Elaphidion scabricolle ( Bates, 1872 )

Heffern, Daniel & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2023, American fauna of Cerambycidae and Disteniidae (Coleoptera): new species, new records, and notes, Zootaxa 5296 (1), pp. 45-57 : 46

Elaphidion scabricolle ( Bates, 1872)

( Figs 1–6 )

Hypermallus scabricollis Bates, 1872: 175 .

Remarks. The description of this species was based on one female from Nicaragua. Monné & Hovore (2006) listed the species from Panama and Maes et al. (2010) listed Costa Rica. Since no specimens from Costa Rica were listed in Maes et al. (2010), and the species was not previously known from there, it is not possible to know what the reason was for listing this country as one of the places where this species occurs. In the same way, since there are no specimens from Panama listed in Monné & Hovore (2006), we cannot be sure about the identity of the specimens used by them to include that country as an area of occurrence for this species. Here we are listing two specimens from Panama, confirming the occurrence in this country.

Distinction between Elaphidion and Anelaphus Linsley, 1936 is sometimes problematic. The features reported to distinguish the two genera (e.g. Lingafelter & Ivie 2004) are not reliable due to their variability in the species of both genera. Consequently, both genera include species that are aberrant with respect to the definition of their genera. Elaphidion scabricolle appears to agree much better with a typical Anelaphus than with nearly all species of Elaphidion . However, based on the chaotic situation in both genera, the transference would be more speculative than based on reliable features.

The prothoracic sculpturing in males and females of this species is very different (sexual dimorphism): very fine and dense on pronotum and sides of prothorax in males ( Figs 2, 4, 6 ); coarse, almost alveolate in females ( Figs 1, 3, 5 ). The same occurs at least in some other species, such as Anelaphus souzai (Zajciw, 1964) and Elaphidion glabriusculum ( Bates, 1885) . A full taxonomic revision of Elaphidion , Anelaphus , and some other similar genera of Elaphidiini is needed in order to correctly allocate their species.

According to Bates (1885) Elaphidion glabriusculum ( Bates, 1885) is very similar to E. scabricolle but differs by the elytral apex straightly truncate, not deeply sinuous and bispinose, and “Besides the mode of truncature of the elytra, this species [ E. glabriusculum ] differs from the closely allied H. scabricollis (the type specimen of which is a female) in the thorax of the female not being alveolate-punctate, the whole body much more thinly pubescent, and the elytra having very much fewer specks of tomentum.” As we noted that the shape of the elytral apex is variable even in specimens without abundant elytral pubescence, it is probable that E. glabriusculum is a junior synonym of E. scabricolle . However, it will be necessary to examine the type series of E. glabriusculum to be sure.

Material examined. PANAMA, Bocas del Toro: Fortuna Cabins , 8.7814ºN 82.1909ºW, UV light, 1 male, 1 female, 23–30.V.2022, E.G. Riley leg. ( DHCO) . Ngöbe-Buglé: La Verrucosa, Fortuna Forest Reserve , 8.78008ºN 82.19103ºW, 1 male, 1.VI.2019, A. Kozlov & Y. Kovaleva leg. ( MZSP) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Elaphidion scabricolle (Bates, 1872), specimens from Panama. 1–2) Dorsal habitus: 1) Female; 2) Male. 3–4) Head and pronotum: 3) Female; 4) Male. 5–6) Head and prothorax, lateral habitus: 5) Female; 6) Male.