Phygopoda nigritarsis Gounelle, 1911

Carelli, Allan & Monné, Marcela L., 2015, Taxonomic revision of Phygopoda Thomson, 1864 and Pseudophygopoda Tavakilian & Peñaherrera-Leiva, 2007 (Insecta: Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), Zootaxa 4021 (2), pp. 201-242 : 204-205

Phygopoda nigritarsis Gounelle, 1911

( Figs. 1–14, 73 )

Phygopoda nigritarsis Gounelle, 1911: 62 ; Aurivillius, 1912: 284 (cat.); Blackwelder, 1946: 577 (check); Monné, 1993: 51 (cat.); Monné & Giesbert, 1994: 98 (check); Monné, 2005: 499 (cat.); Monné & Hovore, 2006: 123 (check); Monné, 2015: 785 (cat.).

Male ( Fig. 1). Integument black, except for dark-brown antennae, reddish-brown to dark-brown femora and tibiae, elytra with yellowish-white central region; humeri black or with yellowish spot at side; and dark-brown to black metatarsi.

Eyes frontally separated by about 1/10 width of lower ocular lobe; inner margin of lower ocular lobes and clypeus covered with bright whitish pubescence. Antennae exceeding elytral apex at antennomere 8 or 9, reaching second ventrite; antennomeres 3−5 with row of long semierect setae on inner margin; 6 and 7 with similar setae at apex of inner margin (sometimes extending to 8).

Prothorax cylindrical, 1.5 times longer than wide. Pronotum densely covered with deep punctures provided with long semierect setae, except for smooth, longitudinal, central elevation extending from anterior to posterior margin and two additional semicircular median elevations on each side of central elevation (which can be joined). Prosternal process about 1/5 of diameter of procoxa. Anterior coxal cavities open posteriorly. Mesosternal process about 1/2 diameter of mesocoxa; mesepisternum, mesepimeron, metepisternum and metasternum covered with bright whitish pubescence. Scutellum with truncate apex. Elytra with rounded apex.

Pro- and mesotibiae with apical 3/4 densely covered with short fine golden pubescence; metatibiae with dense brush of long setae on apical half; pro-, meso- and metatarsi with ventral surface covered with short fine yellowish to whitish pubescence and dorsal surface covered with dark-brown pubescence.

Last visible urotergite trapezoidal, with shortest side facing posteriorly; apex rounded, with sides and apical margins covered with short, semierect setae; last visible urosternite trapezoidal, with shortest side facing truncate apex, which is covered with short, sparse, decumbent, whitish pubescence; apical margin covered with short, decumbent golden-yellow pubescence.

Terminalia: sternite 8 ( Fig. 3 ) subrectangular, with sinuous apical margin and setae on sides; sternal apophysis long, about twice greatest width of sternite. Tergite 8 ( Fig. 2 ) as wide as long, sinuous apical and basal margin with sparse setae on sides and on apical half. Ventral arch ( Fig. 4 ) fork-shaped, apophysis long, about twice longer than arm; dorsal arch absent. Tegmen ( Figs. 5−7 ) about 1/5 longer than median lobe; distal region almost totally divided into long, cylindrical parameres, with rounded apices and short setae; ring piece convergent, acuminate, apically merged, with long projection, as long as ring piece. Median lobe ( Figs 8−10 ): ventral lobe shorter than dorsal lobe; slightly curved in lateral view. Ventral lobe acuminate and dorsal lobe rounded at apex; basal apophysis about 2.5 times longer than apical portion; internal sac with one sclerotized piece.

Female. Prothorax from yellowish-brown to brown; humeri without lateral yellowish spot. Eyes frontally separated by width of lower ocular lobe; clypeus without bright whitish pubescence. Last visible urotergite elongate, triangular, with truncate apex, covered with short, decumbent setae; last visible urosternite elongate, narrowing toward apex, with apical margin slightly excavated at center and covered with short, decumbent, whitish pubescence.

Terminalia: sternite ( Fig. 13 ) and tergite 8 ( Fig. 14 ) elongate, merged, with tubular aspect; apical margin truncate. Sternal apodeme elongate, about 3 times longer than sternite. Ovipositor ( Figs. 11, 12 ) membranous, very elongate, more than 10 times longer than wide; limit between proximal and distal regions not evident; apical region with short lobes; apical stylus securiform; spermathecal duct short, about one-half length of spermatheca; spermatheca C-shaped with rounded apex; spermathecal gland shorter than spermatheca.

Measurements, in mm. male/female. n=10/10. Total length, 10.43±1.26/8.07±0.63; prothorax length, 1.65±0.18/1.41±0.14; prothorax width, 1.45±0.15/1.3±0.12; elytral length, 2.33±0.22/2.14±0.15; humeral width, 1.6±0.17/1.25±0.18.

Type-material. We examined photographs ( Fig. 1) (taken by Dr. Eugenio H. Nearns) and slides (made by Pe. Jesus Santiago Moure) of the male holotype (MNHN) from Condeúba, Bahia, Brazil.

Comments. Gounelle (1911) distinguished P. nigritarsis ( Fig. 1) from P. fugax ( Fig. 17 ) and P. fulvitarsis ( Fig.16 ) by the clypeus covered with dense silver pubescence, pronotum with smooth elevations, elytra more acute posteriorly and obtusely truncate, and black tarsi. We agree that the elevations on the pronotum distinguish this species, not only from the two mentioned above, but from all other species of the genus. On the other hand, the pubescence of the clypeus distinguishes it only from P. fulvitarsis , and the black tarsi from P. fugax , which has yellowish to whitish metatarsi ( P. fulvitarsis sometimes has black tarsi). All three species have the same elytra shape with a rounded apex, not “obtusely truncate as described by Gounelle (1911).

