Chrysaethe lazzoi, Clarke, 2013

Clarke, Robin O. S., 2013, Bolivian Rhinotragini Vii: Provisional Report Of Higher Altitude Species (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) With Descriptions Of New Taxa, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 53 (28), pp. 373-406 : 373-406

Chrysaethe lazzoi sp. nov.

Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C

Holotype male: 11.10 mm. Deposited at MNKM.

Diagnosis: The pronotum of Chrysaethe lazzoi is closely punctured, lacking transverse striae or sulci, a character it shares only with Chrysaethe beltiana and Chrysaethe viriditincta . C. lazzoi and C. viriditincta are readily separated from C. beltiana by the longer, more filiform antennae, with antennomeres VII-X slightly thickened and serrate (in C. beltiana the antennae are shorter, moderately crassate, and more strongly serrate).

Giesbert (1991) states that C. viriditincta is easily distinguished by the colour of its integument, which is basically testaceous, with the entire body heavily infuscated with metallic green. Chrysaethe lazzoi is very variable in colour, from entirely blackish with violet sheen, through entirely metallic blue, or green (or combinations of these colours), with or without red elytral base; but in all the specimens examined the metallic colour is fully opaque. Moreover, the legs in C. lazzoi (except the meso- and metafemoral peduncles in some specimens) are entirely dark and metallic, in C. viriditincta entirely orange-testaceous.

Description of holotype: General colour opaque black with shining metallic, royal-blue reflection above, green below; except the following (and see variation): apical antennomeres and all third tarsomeres duller; mouthparts (but not palps) yellowish.

General pubescence: Dorsad apparently glabrous (only elytra with indistinct, short hairs); and almost free of long setae (including antennae, elytra and legs). Mentum- submentum glabrous, with about a dozen fine setae laterally. Underside with patches of glistening white pubescence, the latter dense, short and recumbent, especially on the following: centre of prosternum; indistinct patch on side of pronotum (adjacent to coxal cavity); all of mesepimeron; metasternum (mixed with longer, semi-erect, straight hairs), and similar, but sparser, on metepisternum. Abdomen almost uniformly covered with moderately sparse, straight hairs, and denser untidy hairs (rather woolly in appearance). Last visible tergite sparsely clothed with small, scabrous hairs.

Surface ornamentation: Strong, more so on dorsad; and complex (each body part characteristic). Head smooth, with small punctures, moderately dense on frons; confluent and alveolate on vertex; small, shallow, and scattered amongst weak carinas, on mentum-submentum. Prothorax almost uniformly, densely and deeply punctate (only apical third of prosternum smooth and almost impunctate), the punctures small and generally contiguous to confluent, with strongly reticulate interstices; centre of prosternum with confused, semi-alveolate punctures; pronotum with alveolate punctures of irregular size, the largest towards midline, the smallest towards base and sides (the latter, pubescent, representing the sexual puncturation). Elytra entirely punctate, the punctures contiguous, moderately deep and alveolate; on disc larger and almost uniform in size; at base mixed with smaller ones; and adjacent to suture uniformly small; at narrowest part of elytra with rows of five punctures (two small, three large). Mesosternum reticulate with irregular mix of shallow, large and small punctures; at centre deeper, subalveolate, and micro-punctured anteriorly. Metathorax generally smooth and shining (only base of metasternum dull with dense micro-punctures); the punctures shallow, small, somewhat beveled, and sparser towards midline of metasternum, and only absent from extreme base of metepisternum. Surface of abdomen transversely, finely striate, with moderately dense, small, beveled punctures, generally denser towards sides (and all of urosternite V); some larger ones at base of urosternite I.

