Ommata (Chrysaethe) amboroensis, Clarke Abstract, 2010

Clarke Abstract, Robin O. S., 2010, Bolivian Rhinotragini Iii: New Genera And Species (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 50 (16), pp. 239-267 : 253-255

Ommata (Chrysaethe) amboroensis sp. nov.

Fig. 8A

Holotype male: 17.9 mm. Deposited at MNKM.

Diagnosis: larger (17.7-20.2 mm) than the other two Bolivian species of this subgenus; and entirely shining metallic blue; O. (O.) aurata Bates, 1870 is distinctly smaller and entirely metallic green; the other species (near O. (O.) ochraceicollis Zajciw, 1965 ) is much smaller (7.5-11.0 mm), the male with dull, bluish reflection, the female with orange pronotum.

General colour: black with strong metallic, royal-blue and violet reflections; pronotum and tarsi dull, pedicel to apex of antenna incrementally duller; mouthparts and neck behind submentum shining black; apical margin of urosternites I-IV broadly chestnut.

General pubescence: inconspicuous, short and recumbent at sides of mesosternum, centre of metasternum and abdomen, the rest of underside and all of dorsad almost glabrous. Submentum and sides of pronotum with short, fine setae; base of metepisternum, apex of urosternite V, underside of antennomeres II-V, and legs, with short, thick setae, longer and sparser on femora¸ especially dense on underside of metatibiae.

Surface ornamentation: strong (more so on dorsad) and complex, each body part characteristically ornamented; only apex of genae and scutellum impunctate. Head smooth, with moderately large punctures separated by longitudinal carinas above; prominent, semi-circular, transverse carinas on submentum. Prothorax almost completely densely and deeply punctate, and generally confluent; centre of pronotum closely alveolate; only front of mesosternum smooth. Mesosterna with irregular mix of large and very small punctures. Elytra completely and densely punctured; the punctures shallow, subalveolate, of uniform size, but irregular in shape. Metathorax smooth; metasternum micro-punctate at midline, but the punctures larger and somewhat bevelled towards sides; metepisternum with depressed, patch of small dense punctures at base, otherwise the punctures larger and moderately sparse. Abdomen at sides, and apical margins of urosternites I-IV broadly, smooth, otherwise transversely and densely micro-striate with dense mix of small, very small and micro-punctures, only becoming sparser and larger at sides of urosternites I-IV. Legs densely punctured on tibiae and tarsi, the punctures relatively sparse, and somewhat bevelled, on femora.

