Xalitla limoni Santos-Silva and Skillman, 2020

Santos-Silva, Antonio & Frederick W. Skillman, Jr., 2020, Description of a new species of Xalitla Lane, 1959 (Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Neoibidionini) from western Mexico, Insecta Mundi 2020 (765), pp. 1-9 : 3-4

Xalitla limoni Santos-Silva and Skillman , new species

( Fig. 1–5 )

Description. Female. Head reddish-brown; mandibles reddish-brown except darkened inferior margin of outer side and black apical quarter; mouthparts reddish-brown except yellowish-brown apex of palpomeres; scape and pedicel orangish-brown; base of antennomere III slightly reddish-brown and remaining surface black; antennomeres IV–VI dark reddish-brown basally, gradually lighter toward apex, irregularly interspersed with blackish areas on anterior 2/3; antennomeres VII–XI mostly reddishbrown, with irregularly slightly darkened portions on central area. Prothorax reddish-brown, with anterior and posterior margins, and area around procoxal cavities blackish; ventral surface of meso- and metathorax reddish-brown, except darkened margins of coxae. Scutellum dark reddish-brown centrally, with margins blackish. Elytra orangish-brown on almost entire basal third, black on remaining surface.

Profemora orangish-brown; meso- and metafemora dark reddish-brown, irregularly darker on some areas.

Protibiae dark brown, with reddish-brown areas irregularly interspersed; meso- and metatibiae nearly black, with irregular reddish-brown areas interspersed. Pro- and mesotarsomeres I–IV mostly reddishbrown, and pro- and mesotarsomeres V dark brown, except reddish-brown claws (metatarsi missing). Abdominal ventrites black. Erect setae (depending on light intensity and angle) more yellowish-white.

Head. Frons, vertex, and area behind eyes coarsely, abundantly punctate; with minute whitish setae emerging from punctures, except sides of frons with both, short and long, erect white setae emerging from some punctures, and sides of vertex with some long, erect white setae emerging from punctures; area behind antennal insertion with yellowish-white pubescence. Genae 0.68 times length of lower eye lobe; coarsely, abundantly punctate except apex smooth; with both, short and long, erect, sparse white setae, except apex glabrous. Gulamentum smooth, glabrous on posterior half; slightly depressed, coarsely striate-punctate, with short, erect, sparse white setae laterally, and long, erect white setae anteriorly. Postclypeus coarsely, shallowly punctate on wide central area (punctures distinctly finer than on frons), smooth laterally; with moderately long, erect, sparse white setae on punctate area, glabrous laterally, and with very long, erect white setae on each side of wide central area. Labrum with long, erect, sparse yellowish setae directed forward. Antennal tubercles gradually elevated from anterior area, then abruptly inclined posteriorly, with apex rounded; coarsely, shallowly punctate basally, smooth posteriorly; with a few short, nearly erect white setae on punctate area. Outer side of mandibles with long, erect, thick white setae on anterior half. In frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 1.4 times length of scape (0.67 times distance between outer margins of eyes). Antennae 1.27 times elytral length, almost reaching posterior quarter of elytra. Scape slightly, gradually widened in basal third, nearly parallel-sided in posterior 2/3; with short, sparse, decumbent white setae dorsally, and long, erect, sparse white setae throughout. Pedicel with long, erect, sparse white setae throughout. Antennomere III with short, decumbent white pubescence on outer surface, absent on remaining surface, and long, erect, moderately sparse white setae throughout; antennomeres IV–XI with white pubescence not obscuring integument, more bristly dorsally on VI–XI, distinctly sparser on IV–V, especially ventrally, long, erect, sparse white setae ventrally, and a few long, erect white setae on dorsal apex of IV–V; and in lateral view, antennomere III arched. Antennal formula (ratio) based on antennomere III: scape = 0.53; pedicel = 0.13; IV = 0.26; V = 0.47; VI = 0.51; VII = 0.44; VIII = 0.35; IX = 0.30; X = 0.27; XI = 0.38.

