Calocosmus contortus Lingafelter

Lingafelter, Steven W., 2013, Hispaniolan Hemilophini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae), ZooKeys 258, pp. 53-83 : 62-64

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.258.4391

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/02355C3F-D9AA-3BE2-1913-0613F1154196

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Calocosmus contortus Lingafelter
status

sp. n.

Calocosmus contortus Lingafelter   ZBK sp. n. Fig. 4a-d; Map 1

Diagnosis.

This species, like Calocosmus thonalmus , is very distinctive since it has a similarly contorted elytral apex. It differs in having the middle antennomeres (4-7) fulvous annulate at the basal one-fourth to one-half (the antennae are uniformly black in Calocosmus thonalmus ); the lower eye lobe much larger, the genal region below it is less than one-third height of lower eye lobe (nearly as high as the lower eye lobe in Calocosmus thonalmus ); in having the elytral apex with a minor pubescent ridge between the two major costal ridges ( Calocosmus thonalmus has a simple glabrous depression between the two major costal ridges); a relatively long metasternal setal brush (this setal brush, apparently only developed in males of some species of Calocosmus , is much shorter in Calocosmus thonalmus ); and in having longer and more slender femora and tibiae (the metafemur extends to the posterior margin of the third ventrite in Calocosmus contortus but only to the anterior margin of third ventrite in Calocosmus thonalmus ).

Description.

Size: 8.2 mm long; 2.5 mm wide between humeri. Head with dense vestiture of very short, ashy-white setae, slightly thickened at base, but not obscuring surface, along with scattered long, dark setae on frons. Sparse, mostly non-contiguous punctures scattered throughout head. Frons not bulging, moderately concave between eyes, with division by median groove extending to vertex. Gena below lower eye lobe and mandibular base about one-third height of lower eye lobe; frontal-genal ridge very short, extending vertically for a short distance toward eye margin from genal margin. Anteclypeal sulcus absent. Eye large, bulging laterally on lower lobe beyond plane of head, finely faceted, upper lobe connected to lower lobe by 3 facets at narrowest point, lower lobe much larger than upper lobe, occupying nearly one-half of head from lateral view. Interantennal region impressed, antennal tubercles slightly elevated. Antenna moderately stout, short, surpassing elytral apex by about 2 antennomeres in males (females unknown). Antenna with vestiture of semi-appressed, dense, short, black pubescence and scattered, sparse, long, dark setae, especially at antennomere apices and mesal margins. Antennomeres black, except scape which is reddish-brown and 4-7 which have orange basal annulations. Antennomere 3 longer than scape + 2 but shorter than 4+5, subsequent antennomeres short and gradually decreasing in length or subequal. Prothorax cylindrical, broader than long (1.3 mm long; 1.8 mm wide), distinctly narrower than elytral base, with only slight middle swelling, densely covered with short whitish-gray setae, however inconspicuous and not obscuring integument. Pronotum with overall orange appearance, without maculae. Pronotum with distinct, large, scattered, non-contiguous punctures. Pronotum about one-sixth length of body. Prosternum inconspicuously pubescent with short, orange or translucent setae. Prosternal process very narrow between protuberant procoxae, broadly expanded at apex, closing procoxal cavities posteriorly. Elytron with distinct, dense punctures that terminate at anterior margin of dark, apical macula, with areas of dense, short, erect, velvety white, pubescence that does not obscure surface and sparse, longer, erect, black setae scattered on basal two-thirds. Elytron bicolored: basal one-half orange, apical one-half iridescent purplish-black. Purplish-black elytral apex highly modified and contorted with 2 elevated costae at middle with crest of erect, short, black setae. Intercostal region between them is level, with small region of erect, black setae. Humerus not projecting anterolaterally, with pubescence similar to adjacent regions. Elytral apices narrowly rounded to suture, without spines. Elytron 5.9 mm long; 1.3 mm wide; elytral length/width: 4.5. Scutellum narrowly subtruncate posteriorly, with short, black setae and orange ground color. Legs with tibiae weakly thickened apically. Femora and tibiae slender, elongate; metafemur surpassing third ventrite. Legs with white and translucent pubescence not obscuring surface, becoming most dense and darker on tibiae. Femora orange; tibiae dark reddish-brown; tarsomeres dark reddish-brown at apices. Venter mostly sparsely and inconspicuously pubescent (not obscuring surface). Venter orange throughout except for apex of fifth ventrite of male which is darkened. Apex of fifth ventrite of males broadly truncate with small median notch (females unknown).

Etymology.

The species epithet is a Latin noun, nominative case, masculine gender that refers to the contorted elytral apex.

Notes.

This species, along with Calocosmus thonalmus , is among the most highly morphologically evolved members of the Batesian mimicry complex with the lycid beetle genus Thonalmus (Fig. 2b). It is known from one specimen.

Material.

Holotype (male): Dominican Republic, [San Cristóbal Province], Colonia Ramfis, 3 April 1953, J. A. Ramos (USNM).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Cerambycidae

Genus

Calocosmus