Ecliptoides vandenberghei 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 : 13-16

Ecliptoides vandenberghei Wappes and Santos-Silva , n. sp.

( Fig. 25–34 )

Diagnosis. Ecliptoides vandenberghei , compared to congeners recorded from Central America, is most similar to E. monostigma ( Bates, 1869) . It differs mainly by the longer elytra, about 2.7 times pronotal length, while in E. monostigma it is about 2.4 times pronotal length. The presence or absence of a central dark macula on the pronotum is a variable character in both species.

The exact identity of E. monostigma is confused, as the specimen figured by Bates (1880) does not agree with his original description regarding the shape of its pronotal fascia (the dark macula is not vitta-shaped), and the color of its femoral club, which is mostly dark. According to the original description (translated): “thorax cylindrical, coarsely, densely punctate, with central black band, narrowed posteriorly… metafemora distinctly black on apex”. When describing the species, Bates (1869) indicated he had a single female from Chontales ( Nicaragua). Consequently, the specimen figured in Bates (1880) is not a type of the species and may or may not be his E. monostigma . Later, Bates (1872) wrote: “ Agaone monostigma, Bates, Trans. Ent. Soc. 1869, p. 384 .–Two examples”, indicating he obtained a second specimen after the original description. In Bezark (2017) there are photographs of two specimens from the BMNH collection, identified as E. monostigma . The specimen on the top left (numbered 17684), is apparently the specimen figured by Bates (1880), while the specimen on the top right (number 20019) agrees well with the description of the holotype, and is from the type locality of the holotype (Chontales) and may be the holotype. Usually, specimens belonging to the former Bates collection are deposited in MNHN, through René Oberthür purchase. However, according to Gérard L. Tavakilian (personal communication) the holotype was not found in the MNHN collection. The Thomas Belt collection (collector of the holotype) is currently housed in the BMNH. Consequently, it is very probable that the holotype of Agaone monostigma is deposited there. Belt (1874) himself suggested that the specimens collected by him in Chontales remained in his private collection: “My entomological collections were much more complete than my collection of birds, especially those of butterflies and beetles….I collected about 300 different species [“Longicorns”], and Mr. H. W. Bates has enumerated 242 of these in a paper “On the Longicorn Coleoptera of Chontales, Nicaragua,” published in the “Transactions of the Entomological Society for 1872.” Ecliptoides monostigma was originally described in Agaone Pascoe, 1859 ( Bates 1869: 384) . However, in Bates (1873: 31 and 38) it appears in two different genera, without explanation: Ommata (Eclipta) monostigma ; Odontocera monostigma . Although, Odontocera is characterized by the existence of a translucent elytral area, which is not a character described by Bates (1869), it may be present in the specimen figured by Bates (1880). Adding to the confusion is the fact that Bates (1880: 43) mentioned the species as Odontocera monostigma , then as Ommata monostigma on Plate V; as Odontocera monostigma in the index (page 519); and on page viii (list of plates) it appears as Odontocera monostigma , but with his note: “ Ommata monostigma on the Plate.” Until the holotype surfaces the true identity of E. monostigma Bates (1869) remains uncertain.

Males of Ecliptoides vandenberghei are similar to E. vargasi Clarke, 2009 , and E. titoi Clarke, 2009 . They differ from both species primarily by the ventral side of metathorax and abdomen mostly black (orange in the Clarke species), and by the orange area on elytra being distinctly smaller (larger in these species, especially in E. titoi ). They also differ from E. vargasi by the distinctly abundant and recumbent elytral pubescence (in E. vargasi , “sparser, semirecumbent pubescence on elytra” — Clarke 2009a), mesotibia lighter only on ventral side of base (lighter on entire basal third in E. vargasi ), distance between lower eye lobes equal to half of diameter of antennomere III (equal to diameter of antennomere III in E. vargasi ). They differ from E. titoi by the entirely dark antennomere III (with light basal ring in E. titoi ), scape entirely black (yellowish and orange in E. titoi ), sides of basal third of elytra entirely black or with small, slightly distinct dark reddish-brown area (with large yellowish area), elytra densely pubescent throughout (in E. titoi , “with moderately dense, recumbent, short pubescence, becoming denser towards apex” — Clarke 2009a), mesotibia lighter only on ventral side of base (lighter on entire basal half in E. titoi ), tarsi black (mostly yellow in E. titoi ). Ecliptoides vandenberghei is also similar to E. pilosipes ( Peñaherrera-Leiva and Tavakilian, 2004) from French Guiana and Brazil (Pará), but differs by the pale yellow longitudinal band of the elytra not distinctly expanded anteriorly towards humeri (expanded in E. pilosipes ) and by the distinctly dense band of pubescence close to elytral suture (sparse in E. pilosipes ).