Thorax. Prothorax distinctly longer than wide, arched in lateral view, anterior and posterior constrictions well-marked. Pronotum coarsely, densely punctate, deeper, partially confluent on each side of area of posterior constriction, less distinct on center of area of posterior constriction; part of punctures with minute white setae; with long, erect white setae distinctly more abundant laterally. Sides of prothorax coarsely, abundantly punctate on wide central area, smooth anteriorly (this area gradually, distinctly widened toward prosternum), smooth posteriorly except striate area close to procoxal cavity; with long, erect, abundant white setae on punctate area, glabrous anteriorly and posteriorly. Prosternum coarsely, abundantly punctate on posterior 2/3 (punctures confluent close to procoxal cavities), somewhat rugosepunctate on narrow area close to anterior margin, slightly striate on remaining surface; with long, erect, white setae on posterior 2/3 and narrow anterior area. Prosternum strongly narrowed centrally. Mesoventrite somewhat depressed on wide anterocentral area, distinctly obliquely elevated toward mesoventral process; depressed area finely rugose-punctate, coarsely, sparsely punctate toward mesoventral process, smooth laterally; depressed area with minute, sparse yellowish-white pubescence; punctate area with long, erect, sparse white setae; smooth area glabrous. Mesoventral process with distinct tab at each side of apex. Mesanepisternum coarsely, abundantly punctate; nearly glabrous superiorly, with wide, dense white pubescent band close to mesepimeron. Metanepisternum glabrous on anterior 2/3, with dense white pubescence on posterior third. Metaventrite coarsely, moderately sparsely punctate, with dense white pubescence on each side of posterior third close to metanepisternum. Scutellum with dense white pubescence. Elytra. Coarsely, abundantly punctate on anterior 3/4, punctures finer, slightly sparser on posterior quarter; with long, erect white setae, slightly more abundant on posterior third; apex rounded. Legs. Femora pedunculate-clavate (peduncle gradually longer from profemora to metafemora); with long, erect, sparse white setae. Tibiae with long, erect, abundant white setae dorsally; with yellowishwhite bristly pubescence ventrally (yellower near apex), gradually denser toward apex, with long, erect white setae interspersed.

Abdomen. Ventrites finely, sparsely punctate; with both, short and long, erect, sparse white setae. Apex of ventrite V rounded.

Dimensions in mm. Total length, 6.10; prothoracic length, 1.45; anterior prothoracic width, 1.05; posterior prothoracic width, 0.90; maximum prothoracic width, 1.10; humeral width, 1.35; elytral length, 3.65.

Type material. Holotype female from MEXICO, JALISCO: 2.5–5 km W José María Morelos, 7.VII.2018, F. Skillman and J. Limón col. (deposited in FSCA, formerly FWSC) ; Paratype female, same data except: 2 km W. on Rd to beach ( JFLC).

Etymology. Named for Juan Francisco Limón, good friend and avid cerambycid collector with whom the second author has shared numerous forays into the bush in search of new or unknown species.

Remarks. Xalitla limoni sp. nov. is similar in appearance to the female of X. azteca Lane, 1959 ( Fig. 6–9 ), but differs as follows: body stouter ( Fig. 1 ); peduncle of profemora short ( Fig. 2 ); eyes distinctly smaller ( Fig. 5 ). In X. azteca , the body is slimmer ( Fig. 6 ), peduncle of profemora is longer ( Fig. 7 ), and eyes are distinctly larger ( Fig. 9 ). The holotype is glued on a card-triangle with non-soluble glue. Thus, it was not possible to remove the insect from the card, due to the risk of damaging the specimen, to examine the metaventrite in detail.

Figures

Figures 1–9. Xalitla species. 1–5) Xalitla limoni, holotype female.1) Dorsal habitus.2) Ventral habitus.3) Lateral habitus. 4) Head, frontal view. 5) Head, lateral view. 6–9) Xalitla azteca, holotype female. 6) Dorsal habitus. 7) Ventral habitus. 8) Lateral habitus. 9) Head, lateral view.