Rhytiphora argentata Breuning, 1938

Ashman, Lauren G., Keyzer, Roger De & S ́ Lipińsk, Adam, 2023, The Australian genus Rhytiphora (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) with a revision of the Rhytiphora collaris group, Zootaxa 5312 (1), pp. 1-62 : 23-25

Rhytiphora argentata Breuning, 1938 ( Figs. 7C–D , 8D , 9F , 3A, 3D–E )

Rhytiphora (Rhytiphora) argentata Breuning, 1938a: 95 . TL: Geraldton, Western Australia

Diagnosis. One specimen from Kumarina has been sequenced (ANIC 25-073818, R. ‘sp silver’; Ashman et al. 2022a, 2022b), and is closely related to the dallasii group ( R. dallasii , R. browni and R. macleayi ). Rhytiphora argentata can be easily distinguished from these species by its smaller body size and different colour pattern: the R. dallasii group all have broad black and silver stripes and banded antennae ( Figs. 1G , 2C ). Morphologically, R. argentata is more similar to the collaris group, particularly R. piperitia ( Figs. 7B , 8F ); it can be distinguished from these species by its larger eyes, punctate scape and thick silver-white lateral stripe on the elytra (present even in the yellower, faded specimens).

Description. Body small to medium-sized, elongate: body length 12.0– 21.2 mm, width 3.8–6.4 mm. Winged. Dark brown with silver-white setae, forming longitudinal stripes and stippling on elytra ( Figs. 7C , 8D , 3A, 3E ).

Head with frontoclypeus square, eyes slanted ( Fig. 7D , 3D ). Eyes moderately faceted, ringed with white setae, deeply emarginate, lobes connected by 2 rows ommatidia. Lower lobes separated by 2.6–3.4 times eye width, slightly longer than gena (gena 0.8–0.9 times as long as lower lobe). Upper lobes separated by 1.6 times width of antennal socket, same length as antennal socket. Antennal tubercules fairly prominent, separated by 3.2 times width of antennal socket. Clypeus arcuate with membranous anteclypeus visible beneath, mandibles apically obtuse, maxillary and labial palps blunt ( Fig. 7D ). Frontoclypeus yellow-white (setae often rubbed off), gena white, occipital suture with faint white outline. Antennae extending slightly beyond elytral apices in male, with ventral fringe of long, dense setae on antennomeres 2–11. Scape coarsely punctate, gradually expanding apically, 2.5 times as long as wide, 4 times longer than pedicel, shorter than antennomere 3, posteriorly extending a little beyond anterior margin of pronotum. Antennomere 3 longer than 4. Antennomeres 3–11 covered with fine setae, white (3–5) darkening to tan (6–11).

Prothorax subquadrate, 0.8 times as long as wide, base distinctly narrower than humeri. Lateral margins without tubercules; pronotal disc finely punctate with shallow transverse grooves and two small median granules, mottled with fine silver-white setae. Prosternal process narrow, arcuate. Procoxae without spiniform projection in males.

Elytra finely punctate, granulate in basal and central thirds, without distinct basal projections. Silver-white setae forming thin and thick longitudinal stripes along elytral suture and lateral margins respectively, interrupted by granules; dark brown surface exposed between longitudinal stripes, mottled with silver-white spots usually forming longitudinal rows. In some specimens the dorsal setae on pronotum and elytra are faded to yellow. Elytral apices slightly truncate.

Legs covered with fine white setae; male protibial tubercule absent. Mesoventrite arcuate without anterior projection. Metaventrite twice as long as mesoventrite with central strip of dense silver-white setae.

Ventrite 2 with broad yellow sex patches in male, covering majority of ventrite length; fringe of ventrite 1 slightly thicker in male than other ventrite fringes. Ventrite 5 slightly longer than 4 in female, with slight apical divot and endocarina.

Male genitalia: parameres thick, apically blunt and setose; penis tip with slight projection ( Fig. 9F ).

Types. Holotype female: “Geraldton, WA H. W. Brown ” // “coll. Erben ” // “TYPUS” // “ Rhytiphora argentata mihi Typ det. Breuning ” ( NMP; Figs. 3A, 3D–E ).

