Prionus (Prionus) poultoni Lameere, 1912

Santos-Silva, Antonio, Nearns, Eugenio H. & Swift, Ian P., 2016, Revision of the American species of the genus Prionus Geoffroy, 1762 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae, Prionini), Zootaxa 4134 (1), pp. 1-103 : 64-68

Prionus (Prionus) poultoni Lameere, 1912

( Figs. 24–28 , 128–129 )

Prionus poultoni Lameere, 1912b: 177 ; 1913: 77 (cat.); 1919: 137; Blackwelder, 1946: 556 (checklist); Chemsak et al., 1992: 21 (checklist); Noguera & Chemsak, 1996: 396 (distr.).

Prionus (Prionus) poultoni ; Monné & Giesbert, 1994: 15 (checklist); Monné, 1995: 54 (cat.); Monné & Hovore, 2005: 19 (checklist); 2006: 19 (checklist); Monné, 2006: 87 (cat.); Özdikmen & Turgut, 2009: 411; Bezark & Monné, 2013: 28 (checklist); Monné, 2015: 177 (cat.).

Male ( Figs. 128–129 ). Head dark-brown, usually with black irregular areas dorsally; mandibles black; scape darkbrown, usually slightly lighter near apex; antennomere III (often also IV) in males dark-brown, with longitudinal brown vitta dorsally; antennomeres V–XII/XIII from brown to reddish-brown; pronotum from brown to reddishbrown centrally (often with darker, irregular areas), darker toward margins; scutellum from reddish-brown to darkbrown, with margins darker; elytra from brown to dark-brown, usually slightly lighter toward apex, with darker region around scutellum as semi-ellipse; pro-, meso- and metathorax from reddish-brown to brown, with margins of all sclerites darker; ventrites reddish-brown with darker band close to margin (occasionally with another yellowish-brown band close to dark band); femora from brown to dark-brown, darker on margins; tibiae from brown to dark-brown with darker margins, always darker on basal one-fourth; tarsi reddish-brown, usually darker at distal margin, except claws brown at base, gradually darker toward apex.

Head, excluding mandibles, at central area longer than prothorax, moderately elongate behind eyes (distance from posterior ocular edge to the prothorax slightly shorter than greatest length of upper eye lobe). Longitudinal dorsal furrow distinct from clypeus to prothoracic edge (often only surpassing posterior ocular eyes); between anterior ocular edge of eyes and clypeus, placed inside a deep sulcus (deeper toward clypeus). Area on each side of longitudinal sulcus coarsely, moderately abundantly punctate (sometimes sparser, not distinctly coarse); area close to ocular carinae very coarsely, confluently punctate, with short setae; area close to base of antennal tubercle, facing anterior ocular edge, with small depressed area, coarsely, anastomosed punctate; area around longitudinal furrow, between posterior ocular edge (sometimes middle of eyes) and prothorax, with irregular, impunctate region; area between and around the latter and prothoracic edge, moderately finely, sparsely punctate (sometimes more abundant), frequently with short, sparse setae; area behind eyes coarsely, confluently punctate, becoming rugose, with moderately long, abundant setae toward lower eye lobe. Antennal tubercles sparsely, moderately finely (occasionally somewhat coarsely) punctate on basal one-third, becoming impunctate toward apex.

Postclypeus narrow, coarsely, confluently punctate laterally, with short, sparse setae; centrally glabrous, impunctate or almost so; anterior edge distinctly concave; area behind central region with deep, narrow, transverse sulcus. Anteclypeus shining, glabrous, impunctate. Labrum triangularly excavated centrally; with long, abundant setae. Eyes proportionally large; distance between upper eye lobes from 0.6 to 0.8 times length of scape; distance between lower eye lobes from 0.5 to 0.8 times length of scape. Submentum trapezoid, slightly elevated from base toward anterior carinae; surface usually shagreen, from rugose to punctate-rugose; with short, sparse setae (often glabrous or almost so); anterior edge distinctly carinate. Apex of labial palpi nearly attaining middle of maxillary palpomere IV. Latero-basal one-third of mandibles depressed. Antennae with 12 or 13 segments; attaining base of distal one-third of elytra; antennomeres usually proportionally shorter in specimens with 13 segments. Scape not attaining posterior ocular edge (occasionally only middle), slightly enlarged toward apex; finely, sparsely punctate dorsally; on latero-outer face moderately coarsely punctate; on latero-inner very sparsely and finely punctate. Antennomere III ( Fig. 24 ) from 1.6 to 1.9 times longer than scape, distinctly enlarged toward apex (distal width about twice basal width); on dorsal view, imbrication distinct, projected ( Fig. 25 ); on ventral view, apex of imbrication distinctly emarginated ( Fig. 26 ); finely, sparsely punctate dorsally. Antennomere IV about as long as 0.9 times III; finely, abundantly punctate dorsally throughout, or finely sparsely punctate on basal two-thirds; imbrication as in III. Antennomeres V–VI finely, abundantly punctate throughout; imbrication as in III. Antennomeres VII–XI/XII dorsally striolate (striae coarser mainly from VIII); in dorsal view, imbrication similar to III; in ventral view as in III. Antennomere XII/XIII from slightly shorter to slightly longer than XI/XII; in specimens with 12 segments, slightly appendiculate or partially divided, proportionally long; in specimens with 13 segments, not appendiculate or partially divided, proportionally short.

