Pseudobeta casariae, Nascimento & Nearns & Botero & Santos-Silva & Martins, 2020

Nascimento, Francisco Eriberto de L., Nearns, Eugenio H., Botero, Juan Pablo, Santos-Silva, Antonio & Martins, David dos Santos, 2020, New species and new record in Lamiinae from Espírito Santo (Brazil) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (Pap. Avulsos Zool., S. Paulo) 60, pp. 1-12 : 7-9

Pseudobeta casariae sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 A‑3E)

Description: Holotype male: Integument mostly dark brown, nearly black on some areas; mouthparts and anteclypeus dark reddish-brown ( Fig. 3E ); basal ¾ of antennomere III brown; about basal ¾ of antennomeres IV-X and of tarsomere V orangish-brown.

Head: Frons ( Fig. 3D ) slightly transverse; finely, shallowly, sparsely punctate; with pale-yellow pubescence nearly obscuring integument, yellower on narrow lateral band close to genae, and wide central area between eyes (this area narrowed toward its inferior area);with narrow,longitudinal glabrous band on each side, from about middle of eyes to clypeus, and glabrous median groove. Vertex and area behind upper eye lobes with dense yellow pubescence, except glabrous median groove. Area behind low- er eye lobes with dense yellow pubescence on wide area close to eyes, except oblique glabrous band about middle,which reaches prothorax but does not reach eye; area close to prothorax, from oblique glabrous band to ventral surface, glabrous, finely, sparsely punctate superiorly, transversely striate inferiorly. Genae slightly shorter than lower eye lobe; with dense yellow pubescence, slightly paler toward clypeus, except glabrous apex. Postclypeus finely, somewhat sparsely punctate centrally, smooth laterally; with pale yellow pubescence on wide central area, with long, erect golden setae interspersed laterally, glabrous on smooth area. Labrum coplanar with anteclypeus at posterior half, oblique, somewhat depressed at anterior half; with pale-yellow pubescence on posterior half, partially obscuring integument, and long, abundant golden setae on anterior half, and short fringe of golden setae on anterior margin. Antennal tubercles abruptly elevated, well-separated, with inner apex forming moderately elevated horn with blunt apex; pubescence mostly pale-yellow, yellower on some areas. Gulamentum transversely striate centrally, smooth on remaining surface; glabrous except short, sparse pale-yellow pubescence on intermaxillary process. Area of connection of eye lobes as wide as upper eye lobe. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.28 times length of scape (0.23 times distance between outer margins of eyes); in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.78 length of scape (0.67 times distance between outer margins of eyes). Antennae 2.3 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at basal third of antennomere VII. Scape gradually widened toward apex; wide central area coarsely, transversely rugose laterally and ventrally; with yellowish-white pubescence obscuring integument, except brownish pubescent macula on dorsal and lateral surfaces of posterior third (not reaching apex) (outer apex nearly glabrous, probably due to debridement). Pedicel and lighter area of antennomeres with yellowish-white pubescence, gradually finer, less conspicuous toward XI; dark apical area of antennomere III with yellowish-brown pubescence; dark area of antennomeres IV-X with yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument (appearing to be darker due to integument color), gradually sparser, less conspicuous toward X; antennomere III slightly sinuous. Antennal formula (ratio) based on length of antennomere III: scape = 0.81; pedicel = 0.16; IV = 0.82; V = 0.80; VI = 0.74; VII = 0.74;VIII = 0.69; IX = 0.69; X = 0.67; XI = 0.70.

