Colobothea batesi, Tavakilian & Santos-Silva, 2022

Tavakilian, Gérard L. & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2022, A new species of Colobothea Lepeletier & Audinet-Serville, 1825 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae) from Peru, French Guiana, and Brazil, with notes on Colobothea hirtipes (Degeer, 1775), Zootaxa 5219 (3), pp. 265-275 : 266-273

Colobothea batesi sp. nov.

( Figs 1–7 , 13–14 , 23–26 )

Description. Holotype male ( Figs 1–7 , 13 ). Frons blackish; gulamentum black; vertex and area behind upper eye lobes dark brown; area behind lower eye lobes brown; ligula orangish brown; apex of palpomeres reddish brown; anteclypeus brown close to postclypeus, fulvous close to labrum; scape light brown, except darkened apex; pedicel dark brown; antennomeres III–V brown with apex darkened; antennomeres VI–XI dark brown. Pronotum dark brown; sides of prothorax brown; prosternum blackish; prosternal process dark brown basally, gradually brown toward apex. Ventral surface of meso- and metathorax, scutellum, and elytra dark brown. Legs dark brown, except brown central area of protibiae, and basal third of meso- and metatibiae slightly lighter. Ventrites black, except dark reddish brown apex of ventrite 4.

Head. Frons densely, minutely punctate; with dense longitudinal yellow pubescent band close to eyes, pubescent band paler, projected toward center close to postclypeus; with narrow pale-yellow pubescent band on each side of median groove, starting between lower eye lobes, following toward anterior margin of prothorax, wider and distinctly yellow from antennal tubercles; remaining surface with abundant yellowish-brown pubescence partially obscuring integument on inferior half, pubescence denser, more brownish on superior half, except glabrous median groove. Antennal tubercles abundantly, finely punctate; glabrous basally, with dense brownish pubescence on remaining surface. Vertex with abundant dark yellowish-brown pubescence, pubescence appearing to be darker depending on light source, except yellow central band. Area behind upper eye lobes with pubescence as on sides of vertex, except dense, longitudinal yellow pubescent band close to lower eye lobe. Area behind lower eye lobes with abundant dark yellowish-brown pubescence, pubescence appearing to be darker depending on light source, except dense, wide, longitudinal yellow pubescent band inferiorly, which follows along genae close to eye, pubescent band gradually narrowed toward postclypeus. Remaining surface of genae with abundant pale-yellow pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence more yellowish white toward ventral surface, except glabrous apex and narrow longitudinal band close to frons. Gulamentum smooth, glabrous, except narrow area close to anterior margin with abundant white pubescence laterally, pubescence less dense, more yellowish white centrally. Wide central area of postclypeus transversely sulcate after middle; with abundant, bristly pale-yellow pubescence, except glabrous central area; sides with a few long, erect brownish setae. Sides of postclypeus smooth, glabrous. Posterior 2/3 of labrum with abundant dark yellowish-brown pubescence on wide central area, with yellowish-white pubescence laterally, and long, erect brownish setae interspersed; anterior third with sparse, short brownish setae, except anterior margin with fringe of yellowish-brown setae. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.08 times distance between outer margins of eyes; in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.44 times distance between outer margins of eyes. Antennae 2.35 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex slightly after middle of antennomere VI. Scape with abundant yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument dorsally and laterally, slightly sparser, white ventrally. Pedicel with abundant brownish pubescence, except irregular white pubescent macula on base of dorsal surface; with somewhat short, erect, thick black setae ventrally. Antennomere III with abundant, minute yellowishbrown pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence appearing to be darker depending on light intensity, except short, irregular white pubescent macula on inner side and ventral surface of base, and sparse white pubescence interspersed on basal half of ventral surface; with sparse, short, erect, thick black setae ventrally. Antennomere IV with pubescence as on III, except dense white pubescent macula on inner surface of basal third, somewhat abundant white pubescence on basal third of ventral surface, and sparse, short, erect, thick black setae ventrally. Antennomeres V and VII–IX with abundant, minute brownish pubescence; V with a few short, erect, thick black setae ventrally. Antennomere VI with dense white pubescence on basal 2/3, not reaching base on part of dorsal surface and outer surface, and brownish pubescence on posterior third. Antennomere X with abundant white pubescence on dorsal surface of anterior third, not reaching base, and abundant, minute brownish pubescence, with minute white setae interspersed on remaining surface. Antennomere XI with dense white pubescence on basal half, not reaching base, and abundant, minute brownish pubescence with minute white setae interspersed on remaining surface.Antennal formula based on length of antennomere III: scape = 1.04; pedicel = 0.08; IV = 0.87; V = 0.72; VI = 0.65; VII = 0.57; VIII = 0.57; IX = 0.57; X = 0.55; XI = 0.55.

