Solenoptera zayasi Devesa, Fonseca & Barro

Devesa, Sergio, Fonseca, Elier & Barro, Alejandro, 2016, Solenoptera Audinet-Serville, 1832 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae, Solenopterini) in Cuba, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4184 (1), pp. 104-116 : 110-115

Solenoptera zayasi Devesa, Fonseca & Barro , new species

( Figs 24–36 )

Derancistrus (Prosternodes) parandroides ; Zayas, 1957: 168 (not Lameere, 1885: 5) Derancistrus (Prosternodes) parandroides ; Zayas, 1975: 30 (not Lameere, 1885: 5) Solenoptera scutellata ; Devesa, Fonseca & Barro, 2015: 86 (not Gahan, 1890: 25)

Type locality: CUBA, Guantánamo, Baracoa, Los Lírios , (20°23,50'N, 74°45,28’W).

Type specimens: Holotype, male, GUANTÁNAMO, Municipality of Baracoa , Los Lírios (20°23,50'N, 74°45,28’W), near the junction of the rivers Jaguaní and Toa, P.N. Alejandro de Humboldt, 31-July-2001, R. Núñez & A. Valdivia leg., (temporarily deposited in SDPC) . Allotype, female, HOLGUÍN, Municipality of Moa, Meseta El Toldo , (20°31,42'N, 74°56,42'W), ca. 850 m. a.s.l., 15-July-2001, R. Núñez, A. Barro & K. Rodríguez leg., (temporarily deposited in SDPC) . Paratypes: 41 (all from CUBA): GUANTÁNAMO: 9 males, Cupeyal—Yateras (20°26,95'N, 75°03,63'W), June-1965, F. de Zayas & Valdés leg., ( CZACC) ; 1 male, Cupeyal—Yateras (20°26,95'N, 75°03,63'W), June-1965, F. de Zayas & Valdés leg., ( HGPC) ; 3 males and 1 female, Cupeyal—Yateras (20°26,95'N, 75°03,63'W), June-1965, F. de Zayas leg., ( FZPC) ; 1 male, Cupeyal— Yateras (20°26,95'N, 75°03,63'W), June-1966, F. de Zayas leg., ( FZPC) ; 4 males, Cupeyal—Yateras (20°26,95'N, 75°03,63'W), June-1964, I. García leg., ( CZACC) ; 1 male, Cupeyal—Yateras (20°26,95'N, 75°03,63'W), P. Alayo leg., ( FZPC) ; HOLGUÍN: 10 males and 1 female, Cupeyal—Cuchillas de Toa (20°35,00'N, 75°11,00'W), June-1964, F. de Zayas leg., ( FZPC) ; 1 male, El Johnson (20°39,42'N, 74°56,42'W), June-1964, F. de Zayas & P. Alayo leg., ( FZPC) ; 1 male, La Breña , (20°35,00'N, 74°56,00'W), 2-June-1951, F. de Zayas leg., ( FZPC) ; 1 male and 1 female, Meseta El Toldo (20°39,42'N, 74°56,42'W), 15-July-2001, A. Barro & R. Núñez leg., ( SDPC) ; 2 males, Meseta El Toldo (20°39,42'N, 74°56,42'W), R. Núñez, A. Barro & K. Rodríguez leg., ( SDPC) ; 2 males, Pico El Toldo (20°30,42'N, 74°61,37'W), 1-Octuber-1996, without collector, (CZCTR); 1 male, Pico El Toldo (20°30,42'N, 74°61,37'W), June-1997, L.F. Armas leg., ( CZACC) ; 1 male, Moa, Piloto , (20°26,00'N, 75°54,00'W), 7-June-1951, without collector, ( FZPC) .

