Neoregostoma bettelai, Clarke Abstract, 2010

Clarke Abstract, Robin O. S., 2010, Bolivian Rhinotragini Iii: New Genera And Species (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 50 (16), pp. 239-267 : 261-263

Neoregostoma bettelai sp. nov.

Fig. 9A

Holotype female: 16.0 mm. Deposited at MNKM.

Diagnosis: Neoregostoma bettelai sp. nov. is a bright scarlet, very characteristically marked species, unlikely to be confused with any other species of Rhinotragini . It is larger (16.0- 18.3 mm), more elongate and narrower than other species of the genus; only N. fasciatum (Aurivillius, 1920) is nearly as large (14-17 mm), the remaining species much smaller (10.0- 13.7 mm).

General colour: opaque scarlet, the following black: apex of mandible and apical palpomeres; antennal segments I-VI. moderately broad fascia occupying entire midline of pronotum; scutellum; calliper-shaped fascia occupying basal half of both elytra, and apices of elytra; anterior margin of metepisternum. Scape and antennomere VI, meso- and metasternum, abdomen, and edges of some tarsomeres, clouded dusky.

General pubescence: yellow. Upperparts almost glabrous, except: short, sparse, pubescence on head, on basal angles of pronotum (denser and mixed with longer hairs), and very fine and dense on scutellum. Sterna almost entirely pubescent, the following glabrous (or almost so): front margins and sides of prosternum, sides of mesosternum, hind half of metasternum (with some erect fine hairs), and metepisternum (except extreme base); and distinct patches of dense, recumbent pubescence on the following: centre of prosternum and mesosternum (and their processes), mesepimeron, and front half of metasternum. Abdomen generally glabrous, with scattered long, erect hairs at midline, and narrow dense patches on lateroposterior margins of urosternites. Protibiae densely clothed with shining, golden pubescence mesally.

Surface ornamentation: dense and heavy on upperparts, the puncturation as follows: on head confused, small- er and confluent, semi alveolate punctures; on entire pronotum and elytra the punctures comparatively large, contiguous and alveolate, those on pronotum more rounded and shining, those on elytra irregular in shape and dull. Area of mentum-submentum smooth at midline, to sides multicarinate with isolated punctures. Sterna micropunctate in areas densely pubescent, with isolated large punctures in those generally glabrous. Abdomen as sterna, but punctures denser towards sides, and smaller towards midline. Legs generally smooth and impunctate to sparsely punctate, only protibia densely and finely punctate, and dorsal surfaces of femora with bevelled, setose punctures.

