Ischasia martinsi Wappes and Santos-Silva, 2017

Wappes, James E. & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2017, New Neotropical Rhinotragini and a new country record for Nicaragua (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae), Insecta Mundi 2017 (530), pp. 1-24 : 11-13

Ischasia martinsi Wappes and Santos-Silva , n. sp.

( Fig. 22–24 )

Ischasia rufina Thompson, 1864 ; Giesbert 1991: 393.

Diagnosis. Giesbert (1991) recorded I. rufina Thomson, 1864 from Costa Rica and Panama, writing: “ Ischasia rufina is very close to the often sympatric I. nevermanni Fisher , which may be distinguished by the black head, wider and somewhat arcuate elytral sutural dehiscence, narrowly rounded apex of the terminal abdominal sternite in both sexes, and the lack of silvery pubescence on the scutellum or underside.”

Ischasia martinsi differs from I. nevermanni by the features pointed out by Giesbert (1991), by the elytral apex distinctly wider (notably narrow in I. nevermanni ), and by the peduncle of metafemora mostly dark (totally reddish in I. nevermanni ).

From I. rufina it differs as follows: elytral apex with black spot; ventrites II–IV with wide lateral patch of shining whitish-gray pubescence. In I. rufina the elytra are totally reddish or have a black macula laterally, along distal 1/2, that may or may not involve the apex (in this latter case, the macula is always very narrow at apex), and the shining whitish-gray lateral pubescence on ventrites is very narrow and elongate, or absent.

An examination of the Giesbert specimens (now housed at the FSCA) indicates his description of I. rufina sensu Giesbert (1991) corresponds to Ischasia martinsi and as such the specimens he studied are included here as paratypical specimens. Thusly, I. rufina should be excluded from the known fauna of Costa Rica and Panama.

Description. Integument orangish, except for: parts of mandibles dark brown; pedicel dark brown; surface of antennomere III mostly dark brown; dorsal and inner side of antennomeres IV–XI mostly dark brown; apex of elytra dark brown to black; peduncle of metafemora mostly dark brown; pro- and mesotibiae dark brown on base and outer surface; metatibiae mostly dark brown, with reddish areas; pro- and mesotarsi reddish brown, with tarsomere V darker; metatarsi brown, with tarsomere V dark brown.

Head. Not elongated behind eyes (posterior edge of eyes close to anterior edge of prothorax); rostrum (between apex of lower eye lobe and genal apex), in frontal view, about as long as length of lower eye lobe. Frons coarsely, confluently punctate; with narrow carina from clypeus to base of antennal tubercles; with sparse, short setae, slightly denser close to eyes. Vertex abundantly, coarsely punctate (punctures smaller than on frons); with sparse, short setae. Coronal suture distinct from clypeus to anterior edge of prothorax. Antennal tubercles abundantly, coarsely punctate on front of basal 1/2, smooth on remaining surface. Clypeus abundantly, moderately coarsely punctate, except for smooth distal portion; with sparse, short setae on punctate area, with a long setae on each side. Outer surface of mandibles coarsely, confluently punctate on base, sparsely, moderately finely punctate towards dorsal surface and apex; with short setae on outer base, and a few long setae on side. Area behind lower eye lobes, near area of interconnection of lobes, abundantly, finely punctate, remaining surface smooth towards prothorax, except for narrow abundantly punctate area, and row of sparse long setae, close to eye. Genae abundantly, coarsely punctate, except for smooth area close to apex; with sparse, short setae. Gula smooth, shining and glabrous. Submentum transversely striate, mainly towards anterior edge; abundantly, moderately coarsely punctate; with moderately sparse, long setae. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.70 times length of scape; in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.65 times length of scape. Antennae 2.3 times elytral length; reaching elytral apex at distal 1/3 of antennomere IX; scape coarsely punctate on basal 1/2, gradually smoother towards apex, with sparse, long, thick dark setae; pedicel with, thick dark setae on ventral side; antennomeres III–V with sparse, long, thick dark setae on ventral side; antennomeres VI–X with moderately long, thick dark setae near apex (shorter towards distal antennomeres); antennal formula (ratio) based on antennomere III: scape = 0.75; pedicel = 0.33; IV = 0.48; V = 0.73; VI = 0.63; VII = 0.55; VIII = 0.48; IX = 0.43; X = 0.38; XI = 0.60.