Maximum prothoracic width less than elytral base; anterolateral angle projected forward, often truncate toward first lateral tooth; first lateral tooth somewhat large, spined (sometimes only acute), placed close to anterolateral angle; second lateral tooth distinctly larger than the first, spined, apex projected backwards, placed about middle of margin; margin between second tooth and posterolateral angle from slightly to distinctly convergent; posterolateral angle usually acute (sometimes distinctly projected); basal margin sinuous; distal margin almost straight or distinctly concave. Pronotum usually distinctly convex centrally, explanate laterally; callosities distinct; disc finely, sparsely punctate (sometimes with central area impunctate or nearly so); usually coarsely, more abundantly punctate laterally; occasionally with short, sparse setae on basal one-fourth. Prosternum usually shining, very finely, sparsely punctate; with long, moderately abundant setae (mainly laterally), but sometimes short and sparse. Prosternal process usually without narrow longitudinal sulcus on middle; glabrous or nearly so laterally. Elytra moderately coarsely, abundantly punctate; each elytron with two carinae; sutural spine short (occasionally elongate). Metasternum finely, densely punctate; with long, dense setae throughout. Metepisterna with sculpture and setae as metasternum.

Ventrite almost impunctate; ventrite I with long, moderately abundant setae along basal one-third (sometimes shorter and sparser), including process; ventrite V with short setae laterally near apex. Pro- and mesotarsomeres I– II slightly spined at apex; pro- and mesotarsomere III acute at apex; metatarsomere I, slender, elongate, not flattened, acute at apex; metatarsomere II acute at apex; metatarsomere III with short, distinct spine at apex, slightly longer than II–III together.

Female. Head, excluding mandibles, slightly shorter at middle than prothorax. Dorsal sculpture on face of head and area behind eyes finer as in male. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.7 times length of scape; distance between lower eye lobes 0.8 times length of scape. Submentum as in male. Mandible as in male, slightly less sloped on basal one-third, between carina and inner margin. Antennae with 12 segments, slightly surpassing middle of elytra; scape more slender than in male, not attaining posterior ocular edge; antennomere III ( Fig. 27 ) about 1.3 times as long as scape; imbrication of antennomeres III–XI ( Fig. 28 ) as in male, but narrower. Prothorax as in male; pronotal sculpture as in male; with moderately short, sparse setae on basal one-fourth. Metasternum and metepisterna as in male.

Dimensions in mm (male/female). Total length (including mandibles), 31.0–44.5/40.7; prothoracic length at center, 4.5–5.8/5.1; greatest prothoracic width, 10.2–14.1/13.9; humeral width, 11.5–16.5/14.7; elytral length, 23.8–33.5/31.0.

Geographical distribution. Mexico [Oaxaca ( Lameere, 1912b), Chihuahua (new state record), Coahuila de Zaragoza (new state record), Nuevo Leon (new state record)], Veracruz (new state record)].

Type, type locality. Holotype male from Mexico (Oaxaca, Zavaleta Cañon, 12 miles SW Oaxaca), deposited at OXUM.

Material examined. MEXICO, Chihuahua: 15 miles E Cuauhtémoc (6600’), 2 males, VII.11.1964, J. A. Chemsak & J. Powell col. ( ESSIG); 25 miles W Hidalgo Del Parral (6500’), 3 males, VII.15.1964, J. A. Chemsak & J. Powell col. ( ESSIG); 5 miles N Cerro Campana (Siera del Nido, 5600’), 4 males, VI.28 –VII.1.1959, W. C. Russell col. ( ESSIG); 1 male, VII.6 –8.1959, W. C. Russell col. ( ESSIG); Arroyo del Nido (30 miles SW Gallego), 1 male, VI.21.1957, W. C. Russel col. ( ESSIG). Coahuila de Zaragoza: near Jame (33 miles SE Saltillo, 7500’), 1 male, VII.10.1963, H. & A. Howden col. ( ESSIG). Nuevo Leon: Highway 58, 6.4 miles E San Roberto, 1 female, V.26 –27.1981, J. K. Liebherr col. ( ESSIG). Veracruz: Rancho La Estancia, 1 male, VII.22.1996, Reyes-Castillo & Edmonds col. ( MZSP); 1 male, VII.23.1996, Reyes-Castillo & Edmonds col. ( MZSP).