Structure: forebody (8.3 mm) 1.14 longer than abdomen (7.25 mm). Head with eyes (2.1 mm) distinctly narrower than width of prothorax; rostrum long (1.15 mm); labrum moderately large, projecting, rectangular (with parallel sides and broadly emarginate apex), nearly twice as wide as long, and impunctate; apical half of clypeus slightly inclined towards labrum, basal half more strongly inclined towards frons, and almost impunctate. Eyes small, inferior lobes (0.65 mm) about half as long as genae, separated by width of one lobe, their proximal margin lying on frons, distal margins almost transverse; superior lobes with 12-13 rows of fine ommatidia, separated by about 2.5 their own width. Antennal tubercles wider apart than width of scape, with rounded apices. Antennae short, reaching extreme base of abdomen; antennomeres thickened ( III-VII incrementally, VIII-XI decrementally so); VI-X weakly serrate, the apical angles slightly rounded; scape slightly widening from base to apex, shorter (0.9 mm) than antennomere III, III cylindrical, longer (1.2 mm) than rest, IV shorter (0.65 mm) than V, V and VI equal (0.9 mm), VII (0.85 mm), VIII-X progressively shorter, X and XI equal (0.55 mm), XI with small apical cone. Prothorax: subquadrate (2.5 mm long, 2.2 mm wide); sides not strongly rounded, more contracted in front (2.0 mm wide) than behind (2.15 mm wide). Pronotum regularly convex (disc not depressed); widest at middle; apical constriction weak; basal constriction narrow and moderately declivous, with small fovea adjacent to hind angle; front margin strongly bordered; hind angles almost right-angled. Prosternum abruptly declivous across apical third; base of prosternal process almost lamellate, not arched, apex large and subtrapezoidal, strongly inclined to base, sides broad and raised; procoxal cavities ovate, closed at sides and behind. Mesothorax: mesosternum with deep, inclined declivity; base of mesosternal process strongly depressed to midline, relatively broad (0.35 mm), about one third width of coxal cavity; apex of process bilobed, the lobes short, slightly diverging and separated by short notch; mesocoxal cavities moderately widely open to epimeron; mesepimeron narrow and constricted at middle. Scutellum trapezoidal, apex slightly emarginate. Elytra depressed (especially to inside of humeri, leaving basal margin more prominent than humeri), elongate, with apical teeth just reaching base of urosternite V, 2.3 longer (9.0 mm) than width of humeri (3.85 mm); humeri slightly prominent, not projecting, almost right-angled; margins of elytra almost regularly narrowed from behind humeri to apex (hiding sterna), but faintly constricted at middle (at which point elytra start to gape, leaving apices well apart); apices obliquely truncate, sutural margin the shortest, and toothed by short extension of sutural border, lateral margin similarly extended into long, narrow tooth; surface lacking humero-apical costa, or any other distinct irregularities. Metathorax: metasternum large, convex, more so behind, with complete longitudinal suture (albeit very narrow to front), and apical margin oblique towards sides. Metepisternum wide, widest at base, moderately narrowing to apex. Abdomen: robust, deep and broad, widest at middle of urosternite I; II-IV strongly transverse, with rounded sides, and incrementally shorter; V short and trapezoidal, depressed across middle, apical margin rounded; abdominal process almost planar with abdomen, triangular, sides not raised, apex moderately acuminate, and intimately inserted between metacoxae. Apical tergite elongate and conical, apex rounded and overlapping apex of urosternite V. Legs: moderately robust; ratio length front to hind leg 1.0:1.2:1.9; front and middle legs strongly pedunculate-clavate (mesofemoral peduncle and clave flattened at sides); hind leg more cylindrical, clave distinct (but not abrupt), peduncle cylindrical and slightly longer than clave; protibia with apex obliquely excised laterally, not much shorter (2.5 mm) than metatibia (2.8 mm); metatibia (5.5 mm) not much shorter than metafemora (5.8 mm), thickened for apical fifth, which is clothed with short, dense, black pubescence; protarsus longer (2.00 mm) than mesotarsus (1.75 mm), shorter than metatarsus (2.5 mm); length of metatarsomere I (1.00 mm) subequal to II + III together (0.95 mm).

Variation: the single female paratype is almost entirely orange below (base of metepisternum black as holotype), but sides of urosternite II with subovate, black fascia .

Measurements (mm): 3 females: total length 16.00-18.25; length of pronotum 3.00-3.15; width of pronotum 2.65-2.70; length of elytra 8.70-9.15; width at humeri 2.90-3.10.

Type material: Holotype female, BOLIVIA, Santa Cruz, Reserva Natural Potrerillo de Guenda , 40 km NW Santa Cruz, 17°40’26”S / 63°27’43”W, 370 m, 16-22.X.2008, Wappes, Nearns & Eya col. ( MNKM) . Paratype from same locality : 1 female, 09-28. XI.2006 , Dozier & Romero col. ( ACMS); 1 female 09-28. XI.2006 , Dozier & Romero col. ( FSCA).

Biology: since all three female specimens have small, pollen grains lodged amongst the mouthparts and elsewhere, it would seem the species is anthophilous.

Etymology: this new species is dedicated to the memory of Paulo Bettela, whose passion, the study of the Bolivian fauna, was unprovidentially cut short.

Figures

FIGURES 8‑10: 8. Ommata (Chrysaethe) amboroensis sp. nov., A. male holotype. 9. Neoregostoma bettelai sp. nov., A. female holotype. 10. Pseudagaone suturafissa Tippmann, 1960, A. male, B. female.