Thorax. Prothorax subcylindrical, longer than wide; lateral sides divergent from anterior edge to about basal 1/4, then narrowed towards base. Pronotum densely, coarsely, deeply punctate, punctures distinctly shallower centrally close to anterior edge; disc pubescent on base and anterior 1/4; surface with moderately sparse, long setae throughout. Sides of prothorax coarsely, deeply punctate (punctures sparser towards anterior edge), except for smooth area on inferior half close to anterior margin; with sparse, short setae. Prosternum densely, moderately coarsely punctate on basal 2/3, smooth, shining and glabrous on anterior 1/3; punctate area pubescent, sparsely interspersed with long setae. Prosternal process narrowed centrally, broadly, triangularly expanded towards apex. Mesepimeron and mesepisternum with gray pubescence. Metepisterna sparsely, finely punctate; anterior 1/2 with moderately sparse, long setae, except for narrow, transverse whitish-gray pubescent band; posterior 1/2 with large, sub-triangular whitish gray pubescent area. Metasternum abundantly, coarsely punctate laterally, on basal 1/2, sparsely, finely punctate on remaining surface; pubescent around mesocoxal cavities; with sparse, long setae throughout. Scutellum, whitish gray pubescent. Elytra. Short, reaching only basal 1/3 of first abdominal segment; dehiscent along suture from about middle to apex; densely, coarsely punctate (punctures somewhat confluent near apex); apex widely rounded; with moderately abundant, long setae on basal 1/2, sparser, distinctly shorter setae towards apex. Legs. Metafemora almost attaining apex of abdomen.

Abdomen. Ventrites shining, very sparsely, finely punctate; ventrites II–III with large spot of whitish-gray pubescence laterally; ventrite IV with conspicuous, whitish-gray pubescence laterally; remaining surface of ventrites with short and long sparse setae.

Dimensions in mm (female/male). Total length (from mandibular apex to abdominal apex), 8.00– 10.70/8.20–10.20; prothorax: length, 1.50–2.20/1.60–1.80; anterior width, 1.00–1.40/1.10–1.25; posterior width, 1.00–1.60/1.10–1.35; humeral width, 1.40–2.10/1.50–1.70; elytral length, 2.20–3.10/2.20–2.70.

Type material. Holotype female from PANAMA, Panama: 13-18 km N El Llano , 29.V-3.VI.1983, Wappes col. ( MZSP) . Paratypes (26) – PANAMA, Panama: Cerro Azul near McReynolds Finca , 1 female, 20- 21.V.1999, Wappes & Morris col., ( ACMT) ; Cerro Azul , microndas, 1 female, 20/V/1999, Morris / Wappes ( RFMC) ; Cerro Campana (2100’), 1 female, 26.V-3.VI.1981, E. Giesbert col. ( FSCA) ; 1 male, 1.VI.1983, E. Giesbert col. ( ACMT) ; 1 female, 18-19.V.1984, E. Giesbert col. ( FSCA) ; Cerro Jefe (2800’), 1 male, 1 female, 14.V.1984, E. Giesbert col. ( FSCA) ; 10 km N El Llano (1400’), 1 female, 28.V-3.VI.1984 ( FSCA) ; 10-13 km N El Llano , 4 females ( FSCA), 1 female ( ACMT), 1 female ( MZSP), 3-5.VI.1982, E. Giesbert col. ; 7-10 km N El Llano , 1 female, 4 males ( FSCA), 1 male ( MZSP), 14-22.V.1993, E. Giesbert col. ; 2 males, 21-30.IV.1995, E. Giesbert col. ( FSCA). Colon: Fort Sherman , 1 female, 31.V-1.VI.1981, E. Giesbert col. ( FSCA) . COSTA RICA, Cartago: Turrialba ( CATIE), 2 males, 28-31.V.1987, E. Giesbert col. ( FSCA). Guanacaste: Maritza Sta. (ACG; 1800’), 1 male, 14-16.V.1996, E. Giesbert col. ( FSCA) .

Remark. This is one of the Rhinotragine species where sexes can be readily separated by the placement and size of the lower eye lobes. In the males they are very large and nearly contiguous in front, while in females they are widely separated ( Fig. 22 ) and no more than 2/3 as large.

Etymology. Named to honor Ubirajara (Bira) R. Martins (now deceased) who is remembered as a great friend, an immensely productive, indefatigable worker, and the leading New World Cerambycidae authority of his time.

Figures

Figures 19–24. Chariergodes and Ischasia. 19–21. Chariergodes lingafelteri sp. nov., holotype female, habitus: 19) Dorsal; 20) Ventral; 21) Lateral. 22–24. Ischasia martinsi sp. nov., holotype female, habitus: 22) Dorsal; 23) Ventral; 24) Lateral.