Luctithonus pantherinus (Zayas) Lingafelter, 2020

Lingafelter, Steven W., 2020, New genera, species, and records of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from Hispaniola, Insecta Mundi 754, pp. 1-23 : 11-12

Luctithonus pantherinus (Zayas) , new combination

( Fig. 5c , 6 )

Sternidius pantherinus Zayas 1975: 274 , Plate 33b.

Type locality. Cuba: Altiplano of Las Mulas, near eastern Sierra Cristal ( FDZC).

Remarks. Examination of a photograph of the holotype and the original description of Sternidius pantherinus Zayas (1975) reveals that this species has all the characters present in the new genus, Luctithonus. Additional specimen photographs were examined in Devesa et al. (2019). Most notably, the basal elytral tubercles with black setae (discussed in the description and evident in the photograph) exclude this taxon from Sternidius LeConte. Luctithonus pantherinus (Zayas) is therefore a new combination and removes the genus Sternidius from the Caribbean fauna. It is distinguished from the other species in the genus by the abundant dark, well-defined elytral punctures and the narrow, white, transverse, crescent-shaped pubescent macula near the elytral apex that extends from the suture to near the outer margin. Three specimens of L. pantherinus were examined from the Barahona Peninsula and this represents a new island and country record for Hispaniola and the Dominican Republic.

Diagnosis. The elytra have pronounced punctures throughout, each with darkened perimeters. Lighter colored ochraceous to pale green pubescence is present over most of the remaining surface, giving a very spotted elytral appearance. An apical white macula is present near the suture of each elytron. It is larger and more crescent shaped in the holotype from Cuba and less developed in the specimens from the Barahona Peninsula in Hispaniola. An additional very small white macula is present at the outer middle of disk of each elytron. The scape is nearly imperceptibly darker basally and apically. The elytron length is short compared to the body length (about 72%). Length: 6.1–6.3 mm; width: 2.4–2.6 mm. Elytron length: 4.4–4.6 mm; width: 1.2–1.3 mm.

Hispaniola Records: Dominican Republic: Barahona Province, Filipinas, Larimar Mine , at light, 16–17 December 1995, R.E. Woodruff, 3300′ (2, REWC) ; same data but 26 June–7 July, 1992, Skillman, Skelley , Woodruff , Blacklight (1, FWSC) .

Figures

Figure 5. Luctithonus species. a) L. aski Lingafelter, new species, holotype male. b) L. aski Lingafelter, new species, paratype female. c) L. pantherinus (Zayas), d) L. pantherinus (Zayas), holotype male. e) L. duartensis Lingafelter, new species, holotype male, dorsal. f) L. duartensis Lingafelter, new species, paratype female, ventral. g) L. duartensis Lingafelter, new species, paratype female, ventral view of sternites.

Figure 6. Distribution map of Luctithonus species known from Hispaniola.