Tillomorphites elachys ( Martins & Galileo,

Vitali, Francesco, 2017, Two new fossil species of Tillomorphites Vitali (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and remarks on the morphological evolution, mimicry, biogeography and phylogeny of the tribe Tillomorphini, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 17 (2), pp. 147-160 : 151-153

Tillomorphites elachys ( Martins & Galileo,

2013) n. comb.

( Figs. 4a - b )

The present-day Ecuadorian species Euderces elachys Martins & Galileo, 2013 is surprisingly similar to Tillomorphites otiliae n. sp. The extant species shows more melanistic elytral pattern: the pre-median reddish band is smaller, reduced on the disc ( Fig. 4a ) or even absent

( Fig. 4b ), while the pre-apical band is

Vitali F.

completely absent. In contrast, antennae of the fossil are more melanistic, being black in T. otiliae n. sp. and reddish in E. elachys . The length of antennal spines is equal in the fossil and unequal in the extant species and finally, elytra are evenly rounded in T. otiliae n. sp. and apically truncated in E. elachys .

The complete absence of eburneous strips is another important character, only shared by E. elachys and E. waltli (Chevrolat 1862) . Just for this reason, Giesbert & Chemsak (1997) considered E. waltli as a doubtful Euderces ; however, Chevrolat (1862) had stated: “third antennomere longest of all, armed with a long spine”, well fitting the genus Euderces . On the contrary, E. elachys shows towards Euderces the same differences concerning the antennal structure evidenced in Tillomorphites : “antennomere III slightly longer than antennomere IV” and “antennomere V the longest” ( Martins & Galileo 2013). Notwithstanding the palpable biogeographical difficulties in accepting this conclusion, E. elachys is not related to the extant American genus Euderces but to the fossil Baltic genus Tillomorphites , to which it is transferred.

Figures

Fig. 4a. Tillomorphites elachys (Martins & Galileo, 2013) n. comb., Holotype.