peduncle flattened at sides, ca. half length of clave. Metafemora long (4.35 mm); weakly pedunculate-clavate; clave hardly longer than peduncle, almost cylindrical, apices prolonged into short spines (lateral one longer); with spine, reaching middle of urosternite V. Apex of protibiae obliquely excised laterally. Metatibia distinctly shorter (3.70 mm) than metafemora; cylindrical; bisinuate; clothed with moderately sparse, short setae (but otherwise unspecialised); hardly widening to apex. Pro- and mesotarsi rather robust (the tarsomeres subequal in length, short and wide). Metatarsomere I cylindrical; slightly shorter than length of II + III (0.70 mm); II (0.35 mm) weakly trapeziform, III bifid.

Variation in males: colour distribution presents no significant differences among the males; but both humeral fascia on elytra may be yellow (not orange-yellow); all antennomeres may be black (and those with yellow at base varying from VII-XI, to only X and XI); and black colour at base of metafemoral peduncle may be more extensive. Shape of labrum is rather variable: in one male rectangular; in several not wider than apex of clypeus, nor rounded at sides. In one male proximal margin of inferior lobes closer to frons, and hind margin transverse; in two males the latter more oblique. Apical segments of antenna may be more serrate than those of holotype. Maximum width of pronotum in three males is only just behind middle. Scutellum is oval in one male paratype, and not as long as holotype in many. Length and size of spines at apex of metafemora variable; but never very long, nor very large (mesal spines always shorter than lateral ones). Metatarsomere I may be slightly shorter or longer than holotype, but never as long as II + III .

Description of female ( Fig. 6B ): colour distribution presents no significant differences from the male; in one female bell-shaped fascia on midline of pronotum reduced to small apical portion.

Structure: most structural differences limited to sexually dimorphic ones usual in species of this tribe. Rostrum longer (0.60 mm) than length of inferior lobes (0.50 mm). Eyes smaller; inferior lobes of eyes moderately separated, width of one lobe 1.14 times interocular space (0.35 mm); the latter flat between prominent sides, the surface towards antennal tubercles confused by small, confluent punctures. Antennae more robust, and slightly shorter (reaching middle of urosternite I). Dimensions of prothorax apparently more variable; in one female slightly transverse, in two quadrate, and in one female more elongate than holotype; and in two females the sides are straighter, with maximum width towards base of pronotum. Underside appears to be very similar to that of males; but abdomen slightly wider than male, and apex of urosternite V truncate and devoid of lateral teeth. Legs slightly shorter than in male (but same ratio); apex of metafemora reaching apex of urosternite IV; and basal metatarsomere 0.86 length of II + III .

Measurements (mm): 14 males / 7 females: total length, 8.8-12.4/11.90-13.95; length of pronotum, 1.45-2.15/1.90-2.40; width of pronotum, 1.4-1.9/1.80-1.95; length of elytra, 5.85-8.25/8.15-9.25; width at humeri, 1.65-2.4/2.35-2.75.

Type material: Holotype male, BOLIVIA, Santa Cruz, Hotel Flora & Fauna, 5 km SSE of Buena Vista , 17°29’96”S/ 63°39’13”W, 440 m, 20.X.2005, on/

flying to flowers of “Sama blanca chica”, Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( MNKM).

Paratypes with same locality as holotype, but different collecting data : 1 female, 02-13. II.2000 , M.C. Thomas col. ( FSCA); 1 male, 14-16.X.2000 Wappes & Morris col. ( ACMT) ; 1 male, 05-15.XI.2001, at black light, M.C. Thomas & B.K. Dozier col. ( FSCA) ; 2 males, 01-08.XI.2002, J.E. Wappes col. ( ACMT) ; 1 male, 04-10. V .2003, R . Clarke col. ( ACMT); 1 male, 05-08. V.2004 , Wappes & Cline col. ( ACMT); 1 male, 15. VII.2005 , beaten from bush of “Red Powder-puff ”, Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( RCSZ); 1 male, 03. VII.2005 , in flight, Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( MNKM).

Paratypes with same data as holotype, but different host flowers: Flying to/on flowers of “Bejuco hoja lanuda” : 1 male and 1 female, 01-06. V .2005 ( MZUSP) ; 4 males, 20-29. IV .2005 ( RCSZ) . Flying to/on flowers of “ Barbasquillo ” : 1 male, 17.VIII.2005 ( RCSZ) ; 1 male, 28.VIII.2005 ( MNRJ) ; 1 female, 28.IX.2005 ( MNRJ) . Flying to/on flowers of “Barbasquillo B”: 1 female, 28.X.2007 ( RCSZ). Flying to/on flowers of “ Piton amarillo ”: 1 male, 12.X.2005 ( RCSZ) ; 1 female, 08.VIII.2007 ( RCSZ) . Flying to/on flowers of “Ramoneo”: 1 female, 08.VIII.2007 ( RCSZ). Flying to/on flowers of “Tutumillo espinoso”: 1 male, 04.XI.2005 ( RCSZ). Flying to/on flowers of “ Lechoso coloradillo” : 1 male, 11.XII.2005 ( RCSZ) ; 1 female, 08.VIII.2007 ( RCSZ) . Flying to/on flowers of “ Sapaimosi ” : 1 male, 21.XII.2005 ( RCSZ) ; 1 female, 16.IX.2009 ( RCSZ) .

Discussion: Monné (2005) records Aechmutes armatus for Bolivia; but as he states (pers. com.): “the record for A. armatus from Bolivia, cames from a misidentification by Moure and Seabra, they identified 3 specimens from Provincia Chapare as A. armatus , but they are A. boliviensis ”.

Wappes et al. (2006) record Aechmutes lycoides from Bolivia; but these records are almost certainly referable to Aechmutes boliviensis , since the specimens were collected at the Hotel Flora & Fauna.

Figures

FIGURES 5‑7: 5, Ornistomus simulatrix sp. nov.: A male holotype, B female paratype. 6, Aechmutes boliviensis sp. nov.: A male holotype, B female paratype. 7, Aechmutes subandinus sp. nov.: A male holotype, B female paratype.