Drycothaea Thomson, 1868

Nascimento, Francisco E. De L., 2018, New species, identification keys and notes on Lamiinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) from the Neotropical region, Zootaxa 4457 (2), pp. 315-324 : 320-321

Drycothaea Thomson, 1868

Drycothaea is currently composed of 27 species distributed in the Neotropical region ( Monné 2018; Tavakilian & Chevillotte 2017). When studying the South American species, Martins & Galileo (1990) characterized Drycothaea as follow (translated): “Mesoventrite with tubercle; prothorax with lateral spine; scape without cicatrix at apex; pronotum without evident tubercles; elytra convex, without longitudinal carina and not depressed near suture.”

In April the following year Galileo & Martins (1991), proposed some transferences and synonymies, adding D. mexicana ( Breuning, 1974) (originally Thrychestola mexicana ) to this genus. Although the synonymy was formally made by Galileo & Martins (1991), it was done so based on personal communication with Dr. Gérard L. Tavakilian MNHN (Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle) who listed the same name as a new combination on August of the same year ( Tavakilian, 1991). Later, Galileo & Martins (2010) included D. mexicana in a key to the species of the continental America (which excludes the Antillian species) at alternative of couplet “10” (translated): “Pubescence of head, pronotum, and basal area of elytra yellowish, remarkably contrasting with darkbrown remaining pubescence of elytra.” The photography of the holotype of T. mexicana ( Figs 14-16 ), revealed that Galileo & Martins (1991, 2010) erroneously identified a specimen (a new species described herein) deposited at MZSP as being D. mexicana . Besides other differences, D. mexicana has uniform yellowish pubescence on the head, pronotum and base of the elytra.

Through the study of the tarsal claws of the holotype, it was also possible to confirm that D. mexicana is truly a Calliini and belongs to Drycothaea .

Below, we are describing the specimen erroneously referred to as D. mexicana by Martins & Galileo (1991, 2010).

Figures

FIGURES 10–16. 10–13, Drycothaea indivisa sp. nov., holotype, male: 10, dorsal view; 11, ventral view; 12, lateral view; 13, frontal view. 14–16, Drycothaea mexicana Breuning, 1974, holotype: 14, labels; 15, dorsal view; 16, ventral view.