Thorax. Prothorax wider than long; sides gradually divergent from anterolateral to posterolateral angles, slightly sinuous on posterior fifth. Pronotum densely, microscopically punctate; with arched, transverse row of coarse and deep punctures near posterior margin, and a few coarse punctures on remaining posterior third; anterior transverse sulcus sinuous; with two wide, longitudinal, dense yellow pubescent bands from base to apex on each side of central area; remaining surface with abundant, minute brownish pubescence. Sides of prothorax with abundant, minute brownish pubescence close to pronotum, and dense, longitudinal, wide yellow pubescent band close to prosternum. Prosternum with abundant white pubescence not obscuring integument, slightly denser on posterocentral region. Prosternal process with abundant white pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence slightly longer than on prosternum; apical margin with fringe of short yellowish setae; narrowest area 0.28 times procoxal width. Mesoventrite with abundant, decumbent, somewhat long white setae centrally, not reaching base of mesoventral process; somewhat abundant, decumbent yellowish-brown setae on each side of white central setae, not reaching procoxal cavities; and dense white pubescence on remaining surface, except almost glabrous area close to mesoventral process. Mesoventral process with abundant white pubescence (pubescence partially lost in the holotype); apical margin distinctly emarginate centrally. Mesanepisternum with abundant brownish pubescence not obscuring integument close to mesoventrite, and dense yellow pubescent band close to elytra. Mesepimeron with dense yellow pubescence. Metanepisternum with dense yellow pubescence on basal third, abundant brownish pubescence not obscuring integument on remaining surface, except yellow pubescent macula close to elytra on center of posterior third. Metaventrite with dense yellow pubescent macula on sides of anterior half, gradually whitish toward mesocoxal cavities; with dense yellow pubescence band close to metatrochantin, slightly widened close to metanepisternum, distinctly widened and projected toward anterior region on sides of wide central region, pubescence gradually paler toward anterior region; remaining surface with dense white pubescence. Scutellum with brownish pubescence on sides, yellow pubescent macula anterocentrally, and whitish pubescence posterocentrally. Elytra. Sparsely, coarsely punctate on anterior half, punctures gradually finer, sparser on posterior half; with dense, irregular yellow pubescence on anterior 4/5, pubescence paler close to suture on posterior half, projected toward posterior seventh close to suture, and abundant, irregular areas with brownish pubescence interspersed, three of them distinctly larger, one on anterior third of dorsal surface, one about middle close to humeral carina, another on center of dorsal surface after middle; remaining surface of posterior fifth with abundant brownish pubescence not obscuring integument, except with pubescence close to suture, and dense yellowish pubescence apically; with sparse, somewhat long, erect, thick black setae interspersed throughout; humerus rounded projected; apex with outer angle spiniform and sutural angle rounded. Legs. Coxae with abundant yellow pubescence on outer side, yellower on procoxae, and abundant white pubescence on remaining surface. Profemora with dense dark yellowish-brown pubescence on basal 3/4 of inner surface, slightly sparser and darker on apical quarter, except pale-yellow pubescence close to partially glabrous apex, and dense, mostly yellowish-white on remaining surface. Mesofemora with dense yellowish pubescence on peduncle and anterior third of ventral surface of femoral club, and dense whitish pubescence on remaining surface of inner side of club and entire ventral surface; with brownish pubescence on base of dorsal and outer surfaces of femoral club; with dense yellow pubescent macula about middle of outer surface of femoral club, yellow pubescence partially reaching dorsal surface; with dark-brown pubescence on posterior third of ventral surface and part of dorsal surface of femoral club, except pale-yellow pubescence on apex. Metafemora with abundant white pubescence on basal 3/4, except dorsal surface with yellow pubescence on base of peduncle and base of club, brownish pubescence on remaining surface of basal 3/4, and dark-brown pubescence on posterior quarter, except apex with narrow white pubescent band. Protibiae with abundant, minute yellowish-white pubescence on most of apical 3/4, except dense, bristly yellowish-brown pubescence ventrally on posterior quarter; meso- and metatibiae with dense white pubescent ring about middle, projected toward base ventrally, brownish pubescence on remaining surface, except bristly, dark yellowish-brown pubescence on ventral surface of posterior half; with sparse, short, thick, erect black setae on center of ventral surface. Tarsomeres I–II, basal region of III, and outer surface of V with dense white pubescence; remaining surface of III and IV with brownish pubescence. Protarsomeres I–III distinctly wider than meso- and metatarsomeres I–III.