Regarding the terminalia, males of P. nigritarsis differ from the males of P. fugax in the following characteristics: sternal apophysis ( Fig. 3 ) about 2 times the greatest width of the sternite, tergite 8 ( Fig. 8 ) with sinuous apical and basal margins, ventral arch ( Fig. 4 ) with apophysis about 2 times longer than the arm, median lobe ( Figs. 5−7 ) with the ventral lobe acuminate and the dorsal lobe rounded at apex, basal apophysis about 2.5 longer than the apical portion and the internal sac with one sclerotized piece. Males of P. f u ga x have the sternal apophysis ( Fig. 55 ) about 3 times the greatest width of the sternite, tergite 8 ( Fig. 54 ) with a median hollow on the basal margin and the apical margin rounded, the ventral arch ( Fig. 56 ) with the apophysis about 1.5 times the length of the arms, the median lobe ( Figs 60−62 ) with the ventral lobe rounded and the dorsal lobe with an acuminate apex, the basal apophysis about 5 times longer than the apical portion, and the internal sac with two sclerotized pieces.

The female terminalia of P. nigritarsis differs from P. fugax and P. jacobi in the following characteristics: sternal apophysis ( Fig. 13 ) about 3 times longer than the sternite; ovipositor ( Figs. 11, 12 ) more than 10 times longer than wide; and the spermathecal duct about half the length of the spermatheca. Females of P. fugax and P. jacobi have, respectively, the sternal apophysis 1.5 ( Fig. 67 ) / twice ( Fig. 72 ) longer than the sternite, ovipositor more than 7 ( Figs. 64, 65 ) / 8 ( Figs. 69, 70 ) times longer than wide and the spermathecal duct about 4 / twice the length of the spermatheca

In addition to these characteristics, we can add the procoxal cavities open posteriorly, which differs from all other species of the genus, which have the procoxal cavities closed posteriorly. This characteristic is frequently used as difference between genera in Cerambycidae , but we consider precipitate describe a new genus only for this species due the other characteristics that are shared with the rest of Phygopoda species.

Geographical distribution. Brazil (Bahia). This species is newly reported from Minas Gerais, Brazil ( Fig. 73 ).

Specimens examined. BRAZIL, Bahia: Cândido Sales, male, XI.1971, C. A. Seabra and O. Roppa leg.; Encruzilhada (Estrada Rio-Bahia, Km 963), 960 m, male, XI. 1971, C. A. Seabra and O. Roppa leg.; 3 males, XI.1972, C. A. Seabra and O. Roppa leg. Minas Gerais: Estrada Rio-Bahia, Km 806, male, XI.1972, C. A. Seabra leg.; Pedra Azul, 2 male, XI.1971; male, F. M. Oliveira leg.; 700 m, 3 males and 3 females, C. A. Seabra and F. M. Oliveira leg.; 3 males and 8 females, XI.1972, C. A. Seabra and F. M. Oliveira leg. All in MNRJ collection.

Figures

FIGURE 73. Geographical distribution of Phygopoda species.

FIGURES 2 – 10. Phygopoda nigritarsis Gounelle, 1911, male: 2, tergite VIII; 3, sternite VIII; 4, ventral arch; 5 – 7, tegmen: 5, dorsal view; 6, lateral view; 7, ventral view; 8 – 10, median lobe: 8, dorsal view; 9, lateral view; 10, ventral view. sa = sternal apophysis; dl = dorsal lobe; vl = ventral lobe; rp = ring piece; pr = paramere; is = internal sac. All drawings in the same scale.

FIGURES 11 – 14. Phygopoda nigritarsis Gounelle, 1911, female. 11 – 12, genitalia: 11, dorsal view; 12, ventral view; 13, sternite VIII; 14, tergite VIII. sa = sternal apodeme; cx = coxite; sp = spermatheca; st = stylus; sg = spermathecal gland; vu = vulva. Figures 11 – 12 and 13 – 14 respectively, in the same scale.

FIGURE 15 – 17. 15, Phygopoda ingae Peñaherrera-Leiva & Tavakilian, 2004, female holotype; 16, Phygopoda fulvitarsis Gounelle, 1911, male lectotype; 17, Phygopoda fugax Thomson, 1864, male holotype.

FIGURES 53 – 62. Phygopoda fugax Thomson, 1864, male. 53, abdomen, ventral view; 54, tergite VIII; 55, sternite VIII; 56, ventral arch. 57 – 59, tegmen: 57, dorsal view; 58, lateral view; 59, ventral view. 60 – 62, median lobe: 60, dorsal view; 61, lateral view; 62, ventral view. All drawings in the same scale.

FIGURES 63 – 67. Phygopoda fugax Thomson, 1864, female. 63, abdomen, ventral view; 64 – 65, female genitalia: 64, ventral view; 65, dorsal view; 66, sternite VIII; 67, tergite VIII. All drawings in the same scale.

FIGURES 69 – 72. Phygopoda jacobi Fuchs, 1961, female. 69 – 70, female genitalia: 69, dorsal view; 70, ventral view; 71, sternite VIII; 72, tergite VIII. All drawings in the same scale.