Eclipta ricei Wappes and Santos-Silva, 2017

Wappes, James E. & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2017, New Neotropical Rhinotragini and a new country record for Nicaragua (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), Insecta Mundi 2017 (530), pp. 1-24 : 2-3

Eclipta ricei Wappes and Santos-Silva , n. sp.

( Fig. 1–3 )

Diagnosis. Eclipta ricei is similar to Odontocera vittipennis Bates, 1873 (a species that is misplaced in Odontocera Audinet-Serville, 1833 and will surely be moved out of Odontocera as revisionary work is done on the genus). It differs as follows: elytra lighter, with translucent area less delimited; metasternum and ventrites only partially, abundantly, finely punctate (metasternum with smooth central area and abdominal ventrites sparsely punctate centrally); metatibiae thickened apically; metatarsi about 0.25 times length of metatibiae. In O. vittipennis the elytra are darker, the translucent area well delimited, the entire metasternum and ventrites abundantly, finely punctate, the metatibiae is thin throughout its length, and the metatarsi are visually longer, nearly 0.40 times the length of its metatibiae. Eclipta ricei compares well to the original description of Eclipta Bates, 1873 , and in physical form with the type species, Ommata flavicollis Bates, 1873 (now Eclipta flavicollis ): “Legs slender; middle femora abruptly but not very broadly clavate; elytra with sides subparallel (less so in E. flavicollis ), apex truncated,” as such, is well placed in the Eclipta .

Description. Integument primarily black. The following lighter reddish to pale brown: anteclypeus; distal 1/3 of labrum; distal 1/3 of antennomere XI; small distinct patch on elytra each side of scutellum, indistinctly so on remainder of dorsal surface; elongate area adjacent to lateral basal 1/4 of elytra margin; basal 2/3 of metafemoral peduncle (only laterally on basal 1/3); metatarsi (except basal extreme of metatarsomere I, which is blackish, and distal 1/2 of metatarsomere V and claws, which are brown). The following dark brown: antennomeres IV–X, and basal 2/3 of XI (IV–V, somewhat darker and shining); pro- and mesofemora, dorsal and ventral distal 1/3 of peduncle, and 2/3 of lateral, distal sides; club of metafemora; ventrites dark brown (almost black laterally). Pronotum, and prothorax laterally orange (pronotum brownish on basal edge and distal 1/3). Each elytron with darker patch between lighter basal areas, somewhat translucent between apex of basal 1/3 and base of distal 1/6, suture darker, epipleura, and apex, mostly darker brown on basal 1/3.

Head. Not elongated behind eyes (posterior edge of eyes close to anterior edge of prothorax); rostrum (between apex of inferior ocular lobe and genal apex), in frontal view, 0.75 times length of lower eye lobe. Frons sparsely, moderately coarsely punctate centrally, punctures denser laterally. Central area, between clypeus and antennal tubercles, with sparse, short yellowish setae; with slightly denser setae laterally, interspersed with sparse, long setae. Vertex abundantly, coarsely punctate; with sparse, moderately long yellowish setae. Antennal tubercles sparsely, moderately finely punctate; with sparse, short yellowish setae. Labrum with transverse row of short, yellowish setae at basal 1/2; one very long seta on each side of latter; distal edge with fringe of dense, short setae. Side of mandible abundantly, coarsely, moderately punctate laterally; with moderately sparse, short setae; with sparse, very long, thick setae at base and at distal 1/2. Area beneath lower eye lobes with moderately abundant long setae. Gular region smooth, glabrous. Central area of submentum, closer to gula, sparsely, moderately coarsely punctate, with sparse, long yellow setae, punctures denser laterally; anterior half of submentum transversely striate-punctate, with sparse, long setae. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.65 times length of scape; in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.55 times length of scape. Antennae 1.2 times elytral length; nearly reaching distal 1/5 of elytra; antennomeres III–IV filiform; antennomeres V–VII enlarged towards apex; together, antennomeres V–XI forming distinct club. Scape, pedicel, and antennomeres III–VI with long, dark, thick setae; antennal formula (ratio) based on antennomere III: scape = 0.71; pedicel = 0.25; IV = 0.64; V = 0.83; VI = 0.64; VII = 0.62; VIII = 0.50; IX = 0.47; X = 0.43; XI = 0.55.

Thorax. Prothorax sub-cylindrical, slightly longer than wide, without lateral tubercles. Pronotum coarsely reticulate, with moderately abundant, long setae. Prothorax coarsely punctate laterally (somewhat reticulate towards pronotum, partially confluent towards prosternum); with sparse, short setae. Prosternum abundantly, coarsely punctate; transversally sulcate near head; with sparse, long yellowish setae. Prosternal process narrowed centrally, truncate at apex; with abundant, long yellowish setae. Metasternum moderately abundantly, finely punctate laterally, sparsely towards center; sides with moderately abundant, short setae, sparsely interspersed with long setae; disc with sparse, long setae. Scutellum deeply, widely sulcate on distal 1/2; with abundant, short setae (mainly at lateral distal half).

Elytra. Elongate, narrowed from base to apex, dehiscent from basal 1/3 to apex; abundantly, coarsely punctate (punctures distinctly sparser on translucent area); apex sub-truncate. Legs. Femora clavate; metafemoral peduncle distinctly long; apex of metafemora reaching middle of fifth abdominal segment. Metatibiae distinctly thicker towards apex. Metatarsi thick; metatarsomere I 1.5 times longer than II–III together.

Abdomen. Ventrites sparsely, moderately finely punctate (punctures denser and, pubescent laterally); surface with sparse, moderately short setae throughout.

Dimensions in mm (holotype female). Total length (from mandibular apex to abdominal apex), 11.5; prothorax: length, 1.8; anterior width, 1.2; posterior width, 1.4; humeral width, 1.7; elytral length, 5.6.

Type material. Holotype female from COSTA RICA, Guanacaste: Monteverde (“ Cordillera de Tilaran ”), 10.III.1991, M. E. Rice col. ( FSCA).

Etymology. Named for Marlin Rice, collector of the holotype and long time enthusiastic student of the cerambycidae .

Figures

Figures 1–6. Eclipta spp. 1–3. Eclipta ricei sp. nov., holotype female, habitus: 1) Dorsal; 2) Ventral; 3) Lateral. 4–6. Eclipta nearnsi sp. nov., holotype female, habitus: 4) Dorsal; 5) Ventral; 6) Lateral.