Structure: Forebody (5.40 mm) equal to length of abdomen (5.40 mm). Head with eyes (1.35 mm) slightly wider than pronotum. Rostrum moderately narrow (1.00 mm) and long (0.50 mm), shorter than length of inferior lobes (0.80 mm), sides slightly widened to apex. Labrum moderately small, declivous across middle, apical margin excavate. Clypeus rather strongly declivous across middle, impunctate anteriorly, posteriorly sharing small, round, shallow punctures of frons. Eyes large and convex; distal margin of inferior lobe lying on frons, proximal margin almost truncate. Inferior lobes planar with interocular; close, but not contiguous; interocular distance (0.10 mm) much narrower than width of one lobe (0.65 mm). Superior lobes with 10-11 rows of ommatidia; the width of one lobe (0.20 mm) about half interocular distance. Antennae reach base of urosternite V, passing apex of elytra at base of antennomere XI; antennomeres III-V filiform and densely setose (the setae rather short), VI widened at apex (setose at base and apex), VII and VIII widening to apex, IX and XI widest and parallel sided, XI with apical cone; VI-X modestly serrate, but the serration acute. Scape subpyriform (0.70 mm), two-thirds length of antennomere III (1.05 mm), IV equal to scape, V the longest (1.20 mm), VI equal to III, VII slightly shorter (1.00 mm), VIII (0.90 mm), IX (0.85 mm), X (0.70 mm), XI (0.80 mm). Prothorax cylindrical; about 1.4 longer (1.85 mm) than wide (1.30 mm); sides slightly sinuate, widest just behind middle; apical constriction weak, basal constriction moderate; front margin (1.10 mm) narrower than hind margin (1.30 mm). Prosternum broadly depressed across apical middle; prosternal process arched, sides slightly raised, base moderately long, narrow (0.50 mm), about one tenth width of coxal cavity, apex trapezoidal, slightly depressed towards centre. Coxal cavities closed at sides and behind. Pronotum convex, the surface irregular as follows: apical third somewhat depressed; basal sixth occupied by basal constriction; the rest midline raised (separated from sides of disc by inconspicuous, narrow sulci); sides of disc occupied by pair of inconspicuous, saddle-shaped calli (which do not overhang basal constriction). Mesosternal declivity deep, but less than abrupt; mesosternal process moderately narrow (0.20 mm), about one quarter width of coxal cavity, depressed to midline, slightly widened to form bilobed apex (the lobes rounded at sides, not divergent, but separated by deep notch). Mesepimeron moderately narrow and constricted to middle. Coxal cavity narrowly open to mesepimeron. Scutellum characteristic: small and oval, apical half occupied by deep, round fossa. Elytra almost hiding sides of mesoterna; basal half moderately convex, moderately flattened to apex (epipleur abrupt for basal third, flat for apical two-thirds); apex reaching apex of urosternite IV; about 3.6 longer (6.55 mm) than width of humeri (1.80 mm); humeri well demarcat- ed, moderately prominent, square (but not projecting forwards); humero-apical costa hardly traceable (and absent from apical third); not strongly dehiscent (suture almost straight, but gaping from just behind scutellum). Each elytron gradually narrowing for basal two-thirds, slightly diverging to apex; suture bordered throughout, terminating in small tooth; apex truncate (slightly crenallate), lateral angle blunt.

Metasternum tumid (at middle planar with mesocoxae), sides subparallel, apex oblique; longitudinal suture long (but not entire) and deep. Metepisternum partly hidden by elytral epipleur; moderately narrow, broad at base, regularly narrowing to acuminate apex. Metasternal process subtriangular, sides moderately raised, apex weakly acuminate. Abdomen convex, narrow, cylindrical, parallel-sided; urosternites almost quadrate and subequal in length, sides slightly round- ed; V with horseshoe-shaped depression occupying apical two-thirds, sides of depression slightly raised (and liberally pubescent), apical margin truncate; abdominal process slightly inclined to abdomen, moderately long (0.30 mm), triangular, and deeply inserted between metacoxae. Last visible sternite elongate, parallel-sided, apical margin excavate at middle. Legs long and slender, ratio of length from front to hind leg 1.0:1.3:2.4. Front leg (4.60 mm); peduncles short; clave fusiform, moderately widened and abrupt dorsally, sides only slightly tumid, more so mesally, underside spiculate towards apex; tibia straight, gradually widening to apex, side of apex weakly excised and lacking tooth. Middle leg (6.35 mm); peduncle flattened, about half length of clave; clave fusiform, moderately abrupt, flattened laterally, less so mesally, and underside spiculate towards apex; tibia bisinuate, slightly flattened, gradually widening from middle to apex, and rather abruptly widened at extreme apex. Hind leg (11.10 mm); femora more cylindrical and slender; peduncle straight and cylindrical, about 1.5 length of clave; clave relatively small and narrow, but well demarcated from peduncle, less so when viewed laterally (appearing narrowly fusiform), apex just reaching tip of abdomen; tibia cylindrical, hardly bisinuate (when viewed laterally, straight from directly behind), slightly shorter (4.50 mm) than metafemora, hardly thickened towards apex, and rather abruptly widened at extreme apex, rather densely setose, the setae short (their length less than width of tibia), and without specialised pubescence. Pro- and mesotarsi subequal in length and similar in structure: tarsomeres rather short and wide, I slightly elongate, II quadrate and trapezoidal, III wide and moderately strongly bilobed. Metatarsus narrower, but long (1.85 mm); tarsomere I cylindrical and curved, 1.14 longer (1.60 mm) than II + III (1.40 mm); II cylindrical; III relatively small and narrow, deeply bilobed, asymmetrical (the outer lobe longer); onychium moderately long and slender.

