Psyrassa androwi Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva, 2018

Wappes, James E., Botero, Juan Pablo & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2018, New species of Elaphidiini from Central America (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), Insecta Mundi 657, pp. 1-12 : 4-6

Psyrassa androwi Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva , new species

( Fig. 5–9 )

Description. Male. Head dorsally mostly reddish-brown, darkened along median groove, apex of antennal tubercles, parts of anteclypeus and most of labrum; central area behind eyes dark brown, almost black, gradually lighter toward ventral side; ventral side dark reddish-brown laterally, reddish-brown centrally, lighter toward prothorax; antennae light reddish-brown, darkened at apex of antennomeres III–VI. Prothorax mostly chestnut irregularly darkened in some areas, darker in narrow area close to head, around procoxal cavities and margins of prosternal process; mesoventrite chestnut centrally, somewhat darkened laterally, darker around mesocoxal cavities and margins of mesoventral process; mesepisternum and mesepimeron dark reddish-brown; metepisternum dark reddish-brown; metaventrite dark brown with irregular reddish areas, except light reddish-brown central area close to mesocoxae; elytra reddish-brown, gradually slightly lighter toward apex, except darker punctures and areas surrounding them in basal third; legs reddish-brown, slightly darker in some areas. Abdominal ventrites dark reddish-brown, except narrow yellowish-brown apex of ventrites III–IV. All areas can be slightly lighter or darker depending on the intensity of the light.

Head. Frontal plate narrow, transverse, smooth; remaining surface of frons finely, sparsely punctate centrally, denser laterally (punctures finer than in central area); with short, sparse golden setae later- ally, glabrous centrally. Vertex with area between upper eye lobes depressed; finely, shallowly, sparsely punctate except coarser, deeper, more abundant punctures close to prothorax; with short, decumbent and erect golden setae between antennal tubercles and laterally, nearly glabrous centrally toward prothorax. Area behind eyes finely, sparsely punctate toward eyes, coarser, more abundant close to prothorax; with a few moderately long, erect golden setae. Genae short, anterior margin of lower eye lobes not touching distal margin at middle; finely, moderately abundantly punctate; with short, sparse golden setae except glabrous distal area. Antennal tubercles finely, sparsely punctate except smooth distal area; with short, decumbent, sparse golden setae. Last segment of maxillary and labial palpi securiform. Median groove distinct from clypeus to area between upper eye lobes. Postclypeus finely, abundantly punctate in wide central area, smooth laterally; with short, moderately abundant golden setae in punctate area, glabrous in smooth area. Labrum coplanar with anteclypeus at basal 2/3, inclined at distal third; with long, erect, moderately sparse golden setae. Gulamentum smooth, glabrous between prothoracic margin and distal margin of lower eyes lobe; striate-punctate, with short and long, erect yellowish setae between eyes. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.65 times length of scape; in frontal view distance between lower eye lobes 0.95 times length of scape; upper eye lobes with four rows of ommatidia. Antennae 1.7 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at basal third of antennomere VIII. Scape coarsely, abundantly punctate in basal 2/3, smooth in distal third (only distal fifth on inner side); with short, decumbent, sparse golden setae interspersed with long, erect golden setae in punctate area, glabrous in smooth area. Antennomere III with short, decumbent, moderately sparse golden setae; remaining antennomeres with short, decumbent, abundant golden setae; antennomeres III–V with long, erect golden setae ventrally; antennomeres VI–X with long, erect golden setae distally; antennomeres III–IX dorsally carinate. Apical spine of antennomere III straight, acute at apex, 0.55 times length of antennomere III; apical spine of antennomere IV 0.33 times length of antennomere IV; apical spine of antennomere V 0.16 times length of antennomere; spine of antennomere VI 0.12 times length of antennomere VI; antennomere VII with spicule at apex; remaining antennomeres with apex unarmed. Antennal formula (ratio) based on length of antennomere III (excluding spine) (only holotype measured): scape = 1.00; pedicel = 0.22; IV = 0.94; V = 1.12; VI = 1.22; VII = 1.28; VIII = 1.28; IX = 1.22; X = 1.15; XI = 1.38.

