Psalidognathus modestus Fries, 1833

Santos-Silva, Antonio & Komiya, Ziro, 2012, Contribution towards the knowledge of Psalidognathus Gray, 1831 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (247), pp. 1-28 : 14-17

Psalidognathus modestus Fries, 1833

( Fig. 20-24 )

Psalidognathus modestus Fries, 1833: 327 ; White 1853: 8; Pascoe 1866: 295 (distr.); Lacordaire 1868: 41

(nota); Gemminger and Harold 1872: 2754 (cat.); Thomson 1877: 256; Bates 1879: 3 (distr.); 1884:

226 (distr.; syn.); Pittier and Biolley 1895: 27 (error); Tristán 1897: 10 (distr.); Brèthes 1920: 45

(distr.); Blackwelder 1946: 555 (checklist); Quentin and Villiers 1983: 443; Chemsak et al. 1992: 22

(checklist); Monné and Giesbert 1994: 16 (checklist); Monné 1995: 59 (cat.); Martínez 2000: 85

(checklist); Komiya 2003: figs. 10, 11 (male, female); Salazar 2005: 245; Monné and Hovore 2005: 21

(checklist); 2006: 20 (checklist); Monné 2006: 89 (cat.); Swift et al. 2010: 9 (checklist); Jeniš 2010:

21, 84, 85 (male, female). Psalidognathus (Prionacalus) modestus ; White 1845: 111. Psalidognathus (Psalidognathus) modestus ; Lameere 1910: 372 (revision); 1913: 64 (cat.); 1919: 120;

Duffy 1960: 69. Psalidognathus mygaloides Thomson, 1859: 41 ; Thomson 1877: 256 (syn.); Lacordaire 1868: 41 (nota);

Bates 1884: 226; Quentin and Villiers 1983: 443 (lectotype). Psalidognathus wallisi Taschenberg, 1870: 191 ; Bates 1884: 226 (syn.). Psalidognathus wallisii ; Thomson 1877: 257 (distr.). Psalidognathus limbatus Taschenberg, 1870: 192 ; Gemminger and Harold 1872: 2754 (cat.); Thomson

1877: 259; Lameere 1910: 372 (syn.). Psalidognathus batesii Thomson, 1877: 257 ; Thomson 1878: 3 (types); Psalidognathus batesi ; Lameere 1883: 2 (cat.); Bates 1884: 226 (syn.); Quentin and Villiers 1983: 443

(lectotype). Psalidognathus castaneipennis Thomson, 1877: 260 (nomen nudum); Lameere 1910: 372 (syn.). Psalidognathus (Psalidognathus) colombianus Demelt, 1989: 243 . Syn. nov. Psalidognathus colombianus ; Monné and Giesbert 1994: 16 (cat.); Monné 1995: 58 (cat.); Komiya 2003:

figs. 12, 13 (male, female); Monné and Hovore 2005: 21 (checklist); 2006: 20 (checklist); Monné 2006:

88 (cat.); Jeniš 2010: 20 (male, females), 88 (male), 89 (female). Psalidognathus reichei ; Jeniš 2010: 20, 90 (male), 21, 91 (female) (?). Psalidognathus sp. ; Komiya 2003: fig. 120 (male). Psalidognathus modestus chocoensis Salazar, 2005: 246 , fig. 1. Syn. nov.

Redescription. Male ( Fig. 20, 22-24 ). Integument dark-brown, dorsally almost black; ventrites reddish-brown, except on apical and lateral portions (mainly on IV and V).