Description. Female ( Fig. 25–28 ). Head, pro- and mesothorax orange (except for faint narrow reddish brown anterior margin of pronotum); mandibles black; peduncle of femora and month parts yellowish, except for dark brown maxillary palpomere IV; scape and pedicel black; antennomeres III–XI dark brown, distal antennomeres gradually lighter, except for narrow, basal, orange annulation on antennomeres IV–VI; metasternum, metepisterna black; ventrite V dark brown; sides of pro- and mesofemoral club, ventrites I–IV (except for dark brown distal margin of I–III) mostly yellow to orange brown; pro- and mesofemoral club apically yellow orange transitioning to brown, darker towards apex; tibiae dark brown, protibiae and narrow basal ring of metatibiae ventrally orange; tarsi dark brown; each elytron with longitudinal pale yellow fascia, from base to near apex, gradually narrowed and less distinct distally (not notably wider at base or expanded towards humeri); remaining surface of elytra black.

Head. Not elongated behind eyes (posterior edge of eyes close to the anterior edge of prothorax); rostrum (between apex of lower eye lobe and genal apex), in frontal view, 0.7 times length of lower eye lobe. Frons abundantly, moderately coarsely punctate; with sparse, short setae. Vertex abundantly, moderately finely punctate; with sparse, short setae, interspersed with long setae. Coronal suture distinct from clypeus to area between antennal tubercles. Antennal tubercles moderately coarsely punctate at base, smooth on remaining surface. Clypeus sparsely, and moderately, coarsely punctate at base, smoother towards apex; with sparse, short setae on punctate area, interspersed laterally with long setae. Basal 1/2 of outer surface of mandibles moderately, coarsely punctate, with sparse, long setae. Area behind lower eye lobes abundantly, moderately coarsely punctate close to eye, smooth towards prothorax; with row of sparse, long setae close to eye. Genae abundantly, moderately finely punctate, except for smooth area close to apex. Gula smooth, shining and glabrous. Submentum transversely striate; sparsely, moderately finely punctate; with moderately sparse, short setae. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.65 times length of scape; distance, in frontal view, between lower eye lobes 0.45 times length of scape. Antennae 1.3 times elytral length; reaching about distal 1/7 of elytra and distal 1/3 of second abdominal segment; pedicel, antennomeres III–VI with long, dark, thick setae on ventral side; VI–X with long, dark, thick setae near apex; antennal formula (ratio) based on antennomere III: scape = 0.82; pedicel = 0.23; IV = 0.67; V = 0.94; VI = 0.71; VII = 0.67; VIII = 0.55; IX = 0.53; X = 0.45; XI = 0.68.

Thorax. Prothorax subcylindrical, longer than wide; sides divergent at basal third, subparallel towards anterior 1/5, then convergent towards anterior edge. Pronotum abundantly, coarsely punctate (somewhat reticulate), smooth on narrow, anterior reddish brown band; with moderately abundant, short setae, interspersed with moderately abundant, long setae. Sides of prothorax very sparsely, coarsely punctate, except for smooth area at inferior 1/2 close to anterior margin; with sparse, short setae. Prosternum densely, coarsely punctate on basal 1/2, smooth, shining and glabrous on anterior 1/2; punctate area pubescent, interspersed with moderately long setae. Prosternal process centrally narrowed, broadly, triangularly expanded towards apex. Metepisterna pubescent, interspersed with moderately abundant, long setae. Metasternum laterally and anteriorly, abundantly, moderately finely punctate, pubescent with sparsely, interspersed long setae; remaining surface sparsely, finely punctate, with sparse, long setae. Elytra. Moderately punctate; area close to suture with wide pubescent band nearly obscuring surface punctation underneath, sparsely interspersed with long setae on basal 1/2; remaining surface with sparse, short setae (slightly longer towards base); dehiscent along suture from about distal 1/3 to apex; apex slightly obliquely truncate, with outer angle acutely produced. Legs. Femora (mainly on club) and tibiae (mainly meso- and metatibiae) with sparse, long setae; metafemora nearly attaining middle of fifth abdominal segment.

Abdomen. Ventrites sparsely, finely punctate (punctures denser towards sides); with sparse, short setae (somewhat pubescent laterally), sparsely interspersed with long setae on distal 1/2 of ventrite IV and on ventrite V.