Abdomen. Sides of ventrite 1 with dense yellow pubescence, not reaching base, gradually paler toward central region, except elongate macula with minute brownish pubescence, remaining surface with abundant white pubescence (partially lost on anterocentral region). Ventrite 2 with dense yellow pubescence laterally, projected toward central region basally and apically, abundant whitish pubescence on wide posterocentral half, except glabrous apex, and abundant brownish pubescence on remaining surface, except small, irregular whitish pubescent macula on each side of middle. Ventrite 3 with dense yellow pubescence laterally, triangularly projected centrally toward middle, except dark-brown pubescent macula on anterior third close to outer margin; remaining surface of anterior half with brownish pubescence, and remaining surface of posterior half with whitish pubescence, except glabrous apex. Ventrite 4 with dense white pubescence, except with dark-brown pubescent macula on each side of anterior half, brownish pubescence on wide central area of anterior third, and glabrous central apex. Sides of ventrite 5 slightly convergent on anterior 2/3, more distinctly convergent on posterior third; apex strongly concave, making the outer angles projected; with abundant brownish pubescence not obscuring integument, except small white pubescent macula on each side of base, somewhat abundant whitish pubescence basally between two white pubescent maculae, and dense yellowish-white pubescence on sides of posterior third.

Female ( Figs 6–7 , 14 ). Similar to males, differing especially by generic features (lateral setae on protarsus shorter and sparser; ventrite 5 longer than 3–4 together), and by antennae shorter, 1.95 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at basal third of antennomere VII (antennae measured only in a paratype female).

Chromatic variations in the paratypes. Antennae mostly darker; ventral surface of meso- and metathorax blackish. As in Colobothea hirtipes (Degeer; 1775), the dark elytral areas present in the large anterior maculate region (such as ocelli) are sometimes absent.

Dimensions (mm) (Holotype male/ paratypes male (16)/ paratypes female (31)). Total length, 17.45/11.8– 24.15/16.20–22.80; prothoracic length, 3.10/2.60–4.30/2.30–3.45; anterior prothoracic width, 2.90/2.60–4.10/2.55– 3.75; posterior and maximum prothoracic width, 3.95/3.25–5.35/3.45–4.70; humeral width, 4.80/4.00–6.55/4.10– 5.75; elytral length, 12.50/10.60–17.40/11.20–15.90.

