Tamenes transversus, Bezark, Larry G., Santos-Silva, Antonio & Galileo, Maria Helena M., 2016

Bezark, Larry G., Santos-Silva, Antonio & Galileo, Maria Helena M., 2016, A new species of Tame ne s Gounelle, 1912 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Zootaxa 4105 (6), pp. 597-600 : 597-599

Tamenes transversus sp. nov.

(Figs. 1–5)

Description. Holotype female. Integument black, shining; the following yellowish: large ring on antennomeres IV–VI; antennomeres X–XI; large, medial, transverse band on elytra; tibiae (except for black base and narrow brown macula at apex); the following brown: mouthparts; tarsi; the following yellowish-brown: narrow band at apex of ventrites II–IV.

Head. Frons with large, moderately deep depression at each side of middle (deeper laterally); depressions finely, moderately punctate close to antennal tubercles, smooth on remaining surface; on each side of depressions, moderately finely (coarser than on depressions), abundantly punctate; glabrous. Area between antennal tubercles and upper eye lobes longitudinally carinate (carina gradually wider, gradually less elevated toward upper eye lobes). Coronal suture distinct only inside of longitudinal carina. Area between upper eye lobes smooth centrally, finely, sparsely punctate near eyes. Vertex finely, sparsely punctate (punctures more abundant toward prothorax); glabrous. Antennal tubercles large, moderately finely, sparsely punctate, somewhat striate at base; elevated, apex rounded; glabrous. Area behind upper eye lobes and base of lower eye lobes smooth; area behind remaining surface of lower eye lobes longitudinally striate, finely, sparsely punctate. Area between lower eye lobes and submentum coarsely, abundantly punctate (smooth close to eye). Genae moderately finely, abundantly punctate; apex rounded. Postclypeus coarsely, abundantly punctate; with very short, sparse setae, mainly laterally. Anteclypeus nearly smooth, transversely sulcate, with small, rounded depression at apices of sulcus; glabrous. Labrum finely, abundantly punctate; with short setae interspersed with long setae, mainly laterally. Gula smooth, glabrous. Submentum depressed toward anterior margin, mainly centrally; finely, abundantly punctate, mainly laterally; anterior margin elevated; with short, moderately abundant setae interspersed with long setae. Mandibles deeply excavated at base; coarsely, abundantly punctate on basal two-thirds; with short, sparse setae on basal two-thirds, and one long setae at apex of this area. Eyes very deeply emarginate anteriorly; distance between upper eye lobes 0.5 times length of scape; distance between lower eye lobes 1.2 times length of scape. Antennae as long as 1.8 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at base of antennomere X. Scape subpiriform, finely, moderately abundantly punctate on dorsal base, gradually sparser toward apex. Antennomeres III–X serrate (slightly at antennomere X). Antennal formula based on antennomere III: scape = 0.94; pedicel = 0.21; IV = 0.85; V = 0.94; VI = 0.89; VII = 0.85; VIII = 0.79; IX = 0.79; X = 0.77; XI = 1.10.

Thorax. Prothorax transverse, subrhomboidal; lateral sides with three tubercles: one, somewhat small, close to anterolateral angle, transverse when seen in side view; one, large, conical, placed about middle of anterior half; another, the largest, conical, placed about middle. Disk of pronotum convex, smooth, glabrous; with distinct longitudinal sulcus on each side of middle, moderately coarsely, sparsely punctate. Prosternum without deep sulcus, nearly smooth, except for narrow anterior band, finely, densely punctate except for narrow anterior band, and some fine, transverse striae close to this band laterally; with short carina near apex of each procoxal cavity; with short, transverse sulcus on each side of prosternal process base; glabrous. Prosternal process centrally longitudinally tumid; apex abruptly vertical. Mesosternum finely, sparsely punctate; with short, sparse setae, mainly laterally. Mesepisterna with short, dense setae. Mesepimera with short setae close to metepisternum and mesocoxal cavity; remaining surface glabrous. Anterior side of mesosternal process, in lateral view, almost abruptly vertical; moderately tumid (forming moderate tubercle); about as wide as basal width of profemora; centrally longitudinally moderately elevated (distinctly more than lateral sides (Fig. 5)); apex in dorsal view subtruncate. Metepisterna with short, abundant setae on base and apex; remaining surface nearly glabrous. Metasternum finely, sparsely punctate (sparser toward center); with moderately short, sparse setae throughout, shorter, denser on transverse area close to metacoxae. Scutellum large, triangular, about 0.18 times elytral length; with transverse sulcus on each side of base; apex distinctly upturned; glabrous. Elytra parallel-sided; apex truncate, slightly sinuous; outer and sutural angles rounded; surface finely, sparsely, slightly distinctly punctate on yellowish band, smooth on black area.

Abdomen. Ventrites I–IV finely, sparsely punctate, mainly centrally; with short, sparse setae. Ventrite V finely, abundantly punctate; with abundant short and long, setae throughout. Legs. Femora subfusiform; with short, sparse setae. Tibiae gradually expanded toward apex; sides not sulcate; with short, sparse setae, distinctly denser on distal third of ventral side. Tarsi proportionally short.

Dimensions (mm). Female. Total length (including mandibles), 15.5; prothoracic length, 3.1; prothoracic width between apices of anterolateral angles, 2.9; prothoracic width between apices of posterolateral angles, 4.1; prothoracic width between apices of central tubercle, 4.7; humeral width, 5.6; elytral length, 10.6.

Type material. PANAMA, Panama: 14 km N El Llano, female, 27–28.V.1998, F. T. Hovore col. ( CAS).

Etymology. The specific name “ transversus ” refers to the broad yellow transverse band on the elytra.

Remarks. As the only known specimens of Tamenes (the two holotypes) belong to different sexes, it is not possible to make good comparisons between them. However, Tamenes transversus sp. nov. differs from T. sarda (Fig. 7) by the primarily black color with a distinct yellow transverse band on the elytra, while T. sarda is primarily reddish-brown and lacks a distinct band on the elytra. Another difference is the coloration of the antennae: in T. sarda the antennomere IX is clearly annulate, and antennomeres VII–VIII appear to be annulate, although they could be perceived as unicolorous; in T. transversus the antennomeres VII–IX are totally black. Although some species of Trachyderini commonly show variation in antennal color, we do not know if this occurs in species of Tamenes . Additionally, the prosternal process in T. transversus sp. nov. (Fig. 5) is notably different from that in T. sarda (Fig. 6): centrally narrowed, with the apex in dorsal view truncate. In T. sarda the sides are subparallel and the apex in dorsal view is rounded. This feature is not variable between sexes in all other genera of Trachyderini examined by us. Finally, another difference between the two is the number and prominence of their lateral tubercle(s), with T. transversus having two (the largest centrally positioned, with a smaller one in front) and T. sarda just one (placed centrally).

Figures 1–7. 1–5, Tamenes transversus , sp. nov., holotype female: 1, dorsal habitus; 2, ventral habitus; 3, lateral habitus; 4, head, frontal view; 5, prosternal process. 6–7, Tamenes sarda , holotype male: 6, prosternal process; 7, dorsal and ventral habitus, and labels.