Neobaryssinus altissimus Berkov and Monné, 2010

Berkov, Amy & Monné, Miguel A., 2010, A new species of Neobaryssinus Monné & Martins, and two new species of Baryssiniella new genus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), reared from trees in the Brazil nut family (Lecythidaceae), Zootaxa 2538, pp. 47-59 : 49-51

Neobaryssinus altissimus Berkov and Monné , new species

( Figs 2 , 9, 12 , 15–17 )

This species was referred to as Neoeutrypanus sp. 915 in Berkov & Tavakilian 1999 and Berkov et al. 2000.

Type material. Holotype male: FRENCH GUIANA, Les Eaux Claires (7 km N Saül, 3° 37’ N, 53° 12’ W, elevation 200–400 m), 16.03.1996, A. Berkov leg. ( MNHN, ex IRD), host plant Lecythis poiteaui . Paratypes: Same locality as the holotype: 19 males and 21 females, 3° 37’ N, 53° 12’ W, 29.III.–12.VII.1996, A. Berkov leg.; 3.IV.–25.VII.2008, A. Berkov & A. Baxt leg. 1 male, 4.IV.1996; 1 male, #831, 7.IV.1996; 1 male, #875, 12.IV.1996; 1 male, #922, 17.IV.1996; 1 male, #963, 21.IV.1996; 1 male, #1182, 10.V.1996; 1 male, #1397, 3.VI.1996; 1 male, #1410, 5.VI.1996; 1 male, #1654, 12.VII.1996; 2 males, #2877 and # 2980, 3.IV. – 14.V.2008; 1 male, #3154, 7.VI.–4.VII.2008; 1 male, #3198, 29.V.–25.VII.2008; 2 males, #3285 and 3392, 18 –26.VI.2008; 1 male, #3320, 21.VI.2008; 1 male, #3465, 29.VI.–9.VII.2008; 1 male, #3599, 13 – 21.VII.2008; 1 male, #3633, 29.V.–25.VII.2008, 1 female, 29.III.1996; 1 female, 14.IV.1996; 1 female, #1053, 29.IV.1996; 1 female, #1230, 16.V.1996; 1 female, #1239, 17.V.1996; 1 female, #1258, 19.V.1996; 1 female, #1274, 20.V.1996; 1 female, #1517, 23.VI.1996; 1 female, #1568, 30.VI.1996; 1 female, #1696, 21.VII.1996; 1 female, #1804, 29.VIII.1996; 1 female, #1805, 29.VIII.1996; 2 females, #2934 and #2967, 4.IV.–14.V.2008; 1 female, #3095, 10.IV.–15.VI.2008; 2 females, #3318 and #3393, 19 –27.VI.2008; 3 females, #3419, #3463 and #3534, 28.VI.–9.VII.2008; 1 female, #3625, 7 –25.VII.2008 ( MNHN, AMNH, and MNRJ). [Note: These specimens were reared from four individuals of L. poiteaui located between 180–860 m along the Sentier Botanique, bait branches were cut in Sept. 1995, Jan. 1996, Aug. 2007, and Jan. 2008 (LP-T, LP-U, LP-V, LP-W; vouchers M24175–M24178 at NYBG)]. French Guiana, Piste de Kaw, pk 43.5, 1 female, M. Thouvenot; pk 50, 1 female, F & J.-P Serais ( MNHN). Piste Maman Lézard, pk 7, 1 female, P. Gevril ( MNHN). Crique Longi, 1 female, 11.05.1995, J.-F. Guégan ( MNHN). ( MNHN, AMNH, and MNRJ).

Description. Male ( Figs 9 , 15–16 ): Integument predominantly black; body pubescence short and appressed, cinereous, tan, medium brown testaceous, and black. Head mostly cinereous to tan, frons and vertex tan, darker on bases of antennal sockets, genae cinereous, scape with fine ashy-tan pubescence contrasting with piceous pubescence and integument at dorsal apex, all other antennomeres with ashy-tan pubescence at basal parts contrasting with piceous at apices. Pronotum variegated ashy, tan, and medium brown, with two pairs of piceous maculae towards base. Scutellum uniformly piceous. Elytra with appressed pubescence, mostly tan with ashy tufts, two piceous fasciae separated by ashy-tan fascia. Prosternum with dense ashy appressed pubescence, mesosternum with fairly dense, erect ashy pubescence, metasternum with sparser, erect ashy pubescence. Ventrites 1–4 with integument medially reddish-brown and laterally black, medially with erect ashy pubescence bounded by ashy appressed pubescence and lateral faciae alternating piceous and ashy, ventrite 5 uniformly piceous. Legs with integument reddish brown to black and patchy appressed pubescence from ashy to tan, all coxae with erect ashy pubescence, dorsum of first two tarsomeres covered with appressed ashy pubescence.

