Scleronotus virgatus, Martins, Ubirajara R., Santos-Silva, Antonio & Galileo, Maria Helena M., 2015

Martins, Ubirajara R., Santos-Silva, Antonio & Galileo, Maria Helena M., 2015, Fourteen new species, one new genus, and eleven new country or state records for New World Lamiinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Zootaxa 3980 (1), pp. 81-105 : 90-91

Scleronotus virgatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 21–24 )

Description. Integument black; gula reddish-brown; antennomeres dark-brown, slightly lighter towards distal segments. Pubescence mostly brownish-yellow, elytral tubercles black.

Head. Frons and vertex finely, abundantly punctate. Pubescence on dorsal surface of head, area behind eyes and genae organized in numerous small tufts; frons with row of long, sparse setae laterally. Gula and submentum smooth, glabrous, except for anterior edge of latter, which is short and moderately sparsely pubescent. Connection between ocular lobes visible, very narrow, but without ommatidia; inferior ocular lobes about as long as 0.5 times genal length; distance between superior ocular lobes wide, equal to 0.9 times scape length; distance between inferior ocular lobes, in frontal view, equal to 1.3 times scape length. Antennae as long as 1.1 times elytral length; attaining base of distal one-third of elytra; scape, pedicel, and antennomeres III–IV with long, sparse setae on ventral side (sparser from scape to antennomere IV); apex of antennomeres III–IV with brush of thick setae directed backwards; scape, pedicel, basal two-thirds of antennomeres III–IV with pubescence organized in numerous small tufts; dorsal and lateral apex of antennomere III with narrow ring of pubescence; basal two-thirds of antennomere V, basal half of VI–VII, and basal one-third of VIII–X with ring of pubescence; antennomere XI totally pubescent; antennal formula (ratio) based on antennomere III: scape = 0.79; pedicel = 0.18; IV = 0.74; V = 0.41; VI = 0.28; VII = 0.24; VIII = 0.17; IX = 0.17; X = 0.14; XI = 0.15.

Thorax. Pronotum coarsely, moderately punctate (punctures partially obscured by pubescence); disc with large, very conspicuous tubercle on each side of anterior half, slightly elevated, longitudinal tubercle at center of basal half; pubescence distinctly denser between lateral tubercles, from base to apex, sparser laterally, organized in small tufts; basal half with a few long setae laterally. Lateral tubercles of prothorax very wide, rounded. Prosternum sparsely pubescent centrally, pubescence organized in small tufts laterally. Mesosternum and mesosternal process very sparsely pubescent, except for denser pubescence medially on basal area of prosternum. Mesepisterna, mesepimera, metepisterna, and laterally on metasternum with dense pubescence, organized in small tufts; metasternum sparsely pubescent medialy. Elytra with basal crests elevated, covered by small tubercles; each elytron with three rows of tubercles: one along suture, from basal fourth to near apex (tubercles gradually smaller towards apex); one from apex of basal crest to base of distal one-third; another between basal crest and humerus, from lateral part of crest to distal one-third (slightly surpassing anterior one); a few small tubercles between the rows of larger tubercles. Elytral pubescence forming a wide dense fascia at basal fourth with scattered areas of lesser pubescence on central half; wide band of dense pubescence on base of distal one-third; area between wide pubescent fascia and apex with pubescence organized in tufts; apex obliquely truncate.

Abdomen. Urosternites I–II laterally densely pubescent (pubescence organized in tufts), almost glabrous centrally (mainly I); urosternites III–IV laterally as II, short, moderately sparse pubescence centrally; urosternite V laterally and medially on basal half as on II, less pubescent centrally. Legs. Femora with dense pubescence, organized in tufts; tibiae pubescent, with long, abundant setae; metatarsomere I as long as 0.7 times II–III together.

Dimensions in mm (male). Total length, 10.2; length of prothorax at center, 2.3; widest width of prothorax (between apices of tubercles), 3.5; anterior width of prothorax, 2.8; posterior width of prothorax, 3.1; humeral width, 4.6; elytral length, 6.7.

Type material. Holotype male from VENEZUELA, Aragua: National Park Henri Pittier (Biological Station Rancho Grande, 10º20’S, 67º41’W, 1,100 m, cloud forest), 7–13.VI.1999, Ratcliffe, Jameson, Smith & Villatoro col. ( USNM).

Diagnosis. Scleronotus virgatus differs from S. scabrosus Thomson, 1861 and S. tricarinatus Júlio, 1998 as follows: lateral tubercles of pronotum very elevated (not or barely elevated in both other species); central carina absent (well-marked in other species); elytral tubercles small (large in other species).

Remarks. Scleronotus virgatus can be included in the alternative of couplet “6”, from Júlio (1998) (translated):

6(5). Latero-anterior tubercles of pronotum distinctly elevated; pronotum without central carina; elytral tubercles small, indistinct. Venezuela............................................................................. S. virgatus sp. nov.

- Latero-anterior tubercles of pronotum not very elevated; pronotum with central carina; elytral tubercles large, very distinct...................................................................................................... 6’

6’(6). Pronotum with whitish decumbent pubescence covering the median longitudinal carina, sub-flat, with slightly elevated carinae; basal half of femora reddish; whitish decumbent setae covering only meso- and metatarsomere I and II. Brazil (Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul).................................................................................................. S. scabrosus Thomson, 1861

- Pronotum predominantly black with elevated carinae; basal half of femora dark-brown; whitish decumbent setae covering meso- and metatarsi. Brazil (São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul)............ S. tricarinatus Júlio, 1998

Etymology. Latin, virgatus = striped; relating to the transverse band on elytra.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 22. 13 – 16. Eupogonius azteca, holotype, male: 13. Dorsal habitus; 14. Ventral habitus; 15. Lateral habitus; 16. Head, frontal view. 17 – 20. Wappesellus cavus, holotype male (?): 17. Dorsal habitus; 18. Ventral habitus; 19. Lateral habitus; 20. Head, frontal view. 21 – 22. Scleronotus virgatus, holotype, male: 21. Dorsal habitus; 22. Ventral habitus.

FIGURES 23 – 36. 23 – 24. Scleronotus virgatus, holotype, male: 23. Head, frontal; 24. Lateral habitus. 25 – 27. Oreodera casariae, holotype male: 25. Dorsal habitus; 26. Lateral habitus; 27. Head, frontal view. 28 – 31. Psapharochrus langeri, holotype male: 28. Dorsal habitus; 29. Ventral habitus; 30. Lateral habitus; 31. Head, frontal view. 32 – 35. Aegomorphus mexicanus, holotype male: 32. Dorsal habitus; 33. Ventral habitus; 34. Lateral habitus; 35. Head, frontal view. 36. Lamacoscylus albatus, holotype female, head, frontal view.