Neaneflus Linsley, 1957

Lingafelter, Steven W., 2022, Revision of Aneflomorpha Casey and Neaneflus Linsley (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of the United States with an illustrated key to species, Insecta Mundi 2022 (954), pp. 1-59 : 54

Neaneflus Linsley, 1957

( Fig. 17 , 18 )

Neaneflus Linsley 1957: 19 .

Type species. Elaphidion fuchsii Wickham, 1905 . Original designation.

Discussion. The genus Neaneflus was proposed by Linsley (1957) based on the single species, Elaphidion fuchsii Wickham (1905) , described from the Mojave Desert in California. This species was distinguished from other genera of Elaphidiini , especially Aneflus and Aneflomorpha , in having the procoxal cavities widely open, the outer antennal flagellomeres not or vaguely carinate, and the elytra rounded apicolaterally. Chemsak (1962) subsequently described N. brevispinus , which is synonymized with Aneflomorpha opacicornis herein. Linsley (1963) stated that “the robust form and broadly expanded, not or only vaguely carinate antennae will distinguish it from Aneflomorpha .”

Since some of these character states (widely open procoxal cavities, elytral apices rounded apicolaterally, and antennae vaguely carinate) are present in some Aneflomorpha , Neaneflus in this work is further diagnosed as having antennae that are covered with a vestiture of very short, erect setae throughout and nearly lacking longer recumbent setae and the pronotum that is as wide as or wider than long. Specimens of N. fuchsii (females of N. opacicornis not known) present striking sexual dimorphism in the antennal length and form to a degree not seen in other Elaphidiini which may serve as another character defining Neaneflus .

Figures

Figure 17. Aneflomorpha opacicornis Linsley (Neaneflus, new combination), holotype compared to Neaneflus brevispinus Chemsak, holotype. a) A. opacicornis, pronotum. b) N. brevispinus, pronotum.c) A. opacicornis, basal antennomeres. d) N. brevispinus, basal antennomeres. e) A. opacicornis, habitus. f) N. brevispinus, habitus.

Figure 18. Neaneflus fuchsii (Wickham) variation. a) male, Texas (Big Bend), dorsal. b) male, Texas (Big Bend), ventral. c) female, Texas (Big Bend), dorsal. d) male holotype, California (Independence), dorsal. e) male holotype, California (Independence), ventral. f) antennomeres 6–9 of male (left) and female (right) of Texas (Big Bend) specimens.g) prosternal process of male specimen from Big Bend, Texas.h) prosternal process of holotype male from Independence, California.