Eclipta nearnsi Wappes and Santos-Silva, 2017

Wappes, James E. & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2017, New Neotropical Rhinotragini and a new country record for Nicaragua (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), Insecta Mundi 2017 (530), pp. 1-24 : 3-4

Eclipta nearnsi Wappes and Santos-Silva , n. sp.

( Fig. 4–6 )

Diagnosis. Eclipta nearnsi is similar to Eclipta quadrispinosa ( Gounelle, 1913) , but in addition to differences in coloration ( E. nearnsi primarily black with pronotum, prothorax and significant portions of the frons bright yellow, versus mostly piceous to gray with reddish orange pronotum in E. quadrispinosa ) it differs as follows: elytra expanded laterally from distal half to near apices; abdomen punctate, pubescent laterally and with short setae centrally. According to Gounelle (1913), E. quadrispinosa is (translation): “elytra…, posteriorly very slightly gradually attenuate…; abdomen…sparsely punctate, shining, subglabrous…”

Eclipta nearnsi with its elytra non-dehiscent and distinctly wider near the apex than basally, is not a prototypical Eclipta and is only provisionally placed here.

Description. Integument primarily black with the following yellow: frons, except for narrow band adjacent to clypeus and small circular dark macula along sides of base; ventral surface of head; pronotum, except for narrow fascia on each side of basal edge and along lateral edge adjacent to mesosternum; small apical areas in procoxal cavity; and small basal rings on antennomeres VIII–XI. Elytra black, basally transitioning to brown, gray-brown and finally grayish yellow near and including the apices with narrow brown vitta on each elytron extending from dark basal area distally until fading away at apical 1/5.

Head. Not elongated behind eyes (posterior edge of eyes close to anterior edge of prothorax); rostrum (between apex of inferior ocular lobe and genal apex), in frontal view, 0.9 times length of lower eye lobe. Frons abundantly, coarsely, confluently punctate; with sparse, short yellowish setae. Frontal area between lower eye lobes abundantly, coarsely punctate; with sparse, short setae. Ocular carina distinct. Vertex, and antennal tubercles (from base to near apex) abundantly, coarsely, confluently punctate; with sparse, short setae. Clypeus sparsely, finely punctate; with sparse, short setae and 1 long seta on each side. Labrum with sparse, moderately long setae; distal edge with fringe of short setae. Area under lower eye lobes sparsely, coarsely punctate; with sparse, long setae. Outer side of mandible with moderately sparse, short setae, sparsely interspersed with long setae. Gula smooth, shining and glabrous. Submentum punctate-striate; with sparse, short setae, sparsely interspersed with long setae. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.70 times length of scape; in frontal view distance between lower eye lobes 0.55 times length of scape. Antennae 0.86 times as long as elytra; slightly surpassing middle of elytra; antennomere III filiform; antennomeres IV–VI slightly enlarged towards apex, with distal outer angle rounded; antennomeres VII–X enlarged towards apex, with distal outer angle dentate; antennal club not very distinct; scape, pedicel, and antennomeres III–VI with long, dark, thick setae; antennal formula (ratio) based on antennomere III: scape = 0.71; pedicel = 0.27; IV = 0.46; V = 0.61; VI = 0.53; VII = 0.51; VIII = 0.46; IX = 0.44; X = 0.41; XI = 0.53.

Thorax. Prothorax subcylindrical, as long as wide, without lateral tubercles. Pronotum reticulate, with sparse, short dark setae. Prothorax reticulate laterally; with sparse, short yellowish setae, basally pubescent. Prosternum abundantly, coarsely punctate on basal 1/2, with moderately abundant, short setae, sparsely interspersed with slightly longer brownish setae; distal 1/2 smooth, shining and glabrous. Prosternal process narrowed centrally, truncate at apex. Scutellum pubescent, centrally sulcate at distal half. Metepisterna abundantly, coarsely punctate; with short setae. Metasternum abundantly, coarsely punctate laterally, punctures gradually finer towards metasternal suture (somewhat microsculptured along central area); microsculptured anteriorly and laterally, with abundant, short setae, interspersed with moderately long setae, distinctly sparser towards center. Elytra. Lateral margins convergent from humerus towards middle, divergent towards distal 1/6, convergent towards apex; apex broadly truncate, with small tooth at each angle; abundantly, coarsely punctate; with sparse, short setae on basal 1/3.

Legs. Femora clavate; metafemur distinctly long; apex of metafemora reaches base of fifth abdominal segment. Metatarsi slender; metatarsomere I 1.2 times longer than II–III together.

Abdomen. Ventrites abundantly, moderately, finely punctate (mainly laterally); pubescent laterally; with moderately abundant, short setae centrally; apex of ventrite V wide, sinuate, without projections.

Dimensions in mm (holotype female). Total length (from mandibular apex to abdominal apex), 9.7; prothorax: length, 1.8; anterior width, 1.3; posterior width, 1.6; humeral width, 2.0; elytral length, 7.1.

Type material. Holotype female from PANAMA, Panama: Cerro Jefe (2200’), 25.V-01.VI.1992, J. E. Wappes col. ( FSCA).

Etymology. Named for Eugenio H. Nearns, a good friend, talented webmaster, researcher and writer of numerous taxonomic papers on the Onciderini which have greatly increased our knowledge of the tribe, genera and species, and Manager of the Purdue Entomological Research Collection.

Figures

Figures 1–6. Eclipta spp. 1–3. Eclipta ricei sp. nov., holotype female, habitus: 1) Dorsal; 2) Ventral; 3) Lateral. 4–6. Eclipta nearnsi sp. nov., holotype female, habitus: 4) Dorsal; 5) Ventral; 6) Lateral.