Elaphidion

Lingafelter, Steven W., 2008, Seven New Species of Elaphidiini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from the Dominican Republic with Taxonomic Notes, New Country Records, and a Key toElaphidionAudinet-Serville from Hispaniola, The Coleopterists Bulletin 62 (3), pp. 353-379 : 353-379

Key to Species of Hispaniolan Elaphidion

The Elaphidion of Hispaniola are immediately distinguished from other Hispaniolan Cerambycidae by the following characters (summarized from Lingafelter 1998; Lingafelter and Ivie 2005): prosternal process acutely declivous between and behind procoxae, elytral apices uni- or bispinose (usually strongly so, although E. rotundipenne Fisher is an exception with truncate to rounded elytral apex); antennae spinose mesally (often with a prominent spine on third antennomere, and often spined on outer margin of some antennomeres); metafemoral apices (usually) and mesofemoral apices (sometimes) spined mesally and apicolaterally.

There have been 5 keys to Elaphidion published for different regions of the Caribbean: Bahamas (Cazier and Lacey 1952), Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire ( Gilmour 1968); Cuba ( Zayas 1975); Lesser Antilles (Chalumeau and Touroult 2005); Puerto Rican Bank (Ivie and Schwengel-Regala 2007). The key below treats the twelve species occurring on Hispaniola.

1. Antennomeres 3–5 strongly bispinose (mesal and lateral apical spines nearly the same size) ( Fig. 14b )........................................... 2

– Antennomeres 3–5 only mesally spined (no lateral apical spines present on 3–5) ( Fig. 14a,c,d )...................................................... 5

2(1). Elytral apices strongly bispinose, outer spine much longer than sutural spine (e.g., Fig. 11 ); antennae almost always extending beyond apical third of elytra............................................................... 3

– Elytral apices weakly bispinose or bidentiform; outer spine equal to or only slightly longer than sutural spine; antennae extending at most to apical third of elytra........................ Elaphidion androsensis Fisher

3(2). Elytral integument covered with numerous very small, separate patches of white or tawny pubescence; mesofemora without apicolateral spines (only spined mesally)....................................................... 4

– Elytral integument covered with larger connected patches of tawny pubescence; mesofemora with small apicolateral spines (and strongly spined apicomesally).......................... Elaphidion iviei Lingafelter

4(3). Integument, particularly legs, antennae, and elytra, pale reddish; pubescence, particularly on venter, white.......... Elaphidion splendidum Fisher

– Integument darker reddish-brown; pubescence mostly tawny........................................................ Elaphidion conspersum Newman

5(1). Elytral apices rounded to suture, without spines; femoral apices without mesal and lateral spines................... Elaphidion rotundipenne Fisher

– Elytral apices bidentiform, bispinose, or with pronounced outer apical spine; spines of femoral apices variable, usually dentiform or spinose.. 6

6(5). Metafemoral apices (and usually mesofemoral apices) with strong apicolateral spines ( Fig. 15b ).............................................. 9

– Metafemoral and mesofemoral apices dentiform or with very short spines ( Fig. 2 )............................................................... 7

7(6). Middle pronotal callus teardrop shaped, not extending to posterior margin (and usually not to anterior margin); most of dorsum covered in moderately dense pubescence, uneven in distribution, but without distinct patches......................... Elaphidion tomentosum Chevrolat

– Middle pronotal callus more linear, extending to anterior and posterior pronotal margins (e.g., Fig. 5c,d ); elytra with sparse pubescence arranged in distinct patches separated by glabrous regions............. 8

8(7). Elytral apices bidentate or weakly bispinose; outer spine only slightly longer than sutural spine; integument dark reddish brown; body large, broad, over 6 mm wide..................... Elaphidion androsensis Fisher

– Elytral apices with very strong outer spine; integument pale reddishbrown; moderate sized, more narrow bodied, less than 5 mm wide ( Fig. 2 )...................................... Elaphidion fullonium Newman

9(6). Elytral integument reddish, mostly glabrous, with several concentrated patches of white or light colored pubescence; punctures mostly exposed, large, deep, and dense, but separated from each other; large sized, broad, usually 5 mm or more in breadth....... Elaphidion irroratum (Linnaeus)

– Elytral integument reddish-brown, mostly covered in tawny or golden pubescence, without extensive, large glabrous regions; punctation often dense, but many punctures partially concealed under pubescence; moderate sized or small, 4 mm or less in breadth...................... 10

10(9). Elytral apices dentiform or weakly bispinose; elytral surface abruptly flat along suture, not evenly convex to lateral margin (evidenced by reflectivity); apicomesal metafemoral spine usually curved inward (mesally) at apex.............................. Elaphidion costipenne Fisher

– Elytra with strong apicolateral spine; elytral surface gradually convex away from suture; apicomesal metafemoral spines typically normal and straight..................................................................... 11

11(10). Scape short and thickened at apex (typical for Elaphidion ); pronotum with distinctly raised calli, especially anterolaterally and with moderately dense, unevenly distributed punctures ( Fig. 12 )......................... 12

– Scape more slender, long, and weakly expanded at apex; pronotum with flat calli and dense, mostly uniform, contiguous punctures, except on middle callus ( Fig. 13 ).................... Elaphidion wappesi Lingafelter

12(11). Moderate, dense, golden pubescence present on head, pronotum, and elytra (although not fully concealing integument); posterolateral calli smooth ( Fig. 10 ).......................... Elaphidion auricoma Lingafelter

– Moderate, dense, tawny pubescence present on head, pronotum, and elytra (not fully concealing integument); posterolateral calli rugose ( Fig. 12 )..................................... Elaphidion nearnsi Lingafelter

Figures

Fig. 14. Detail of antennal spines on antennomeres 3–6 in Dominican Republic Elaphidion. a) E. auricoma (female); b) E. iviei (female); c) E. nearnsi (female); d) E. wappesi (female).

Fig. 11. Elaphidion iviei Lingafelter, new species, dorsal habitus photo-illustration, female.

Fig. 15. Detail of metafemoral apices in Dominican Republic Elaphidion. a) E. auricoma

Figs. 1–4. Habitus photos of Dominican Republic Elaphidiini. 1) Anelaphus crispulum (Fisher), male; 2) Elaphidion fullonium Newman, neotype, male [5holotype of Elaphidion confusum Fisher], (USNM); 3) Elaphidion bidens (Fabricius), holotype; 4) Nesiosphaerion testaceum (Fisher), female.

Fig. 5. Pronota of Dominican Republic Elaphidiini. a) Anelaphus crispulum (Fisher), male; b) Anelaphus crispulum (Fisher), female; c) Elaphidion androsensis Fisher, male; d) Elaphidion androsensis Fisher, female; e) Nesiosphaerion testaceum (Fisher), male; f) Nesiosphaerion testaceum (Fisher), female.

Fig. 12. Elaphidion nearnsi Lingafelter, new species, dorsal habitus photo-illustration, female.

Fig. 13. Elaphidion wappesi Lingafelter, new species, dorsal habitus photo-illustration, male.

Fig. 10. Elaphidion auricoma Lingafelter, new species, dorsal habitus photo-illustration, female.