Description: Holotype male: ( Figs 24–29 ). General coloration: reddish-brown with head and pronotum dark reddish-brown, elytra dark reddish-brown at base, gradually becoming light reddish-brown posteriorly; legs and antenna dark reddish-brown; venter dark reddish-brown with short yellowish-white setae forming densely pubescent patches, those on the abdomen with a velvet appearance. Head: with a broad, sparsely punctate, deep V-shaped depression extending from frons, widest at antennal tubercles and narrowing to middle of vertex; antennal tubercle elevated and with large punctures; mandibles with deep punctures, most of them with a seta; less rugose at the apex; Gula: with granules and densely punctate, each puncture with a small seta. Eyes medium sized, finely faceted with a shallow notch. Antennae: eleven-segmented, but with the antennomeres X and XI broadly fused together; medium sized almost or just reaching midpoint of elytra; coarsely and moderately punctate; glabrous, but with two to six long setae ventrally on the antennomeres apical edge; scape reaching or extending to just beyond posterior edge of eye, strongly punctate; antennomeres elongate, flattened, slightly broadened apically (asymmetrically in antennomeres VII–IX) and constricted at base on antennomeres VIII–X; antennomere III is 1.3 times bigger than scape, antennomeres III–XI successively decreasing in length; poriferous sensory areas are mostly elliptical-rounded patches along one lateral margin and distributed as follows: dorsally, one very small and one small-medium apicolateral patch on antennomeres III–VI; one row of three small-medium patches on VII; one row of three medium-large patches on VIII; two rows of four, mostly large patches along both lateral margins on IX; many different sized patches on most surfaces of X+XI, larger ones along all margins; ventrally, one very small basilateral and one medium-large apicolateral patch on anntenomeres III–V; one very large patch on VI–VIII; one row of two large patches in one lateral margin and another of four small-medium patches in the other lateral margin on IX; one row of many medium-large patches along all margins and many small patches all over the surface of the apical half on X+XI. Pronotum: almost rectangular, 1.7 times wider than long; without defined spines on straight weakly serrated lateral margins, but with obtuse anterolateral angle and the posterolateral angle acute and pointing backwards, behind which pronotum is narrowed abruptly; middle of disk shiny and moderately punctate with a deep “Y” shaped depression anteriorly connected to a shallow “V” shaped depression posteriorly. Lateral areas are densely micropunctate (not-shiny), completely divided by a narrow, oblique, shiny, sparsely punctate ridge; without pubescence on the disk, otherwise with only few scattered setae on margins and dense fringe of short golden pubescence on anterior margin. Scutellum: broad, rounded and very slightly acute posteriorly; with yellowishwhite dense pubescence. Elytra: sides nearly parallel, slightly tapering on the apical third and not divergent apically at suture, 4.2 times longer than wide; almost glabrous, with very scattered, small, suberect setae; semirugose basally, densely punctate throughout; not rugose apically, punctures becoming smaller, and 3X or more dense than at base; epipleural margin complete in dorsal view, extending laterally; humeral epipleural margin present; epipleuron in ventral view entirely rugose-punctate; elytral apex rounded with a few, indistinct crenulae, without apicolateral teeth and very weakly dentiform at suture. Venter: Prosternum not-shiny and densely micropunctate (sexual punctures) on the sides, with the anterior margin and a midlongitudinal ridge shiny and sparsely punctate, mostly glabrous but with dense fringes of short golden pubescence on anterior margin and posterior margin around procoxae; Prosternal process: lacking ventral tubercle at base but with a hump, mostly glabrous, moderately notched at apex with lobes slightly divergent and apex only slightly wider than region between procoxae; P roepisternum: not-shiny and densely micropunctate (sexual punctures); Mesosternum: densely pubescent except at middle; Mesepisternum: densely pubescent; Mesepimeron: almost glabrous and impunctate; Metasternum: densely pubescent over all of anterior and lateral portions, with glabrous areas as follows: smooth area behind mesocoxae and a large triangular central area, sparsely punctate with a depression in middle, which is dense and finely rugose-punctate; Metepisternum: densely pubescent; Abdominal ventrites: broadly pubescent but glabrous at middle, where they are moderately and weakly punctured; last ventrite equal in length to fourth, with broad emargination at middle. Legs: short, hind femur extending to apical fifth of elytra; coxae covered with yellowish-white pubescent patches (most evident on pro- and mesocoxae); femora gradually clavate, with sparse short setae not forming pubescent patches, finely punctured and with denticles on the profemora; tibiae with dense golden-orange pubescence on inner margins of apical half and with denticles (most evident on protibiae).