Remarks. Prionus poultoni is very similar to P. lecontei . There are very few characters to differentiate them. The specimens of P. poultoni examined have the number of antennal segments variable, from 12 to 13 while, apparently, this does not happen in P. lecontei . The variation in the number of antennal segments is not related to geographical distribution. We examined specimens collected in the same place, by the same collector, and in the same date, with different number of antennal segments. Males of P. poultoni differ from those of P. lecontei : projection of antennomeres shorter ( Fig. 24–26 ); first mesotarsomere more distinctly enlarged toward apex ( Fig. 129 ). In males of P. lecontei the projection of antennomeres is longer ( Fig. 49–51 ), and the first mesotarsomere is narrower at apex ( Fig. 132 ). Females of P. lecontei have the metasternum glabrous and intercoxal process of abdomen enlarged. The single female of P. poultoni examined has the metasternum distinctly pubescent, and the intercoxal process is narrower, as in P. californicus . As the number of antennal segments is variable in P. poultoni , the main difference with P. californicus is the shape of antennomeres: shorter and wider in the former; longer and slender in the latter. As the differences between P. poultoni and P. californicus and P. lecontei are very small, and as P. californicus apparently is highly variable in many features, we prefer not to include the species in the key.

Lameere (1912) compared P. poultoni with P. pocularis and P. laticollis . Those species are notably different from the holotype of P. poultoni and thus, the comparison makes no sense. It is possible that the specimens with antennae 12-segmented are P. californicus and the specimens with antennae 13-segmented P. lecontei . All features pointed out by Lameere (1912) to define P. poultoni occur in P. californicus and P. lecontei (primarily in the many variations of the former). We are provisionally keeping P. poultoni as a valid species.

Figures

FIGURES 20 – 51. Antennae. 20 – 23, Prionus (Prionus) pocularis: 20, male, scape, pedicel, antennomeres III – IV, dorsal view; 21, male, antennomeres III – IV, lateral view; 22, male, antennomeres III – IV, ventral view; 23, female, antennomeres IX – XI, ventral view. 24 – 28, P. (P.) poultoni: 24, male, scape, pedicel, antennomeres III – IV, dorsal view; 25, male, antennomeres III – IV, latero-ventral view; 26, male, antennomeres III – V, ventral view; 27, female, scape, pedicel, antennomeres III – IV, dorsal view; 28, female, antennomeres VII – IX, ventral view. 29 – 32, P. (P.) aztecus: 29, male, antennomeres III – IV, ventral view; 30, male, antennomeres III – IV, latero-ventral view; 31, female, antennomers VII – IX, ventral view; 32, male, scape, pedicel, antennomeres III – VIII, dorsal view. 33 – 37, P. (P.) mexicanus: 33, male, scape, pedicel, antennomeres III – VIII, dorsal view; 34, male, antennomeres III – IV, latero-ventral view; 35, male, antennomeres III – IV, ventral view; 36, female, scape, pedicel, antennomeres III – IV, dorsal view; 37, female, antennomeres VII – IX, ventral view. 38 – 41, P. (P.) fissicornis: 38, male, scape, pedicel, antennomeres III – V, dorsal view; 39, male, antennomeres III – V, lateral view; 40, male, antennomeres III – V, ventral view; 41, female, antennomeres VIII – X, ventral view. 42 – 45, P. (P.) imbricornis: 42, female, antennomeres VIII – X, ventral view; 43, male, scape, pedicel, antennomeres III – IV, dorsal view; 44, male, antennomeres III – IV, lateral view; 45, male, antennomeres III – IV, ventral view. 46 – 48, P. (P.) laticollis: 46, male, scape, pedicel, antennomere III, dorsal view; 47, male, antennomeres III – VII, ventral view; 48, female, scape, pedicel, antennomere III, dorsal view. 49 – 51, P. (P.) lecontei, male: 49, scape, pedicel, antennomeres III – IV, dorsal view; 50, antennomeres III – IV, latero-ventral view; 51, antennomeres III – IV, ventral view.

FIGURES 128 – 132. 128 – 129, Prionus poultoni, holotype male: 128, dorsal habitus; 129, ventral habitus. 130 – 132, Prionus (Prionus) lecontei, male: 130, lectotype male, dorsal view; 131, lectotype male, labels; 132, male, ventral view. Photographs 128 – 129 by James E. Hogan; photographs 130 – 131 by Harald Schillhammer.