Pogonocherus scutellaris, Vitali, 2022

Vitali, Francesco, 2022, Two new Pogonocherus species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Baltic amber, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 22 (1), pp. 103-110 : 105-107

Pogonocherus scutellaris n. sp.

( Figs. 2–4 )

Holotype. Baltic amber, “ Parmenops longicornis ”, ex coll. M. Veta, n° 2348, author’s coll. FS66BS36.

Differential diagnosis. Pogonocherus scutellaris n. sp. is characterised by pronotum completely unpunctuated and elytra smooth except for: 1) a dense velvet patch at each side of the scutellum; 2) five regular rows of coarse punctures (sutural and pre­sutural ones on the basal third, discal one on the basal half and both pre­humeral and humeral ones reaching the apical third); 3) three feeble ridges (humeral, pre­humeral and prediscal) on the basal two­thirds. These characters are sufficient to separate this species from all fossil and extant congeners.

Description. Body length 4.1 mm. Habitus minute, stout; integuments black.

Mouthparts not detectable; frons parallel­sided, flat and seemingly smooth; eyes strongly reniform and finely facetted; lower eyes­lobes transverse, one­half as long as genae.

Antennae almost thick, as long as body, antennomeres I–IV internally fringed with sparse erect setae; scape almost club­shaped; pedicle elongate, twice as long as wide; antennomere III feebly bowed, as long as scape; antennomere IV the longest, nearly one­third longer than III; antennomere V one­fourth shorter than III; antennomeres VI–VII sub­equal, barely longer than V; antennomeres VIII–XI decreasing in length toward apex; antennomere XI barely shorter than IX; antennomere proportions according to the formula: 2.9: 1.0: 2.9: 4.0: 2.2: 2.3: 2.3: 2.0: 1.9: 1.6: 1.8.

Pronotum feebly transverse; apical margin finely furrowed; base with two transverse strong furrows; sides armed with a small obtuse conical tooth in the middle; surface unpunctuated, covered with a dense fine uniform pubescence and some long erect setae on the disc. Scutellum small, elongated, rounded at apex.

Vitali F.

Elytra short (each elytron about twice as long as wide at base), ovoid, dorsally flat; humeri almost prominent; apices widely rounded; disc smooth except for a dense velvet patch at each side of the scutellum, five regular rows of coarse punctures (sutural and pre­sutural ones on the basal third, discal one on the basal half and both pre­humeral and humeral ones on the basal two­thirds), three feeble ridges (humeral, pre­humeral and prediscal) on the basal two­thirds and some sparse erect long setae; suture finely furrowed.

Legs relatively short covered with long raised pubescence; femora club­shaped; protibiae straight; meta­ and mesotibiae sinuate; mesotibiae with pre­apical furrow; tarsi short; claws opposite.

Abdominal segment subequal; last visible urite largely rounded at apex.

Figures

Fig. 2. Pogonocherus scutellaris n. sp. dorsal side.

Fig. 3. Pogonocherus scutellaris n. sp. ventral side.

Fig. 4. From left to right, elytral structure of P. minimus n. sp., P. jaekeli Zang, 1905 and P. scutellaris n. sp. (proportions according to the respective body size).