Anelaphus praeclarus Lingafelter, 2008

Lingafelter, Steven W., 2008, Seven New Species of Elaphidiini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from the Dominican Republic with Taxonomic Notes, New Country Records, and a Key toElaphidionAudinet-Serville from Hispaniola, The Coleopterists Bulletin 62 (3), pp. 353-379 : 353-379

Anelaphus praeclarus Lingafelter , new species

( Fig. 6 )

Description. Small to moderate sized, 7–10 mm long; 2.5–3.5 mm broad; integument uniformly black. Head with sparse, white pubescence, occasionally with a small, dense patch at vertex between upper eye lobes; interantennal impression weak; antennal tubercles not strongly elevated; antennae of both sexes extending slightly beyond elytral apex by less than two antennomeres; last antennomere of female subequal in length to penultimate antennomere; last antennomere of male slightly longer than penultimate antennomere; antennomere four of both sexes slightly shorter than three and five; antennae conspicuously spined mesally on antennomeres 3–7 or 8; laterally, weakly dentiform on 7–9 in most specimens; antennal spines short and approximately of equal length on 3–6; antennae with moderate, inconspicuous, appressed, white pubescence with scattered longer setae mesally and apically on several antennomeres. Pronotum short, broadly rounded at sides, distinctly broader than long in both sexes; slightly narrower at middle than elytral base; inconspicuously pubescent except for bold, narrow, longitudinal fascia of bright white pubescence at middle, extending to anterior and posterior margins (or nearly so), shorter posterolateral longitudinal fascia, and, more laterally, anterolateral longitudinal fascia present. Pronotum with dense, mostly uniformly sized alveolate punctures throughout; no apparent calli present. Sparse punctures in front of procoxae in both males and females (no apparent sexual dimorphism). Prosternal intercoxal process evenly recessed between procoxae, moderately expanded at apex. Elytron black, with 360 inconspicuous pubescence except for bold patches of white setae at middle of base, extending to suture posteromedially; interrupted transverse fascia at middle; incomplete or variably developed longitudinal fascia posteriorly. Elytral apices truncate. Elytron with dense, large punctures, but mostly separate (less dense than pronotum), becoming shallower and indistinct at apex. Scutellum rounded posteriorly, with very dense, bright white pubescence throughout; glabrous longitudinally along middle. Legs moderate in length; hind femora nearly reaching elytral apex; pubescence white, sparse throughout. Femoral apices without spines. Venter with mostly sparse, white pubescence, but with dense patches on mesepisternum, metepisternum, and sides of some abdominal segments. Last ventrite of both sexes broadly rounded apically, without modification.

Etymology. This species of Anelaphus is named for its striking appearance. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Discussion. Nearly all specimens of this species were collected on flowers of button mangrove ( Conocarpus erectus L.) in Guaraguao of southeastern Dominican Republic (note: some labels exclude this information). This species is most similar to Anelaphus fasciatus (Fisher) , recently transferred from Elaphidion by Lingafelter and Ivie (2005). Both species share the distinctive densely alveolate-punctate pronota and the pronounced, mesal spines on at least antennomeres 3–7. Anelaphus praeclarus differs from A. fasciatus in 1) its black integument; 2) usually having a very distinct narrow longitudinal band of bright white pronotal pubescence at middle of pronotum, extending to anterior and posterior margins; and 3) having elytral apices truncate rather than spinose.

Type Material. Holotype, female: ‘‘ Dominican Republic: La Altagracia Province, PN del Este, Guaraguao , 18 ° 19.568 9 N, 68 ° 48.500 9 W, 0–5 m, 28 June 2005, Norman E. Woodley’ ’ ( USNM) . Paratypes, 8 (all Dominican Republic, La Altagracia Prov., Guaraguao , except for last one listed): same data as holotype except 3 July 2006, sweeping mangrove flowers (1 female, USNM) ; same data as holotype except A. Konstantinov, coll. (1 female, USNM) ; same data as holotype except ex: Conocarpus erectus (1 male, 1 female, USNM) ; same data as holotype except 8 July 2006, sweeping mangrove flowers (1 male, USNM) ; 4.4 km SE Bayahibe , 18 ° 19 9 59 0 N, 68 ° 48 9 42 0 W, 3 m, 26–27 May 2004, C. Young, J. Rawlins, J. Fetzner, C. Nunez; semihumid forest near sea; limestone, hand collected, sample 51144 (1 male, 1 female, CMNH) ; San Juan Prov. , 17 km N. E. Vallejuelo, 28 May 1986, R. B. Miller and L. Stange (1 female, FSCA) .

Figures

Fig. 6. Anelaphus praeclarus Lingafelter, new species, male paratype, dorsal habitus photograph.