Elaphidion wappesi Lingafelter, 2008

Lingafelter, Steven W., 2008, Seven New Species of Elaphidiini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from the Dominican Republic with Taxonomic Notes, New Country Records, and a Key toElaphidionAudinet-Serville from Hispaniola, The Coleopterists Bulletin 62 (3), pp. 353-379 : 353-379

Elaphidion wappesi Lingafelter , new species

( Figs. 13 , 14d , 15d )

Description. Small to moderate sized, 9–12 mm long; 2.5–3.0 mm broad; integument uniformly reddish-brown, pronotum and head slightly darker than rest of body. Head moderately clothed with short, appressed, golden pubescence, most dense around inner eye margins; interantennal impression weak; antennal tubercles not strongly elevated; antennae of female not reaching elytral apex; antennae of male barely extending beyond elytral apex by about 1 antennomere; last antennomere in both sexes slightly longer than penultimate antennomere; more swollen and blunt in females than males; antennomere four of both sexes shorter than five; antennae spined mesally on antennomeres 3–6 and laterally dentiform on 6–8 (females) and 7–10 (males); antennal spines pronounced mesally on 3–5 with spine of third a little shorter than entire fourth antennomere. Spines of antennomeres 4–5 often rotated on somewhat more dorsal axis than spine of third. Antennae with moderate, appressed, pale golden pubescence and sparse, erect hairs, mesally and apically on most antennomeres. Pronotum approximately as broad as long in both sexes, somewhat angulate at middle, slightly narrower there than elytral base; moderate, golden, appressed setae present; narrow, 372 elongate longitudinal callus extending to near anterior and posterior margins, surrounded by 4 vaguely defined and non-elevated calli (1 posterolateral and 1 anterolateral on each side); large, dense, mostly confluent punctures present, except on calli; punctures in male present in front of procoxae; absent in female.

374 (male); b) E. iviei (male); c) E. nearnsi (male); d) E. wappesi (male).

Prosternal intercoxal process pronounced, broad, glabrous at apex, protruding only slightly posteriorly beyond plane of procoxae, acutely declivous. Elytron with sparse, patchy golden, appressed pubescence; very long erect or suberect setae present but sparse (more than 10 present on each elytron); elytral apices strongly bispinose, outer spine at least twice as long as sutural spine, parallel or slightly angled away from it; weakly arcuate between spines. Elytron with dense but mostly non-contiguous, large, deep punctures, shallower posteriorly.

Scutellum acute posteriorly and with moderate, golden, appressed pubescence; glabrous longitudinally along middle. Legs moderate in length; hind femora extending into plane of fourth ventrite; pubescence of femora tawny, sparse, patchy; erect hairs present on tibiae and femora. Meso- and metafemoral apices strongly spined mesally, unspined or dentiform apicolaterally. Abdomen with tawny pubescence more dense laterally (very sparse medially); last ventrite of both sexes broadly rounded apically, without modification.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of James Wappes for his superb entomological collections and his overall contributions to the study of Cerambycidae . Jim also collected some of the type series of this species. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Discussion. This species ( Fig. 13 ) is most similar to Elaphidion auricoma , but differs in its more slender proportions, smaller size, relatively elongate and narrow scape, longer apicolateral spines on elytra, absence of raised anterolateral pronotal calli, and less dense golden pubescence.

Sexual dimorphism in this species is reduced: in females the antennae do not extend beyond the elytral apex; in males they just exceed the apex; the last antennomere in both sexes is slightly longer than the penultimate, but in females the terminal antennomere is somewhat more swollen and blunt than in males. There is no difference in antennal spination between the sexes ( Fig. 14d ). The pronotum 376 shows little differentiation between males and females. Males have coarse punctures anterior to the procoxae, whereas females lack punctation in this region.

Type Material. Holotype, female: ‘‘ Dominican Republic: 14 km W Puerto Plata, May 10–11, 1985, E. Giesbert, coll.’’ ( FSCA, long term loan to USNM) . Paratypes, 5 (all Dominican Republic): same data as holotype (1 female, EFGC) ; La Cumbre de Puerto Plata, 2000 9, 8–9 May 1985, E. Giesbert, coll. (2 males, EFGC) ; Puerto Plata Prov., 2000 9, La Cumbre Research Station , 8–9 May 1985, J. E. Wappes (1 female, JWPC) ; La Vega Prov., 10 km NE Jarabacoa , 8–12 May 1985, J. E. Wappes (1 male, USNM) .

Figures

Fig. 13. Elaphidion wappesi Lingafelter, new species, dorsal habitus photo-illustration, male.

Fig. 14. Detail of antennal spines on antennomeres 3–6 in Dominican Republic Elaphidion. a) E. auricoma (female); b) E. iviei (female); c) E. nearnsi (female); d) E. wappesi (female).

Fig. 15. Detail of metafemoral apices in Dominican Republic Elaphidion. a) E. auricoma