Thorax. Prothorax 1.4 times longer than wide; sides slightly rounded between basal and distal constrictions, with small rounded protuberance close to distal constriction. Pronotum with central gibbosity nearly elliptical, placed about middle; with transverse, tumid area on each side, close to distal constriction (tumid areas connected through sides of prothorax and prosternum); coarsely, abundantly punctate between constrictions except in smooth central area from basal constriction to apex of central gibbosity, finely, sparsely punctate basally, smooth distally; with long, erect, sparse pale-yellow setae, except glabrous smooth central area. Sides of prothorax coarsely, shallowly punctate in wide central area close to pronotum, nearly smooth toward prosternum, finely, transversely striate basally, nearly smooth distally; with long, erect, sparse pale-yellow setae, except nearly glabrous area close to prosternum. Prosternum finely, transversely striate, interspersed with a few shallow punctures between procoxae and tumid area close to distal constriction, finely striate near distal margin (striae distinctly finer than in basal area); with yellow pubescence between procoxal cavities and tumid area close to distal constriction, denser laterally, with long, erect yellow setae interspersed; nearly glabrous in tumid area close to distal constrictions and long, erect, sparse yellow setae near distal margin; prosternal process nearly parallel-sided centrally, triangularly expanded distally; margins in central area distinctly elevated. Procoxal cavities nearly closed posteriorly. Mesoventrite with sparse pale-yellow pubescence centrally, slightly denser laterally; mesoventral process deeply emarginate at distal margin, with sides forming distinct tab projected on mesocoxae. Mesepisternum, mesepimeron and metepisternum with dense pale-yellow pubescence partially obscuring integument. Metaventrite finely, sparsely punctate toward central area; with pale-yellow pubescence close to metanepisternum, sparse pale-yellow pubescence close to metacoxal cavities, and long, erect, sparse pale-yellow setae on remaining surface. Scutellum with dense golden pubescence.

Elytra. Slightly, gradually narrowed from base to apex, more markedly in distal quarter; apex concave, with long spine at outer angle and moderately short spine at sutural angle; coarsely, abundantly punctate in basal third, gradually finer, sparser toward apex; with long, erect, moderately sparse pale-yellow setae throughout (more brownish depending on angle of light source).

Legs. Femora finely, sparsely punctate in basal half, then gradually coarsely, confluently punctate toward apex; inner and outer apices of profemora with rounded lobe; inner and outer apices of meso- and metafemora with triangular lobe; with long, erect, moderately abundant golden setae. Metatibiae sinuous.

Abdomen. Ventrites finely, sparsely punctate (slightly coarser and more abundant in distal area of ventrite V); with long, erect, sparse golden setae, more abundant and decumbent laterally. Apex of ventrite V widely emarginate centrally.

Variation. Antennae from 1.55 to 1.70 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex from basal third to distal third of antennomere X; spine of antennomere III longer than twice length of pedicel (about 0.55 times length of antennomere III – Fig. 9 ); spine of antennomere III from 0.40 to 0.55 times length of antennomere III; apical spine of antennomere IV from 0.26 to 0.33 times length of antennomere IV; apical spine of antennomere V from 0.11 to 0.16 times length of antennomere V; antennomere VI with minute spine at apex; antennomere VII unarmed at apex; antennomere IV from slightly shorter to slightly longer than III; pubescence on mesepisternum, mesepimeron, metepisternum and sides of metaventrite from golden to silvery; procoxal cavities distinctly closed posteriorly; sutural angle of elytra from triangularly projected to distinctly spiniform (but always shorter than spine at outer angle); apex of abdominal ventrite V widely, slightly emarginate centrally, or not emarginate.

Dimensions in mm (holotype male/ paratype males). Total length 15.10/14.60–17.50; prothoracic length 2.75/2.75–3.00; basal prothoracic width 1.80/1.85–2.20; distal prothoracic width 1.90/1.80–2.10; greatest prothoracic width 2.00/2.10–2.35; humeral width 2.85/2.85–3.40; elytral length 9.90/9.65–12.40.