Male variation: Colour distribution among the 10 male paratypes is greater than normal within the tribe Rhinotragini . Three males with basal third of elytra, and basal half of meso- and metafemoral peduncles, orange-yellow ( Fig. 3C ); and one male with small circular spot of same colour just behind scutellum, but only half of metafemoral peduncle yellow; of the six males remaining, all of them with mesofemora entirely dark, metafemoral peduncle partially yellow (1 male with more than half of peduncle orange-yellow, 3 males with less than half, and 2 males inconspicuously orange-yellow on latero-basal part of peduncle). Among the male paratypes seven with elytra irregularly violet towards base, two with elytra almost entirely violet (in both, scutellum and antennal scape also violet; in one, head, pronotum and legs tinged violet), and one as holotype; underside varies in colour, may be as holotype, or blue, or sterna blue and abdomen green. Abdominal pubescence is usually not as woolly.

Structural variation appears to be limited: antennae may be equivalent to half a segment shorter; in one male antennomere V is shorter than III, and in two equal to III; pronotal surface is near female condition in one male paratype; elytra may not reach apex of urosternite IV , and apices of elytra may be slightly oblique; in one paratype metatarsomere I equal in length to II + III .

Description of female ( Fig. 3B ): example size 11.6 mm. The single female paratype shows minor colour differences to those of male: dorsally strongly violet, ventrally metallic reflection is blue and violet; and base of metafemoral peduncle brownish. General pubescence reduced, but surface ornamentation much as male; except sides of pronotum lack the smaller punctures found in the male, and metasternum more sparsely punctured.

Structure: Slightly more robust than male; length of forebody (5.35 mm) and abdomen (5.55 mm) almost equal. Head with eyes (1.40 mm) slightly narrower than pronotum; clypeus normal. Inferior lobes of eyes considerably smaller (width 0.50 mm, length 0.65 mm) and less convex than in male; well separat- ed, interocular (0.40 mm) not much narrower than width of lobe; and proximal margin oblique. Antennae more robust and shorter than in male, reaching base of urosternite IV, not passing apex of elytra; antennomere V equal in length to III and VI; otherwise little different from male. Prothorax slightly less elongate than in male (about 1.3 longer than wide); surface features of pronotum much reduced (especially basal constriction, which is moderately deep in male, almost evanescent in female). Meso- and metathorax very similar to those of male, except: elytra broader (hiding sides of sterna), 3.5 longer than width of humeri, apex slightly oblique (sutural margin shorter); metasternal process triangular, apex not narrowed. Abdomen very different from that of male; fusiform; broad; urosternites more transverse (except V); and last visible tergite elongate and subconical (with rounded apical margin). Legs slightly shorter (especially tarsi) than in male, ratio of length from front to hind leg 1.0:1.3:2.3; middle leg less robust, but hind leg more robust; metafemora just passes apex of elytra.

Measurements (mm): 11 males / 1 female: total length 10.0-12.75/11.60; length of pronotum 1.60-2.00/1.85; width of pronotum 1.20-1.50/1.45; length of elytra 5.80-7.15/6.70; width at humeri 1.60-2.00/1.90.

Type material: Holotype male, BOLIVIA, Santa Cruz, Provincia Florida, Floripondio (east), 18°08’S / 63°44’W, 1914 m, on/flying to flowers of “Sotillo”, 25.XI.2009, Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( MNKM).

Paratypes with nearly same data as holotype : 1 female, 25. XI.2009 , Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( MNKM); 1 male, 26. XI.2009 , Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( RCSZ); 2 males, 26. XI.2009 , Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( MZUSP); 3 males, 27. XI.2009 , Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( RCSZ); 1 male, 29. XI.2009 , Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( ACMT); 2 males, 29. XI.2009 , Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( RCSZ).

Paratype with nearly same data as holotype, different host flower: Flying to/on flowers of “Sagüintillo”, 1 male, 26. XI .2009, Clarke & Zamalloa col. ( RCSZ) .

Comment: Chrysaethe lazzoi sp. nov. is one of six species, Chrysaethe smaragdina ( Bates, 1870) the type-species, Chrysaethe aurantipennis ( Giesbert, 1991) , Chrysaethe aurata ( Bates, 1870) , Chrysaethe beltiana (Bates, 1872) , and Chrysaethe viriditincta ( Giesbert, 1991) , in this genus that share the following character combination: slender, metallic species, pronotum elongate and subcylindrical, which (Santos-Silva, pers. comm.) may be the only valid species of this genus; and possibly Chrysaethe cyanipennis (Bates, 1872) ; which the author suggests may be synonymous with C. beltiana ).

Etymology: This new species is dedicated to Edgar Lazzo, whose generosity and kindly assistance facilitated the collection of this new species at the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1‑3: 1, Acyphoderes amboroensis sp. nov.: A = male holotype. 2, Isthmiade mariahelenae sp. nov.: A = male holotype, B = female paratype. 3, Chrysaethe lazzoi sp. nov.: A = male holotype, B = female paratype, C = male paratype (colour variety).