Thorax: Prothorax transverse and cylindrical, 1.45 wider than long; sides with somewhat small, rounded gibbosity close to anterior constriction, and small protuberance about middle (anterior margin abruptly expanded). Pronotum transversely tumid between anterior and posterior fifths; tumid area with irregular, slightly elevated gibbosities laterally, and longitudinal gibbosity centrally (this gibbosity prolonged toward anterior margin, but less elevated than on tumid area); posterior area of tumid area with oblique, slightly elevated carina on each side, fused centrally; tumid area with yellow pubescence,with yellowish-white pubescence interspersed (posterior area with oblique carinae more yellowish-white centrally); anterior and posterior fifths mostly with yellowish-white pubescence, except narrow yellow pubescent band centrally on anterior fifth; area between oblique carinae on tumid area and posterior margin with coarse, sparse, glabrous punctures. Sides of prothorax coarsely, transversely rugose, especially centrally; with yellowish-white pubescence, with yellow pubescence interspersed, except area close to anterior margin and part of area close to procoxae; with long, erect dark setae posteriorly close to pronotum. Prosternum with abundant yellow pubescence laterally, and almost glabrous centrally. Prosternal process with dense yellow pubescence. Mesoventrite nearly glabrous, except yellowish-white pubescence close to mesocoxal cavities and apices. Mesoventral process with yellowish-white pubescence obscuring integument, except narrow, longitudinal central band partially glabrous. Mesanepisternum, mesepimeron, metanepisternum, and metaventrite with dense yellowish-white pubescence, with patches of yellow pubescence on some areas. Scutellum with yellowish-white pubescence close to margins, and yellowish-brown pubescence centrally, except glabrous, transverse band on anterocentral area. Elytra: Nearly parallel-sided on anterior ¾,uniformly rounded on posterior quarter; humerus tumid, slightly projected forward and sideward, with small glabrous tubercle at apex; coarsely, somewhat sparsely punctate on basal quarter (punctures near base scabrous), nearly absent on remaining surface; sides of basal quarter with yellowish-brown pubescence, with whitish pubescence interspersed (whitish pubescence more abundant toward central area); punctures on basal quarter with minute yellow seta arising from each one; central area of anterior quarter with dense white pubescence; remaining surface with dense white pubescence, with irregular patches of pale-yellow pubescence, except almost zig-zag, cross band of pale-yellow pubescence beyond middle. Legs: Procoxae with distinct, uncinate projection ( Fig. 3E ). Profemora wide basally, slightly widened toward apex; meso- and metafemora narrower basally, and slightly wider toward apex than profemora (especially metafemora); dorsally with dense yellowish pubescence (profemora with brownish pubescent patch near apex), and remaining surface with dense yellowish-white pubescence. Protibiae gradually widened toward apex; mesotibiae somewhat abruptly widened dorsally from basal third, with wide, distinct sulcus laterally from apex of anterior third to near apex (gradually shallower toward apex); metatibiae gradually, strongly widened on anterior ⅔, slightly narrowed toward apex on posterior third, with wide, distinct sulcus laterally from apex of anterior third to near apex (gradually shallower toward apex, especially inferiorly); protibiae with yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument, with short yellow setae interspersed, except dense, somewhat bristly yellow pubescence on posterior quarter of dorsal surface, posterior third of ventral surface, and entire apex; mesotibiae with pale-yellow pubescence dorsally on anterior third, yellowish-white pubescence laterally and ventrally on anterior third and almost entire ventral surface of posterior ⅔, dense, bristly yellow pubescence on dorsal surface of posterior ⅔ and apex of ventral surface, and short, decumbent, sparse yellow setae on sides of posterior ⅔; metatibiae with yellowish-white pubescence on basal third (yellower dorsally), yellowish-white pubescence ventrally to about middle, yellowish-white pubescence dorsally to posterior third, dense, somewhat bristly yellow pubescence dorsally on posterior third, ventrally on about posterior half and entire apex, and short, decumbent yellow setae on sides of posterior ⅔.

Abdomen: Ventrites with dense grayish-white pubescence, except apex of ventrite V with yellowish pubescence; apex of ventrite V nearly truncate, slightly, widely emarginate centrally.

Variation: Sides of basal quarter of elytra with yellow pubescence much more abundant than in the holotype, without whitish pubescence interspersed, except a few white pubescent maculae near apex of this area; white pubescence of elytra with yellowish-brown patches of pubescence interspersed.

Dimensions in mm (holotype / paratype): Total length, 18.90/20.00; prothoracic length, 2.95/3.25; anterior prothoracic width, 4.10/4.50; posterior prothoracic width, 4.25/4.65;humeral width,6.70/7.30; elytral length, 13.70/14.25.

Type material: Holotype male from BRAZIL, Espírito Santo: Linhares ( RFCVRD, 2218) [= RNV], 01.XI.1988, José Simplício dos Santos col. ( MZSP, formerly RNV) . Paratype male, same data as holotype except, # 2941, 20.X.1992 ( RNV).

Etymology: This species is name for Professor Sônia A. Casari (MZSP) for her support and contributions to the study of Coleoptera .

Remarks: Pseudobeta Zajciw, 1972 (a synonym used as a replacement name for Beta Dillon & Dillon, 1945 ) is a problematic genus because the generic limits are not clear, and its separation from Midamiella Monné, 2005 (replacement name for Midamus Dillon & Dillon, 1945 ) is questionable.

Dillon & Dillon (1945) separated Beta from Midamus in the alternative of couplet “29”:“Head with front transverse,” leading to Beta ; “Head with front subquadrate or elongate,” leading to Midamus . However, the difference between transverse and subquadrate may be nonexistent. In addition, according to Zajciw (1972) the frons is subquadrate in Pseudobeta (the type species of Beta and Pseudobeta are synonyms). In fact, Dillon & Dillon (1945) compared Beta with Midamus : “Somewhat related to Midamus in the broad front, small eyes, short genae and cylindrical pronotum; distinct in having the eyes broad- er, more oblong; antennal tubercles more prominent; pronotum transverse, sides not excavated, distinctly tuberculate, disk with two tubercles; elytra more tapering, apices acute, base punctate, humeri more elevated; metatibiae subequal in length to metafemora.” These differences are at least partially incorrect. For example, the prothorax is transverse in the two species currently placed in Midamiella , and according to Dillon & Dillon (1945), in the description of Midamus , the pronotum is transverse. We believe that Pseudobeta is the best genus to include the new species, however, a comprehensive review of this genus and Midamiella is necessary.

Pseudobeta casariae sp. nov. is similar to P. ferruginea Galileo & Martins, 1990 , but differs as follows: dorsal pubescence mostly yellow and white; sides of prothorax not distinctly widened centrally; antennomere III at most as wide as posterior margin of the prothorax; frons transverse. In P. ferruginea , the dorsal pubescence is mostly orangish, sides of prothorax are distinctly widened centrally, antennomere III wider than posterior margin of the prothorax, and the frons is elongate.

Figures

Figure 3. Pseudobeta casariae sp. nov.: (A) Dorsal habitus, holotype male;(B) Lateral habitus,holotype male; (C) Head,frontal view,holotype male; (D) Procoxae, holotype male.