Dorsal surface of head ( Fig. 23 ) strongly rugose; pilosity very short and sparse. Cephalic carinae ( Fig. 23 ), in dorsal view, starting from inner edges of antennal tubercles, convergent to posterior line of eyes, then divergent posteriad, acutely pointed upward at about posterior half of head and then suddenly ending; carinae, in lateral view, strongly elevated, triangular, with gentle anterior slope and steep posterior slope; in front view, looking like horns of a goat and apices open in V-form. Area between carinae longitudinally sulcate. Area behind eyes distinctly smoother than on dorsal surface, with small, moderately abundant asperities, gradually more abundant towards base of head. Distance between upper ocular lobes twice width of one lobe. Antennal tubercles strongly separated at base; basal two thirds coarsely, confluently punctate; apical third smooth. Clypeus laterally moderately coarsely punctate, centrally smoother; pilosity short, very sparse. Labrum punctate on centro-basal area, smooth on the remaining surface, strongly sloping down at apical half, distinctly narrowed at apex; pilosity long, moderately abundant on distal margin, shorter and sparser centrally. Head, behind eyes, with two large lateral tubercles (apex acute), punctate on dorsal surface, granulose on lateral and ventral surface. Genal apex not strongly elongate, with small spine. Hypostomal sclerite moderately abundantly transversely striate; pilosity moderately long, laterally more abundant. Mandibles slightly longer than head, coarsely, confluently punctate on basal half, gradually finer and sparser towards apex (both on dorsal and ventral surface); apices of both mandibles very broad; basal tooth of apex of left mandible not projected, forming almost a right angle between inner edge of apex and large and deep concavity before it; basal tooth of apex of right mandible acute and distinctly projected; inner margin of left mandible with small, acute tooth; inner margin of right mandible with small tooth, fused to the tooth of that of apex. Antennae surpass elytral apex at about apex of antennomere X. Scape slightly enlarged towards apex; dorsal surface coarsely, abundantly, confluently punctate; latero-outer face longitudinally sulcate; ventral face rugose, with some asperities, and inner margin elevated; inner face abundantly granulate. Antennomere III 1.5 times longer than scape. Antennomeres III-VI slightly flattened dorso-ventrally; inner apex rounded; outer apex projected, without spine.

Pronotum rugose; pilosity moderately long, sparse, present only laterally, mainly near angles, barely noticeable in dorsal view; lateral margins with two large spines; anterior angle bifurcated (apex of bifurcation variable: acute or rounded); posterior angle projected, acute. Prosternal process with broad, very distinct keel from base. Scutellum with short, abundant hairs. Elytra rugose (coarser on basal half and gradually finer towards apex); humeri with somewhat short, but very distinct spines; sutural apices with short spines. Metasternum finely punctate; punctures very abundant laterally, sparser on triangular area around metasternal suture. Ventrites I-III very finely, sparsely punctate; almost glabrous. Ventrites IV finely punctate (punctures more abundant than on I-III); pilosity sparse throughout. Ventrite V abundantly, finely punctate; pilosity abundant on distal half. Dorsal surface of profemora striate (mainly on apical half); dorsal surface of meso- and metafemora finely, sparsely punctate. Protibiae uniformly enlarged from base up to apical third, narrowed from this point to near apex, and then somewhat enlarged again; ventral surface abundantly pilose. Apices of metatarsomeres I-III distinctly spinose.

Female ( Fig. 21 ). Body broad. Mandibles about as long as head. Distance between upper ocular lobes about 0.8 times length of scape. Cephalic carinae as in males, but more distance between them, and with the apex less pronounced. Antennae reaching apical third of elytra; scape surpasses posterior edge of eyes; antennomere III about 1.5 times as long as scape. Pronotum as in males, but laterally more expanded. Elytra rugose throughout; lateral margins rounded; apex rounded; sutural angle without spine; sculpture as in males. Fore tibiae not expanded on inner margin of apical half.

Variation: Males – ventral surface of body almost wholly reddish-brown; apical third of antennal tubercles finely punctate; mandibles as long as head; mandibles of small males with two large teeth at inner margin, the distal one larger, both rounded at apices; latero-outer face not longitudinally sulcate; inner face of scape sparsely granulate; sutural angle of elytra without spine.

Dimensions in mm (male/female). Total length (including mandibles), 44.0-82.0/53.0-70.0; length of prothorax, 6.0-9.0/6.0-9.0; width of prothorax between the apices of the anterior angles, 11.0-19.0/14.0- 21.0; width of prothorax between the apices of the posterior angles, 9.0-18.0/9.0-15.0; humeral width, 17.0-24.0/17.0-25.0; elytral length, 27.0-46.0/33.0-41.0.

Geographical distribution. Described from Colombia (Antioquia) and also recorded in Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador.