Type material. Holotype male from FRENCH GUIANA: Crique Plomb (Sinnamary), obtenu de tronc nourricier ( Machaerium sp. , Fabaceae, Denis Loubry det.), 4.I.1993, G. Tavakilian leg. ( MNHN). Paratypes — PERU, Amazonas: Picuroyacu, Loreto River, 1 male, VII.2015, no collector indicated ( MZSP). FRENCH GUIANA: Grand Matoury, “battage”, 1 female, 14.I.1982, G. Tavakilian leg. ( GTPC); Piste de Kaw, pk 37, sur liane, de jour, 1 female, 25.X.1992, Jean-Aimé Cerda leg. ( GTPC); Petit Matoury, “battage de Conceveiba ”, 1 female, 8.III.1983, G. Tavakilian leg. ( GTPC); Paracou, 1 male, 10.VII.1995, Pascal Petronelli leg. ( GTPC); Piste Coralie, pk 7, “plégeage lumineux”, 1 female, 28.VII.1989, F. & Jean-Jacques Briswalter leg. ( GTPC); Barrage de Petit-Saut, “à la lumière”, 1 female, 15.XI.1992, Philippe Cerdan leg. ( GTPC); Remire, “à vue, de jour”, 1 female, 11.X.1995, Franklin Luquet leg. ( GTPC). BRAZIL, Amazonas: Rio Aripuana, Prainha, 1 female ( MZSP 52272), 20-30.IX.1971, José L. da Silva leg. ( MZSP); Benjamin Constant, Rio Javari, 1 male ( MZSP 52301), 1 female ( MZSP 52300), III.1942, B. Pohl leg. ( MZSP); 5 females ( MZSP 52279; MZSP 52289; MZSP 52291; MZSP 52292; MZSP 52306; MZSP 52308), X.1961, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); 1 female ( MZSP 52305), XI.1961, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); 2 males ( MZSP 52297; MZSP 52308), XII.1961, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); 1 female ( MZSP 52290), III.1962, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); 1 male ( MZSP 52302), 1 female ( MZSP 52299), IX.1963, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); 1 male ( MZSP 52286), 1 female ( MZSP 52288), X.1963, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); 2 females ( MZSP 52293; MZSP 52309), IX.1964, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); Manicoré, 1 female ( MZSP 52280), IX.1923, no collector indicated (formerly Navarro de Andrade collection, MZSP); Rio Juruá, 1 female ( MZSP 52281), 4.IX.1985, no collector indicated ( MZSP); São Paulo de Olivença, 1 male ( MZSP 52282), VIII.1925, H. C. Boy leg. ( MZSP); (Rio Solimões), 1 male ( MZSP 52294), VII.1935, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); Porto Velho, Rio Jamari, 1 male ( MZSP 52303), 1 female ( MZSP 52287), X.1944, B. POHL leg. ( MZSP); Borba, (Rio Madeira), 1 female ( MZSP 52295), XII.1943, B. POHL leg. ( MZSP); 1 male ( MZSP 52296), V.1943, B. Pohl leg. ( MZSP). Pará: Óbidos, 1 female ( MZSP 52271), II.1938, no collector indicated (formerly Zellibor collection, MZSP); 1 female ( MZSP 52276), IX.1938, no collector indicated (formerly Zellibor collection, MZSP); 1 female ( MZSP 52274), XII.1964, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); Santaremsinho, Mun. de Itaituba, Rio Tapajós , 1 female ( MZSP 52273), I.1964, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection); Santarém, Fazenda Taperinha, 1 female ( MZSP 52307), 1920, HAGMANN leg. ( MZSP); 1 female ( MZSP 52278), XI.1970, Exp. Perm. Amaz. leg. ( MZSP). Rondônia: Forte Príncipe da Beira , 1 male ( MZSP 52275 ), 19.XI-3.XII.1967, G.R. KLOSS leg. ( MZSP) . Acre: Seringal Catuaba, BR 236, 33 km de Rio Branco , 1 female ( MZSP 52277 ), 17.VIII.1973, F. do VAL leg. ( MZSP) ; Tarauacá, Rio Tarauacá , 1 male ( MZSP 52304 ) , 1 female ( MZSP 52298 ), XI.1956, no collector indicated (formerly Diringshoffen collection) . Mato Grosso: Aripuanã ( Dardanelos ), 3 males ( MZSP 52283 , MZSP 52284 , MZSP 52285 ), 19.X.1976, M. M. Dias leg. ( MZSP) .

Paratypes found in historical collections deposited in MNHN (the text reproduces the labels): 1 male, Ex-Musaeo Mniszech, sexlineata Cayenne , Annulata Serv. 1835.64 Marmorea Dej. Cay. (ex collection J. Thomson> René Oberthür ) ; 3 males, 1 female, Teffé ( Ega ) Amazones M. de Mathan 3 e. Trimestre 1878; 1 male, Amazones Obydos M. de Mathan (2 e. Trimestre 1878) ( Museum Paris ex Coll. R. Oberthür) ; 1 male, Guyane franç. St. Laurentdu-Maroni E. Le Moult 1903.4 ; 1 male, contaminata Serville, Tapajos ; 1 male, Amaz., Colobothea contaminata Serv., Ex Musaeo W. W. Saunders ; 1 male, Amazones Pebas Dr. Hahnel; 1 female (without head), Colobothea contaminata Serv. ♀ EgA ; 1 mAle, wiThouT indicATions ( Museum PAris Coll. H. W. BATes 1952) ; 1 mAle, GuyAne frAnç. Roches de Kourou E. Le Moult 1905:6 ; 1 male, 2 females, Guyane Françse Nouveau Chantier Collection Le Moult; 3 males and 1 female, Guyane Françse St-Jean du Maroni Collection Le Moult ; 1 male, contaminata Bates (nec S.), Guyane franç. Pariacabo, E. Le Moult 1905.6; 2 females, Guyane franç. Gourdonville E. Le Moult 1905.6; 1 male, Guyane Française St-Laurent du Maroni Coll. Le Moult (Museum Paris 1915 Coll. E. Gounelle) ; 1 female, Cayenne , Coll. Ancey, (Museum Paris 1946 Col. H. de Touzalin) .