Allotype female: ( Figs 30–35 ). General coloration: is much darker than male with head, pronotum, most of elytra, antenna, legs, and venter dark brown (almost black); the apical third of elytra abruptly becoming yellowish-brown, leaving an inverted “V” shaped pattern; the pubescent patches of same color as males. Head: similar to males, but gula without granules. Antennae: similar to those of male, but medium sized just reaching basal third of elytra; finely and sparsely punctate; glabrous without long setae ventrally on the antennomeres apical edges; antennomeres relative sizes to each other are similar to those of male, but are generally shorter than in the male; poriferous sensory areas distributed as follows: dorsally, a similar pattern to that of male; ventrally, a similar pattern but some male’s large patches appear as a row of small or medium patches, one very small basilateral and one medium apicolateral patches on antennomeres III–V; one row of three small-medium patches on VI–VIII; one row of three medium patches on lateral margin on IX; one row of many medium-large patches along one lateral and apical margins and few small patches on the apical half on X+XI. Pronotum: rectangular to trapezoidal, 1.7 times wider than long; with defined spines on lateral margins: one acute anterolateral and one acute posterolateral, both pointing backwards, behind which pronotum is narrowed abruptly; middle of disk shiny and moderately punctate with a deep “Y” shaped depression anteriorly connected to a shallow “U” shaped depression posteriorly; lateral areas are rugose-punctate (shiny), without pubescence on the disk, and sparse fringe of short golden pubescence on anterior margin. Scutellum: more triangular and less pubescent. Elytra: similar to that of male. Venter: Prosternum smooth, striate and without punctures, mostly glabrous but with sparse fringe of short golden pubescence on anterior margin; Prosternal process: moderately notched at apex with apices slightly divergent and apex only slightly wider than region between procoxae; base of prosternal process lacking ventral tubercle, but with a hump; mostly glabrous; Proepisternum: smooth, striate, and without punctures; Mesosternum, mesepisternum, mesepimerum, metasternum, and metepisternum similar to that of male. Abdominal ventrites: almost without pubescence; fifth ventrite about 1.5 times longer than fourth. Legs: short; hind femur extending to apical fifth of elytra; coxae covered with yellowish-white pubescent patches (most evident on pro- and mesocoxae); femora gradually clavate, with sparse short setae not forming pubescent patches, almost smooth, finely and sparsely punctured, faintly and transverse striate and without denticles; tibiae with golden-orange short pubescence on inner margins of apical half (smaller than on male), without denticles and finely sparsely punctured.

Dimensions: Holotype male/ Allotype female. Total length (from mandibular apex to elytral apex): 28.3/ 23.7 mm. Pronotum: length: 5.9/ 4.5 mm; anterior width: 8.6/ 6.7 mm; posterior width (between posterolateral angles): 9.6/ 7.2 mm. Elytral length: 20.7/ 17.1 mm. Anterior width (between humeri) 9.9/8.0 mm; posterior width (between epipleural apices) 7.8/ 4.4 mm; Antennal length: 15.4/11.0 mm.

Variablity in paratypes: Length varies from 17.1 mm to 33.5 mm. and width (between elytral humeri) from 5.6 mm to 11.1 mm. There is some variation in color of the males where the entire elytra can be unicolorous dark reddish-brown (concolorous with head and pronotum) or the base is dark reddish-brown and abruptly becoming yellowish-brown (not light reddish-brown) posteriorly. In very few specimens, the antennomeres X and IX are not fused together in one antenna or both. Pronotum in males with the posterior shallow depression “U” shaped and lateral micropunctate areas can be partially divided by the oblique ridge. Scutellum can be covered with very small, scattered pubescence or be almost glabrous. Prosternal process can be even, without a hump at its base. Metasternum and abdominal sternites with pubescent patches that are variable in size.

Distribution ( Fig. 36 ): Cuba. Solenoptera zayasi is endemic to Northeastern part of the country, in the Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa mountain range in the Provinces of Holguín and Guantánamo. It inhabits mountains rainforests and gallery forests with dense vegetation.

Etimology: The species epithet zayasi is a genitive latinized noun named for Fernando de Zayas who greatly contributed to the knowledge of Cuban Cerambycidae .