Structure: forebody (8.75 mm) slightly shorter than abdomen (9.75 mm). Head with eyes (2.3 mm) distinctly narrower than pronotum; rostrum moderately narrow (1.45 mm) and long (0.9 mm), slightly short- er than length of inferior lobes of eyes (1.0 mm), sides narrowed to middle. Surface of labrum largely occupied by raised, semi-circular area at centre. Eyes large and convex; distal margin of inferior lobe adjacent to side of gena, proximal margin oblique, lobes close, but far from contiguous, interocular distance (0.40 mm) much narrower than width of one lobe (0,90 mm); width of superior lobe (0.25 mm) about one-third interocular distance (0.80 mm). Antennae reach apex of urosternite II; moderately robust; antennomeres III-VIII increasingly thickened and serrate, IX and X slightly less so, XI elongate with rounded serration, followed by coned apex, the latter strongly constrict- ed from the basal section; scape pyriform, distinctly shorter (1.10 mm) than antennomere III (1.65 mm), IV short (0.90 mm), V (1.15 mm), VI (1.20 mm), VII-X incrementally shorter, XI (1.00 mm) slightly longer than X. Prothorax: cylindrical, slightly longer (3.0 mm) than wide (2.8 mm); sides moderately strongly rounded, widest and protuberant at middle, apical constriction moderate; basal constriction short but strong; front margin (2.0 mm) much narrower than hind margin (2.7 mm). Prosternum transversely, broadly and deeply depressed in front of its process; the latter arched with sides slightly raised, base narrow (0.1 mm), widening to apical triangle from middle of coxal cavity, sides of apical triangle strongly raised. Coxal cavities closed at sides and behind. Pronotum convex; sides at middle and adjacent to basal constriction somewhat raised into irregularly shaped calli. Mesothorax: mesosternal declivity not at all abrupt; process moderately narrow (0.4 mm), about half width of coxal cavity, apex somewhat cordiform, almost bilobed; coxal cavity widely open to mesepimeron. Scutellum undifferentiated, small and oval. Elytra hiding entire underside; moderately flattened on disc and apex, humero-apical costa weak, absent from apical third; epipleur abrupt to middle, flat for apical half; reaching apex of urosternite V; elytra about four times longer (12.30 mm) than width of humeri (3.25 mm); base thickly bordered from scutellum to inner side of humerus, excavate to sides, but leaving humerus well demarcated; humeri square and slightly rounded, not projecting forwards; sides gently narrowing to middle, almost parallel sided to near apex, then narrowing to lateral angle; not dehiscent but gaping from middle; suture almost straight, only bordered for apical two-thirds; apex obliquely truncate, sutural angle slightly projecting, lateral angle blunt. Metathorax: metasternum tumid; mesocoxae lying well below level of metasternum; metasternal suture entire (from apex of sternal process to hind edge of sternum) and deep posteriorly; metasternal process as an obtuse triangle in shape, sides strongly raised, apex weakly acuminate. Metepisternum moderately large, broad at base, moderately acuminate to apex. Abdomen: convex, narrow and subcylindrical, broadest at base of urosternite I, parallel-sided to mid V; individual urosternites slightly rounded at sides; urosternite V with large, round depression to each side of midline, the latter flat and widening to apex, apical margin truncate; abdominal process inclined at base, but most of its length horizontal to abdomen, rather broad and triangular, apex acuminate, not deeply inserted between metacoxae. Legs: moderately robust; ratio of length from front to hind leg 1.0:1.5:2.6. Peduncles short on front leg, long on hind leg; pro- and mesofemoral claves long and flattened; metafemora nearly reaching apex of elytra, clave narrow, flat and subcylindrical. Metatibia flattened, gradually widening to apex. Pro- and mesotarsus rather robust, the tarsomeres short and wide; metatarsomere I subcylindrical, shorter (1.05 mm) than II + III (1.25 mm), II rectangular, III deeply bifid.

Variation: mouthparts may be browner; apical antennomeres may be chestnut with cinnamon coloured pubescence; apical half of elytra may be bronzy; suture of elytra may lack border to apical quarter; urosternite V may lack lateral depressions.

Measurements (mm): 3 males: total length 17.7-20.2; length of pronotum 2.8-3.2; width of pronotum 2.7-3.0; length of elytra 12.0-12.8; width at humeri 3.1-3.4.

Type material: Holotype male, BOLIVIA, Santa Cruz: Hotel Flora & Fauna, 5 km SSE of Buena Vista , 17°29’96”S/ 63°39’13”W, 430 m, 27.XI.2007, R. Clarke & S. Zamalloa col., on/flying to flowers of “Sama blanca” ( MNKM) . Paratypes same data as holotype: 1 male, 28. XI .2004 ( MZUSP); 1 male 28. XI .2004 ( RCSZ) .

Discussion: Bates (1873) gives the following characters to define the “subgenus” Chrysaethe: legs long and slender; mesofemora gradually and moderately clavate; elytra moderately narrowed posteriorly; elytra scarcely abbreviated, apex truncate. Since Ommata (Chrysaethe) amboroensis fulfils these criteria (and could not be placed in the subgenus Ommata (Eclipta) , which Bates states have non-serrate antennae) it would seem the species is correctly classified.

Ommata (Chrysaethe) amboroensis may be endemic to Bolivia, fifty percent larger than other species of the subgenus and, therefore, unlikely to be misidentified.

Etymology: combination of Amboró National Park (this species was collected close to its northern border) and ensis from the Greek endemos meaning native to, or from.

Figures

FIGURES 8‑10: 8. Ommata (Chrysaethe) amboroensis sp. nov., A. male holotype. 9. Neoregostoma bettelai sp. nov., A. female holotype. 10. Pseudagaone suturafissa Tippmann, 1960, A. male, B. female.