Material examined. COSTA RICA, Alajuela: Balsa, 3 males, 1 female, VI.1988 [no collector indicated] ( ZKCO) ; Limón: Route Vista Azul-Chirripó, male, VI.2000, S. Sierra col. ( ZKCO). San José: La Balsa (San Ramón), male, 30.VI.1983, D. Roubik col. ( MZSP). ECUADOR, Loja: male, [no date or collector indicated] ( MZSP). Pichincha: vicinity of Alluriquín (760 m), male, IX.1993, [no collector indicated] ( DHPC). COLOMBIA, Calima Valley , 1 male, 1 female, 1979, [no collector indicated] ( ZKCO) ; 3 males, V.1982, [no collector indicated] ( ZKCO) ; male, 18.VIII.1990, [no collector indicated] ( ZKCO). Valle del Cauca : Calima River, male, X.1984, [no collector indicated] ( DHPC) ; female, 1-7.XI.1985, C. Farrell col. ( DHPC). Chocó : male, II.2003, local collector ( ZKCO). ECUADOR, Loja: Pichincha, 5 males, 1 female, V.2001, [no collector indicated] ( ZKCO) ; female, V.2003 [no collector indicated] ( ZKCO) .

Remarks. Fries (1833) described Psalidognathus modestus based, at least, on one male and one female from Colombia (Antioquia). We tried to get photographs of the syntypes, but without success. According to Dr. Bert Viklund (NHRS): “Some of the old Psalidognathus material has been in an exhibition for many years, so I will check those for any syntypes ”. After this personal communication, we had no news from Dr. Bert Viklund. It is possible that the syntypes are lost (without type labels) among the specimens deposited at NHRS. However, we examined a male identified as P. modestus by Christopher Aurivillius from the collection of MNHN. This specimen has following labels: Comparé au type par Aurivillius; modestus Fries / compare au type communiqué par M’Aurivillius VI.92; Ex-Musaeo Mniszech; Muséum Paris / 1952 / Coll. R. Oberthür.

Thomson (1859) described Psalidognathus mygaloides based on a male and a female, and Thomson (1877) synonymized it with P. modestus (see discussion on P. thomsoni ). Quentin and Villiers (1983) designated a lectotype for this species (translation): “a. mygaloides male Thomson, 1859. We designated as lectotype a male with 60 mm length, having the following labels: “Th. Type”, “Ex. Musaeo James Thomson”, “Mygaloïdes, Type, Th., Ar. n., 41, Col a.”, “Muséum Paris, Coll. J. Thomson, 1952””.

Taschenberg (1870) described P. wallisi (based on a male and a female) and P. limbatus (base on one female), both from Ecuador (Loja). Thomson (1877) described P. batesii from Panama (based on one male) and P. castaneipennis from Colombia (based on an unknown number of specimens).

Bates (1884) synonymized both P. wallisi and P. batesii with P. modestus : “The description of Taschenberg certainly fits the present species; and Thomson’s P. batesi [sic] applies fairly well to the larger individuals which seem to prevail in Chiriqui and in Costa Rica.”

Lameere (1910) wrote (translation): “I noticed in the Museum of Halle that Taschenberg had paired a male of P. modestus Fries with a female of Prionacalus cacicus White to describe his species Psalidognathus Wallisi , and he described the true female of P. modestus under the name of P. limbatus .” Lameere (1910) also synonymized P. castaneipennis and P. deyrollei Thomson, 1877 with P. modestus , but Quentin and Villiers (1983) disagreed on the latter (translation): “Of these, must be removed deyrollei male that belongs to the group with spinose antennae.” These authors designated a lectotype for P. castaneipennis (translation): “c. castaneipennis Thomson, 1877 . We designate as lectotype a male with 55 mm length, with the following labels: “Th., Type”, “Ex Musaeo James Thompson [sic]”, “Limbatus Taschenb., Castaneipennis Th., Type, Cauca, Col a”, “Muséum Paris, Coll. J. Thomson, 1952.”

Quentin and Villiers (1983) designated a lectotype for P. batesii (translation): “b. batesi Thomson, 1877 . We designated as lectotype a male with 68 mm length (with mandibles), with the following labels: “Th., type”, “Ex Musaeo James Thomson”, “Batesii Th., Type, T.C. 9, Panama ”, “Muséum Paris, Coll. J. Thomson, 1952.” However, when Thomson described the species he only provided a single measurement, indicating that he had only one specimen (holotype male). Thus, the designation of a lectotype is meaningless.

We agree with the synonymical list in Quentin and Villiers (1983), except regarding P. thomsoni : “ mygaloides Thomson, 1859 (mâle); wallisi Taschenberg, 1870 ; limbatus Taschenberg, 1870 (mâle); deyrollei Thomson, 1877 [see above]; castaneipennis Thomson, 1877 et batesi [sic] Thomson, 1877 ”.