Diagnosis: There is a unique feature that, so far, distinguishes S. zayasi from all its congeners: antennomeres X and XI are fused together; but a rare condition can be found where very few specimens do not have antennomeres X and XI fused, in one or both antennae. Solenoptera zayasi can be distinguished from:

Solenoptera parandroides (only male, female unknown) by the pronotum almost rectangular with dense fringe of short golden pubescence on anterior margin (rounded and glabrous in S. parandroides ); the densely punctate elytra (finely and scarcely punctate in S. parandroides ); the elytra are indistinctly crenulated at the apex (denticulate at the apex in S. parandroides ) prosternal process moderately notched at apex with lobes slightly divergent (apex very slightly notched, almost unnoticeable in S. parandroides ) and densely pubescent metasternum (glabrous in S. parandroides ).

Solenoptera tomentosa (only male, female unknown) by the pronotal disk almost smooth and glabrous (strongly punctate with dense patches of white pubescence along the elevated margins of the central depression in S. tomentosa ); the glabrous elytra (moderately dense pubescence scattered over most of the elytra in S. tomentosa ) and the pubescence patches on the ventrites with short hairs and velvety appearance (long hairs in S. tomentosa ).

Solenoptera dominicensis by having strongly punctate pronotal disc (almost smooth, with few punctures in S. dominicensis ); pronotum with dense fringe of short golden pubescence on anterior margin (glabrous in S. dominicensis ); female pronotum with a well-defined anterolateral spine, acute and pointing backwards (anterolateral spine weaker, more like a tooth in S. dominicensis ); the basal third of the elytra is rugose-punctate (punctate on basal third in S. dominicensis ); metasternum with moderately dense pubescence over most of lateral portions (metasternal pubescence limited to narrow, oblique fascia in S. dominicensis ); and ventrites moderately dense, broadly pubescent on margins (abdominal pubescence is limited to the extreme lateral margins in S. dominicensis ); and color of male mostly with different shades of reddish brown, female with dark brown (almost black) head, pronotum, legs, antennae, and basal two thirds of elytra (both sexes with black head, pronotum, legs, antennae, and less than basal third of elytra in S. dominicensis ).

Solenoptera scutellata by both sexes with antennomere III as long as escape and antennae not surpassing midpoint of elytra (similar to that in female, but male with antennomere III 1 /3 longer than escape and antennae are much longer reaching the apical third of elytra in S. scutellata ); having strongly punctate pronotal disc (almost smooth, with few punctures in S. scutellata ); female pronotum with a well-defined anterolateral spine, acute and pointing backwards (anterolateral spine weaker, more like a tooth in S. scutellata ); prosternal process weakly notched at apex with apices not divergent (prosternal process has a deep notched and greatly diverging apices in S. scutellata ); metasternum with moderately dense pubescence over most of lateral portions (metasternal pubescence limited to narrow, oblique fascia in S. dominicensis ); ventrites moderately dense, broadly pubescent on margins (abdominal pubescence very dense and it is limited to the extreme lateral margins in S. scutellata ) and color of male mostly with different shades of reddish brown, female with dark brown (almost black) head, pronotum, legs, antennae, and basal two thirds of elytra (both sexes with dark brown head, pronotum, legs, basal half of antennae, and triangular area in basal third of elytra in S. scutellata ).

Solenoptera cubana by antennomeres flattened and slightly broadened apically (strongly flattened and broadened apically S. cubana ); metasternum with moderately dense pubescence over most of lateral portions (metasternum glabrous in S. cubana ); metepisternum completely covered with dense pubescence (mostly glabrous but a small patch of dense pubescence at the posterior end in S. cubana ) and ventrites moderately dense, broadly pubescent on margins (almost glabrous with very faint pubescence on margins S. cubana ).

Figures

FIGURE 36. Distribution map of Solenoptera zayasi Devesa, Fonseca & Barro in Cuba.

FIGURES 24 – 29. Solenoptera zayasi Devesa, Fonseca & Barro, HOLOTYPE male: 24) dorsal habitus; 25) ventral habitus; 26) lateral habitus; 27) head, pronotum and scutellum; 28) proepisternum, prosternum and prosternal process; 29) poriferous sensory areas, antennomeres VII – XI.

FIGURES 30 – 35. Solenoptera zayasi Devesa, Fonseca & Barro, ALLOTYPE female: 30), dorsal habitus; 31) ventral habitus; 32) lateral habitus; 33) head, pronotum and scutellum; 34) proepisternum, prosternum and prosternal proccess; 35) poriferous sensory areas, antennomeres VII – XI.