Note: In 2010, the first author was a reviewer of the work by Monné & Monné (2010), on the species of Colobothea from Bolivia. During the review, it was noted that the authors were illustrating a specimen as being C. hirtipes . In fact, this specimen belonged to the new species described herein. In the published work, the authors have changed the figure, illustrating a true specimen of C. hirtipes . Therefore, we are sure that C. batesi sp. nov. is present in the Bolivian fauna. Its presence in the Amazon region may follow the wide distribution of its host plant of the genus Machaerium .

Biology. Known host-plant, Machaerium sp. (Fabaceae) .

Etymology and notes. In honor of Henry Walter BATES who described 59 species of Colobothea , with 50 valid species in a very difficult group. He was a very accurate entomologist who spent 11 years collecting in the Amazon region and was the first to see the difference between C. hirtipes and C. batesi . Unfortunately, he did not see the type of Colobothea contaminata Audinet-Serville. Gounelle , in his collection, had labeled one male collected in French Guiana (Saint-Jean du Maroni) sold to him by Eugène Le Moult as “ contaminata sensu Bates , nec Audinet-Serville.” Both ignored that C. contaminata was a junior synonym of C. hirtipes , C. annulata Fabricius , and C. lineata Fabricius. This was elucidated when Maxwell Barclay (BMNH) sent to the first author the picture of a type of C. contaminata in 2010.

Remarks. Colobothea batesi sp. nov. is similar to C. hirtipes (De Geer, 1775) , and differs by the humeral shape: rounded projected in the former ( Figs 13–14 ); straight and not projected in the latter ( Figs 15–16 ). Although we only observed one difference, it is conspicuous and allows us to easily separate the two species. Furthermore, we have access to over 70% of the known species and did not find this difference in any of them. Even in the species of which we have large series of specimens, no variation in humeral shape was observed as, for example: C. schmidtii Bates, 1865 (about 100 specimens); C. seriatomaculata Zajciw, 1962 (about 80 specimens); C. poecila (Germar, 1823) (about 60 specimens); C. rubroornata Zajciw, 1962 (about 60 specimens); C. emarginata (Olivier, 1795) (about 80 specimens); C. fasciata Bates, 1865 (about 50 specimens); C. flavoguttata Aurivillius, 1902 (about 40 specimens); C. musiva (Germar, 1823) (about 100 specimens); C. naevigera Bates, 1865 (about 60 specimens); C. cassandra (Dalman, 1823) (about 60 specimens); C. brullei Gahan, 1889 (about 30 specimens). Even in C. discicollis Gahan, 1889 , a species with the humerus identical to that in C. hirtipes , no variation was observed in over 20 specimens. As the new species and C. hirtipes occur in the same region, at least in French Guiana and Brazil, the hypothesis of it being a subspecies can be disregarded.

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Colobothea batesi sp. nov. 1–5) Holotype male: 1) Dorsal habitus; 2) Ventral habitus; 3) Lateral habitus; 4) Head, frontal view; 5) Head and pronotum, oblique view. 6–7) Paratype female: 6) Dorsal habitus; 7) Ventral habitus.

FIGURES 8–16. Colobothea spp. 8–10) Colobothea hirtipes (De Geer, 1775), male from Brazil, Pará, Serra Norte: 8) Dorsal habitus; 9) Ventral habitus; 10) Head and pronotum, oblique view. 11–12) C. hirtipes, female from Venezuela: 11) Dorsal habitus; 12) Ventral habitus. 13–16) Humerus: 13) C. batesi sp. nov., holotype male; 14) C. batesi sp. nov., paratype female; 15) C. hirtipes, male; 16) C. hirtipes, female.

FIGURES 23–30. 23–26) Colobothea batesi sp. nov.: 23) Male paratype, dorsal habitus; 24) Female paratype, dorsal habitus; 25) Male paratype from Thomson collection (MNHN), dorsal habitus and labels; 26) Male paratype from Bates collection (MNHN), dorsal habitus and labels. 27–30) Syntypes of Colobothea concreta Bates, 1865 (MNHN), dorsal habitus and labels: 27) Female from Brazil (Pará); 28) Male from Tapajós; 29) Female from Tapajós; 30) Male from Tapajós. Photographs 23–24 and 27–30 by Christophe Rivier.