Elaphidion auricoma Lingafelter, 2008

Lingafelter, Steven W., 2008, Seven New Species of Elaphidiini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from the Dominican Republic with Taxonomic Notes, New Country Records, and a Key toElaphidionAudinet-Serville from Hispaniola, The Coleopterists Bulletin 62 (3), pp. 353-379 : 353-379

Elaphidion auricoma Lingafelter , new species

( Figs. 10 , 14a , 15a )

Description. Moderate sized, 12–16 mm long; 3–4 mm broad; integument uniformly reddish-brown, pronotum and head slightly darker than rest of body.

Head densely clothed with short, appressed, golden pubescence, most dense around eye margins; interantennal impression weak; antennal tubercles not strongly elevated; antennae of females not reaching elytral apex; antennae of male extending beyond elytral apex by less than two antennomeres; last antennomere of female subequal in length to penultimate antennomere; last antennomere of male distinctly longer than penultimate antennomere; antennomere four of both sexes shorter than five; antennae spined mesally on antennomeres 3–6 and laterally dentiform on 7–9 in males (in females mesally spined on 3–7 and laterally dentiform on 6, 7, and/or 8); antennal spines pronounced mesally on 3–5, with spine of third as long as entire fourth antennomere; antenna with moderate, appressed, golden pubescence and sparse, erect hairs, especially mesally.

Pronotum approximately as broad as long in both sexes, slightly narrower at middle than elytral base; moderate, golden, appressed setae present; narrow, elongate longitudinal callus extending to anterior and posterior margins (or nearly so), with two oval calli posterolaterally (one on each side) and four raised small, circular calli anterolaterally (two on each side); large, dense, mostly noncontiguous punctures present, except on calli; punctures in males present in front of procoxae (absent in females). Prosternal intercoxal process pronounced, broad, glabrous at apex, protruding posteriorly beyond plane of procoxae, acutely declivous. Elytron with moderately dense, but not uniform golden, appressed pubescence; erect or suberect setae very sparse (less than 10 on each elytron); elytral apices strongly bispinose, outer spine thicker, twice as long, angling away from sutural spine; weakly arcuate between spines. Elytron with dense but mostly non-contiguous, large, deep punctures, becoming shallower posteriorly. Scutellum acute posteriorly and with moderate golden, appressed pubescence; glabrous longitudinally along middle. Legs short; hind femora not extending beyond third ventrite; pubescence of femora fulvous, sparse, patchy; numerous sparse, erect hairs on tibiae and femora. Mesofemoral apices strongly spined mesally, dentiform apicolaterally; metafemoral apices with strong spines mesally; weak spines apicolaterally (apicomesal spine about three times length of apicolateral spine). Abdomen with pubescence golden and tawny; last ventrite of female broadly rounded apically, without modification.

Etymology. This species of Elaphidion is named for the attractive golden pubescence that covers most of the dorsal surface. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Discussion. This species ( Fig. 10 ) is most similar to Elaphidion wappesi Lingafelter , new species (described herein) but differs by the moderately dense, golden pubescence on the dorsum, the structure of the pronotum with its elongate, narrow middle callus and six peripheral calli (many of which are elevated), and the more stout antennal scape. This species and E. wappesi have similarly short antennae that lack outer spines on antennomeres 3–5.

Of the four known specimens, one is a male. The male (lacking the abdomen) differs from the females in 1) having antennae extending beyond elytra by nearly two antennomeres (in females the antennae are shorter than the elytra); 2) having the last antennomere subequal to the penultimate (in females the terminal antennomere is distinctly shorter than the penultimate); and 3) having antennae spined mesally on antennomeres 3–6 and laterally dentiform on 7–9 (in females antennae are mesally spined on 3–7 and laterally dentiform on 6, 7, and/or 8, Fig. 14a ).

Type Material. Holotype, female: ‘‘ Dominican Republic: La Altagracia Province, PN del Este, Guaraguao , blacklight, 18 ° 19.568 9 N, 68 ° 48.500 9 W, 0– 5 m, 20 July 2004, Steven W. Lingafelter’ ’ ( USNM) . Paratypes, 3 (all Dominican Republic): Sanchez Ramirez Prov., Casa 10, Mina de Oro Pueblo Viejo , 181 m, Aug. 1–3, 2003, R . H. Bastardo (1 female, DRMC); La Altagracia Prov., Nisibon Finca Papagayo , 4–7 April 2000, blacklight trap, 150 9, RE Woodruff and RM Baranowski , 16–19 June 1999 (1 female, FSCA); same except: 4–7 April 2000, blacklight trap, 150 9, RE Woodruff, TJ Henry (1 male, USNM) .

Figures

Fig. 10. Elaphidion auricoma Lingafelter, new species, dorsal habitus photo-illustration, female.

Fig. 14. Detail of antennal spines on antennomeres 3–6 in Dominican Republic Elaphidion. a) E. auricoma (female); b) E. iviei (female); c) E. nearnsi (female); d) E. wappesi (female).

Fig. 15. Detail of metafemoral apices in Dominican Republic Elaphidion. a) E. auricoma