Leiopus linnei, Wallin, Nylander & Kvamme, 2009

Wallin, Henrik, Nylander, Ulf & Kvamme, Torstein, 2009, Two sibling species of Leiopus Audinet-Serville, 1835 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Europe: L. nebulosus (Linnaeus, 1758) and L. linnei sp. nov., Zootaxa 2010, pp. 31-45 : 39-40

Leiopus linnei sp. nov.

Type locality: Sweden, the province of Uppland, Övergran, Biskops-Arnö.

Holotype: 1 male (body length: 8.3 mm, width: 2.8 mm), Sweden, Province Uppland, Biskops-Arnö, 2007-05, reared from oak branches, H. Wallin leg. The holotype is deposited in the type collection at the Museum of Evolution , Uppsala University ( UUZM) with identity = UUZM Types No. 2824a.

Paratypes: (8 males, 6 females): 1 female, Sweden, UP , Biskops-Arnö, 2007-05, reared from oak branches, H. Wallin leg, UUZM Types No. 2824b ; 1 male, Sweden, SM , Hornsö, Alsterhus , 1980-05-22, Bengt Andersson leg, reared from oak branches, BA ; 1 male, Norway, Ås ( AK6 ), 1977-04-22, reared from oak branches, T . Kvamme leg, NMHO; 1 male, Sweden, SM , Strömserum , 1971-07-09, U. Nylander leg., UN ; 1 male, Sweden, UP , Biskops-Arnö , 2007-05, reared from oak branches, H. Wallin leg, HW ; 1 male Denmark, Jylland ( SJ), Løgumkloster, Løgumbjerg , 1956-06-22, G. Israelson leg, ZML ; 1 male, Sweden, SK, Örup , 1979-07-22, A. Dufberg leg., AD ; 1 male, Sweden, Holmsjö , BL, 1980-06-24, O. Nodmar leg, ON ; 1 male England, Barcombe , Devon, 1924-07-04, oak (ex coll. C.J. Saunders), BMNH ; 1 female, Sweden, SM , Hornsö , 1974-05-14, Bengt Andersson leg, reared from oak branches, BA ; 1 female, Norway, Arendal ( AAY), Fløystad kirke, 2006-06-21, S. Olberg leg, NMHO ; 1 female, Sweden, SM , Strömserum , 1971-07-09, U. Nylander leg, UN ; 1 female Denmark, Jylland ( SJ), Løgumkloster, Løgumbjerg , 1956-06-22, G. Israelsson leg, ZML ; 1 female England, Barcombe , Devon, 1924-07-04, oak (ex coll. C.J. Saunders), BMNH .

Description: Moderate-sized, subdepressed, similar in shape to L. nebulosus (L.) ( Fig.2). Body length: 5.0– 9.2 mm in males, and 6.4–9.5 mm in females. Entire surface covered with whitish pubescence with irregular blackish spots, forming an irregular and broad blackish band near base, and most often, an oblique to blackish band behind middle ( Fig. 2). A whitish area on the middle of the elytra, between the anterior and posterior dark bands, often with numerous small dark spots. Pronotum covered with a mixture of brownish and yellowish pubescence forming a pattern of lighter spots or transversal bands medially ( Fig. 4). Pronotum is wide, often with three to five raised tubercles: two close to the posterior margin, one longitudinally elongated medially, and two close to the anterior margin. Area between four marginal tubercles often covered with yellowish pubescence. Pronotal punctuation relatively coarse and more concentrated medially. Frons more protruding and wider than that of L. nebulosus ( Fig. 6). Maximum width of frons (mean ± SD: 1.23 mm ± 0.16; n=20) significantly greater than that of L. nebulosus (0.98 mm ± 0.13, n=20) (t-test, P <0,0001). In order to eliminate any influence of body size, an index (maximum width of frons/maximum width the right eye) was used, which also resulted in significant differences (t-test, P<0.0001). Posterior margin of last visible abdominal segment (ovipositor) of female covered with a dense plume of long hairs ( Fig. 8). Body length of examined males (7.83 mm ± 0.88, n=87) significantly greater than that of L. nebulosus males (7.05 mm ± 0.74, n=87) (t-test, P<0.0001). Examined females significantly longer (8.21 mm ± 0.70, n=61) than L. nebulosus females (7.39 mm ± 0.75, n=65) (t-test, P<0.0001). Aedeagus ( Fig. 10): approx. 1.7 mm long, relatively broad and stout, slightly widened to the middle and thereafter only slightly narrowed and curved towards apex, ventral ridge protruding, forming a distinct apical tip, often elongated and pointing ventrally. Dorsal ridge with a rounded apex. Microscopic sclerites inside internal sac forming a circular head without a “V-shaped” structure and a "T-shaped" end found in L. nebulosus . Parameres ( Figs. 12 & 14): approx. 1.8 mm long, flattened dorso-ventrally, not separated, forming a straight inner line towards apex, apex with sharp edge inwards and more rounded laterally; with a mixture of fine and coarse fringes of relatively short, brownish hairs well concentrated at edge of apex, also scattered single hairs medially towards apex. Basal part of parameres protruding, giving it a swollen appearance. Surface medially along inner margin and predominantly towards apex often covered with weak transversal micro-reticulation. Base of tegmen at lower part of lateral lobe extended and forming a straight line dorso-ventrally, and not twisted in the middle. Proctiger (8 th tergum; Fig. 16): approx. 1.0 mm long and densely covered with long coarse yellowish, brownish or black hairs distally towards posterior margin, covering entire surface medially. Surface not shining medially, with distinct square-formed micro-reticulation both medially and laterally. Posterior margin extended and often forming a distinct pointing edge, almost triangular. Spermatheca ( Fig. 17): yellow to brown, relatively short and stout, widened at base, and acutely curved towards apex. Apex with an elongated head.

Comments: The genitalia characteristics of both sexes amongst all dissected specimens of the two sibling species of Leiopus were found to be stable. We found no similarities in the genitalia characters between L. linnei , and any of the examined Palaearctic species of Leiopus . The male genitalia characters of L. insulanus , are similar to those described for L. nebulosus but not L. linnei .

Etymology: This species is named in honour of Carl von Linné, who introduced the binary nomenclature. The final part of the work was made during 2007, which corresponds with the 300 th anniversary of Linnaeus’s birth. Cerambyx nebulosus was described by Linnaeus and this is an additional reason to dedicate the name of the sibling species to him.