Female. Very similar to male and best differentiated by its slightly shorter antennae which attain the elytral apices in the distal one-half to one-third of antennomere eleven (male antennae attain the elytral apices at end of or distal one-third of antennomere ten).

Type material. Holotype male from PANAMA, Panama: Cerro Campana (2800 ʹ), 13–14.V.1996, Wappes, Huether and Morris col. ( FSCA) . Paratypes – PANAMA, Panama: Bayano (26 km W Ipeti), 1 male, 20–23. IV.1993, J.E. Wappes col. ( ACMT) ; El Llano Carti Rd, k 8–11 (1100 ʹ), 1 female, 21.V–2.VI.1992, J. E. Wappes ( ACMT). Colon: Ft. Espanar, vic Marg. , 1 male, 2.VI.1992, J. E. Wappes ( ACMT) ; Ft. Sherman area , 1 male, 1 female, 19.V.1999, Morris and Wappes ( RFMC) ; Cerro Campana, 1 male, 11–15.V.1980, E. G. Riley and D. LeDoux col. ( ACMT). Chiriqu í: Hornito , Finca Suiza, 2 males, 9–15.V.1999, Morris and Wappes ( RFMC) ; 1 female, 9–15.V.1999, Wappes and Morris ( ACMT) ; 1 male, 7.VII.1997, Wappes and Morris ( ACMT) . NICARAGUA, Nuevo Segovia: Cerro Jesus 13°58′N / 86°10′W, El 1,300m, @ MV/ UV light), 1 female, 14.V.2016, E. van den Berghe Coll. ( EAPZ) ; Cerro Jesus ( Ex. blooming tree), 4 males, 7–13.VI.2015, Wappes and Morris (2 males EAPZ, 2 males RFMC) ; Cerro Jesus (8km N Jalapa), 5 males, 1 female, 12–20.V.2017, Wappes, Kuckartz and E. van den Berghe (4 males, ACMT, 1male, 1 female RAAC) . BELIZE, Cayo: Las Cuevas Research Station (580 m; 16°43.971′N / 88°59.196′W), 1 male, 1–4.VI.2008, Ratcliffe, Cave, Jameson & Orozco col. ( MZSP) . COSTA RICA, San José: vicinity of Hortensia (9°28′5″N / 83°41′03″W; 6,100′), 1 male, 09.IV.2007, D. Thomas and D. Robacker col. ( ACMT). Puntarenas: Monteverde , 1 male, 26.V-3.VI.1984, E. Riley, D. Rider and D. LeDoux col. ( TAMU) .

Etymology. Named to recognize and thank Robert Androw, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, for assisting the authors during visits to work at the Carnegie Museum and for providing a number of thoughtful manuscript reviews.

Remarks. Considering the procoxal cavities open posteriorly, the key of Toledo (2005) leads to the alternative of couplet “22” and thus to P. rufofemorata Linsley, 1935 and P. chemsaki Toledo, 2002 , two species with different body shape, general color and elytral apex. Considering the procoxal cavities closed posteriorly, the key of Toledo (2005) leads to P. subglabra Linsley, 1935 , a visibly different appearing species (see photograph of the holotype at Bezark 2018). The general appearance of Psyrassa androwi sp. nov. is like that of P. angelicae Toledo, 2005 , P. cerina Toledo, 2005 , P. clavigera Toledo, 2005 , P. proxima Toledo, 2005 , and P. tympanophora Bates, 1885 . However, P. androwi differs by the noticeably short gena (very long in the other species). Psyrassa androwi also resembles P. testacea Linsley, 1935 , but differs from it by the straight, backward directed spine of antennomere III, while in P. testacea it is curved inward; additionally, all specimens of P. testacea examined lack the long spine at the outer elytral angle, which is distinct in P. androwi .

Figures

Figures 1–9. New Elaphidiini. 1–4) Psyrassa vandenberghei new species, holotype female. 1) Dorsal habitus. 2) Ventral habitus. 3) Lateral habitus. 4) Head, frontal view. 5–8) Psyrassa androwi new species, holotype male: 5) Dorsal habitus. 6) Ventral habitus. 7) lateral habitus. 8) head, frontal view. 9) Psyrassa androwi new species, paratype male, dorsal habitus.