Ataxia heppneri, Wappes, James E., Galileo, Maria Helena M. & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2017

Wappes, James E., Galileo, Maria Helena M. & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2017, New species, new records and notes on Lamiinae from Neotropical Region (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Zootaxa 4290 (1), pp. 83-98 : 95-97

Ataxia heppneri sp. nov.

( Figs 35–40 )

Description. Male. Integument dark brown except reddish-brown mouthparts and dark reddish-brown base of antennomeres V–XI (this area wider on some antennomeres).

Head. Frons densely microsculptured interspersed with sparse fine punctures; with yellow-straw pubescence obscuring integument, interspersed with long, erect pale yellow setae. Area between antennal tubercles and at about middle of upper eye lobes with sculpture, pubescence and erect setae as on frons. Area from middle of upper eye lobes to prothoracic margin distinctly elevated when compared with area between antennal tubercles; with tawny pubescence interspersed with whitish pubescence, obscuring integument. Area behind eyes with pubescence as on vertex, gradually lighter toward apex of lower eye lobes; with moderately coarse, sparse punctures and long, erect, sparse yellowish-brown setae behind lower eye lobes. Antennal tubercles and genae with pubescence as on frons interspersed with some long, erect pale yellow setae. Median groove distinct from clypeus to prothoracic margin. Postclypeus with pubescence of same color as on frons, partially obscuring integument on wide central area close to apex, interspersed with long, erect yellowish-brown setae, glabrous laterally. Labrum convex, coplanar with anteclypeus on narrow basal area, inclined, flat on remaining surface; with golden, suberect, moderately abundant golden setae on inclined area, with fringe of short golden setae on distal margin. Gulamentum with sparse yellow-straw pubescence, denser on narrow area close to mentum. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.5 times length of scape; in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 1.1 times length of scape. Antennae 1.45 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at base of antennomere XI; scape with pale yellow erect setae, primarily dorsally; pedicel with sparse pale yellow setae ventrally; antennomeres III–VII with long, erect, thick dark setae ventrally (sparser toward VII); antennomeres VIII–X with long, erect, thick dark setae at apex; antennomeres VI–XI with gray pubescence on base, more irregular on V, distinctly covering larger area on VI, VIII, X and XI; antennal formula (ratio) based on length of antennomere III: scape = 0.80; pedicel = 0.28; IV = 1.16; V = 1.00; VI = 0.92; VII = 0.78; VIII = 0.70; IX = 0.64; X = 0.60; XI = 0.60.

Thorax. Prothorax 1.2 times wider than long (including lateral tubercles); lateral tubercle conical, with acute apex, placed at about middle. Pronotum with gibbosities nearly inconspicuous; surface coarsely punctate from apex of basal fifth to middle, then narrowed and centrally reaching base of distal third; sides coarsely, sparsely punctate from apex of basal fifth to near distal margin (on basal half, lateral punctures separated from punctures on central area by nearly smooth area); remaining surface impunctate; central region of basal 2/3 with large, irregular straw yellow pubescent macula, partially obscuring integument, moderately narrowed on its distal third, except denser central band on basal third; distal third with tawny pubescence obscuring integument; sides with tawny pubescence obscuring integument except irregular, longitudinal band on center of basal 2/3 with straw yellow pubescence partially obscuring integument; with long, sparse, erect pale yellow setae, slightly more abundant close to distal margin. Sides of prothorax coarsely, sparsely punctate close to pronotum, impunctate on remaining surface; with tawny pubescence partially obscuring integument close to pronotum, distinctly denser, straw yellow pubescence toward prosternum. Prosternum with straw yellow pubescence obscuring integument. Sides of prosternal process narrowly elevated; surface with straw yellow pubescence partially obscuring integument, interspersed with long, erect, pale yellow setae. Ventral side of meso- and metathorax with tawny pubescence partially obscuring integument, except nearly glabrous central area of mesosternum; with long, erect, sparse pale yellow setae on mesosternal process and metasternum; mesosternal process gradually inclined at base. Scutellum with yellowishwhite pubescence obscuring integument. Elytra. Coarsely, sparsely punctate on basal quarter, gradually fine toward apex; from each puncture thick, dark erect setae emerges, more abundant near apex; general pubescence on basal 4/5 tawny interspersed with irregular, yellowish-white pubescent areas, obscuring integument, except band with straw yellow pubescence along suture, more distinct on basal half; distal fifth with straw yellow pubescence interspersed with tawny pubescence, obscuring integument, except sub-diamond spot with pubescence distinctly exposing integument near apex laterally; distal region centrally inclined and depressed; apex obliquely truncate with outer angle distinctly triangularly projected. Legs. With straw yellow pubescence partially obscuring integument, interspersed with tawny pubescence; with long, erect dark setae, more abundant and interspersed with yellow setae on tibiae; metatibia tumid and distinctly wide.

Abdomen. Ventrites I–IV with tawny pubescence obscuring integument, interspersed with long, erect sparse pale yellow setae (ventrite IV with dark setae laterally); ventrite V with tawny pubescence partially obscuring integument on central area of base, remaining surface exposed, interspersed with long, erect, dark, thick setae, gradually more abundant toward apex; apex of ventrite V truncate.

Dimensions (mm). Holotype male: Total length, 9.70; prothoracic length, 1.85; basal prothoracic width, 1.70; distal prothoracic width, 1.60; widest prothoracic width (between apices of lateral tubercles), 2.15; humeral width, 2.20; elytral length, 6.95.

Type material. Holotype male from PANAMA, Darien: Filo de Tallo Lodge , (Meteti), 16-20.V.2014, J. B. Heppner col. ( FSCA).

Etymology. Named for John B. Heppner, FSCA entomologist and the collector of the holotype.

Remarks. Ataxia heppneri sp. nov. is similar to A. arenaria Martins & Galileo, 2013 , but differs as follows: upper eye lobes and area of connection between lobes not notably narrow ( Fig. 39 ); distance between upper eye lobes 2.5 times width of one lobe; pronotum ( Fig. 40 ) distinctly punctate on basal half; base of mesosternal process gradually inclined. In A. arenaria , the upper eye lobes and area of connection between lobes are notably narrow ( Fig. 42 ), distance between upper eye lobes 6.0 times width of one lobe, pronotum ( Fig. 43 ) nearly impunctate on basal half, base of mesosternal process abruptly inclined. It differs from A. parva Galileo & Martins, 2011 ( Fig. 44 ), primarily by the pronotum with distinct punctures on basal half (absent in A. parva ( Fig. 46 )), and shorter distance between upper eye lobes (about 5 times in A. parva ( Fig. 45 )).

Figures

FIGURES 35 – 46. 35 – 40, Ataxia heppneri sp. nov., holotype male: 35, dorsal habitus; 36, ventral habitus; 37, lateral habitus; 38, head, frontal view; 39, upper eye lobes; 40, pronotum, sculpture. 41 – 43, A. arenaria, holotype male: 41, dorsal habitus; 42, upper eye lobes; 43, pronotum, sculpture. 44 – 46, A. parva, holotype female: 44, dorsal habitus; 45, upper eye lobes; 46, pronotum, sculpture.