Urgleptes curtipennis Ravin & Lingafelter

Ravin, Ian S. & Lingafelter, Steven W., 2015, Review of the genus Urgleptes Dillon (1956) of Hispaniola (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Acanthocinini): descriptions of five new species and one new synonymy, ZooKeys 532, pp. 55-85 : 67

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Cerambycidae

Urgleptes curtipennis Ravin & Lingafelter sp. n. Figs 5, 12, 18

Diagnosis.

The proportions of this species are distinctive. The elytra are relatively much shorter compared to overall body length than all other Hispaniolan species. Further, the elytral maculations are well defined and contrast strongly from the dense, ashy, white pubescence that is otherwise present. With the exception of the pedicel and third antennomere being mostly flavous and darkened apically, all remaining antennomeres are gradually darker until the distal segments which are mostly uniform in coloration. Unlike Urgleptes sandersoni , Urgleptes puertoricensis , and Urgleptes conjunctus , this species has a light periscutellar region.

Description.

Measurements: body length: 3.3 mm; body width: 1.3 mm; elytral length: 2.2 mm; elytral width: 0.6 mm; pronotal length: 0.7 mm; pronotal width: 1.1 mm; body length/pronotal length: 5.0; elytral length/elytral width: 3.5; pronotal length/pronotal width: 0.61.

Head: integument piceous; covered in coarse white pubescence; denser at vertex of antennal tubercles, frons, and occiput; slightly sparser on dorsal face of tubercles. Antenna: Scape slightly flavous at base, quickly becoming uniformly brown, covered in dense, fine gold pubescence; antennomeres three and four mostly flavous, narrowly darkened at apices; successive antennomeres mostly ferrugineous, gradually darker towards apices; with exception of slightly longer third and tenth antennomeres, segments nearly uniform in length. Antennae considerably longer than body; extending beyond elytral apices by 5-6 antennomeres; scape extending to posterior third of pronotum. Eye: Lower eye lobe no more than 1.5 times height of upper eye lobe; extending over half distance between antennal tubercle and frontal margin; lobes connected by 4-5 rows of ommatidia. Upper eye lobes separated by just slightly greatest width of scape. Mouthparts: Clypeus weakly concave, ashy-flavous, lacking distinct pubescence; labrum with a few long setae originating at base and anterior fringe of translucent setae.

Thorax: pronotum broadly rounded at sides to posteriorly directed, short acute tubercles on posterior fourth; constricted along posterior fifth behind lateral tubercles; constriction demarcated with row of large, separate punctures across disc, continuing behind base of tubercles, down sides. No distinct calli present on disc. Anteromedial fascia of darkened pubescence present; otherwise evenly coated in moderately dense grey-white pubescence. Integument mostly light brown, vaguely darkened at lateral tubercles to apices of spines. Prosternum smooth, impunctate, covered with sparse, gold or translucent pubescence, concentrated at posterolateral margin below lateral spines. Prosternal process narrow between procoxae (about one-eighth width) and greatly expanded behind procoxae. Mesepimeron smooth, impunctate, covered with uniform, appressed, golden or translucent pubescence. Mesosternal intercoxal process almost 2.5 times broader than prosternal process, separating mesocoxae by about one-fourth width of mesocoxa. Metasternum smooth, impunctate, covered with appressed, golden or translucent pubescence, densest at sides, thinning towards middle. Integument of ventral sclerites mostly dark brown, becoming lighter at middle. Scutellum coated in dense, appressed, ashy-white pubescence, making difficult to distinguish from elytra; broadly rounded posteriorly. Elytra: integument mostly dark brown; moderately punctate; almost completely obscured by uniformly dense, appressed, ashy-grey pubescence. Humeri strongly rounded with darker integument and blackened pubescence. Periscutellar region slightly swollen with two dark brown maculae; one ovate, flanking scutellum; second, larger macula set posteriorly; neither attaining suture. This region surrounded by dense, appressed, ashy-white pubescence. Elytron with sickle-shaped, post-medial, dark macula, originating at epipleuron and obliquely coiling towards middle. Posteriorly directed branches of this macula not quite attaining suture, ending at subapical, lateral margin. Darkened macula bordered by same appressed, ashy-white pubescence as anterior half. Legs: femora mostly ferrugineous; flavous at basal third and dorsum; covered in course white setae. Tibia flavous at base; ferruginous submedially; covered in brown, bristle-like setae. Mesofemora covered in brown to gold setae; mostly ferruginous, only flavous at base; basal third of mesotibiae flavous, dark brown submedially to apex; with postmedial concavity full of brown, bristle-like setae. Metafemora mostly flavous, slightly darker at mesal and lateral third to apices; covered in moderately dense pale gold setae. Metatibiae mostly dark brown, dark-flavous at base; covered in translucent to brown bristle-like setae. Tarsi mostly dark brown; covered in suberect, brown setae.

Abdomen: ventrites covered with fine, appressed, translucent pubescence, slightly thicker, gold pubescence at sides; integument light brown at middle, becoming darker toward sides. No distinct size difference in length of ventrites, with weak middle notch fringed with longer setae.

Distribution.

This endemic Hispaniolan species is known only from the holotype that was collected at lights on the northern face of the Sierra de Baoruco mountain range (Fig. 18).

Etymology.

The epithet, curtipennis , refers to the short elytra relative to the overall body length.

Type material.

Holotype (male): DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Independencia Prov., Sierra de Baoruco, Rabo de Gato, 18°17.962'N, 71°35.811'W, 490 m, 14-15 Dec 2014, S. W. Lingafelter, UV/MV lights (USNM).