Demelt (1989) described Psalidognathus colombianus ( Fig. 22 ) from Colombia, comparing it with P. onorei Quentin and Villiers, 1983 (translation): “The new species is more closely related to Psalidognathus onorei QUENTIN & VILLIERS, 1983 from Ecuador, but differs from it by the darker color ( onorei always is dark brown-reddish), by the pronotum distinctly broader, by the massive head with different mandibles, and apical part of protibiae not cut inside.” Although the comparison is correct, apparently Demelt (1989) did not know P. modestus . If he had, he probably would have also made comparisons with P. modestus , and may not have ended up describing P. colombianus . We examined a photo of the holotype of P. colombianus , besides some other specimens (male and females) deposited at SMNS, sent by Dr. Michael Balke through Robert Perger. We believe that P. colombianus is another synonym of P. modestus . The holotype has strongly developed lateral tubercles on the head, but this character is highly variable in the species. For example, when comparing the specimen identified by Aurivillius as P. modestus , the lectotype of P. castaneipennis , the lectotype of P. batesii , the second male from SMNS, and the holotype of P. modestus , we can see that the size of the tubercles increases gradually. Another peculiarity of the holotype of P. colombianus is that the apices of the antennal tubercles are distinctly acute. However, this feature is not so pronounced in the second specimen identified as P. colombianus . The variation in this character is evident when we compare the lectotype of P. batesii with the lectotype of P. castaneipennis (more acute in the former). 1. 1.

Salazar (2005) recorded some notes on Psalidognathus modestus and described a new subspecies. This work was not mentioned in Monné (2006) and, apparently, is little known, so we deem it appropriate to reproduce full lines of certain parts of this work (translation): “This species described by male and female holotypes [sic] from Antioquia ( FRIES, 1833: 9) we can recognize by their shiny black color, labium shorter, bifid and males having the protibiae (side views) with the sides subparallel, shortly narrow at base and with brush of hairs extending from base to apex. Known from Costa Rica, Colombia and Venezuela (VÉLEZ-ANGEL, 1989; MONNÉ & HOVORE, 2002), but in our country in the Caldas region is much rarer. We only have one male collected in Valle del Cauca (Buga 900 m, 17-IV-2003, Ocampo-Salimas leg.), whose morphotype agrees with the keys of identification by QUENTIN & VILLIERS (1983: 442). However, we have a race notably different from biogeographic Chocó: Psalidognathus modestus chocoensis subsp. nov., ( Fig 1 .) characterized by its small size (OO= 45-53 mm), (O= 60-62 mm), glossy black color, with antennal articles depressed and not dented. The appearance of the elytra more sinuous and rounded in female; in male they are straight. The head has the lateral spines short and straight in female, curved in male. Dorsal carinae strong with two short and acute spines. Protibiae in male as in typical species, thickened and pubescent in its half. The female abdomen is longer than the elytra: Holotype male and Allotype female deposited at MHN-UC: CHOCÓ: San José del Palmar, 1800 m., (in copula), 25-III-2005, J. I. Vargas leg. (Manizales-Caldas). Paratype male with the same data of locality, date and collector, deposited at A.N.E.C.B. (Manizales). Paratype male: VALLE: Río Garrapatas-El Dovio, 10-I- 1996, E. Henao leg., deposited at CEH, Villamaría”.

Regarding the affirmation by Salazar (2005) on the types (“descrita por los holotipos macho y hembra”), actually, Fries (1833) did not say how many specimens he had, although at least there was one male and one female. In addition, the specimens used for the original description are syntypes, and not “holotipos.” All features listed by Salazar (2005) to describe P. modestus chocoensis also occur in P. modestus modestus and are characters of the species itself. Thus, based on the original description of P. m. chocoensis and in the photograph of one male type ( Fig. 24 ), we synonymize this subspecies with the typical form.

Figures

Figure 20-24. Psalidognathus modestus, dorsal habitus. 20) Male. 21) Female. 22) P. colombianus, holotype male. 23) Male, head. 24) P. modestus chocoensis, holotype male (?). Photo 22 by Michael Balke. Photo 24 by Erika Valentina Vergara Navarro.

Figure 1-7. Psalidognathus thomsoni. 1) Lectotype male, dorsal habitus. 2) Lectotype male, head and pronotum. 3) Lectotype male, partial lateral view. 4) Male, dorsal habitus. 5) Male, head showing cephalic carinae. 6) Female, dorsal habitus. 7) Lectotype, labels. Photos 1, 2, 3, and 7 by Eugenio Nearns.