Piezocera Audinet-Serville, 1834

Santos-Silva, Antonio, Botero, Juan Pablo & Flechtmann, Carlos Alberto Hector, 2023, A new species and taxonomical and geographical notes on Neotropical Cerambycidae (Coleoptera), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 63, pp. 1-14 : 6

Key to species of Piezocera Audinet-Serville, 1834

(adapted from Martins, 2003)

Note:The features used in the key to separate the species were verified only in P.flavipennis , P.rufula , and P.monochroa , in order to correctly include them in the key.

It will be necessary to do a revision of the genus to verify the features in all species.

1. Pronotum without sulcus on anterocentral region ................................................................................................................................................................2

— Pronotum with sulcus on anterocentral region......................................................................................................................................................................3

2(1). Meso- and metafemoral clubs abruptly widened from peduncle. French Guiana, Brazil (Amazonas, Rondônia)................................... P.aenea (Bates,1867)

— Meso- and metafemoral clubs gradually widened from peduncle. United States of America (Texas), Mexico (Veracruz, Hidalgo, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo), Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica....................................................................................................................... P.monochroa Bates,1885

3(1). Elytra unicolorous,from brown to orangish-red,without longitudinal bands .......................................................................................................................4

— Elytra bicolorous,with longitudinal dark or green band........................................................................................................................................................ 9

4(3). Antennomere III not expanded on outer apex .......................................................................................................................................................................5

— Antennomere III expanded on outer apex ............................................................................................................................................................................. 6

5(4). Margins of anterocentral sulcus of pronotum elevated,distant from each other and sloped toward anterior margin; central tubercle of pronotum not microsculptured,shiny. Brazil (Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina , Rio Grande do Sul), Paraguay............. ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... P.nodicollis Melzer,1934

— Margins of anterocentral sulcus of pronotum less elevated, closer to each other and reaching anterior margin; central tubercle of pronotum microsculptured. Trinidad and Tobago................................................................................................................................................. P.rufula Martins & Galileo,2010

6(4). Elytral apex obliquely truncate or slightly emarginate and unarmed;antennomere III distinctly expanded toward outer apex. Bolivia, Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo)....................................................................................................................................................................... P.costula Martins,1976 (part)

— Elytral apex with spiniform projection or with distinct spine on outer apex;antennomere III somewhat expanded toward outer apex................................7

7(6). Pronotum mostly shiny. Peru, Bolivia, Brazil (Pará) ...................................................................................................................... P.flavipennis ( Zajciw,1970)

— Pronotum opaque ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8

8(7). Area between upper eye lobes with two brushes of setae;anterocentral region of pronotum microsculptured as remaining surface of pronotum;prothorax with distinct spiniform lateral tubercle. Brazil (Alagoas, Sergipe,Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro).............. P.araujosilvai Melzer,1935

— Area between upper eye lobes without brushes of setae;anterocentral region of pronotum shiny;prothorax without lateral spine. Colombia (Cauca, Valle del Cauca)............................................................................................................................................................................ P.silvia Galileo & Martins,2000

9(3). Antennae of males with sexual setae;elytral setae short, not arranged in rows;antennomere III with spicule on inner apex and slightly expanded toward outer apex;antennomeres IV-V with spicule on inner apex;elytral apex concave,with short spine on outer apex. Venezuela (Distrito Federal, Miranda).. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... P.advena Martins,1976

— Antennae of males without sexual setae; elytral setae long, arranged in five longitudinal rows; antennomere III expanded on outer apex, without spicule on inner apex;elytral apex with different shape.............................................................................................................................................................. 10

10(9). Antennomere III projected on both apices;pronotum densely microsculptured;metatibiae projected on outer apex......................................................... 11

— Antennomere III not projected on inner apex;pronotum sparsely microsculptured ............................................................................................................12

11(10). Elytral apex distinctly projected on outer angle; dark longitudinal band on elytra well-marked; metatibiae with acute projection on outer apex. Brazil (Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina , Rio Grande do Sul), Paraguay................................................. ................................................................................................................................................................................. P.bivittata Audinet-Serville,1834

— Elytral apex obliquely truncate;dark longitudinal band on elytra slightly contrasting;metatibiae without apical projection. Bolivia, Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo)....................................................................................................................................................................... P.costula Martins,1976 (part)

12(10). Upper eye lobes with three rows of ommatidia; pronotum with granules, without basal gibbosities; abdomen of males without sexual punctures; tarsal claws reduced in length. Venezuela (Miranda).............................................................................................................................. P.gratiosa Lameere,1893

— Upper eye lobes with four rows of ommatidia;abdomen of males with sexual punctures;tarsal claws normal. Bolivia, French Guiana, Brazil (Pará, Paraíba, Bahia, Mato Grosso).......................................................................................................................................................................... P.ataxia Martins,1976