Form robust with parallel sides. Head slightly convex, antennae attaining elytral apex at approximately middle of antennomere 7, antennomeres 10 and 11 similar in length. Pronotum transverse, sides with obtuse post-medial tubercles, disk gibbose with coarse punctures along both anterior and basal impressions, and scattered punctures associated with long, fine setae on basal disk. Scutellum triangular, truncate at apex, raised above base of elytra. Elytra approximately twice as long as humeral width, with erect setae, pronounced humeral angles, central basal cristae with bristles, and two pairs of longitudinal carinae: lateral carina starting at humeral angle and extending to apical one-third of elytra, second medial carina oblique, starting below humeral angle, also extending to apical one-third of elytra, coarse punctures scattered mostly on basal half of elytra, apex truncate with outer angle rounded. Prosternal process narrow, less than one-fourth width of procoxa, apex expanded posteriorly, mesosternal process about width of mesocoxa, metasternum plane medially. Abdominal segment 5 with both apical sternite and tergite slightly emarginate (semicircular). Legs stout, profemora strongly clavate, pro- and mesotibiae with margins of ventral face carinate clothed with stiff bristles, first metarsomere about as long as next two together. Genitalia: Median lobe 2.2 mm long, basal apophyses about one-third of whole median lobe in length, apex heavily sclerotized, truncate. Tegmen 2.3 mm long, extended base (fused part) slightly longer than paramere, ring elbowed, unfused portions of parameres 0.3 mm long, parallel with narrow medial gap, rounded apices with several setae, the longest about 0.3 mm.

Female ( Figs 2 , 12 , 17 ): Similar to male but venter lacking erect ashy pubescence and mostly covered with appressed ashy pubescence, except for basal portions of abdominal segments 2–4 and apical portion of segment 5; antennae attaining elytral apex at approximately apex of antennomere 7; apical sternite and tergite elongated to form ovipositor extending well beyond elytral apex; and profemora less strongly clavate. Genitalia: spermatheca 0.8 mm long, narrows gradually into duct at 90°.

Dimensions, in mm.

Comments. This species is distinguished from other species of Neobaryssinus by the lateral tubercles of the pronotum obtuse rather than acute and conical, and dark transverse fasciae near the apices of the elytra. Host plant. Lecythis poiteaui , from bait branches cut during both dry and rainy seasons. GenBank accession numbers. AF466979 (1 male, #1806, 30.VIII.1996), GU827558 (1 female, #3535, 29.VI.–9.VII.2008).

Etymology. From Latin altus, high, the specific epithet refers to the preference this beetle shows for canopy stratum branches; 97% of the specimens emerged from bait branches suspended in the canopy.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Species of Neobaryssinus, habitus: 1, N. marianae Martins & Monné, male, French Guiana; 2, N. altissimus Berkov & Monné sp. nov., female; 3, N. phalarus Monné & Martins, female (MNRJ); 4, N. capixaba Monné & Delfino, male (MNRJ).

FIGURES 9 – 14. Ventral views showing sexual dimorphism in ventral pubescence, profemora, and protarsi: 9, N. altissimus, male; 10, B. hieroglyphica, holotype, male; 11, B. tavakiliani, holotype, male; 12, N. altissimus female; 13, B. hieroglyphica female; 12, B. tavakiliani female.

FIGURES 15 – 20. Male and female genitalia: 15, N. altissimus tegmen; 16, N. altissimus median lobe; 17, N. altissimus spermatheca; 18, B. hieroglyphica tegmen; 19, B. hieroglyphica median lobe; 20, B. hieroglyphica spermatheca.