Male ( Fig. 29–34 ). Antenna 1.4 times elytral length, nearly reaching distal third of abdominal segment II. Lower eye lobes contiguous (distance between them about half the diameter of antennomere III; antennomeres IV–X with distinct yellowish annulations on base (wider toward X, primarily after VI). Pronotum orange with wide central black macula, from basal 1/9 to distal margin, their sides straight, convergent on basal 1/5, distinctly widened, rounded at about next third, straight, divergent from apex of widened area to near apex, straight toward apex: with narrow, transverse dark band from apex of area, with sides divergent to harp-shaped, slightly oblique black macula (mostly placed on sides of prothorax, with inferior area distinctly wider). Prosternum with small, subelliptical black macula on each side of midlength. Base of mesosternum and entire ventral side of metathorax and abdomen black. Sides on basal third of elytra entirely black. Ventral side of base of mesotibiae reddish-brown: base of metatibiae reddish-brown. Abdomen much narrower and longer than females ( Fig. 32 ); ventrite V centrally depressed toward apex, which is subtruncate.

Female paratypes variation. Pronotal disc ( Fig. 28 ) with sub-cordiform or elongated brown spot; anterior narrow band of pronotum orangish; ventrites I–IV reddish brown; ventrite V dark brown; antennomeres IV–VI without basal orange annulation; metafemoral club with sides of basal 1/2 reddish brown.

Male paratypes variation. Basal yellow annulations on antennomeres IX–X reduced: pronotum mostly black ( Fig. 32 ), with harp-shaped macula not separated ( Fig. 33 ); distal sides of prothorax mostly black, fused with distal area of harp-shaped macula and with black macula covering nearly all prosternum: prosternum entirely orange: mesepisternum and mesepimeron black; sides of basal third of elytra with small, slightly distinct dark reddish-brown area.

Dimensions in mm (male / female). Total length (from mandibular apex to abdominal apex), 6.50– 7.35/6.80–7.00; prothorax: length, 1.15–1.25/1.20–1.25; anterior width, 0.60–0.95/0.75–0.85; posterior width, 0.65–1.00/0.85–0.90; humeral width, 1.05–1.20/1.10–1.15; elytral length, 3.00–3.40/3.20–3.40. The largest dimensions of females are those of the holotype.

Type material. Holotype female from NICARAGUA, Nueva Segovia: Cerro Jesus (1250 m; on flowers of Mastichodendron capiri - Sapotaceae ), 14.V.2012, D. Heffern & E. van den Berghe col. ( TAMU). Paratype – 1 female, same data as holotype ( EVDB); 2 females, same data as holotype except (13°58’N 86°10’W; 1,300 m; blooming tree), 7-13.VI.2015, J. Wappes, R. Morris col. ( ACMT, RFMC); same data as holotype except (El. 1,100 -1,200 m, net bagging blossoms of Croton reflexifolius Kunth ), 12-15.V.2016, E. van den Berghe col., 21 males (m), 4 females (f): (8 m, 1f ACMT; 4m, 1 f DJHC; 1 m, 1 f EAPZ; 2 m EVDB; 1 m FSCA; 1 m MEL; 2 m, 1 f MZSP; 2 m RFMC). COSTA RICA, Limon: 5 km ESE Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, 2 females, 17.VI.1989, F. T. Hovore col. ( CASC, LGBC).

Etymology. Named for Eric van den Berghe, Director, Zamorano Biodiversity Center, Zamorano Agricultural University (Escuela Agricola Panamericana = EAPZ), near Tegucigalpa, Honduras and one of the collectors of the holotype (with Dan Heffern) who so kindly hosted Roy Morris and the first author on a successful 2015 trip to Honduras and Nicaragua to find additional specimens of this species. Eric subsequently collected a nice series of the species in 2016 (also from the type locality) that included males, allowing us to add their description to the paper.

New country record

Eclipta fi cta Bezark, Martins and Santos-Silva, 2013 ( Fig. 35 ): NICARAGUA, Nuevo Segovia : Cerro Jesus (13°58’N / 86°10’W; 1,300 m; Ex: Blooming tree), 7-13.VI.2015, J. E. Wappes and R. F. Morris col. ( ACMT) .

Figures

Figures 25–29. Ecliptoides vandenberghei sp. nov., Habitus: 25) Dorsal, holotype female; 26) Ventral, holotype female; 27) Lateral, holotype female; 28) Dorsal, paratype female. 29) Dorsal, paratype male.

Figures 30–35. Ecliptoides and Eclipta. 30–34. Ecliptoides vandenberghei sp. nov., male paratypes: 30) Ventral habitus, paratype; 31) Lateral habitus, paratype; 32) Pronotum, paratype; 33) Side of prothorax, paratype; 34) Side of prothorax, paratype. 35) Dorsal habitus, Eclipta ficta.