Urgleptes charynae 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 : 64

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Cerambycidae

Urgleptes charynae Ravin & Lingafelter sp. n. Figs 3, 8c, 10, 17

Diagnosis.

This species is recognized by the mostly uniform, light ferruginous integument covered by mostly uniform pubescence. The elytra have slightly denser patches of white pubescence postmedially extending across the disk (sometimes forming circular patches). Underneath these pubescent patches, the integument is slightly darkened. The pronotum has dense, white pubescence anterolaterally, extending to the lateral tubercles. The only other species with mostly uniform integument color and mostly lacking dense pubescent patches is Urgleptes obliteratus . That species is easily distinguished by its much paler integument and typically bold, black, postmedial elytral and pronotal spots. Additionally, Urgleptes charynae has the scape uniformly brown, slightly darker apically, unlike other species which usually contain a subapical spot or flavous base.

Description.

Measurements: body length: 3.6-5.3 mm; body width: 1.3-1.9 mm; elytral length: 2.5-3.8 mm; elytral width: 0.7-1.0 mm; pronotal length: 0.7-1.0 mm; pronotal width: 1.1-1.6 mm; body length/pronotal length: 5.3-5.4; elytral length/elytral width: 3.9-4.0; pronotal length/pronotal width: 0.6.

Head: integument brown, becoming darker at frontoclypeal margin, and apices of antennal tubercles. Covered in vestiture of appressed white pubescence on genae, occiput, and posterior margin of lower eye lobe. Antenna: with exception of apical antennomeres being uniform throughout, antennomeres mostly flavous with darkened apices; covered in dense appressed, gold to brown pubescence. Antennal apices with thickened bristle-like setae along mesal surface of third and fourth segments of most specimens. Sixth antennomere shortest, being just under three-fourths length of third antennomere. Antennae extending beyond elytral apices by approximately 5 segments. Antennal scape extending to posterior fourth of pronotum; uniformly light brown, weakly darker at apex; covered in uniform, appressed, gold pubescence. Eye: lower eye lobe slightly more than 2 × height of upper eye lobe; lobes narrowly connected by about 5 rows of ommatidia in most specimens. Upper eye lobes separated by slightly more than greatest width of lower eye lobe. Mouthparts: clypeus pallid; lacking distinct pubescence; and finely punctate. Labrum slightly darker than clypeus; with 7 suberect, dark brown setae; anteriorly fringed with translucent setae. Mandibles light brown, distinctly darkened on apical fourth; with two dark brown setae along lateral margin.

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 and down sides; no other distinct punctures visible. Integument mostly brown, slightly darker medially and along posterior constriction; anterior pronotal collar distinctly dark brown. Pronotal disc finely coated in gold pubescence; with anterolateral patches of white pubescent fasciae; surrounding pubescence dense, ashy-white, covering tubercles; sometimes concentrating on posterior constriction behind lateral spines. No distinct calli present on pronotal disc. Prosternum impunctate; covered in dense vestiture of white pubescence. Prosternal process extremely narrow between procoxae, about half width of anterior pronotal collar, and greatly expanded posteriorly. Mesepimeron toward metepisternal apex coated with dense, appressed, white pubescence becoming thinner ventrally. Mesosternal intercoxal process about twice as broad as prosternal process. Integument of ventral sclerites mostly light brown, with margin of coxal cavity darkened. Scutellum brown with darker posterior edge; broadly rounded posteriorly. Elytra: moderately dense, coarsely punctate; elytral disc mostly light-ferruginous; dark brown at epipleuron; dark brown postmedially to apex; covered in mottled white-grey to brown pubescence. Periscutellar region slightly raised; coated in ferruginous pubescence; surrounding region weakly concave; with moderately dense, appressed, white-grey pubescence extending from humerus to submedial suture. Epipleural integument mostly dark brown; medially giving rise to discontinuous, oblique, dark brown maculae, each surrounded by distinctly dense, white, appressed, pubescent fasciae. Postmedial pubescence along disc white-grey; integument becoming dark brown to apical third. Elytral apex subtruncate, with outer apical angle slightly more produced posteriorly than sutural angle. Legs: femora mostly light-ferruginous; slightly darker laterally, most visibly on mesofemora; uniformly covered with pale-golden pubescence. Tibiae basally flavous-ferruginous; submedially dark brown towards apices with dark brown, postmedial, thickened, bristle-like setae. Mesotibiae with dorsal concavity apically, also lined with bristle-like setae. Tibiae slightly longer than femora; hind legs slightly longer than forelegs. Tarsomeres basally flavous-ferruginous, becoming brown apically; generally coated with short, suberect, dark setae; with off-white ventral pubescence on lobed fourth tarsomere.

Abdomen: ventrites covered with moderately dense, appressed, pale pubescence; integument mottled brown, posteriorly lighter, apical margin pallid. Fifth ventrite one and a half times longer than fourth ventrite and fringed with slightly denser golden pubescence.

Distribution.

Endemic to Hispaniola, this species is known from both the Cordillera Central and southern Sierra de Neiba mountain ranges (Fig. 17) where it has been collected from May through November, at high elevations between 600-2450 m, often in or near pine forests.

Etymology.

We name this species for our friend and colleague, Charyn Micheli, who collected the holotype and many other specimens in the genus. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Type material.

Holotype (male): DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Vega Prov., Pico Duarte trail below La Compartición, 2450 m, 19°02.254'N, 70°58.155'W, day collecting, 1 July 2004, Charyn J. Micheli (USNM); Paratypes: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Vega Prov., 10 km NE of Jarabacoa, 8-12 May 1985, J. E. Wappes (ACMT); Sierra de Neiba, 9.4 km SSW El Cercado, 1973 m, 18°39'18"N, 71°32'51"W, hand collected in meadow near mature pine forest, 18-19 November 2004, C. W. Young, J. E. Rawlins, C. Nunez, V. Verdecia, and W. Zanol (CMNH, 2); 9 km NE of Jarabacoa, 2000 ft, 8-12 May 1985, E. Giesbert (FSCA); 9 km NE of Jarabacoa 8-12 May 1985, E. Giesbert (FSCA, 2); Constanza, 17 July 1996, R. Turnbow (RHTC, 2); 13 km S of Constanza, El Convento Rd, 1450 m, 18°50.915'N, 70°41.059'W, 28 July 1999, M. A. Ivie & K. A. Guerrero (WIBF); 3 km N of Jarabacoa, 25 May 1992, R. Turnbow (RHTC, 2); 1 km N of Tireo Arriba, 24 May 1992, R. Turnbow (RHTC); 1 km NW Manabao, 6 June 1994, M. C. Thomas (FSCA); 1.4-2.6 km E of Manabao, 5 June 1994, M. C. Thomas (FSCA, 5); 2.6-6.4 km E of Manabao, 4 June 1994, M. C. Thomas (FSCA); Vicinity of La Cienaga, mercury vapor/UV light, 18 July 1996, M. C. Thomas (FSCA, 3); 1 km NW Manabao 6 June 1994, M. C. Thomas (FSCA); 1.4-2.6 km E of Manabao, 6 June 1994, M. C. Thomas (FSCA); San Juan Prov., San Juan, 7 km N of Arroyo Cano, 1 km S of Los Fríos, 1120 m, 18°52'N, 71°01'W, second growth pine forest, 1 September 1995, J. Rawlins, G. Onore, R. Davidson (CMNH); Santiago Prov., Parque Nacional José Armando Bermúdez, El Rodeo, 1456 m, 19°08'N, 71°02'W, 10 July 1992, M. A. & R. O. Ivie (WIBF).