Other material examined: Marloo Stn. Wurarga, WA 1931–1941, A. Goerling (7 specimens; ANIC 25- 061934, Figs. 7C–D , 8D ; male genitalia dissection, Fig. 9F ); WA: 25km N. Kumarina 10 Mar 2015 MV Light P. M. Hutchinson (2 specimens in ethanol, ANIC 25-073818); 20.22S, 134.14E 30km N. of Wauchope, NT 132.x.72, M. S. Upton (2 specimens, ANIC); 63km N. of Wubin, WA 26. Jan. 1999, P. Hutchinson // Rhytiphora on Acacia stem (1 specimen, PHIC); Die Hardy Ra. West. Aust. 2. Feb. 2000 P. Hutchinson // Rhytiphora to light (1 specimen, PHIC); L. Monger West. Aust. 8. Jan. 2002 P. Hutchinson // to light (1 specimen, PHIC); 45km E. of Yalgoo W. Aust. 4. Mar. 2008, P. Hutchinson // Platyomopsis on Acacia (1 specimen, PHIC); Australia: N. WA Newman, Dec 24, 1975, E. Exley & R. Storey on Eucal. // ex UQIC Collection (1 specimen, QM); Cue/Southern Cross/Carnavon/ Dedari/Geraldton WA H. W. Brown (12 specimens, AM); WA: 25km E of Sandstone 17 Jan. 1989, M. S. & B. J. Moulds (17 specimens, AM); W. Australien Marloo Station Wurarga XI–XII 1934 / II 1935, Gebr./A Goerling S. G. (2 specimens, RBI). The specimens from Wauchope, Newman and Sandstone are of a different colour to the rest (dorsal setae yellow-orange).

Distribution and host plants. Southwest to central Western Australia, potentially extending into southern Northern Territory. Localities include: Perth, Southern Cross, Wubin, Die Hardy Range, Geraldton, Wurarga, Cue, Kumarina, Newman, (Wauchope). This species has been collected from Acacia and Eucalyptus trees.

Remarks. The holotype of R. argentata ( Breuning 1938a, 1963b with corrected measurements) has been recently recovered by the Prague National Museum (NMP), and made available to us through high quality photographs by J. Hájek ( Figs. 3A, 3D–E ). Here we present a redescription based on the male specimen ANIC 25-061934 from Wurarga.

DISCUSSION

In addition to the collaris group (see above), there are several other species complexes requiring further investigation: these are discussed below, listed alphabetically (and also marked in the checklist). Some complexes have been synonymised, some have not; in most cases, population-level genetic sequencing is needed to complement the ambiguous morphological evidence. We also discuss some unusual Rhytiphora species, summarise the available host plant information, and present a list of corrected species identifications of Rhytiphora figures in Ślipiński & Escalona (2013).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Rhytiphora species in their natural habitats. A: Rhytiphora albospilota Aurivillius, 1893, © P. Zborowski. B: Rhytiphora pardalina (Breuning, 1942), © P. Zborowski. C: Rhytiphora diva (Thomson, 1860), © J. Lochman. D: Rhytiphora nigrovirens (Donovan, 1805), © P. Zborowski. E: Rhytiphora lateralis (Pascoe, 1858), © S. Harris. F: Rhytiphora saundersii (Pascoe, 1857), © A. Sundholm. G: Rhytiphora dallasii Pascoe, 1869, © R. de Keyzer. H: Rhytiphora obliqua (Donovan, 1805), © R. de Keyzer.

FIGURE 2. Rhytiphora species, holotypes (A–J) and reference photos (K–L). A: Rhytiphora detrita male Hope, 1842. B: Mesiphiastus (Pubiphiastus) laterialbus female Breuning, 1970. C: Rhytiphora macleayi female Lea, 1912. D: Corrhenes (Corrhenes) paulla fuscosignata male Breuning, 1970. E: Acanthocinus piliger female Macleay, 1826. F: Rhytiphora piperitia female Hope, 1842. G: Menyllus rotundipennis male Breuning, 1968. H: Rhytiphora (Rhytiphora) subargentata male Breuning, 1970. I: Rhytiphora (Saperdopsis) tenimberensis male Breuning, 1973 [R. sundaensis]. J: Rhytiphora tuberculata male Hope, 1842. K: Rhytiphora rugicollis female (Dalman, 1817). L: Rhytiphora frenchiana female Breuning, 1961.

FIGURE 3. Rhytiphora species, holotypes recovered by the Prague National Museum. A: Rhytiphora argentata female Breuning, 1938, dorsal. B: Rhytiphora obenbergeri male Breuning, 1938, dorsal. C: Rhytiphora (Saperdopsis) obsoleta female Breuning, 1938, dorsal. D: Rhytiphora argentata female Breuning, 1938, frontal. E: Rhytiphora argentata female Breuning, 1938, lateral. F: Rhytiphora obenbergeri male Breuning, 1938, lateral.

FIGURE 7. Rhytiphora species, dorsal and frontal (head only) views. A: Rhytiphora collaris female (ANIC 25-067050). B: Rhytiphora piperitia male (ANIC 25-058414). C–D: Rhytiphora argentata male (ANIC 25-061934). E: Rhytiphora garnetensis sp. nov. paratype male.

FIGURE 8. Rhytiphora species, lateral view. A: Rhytiphora garnetensis sp. nov. holotype male (ANIC 25-074497). B: Rhytiphora delicatula male (ANIC 25-061931). C: Rhytiphora amicula male (ANIC 25-066535). D: Rhytiphora argentata male (ANIC 25-061934). E: Rhytiphora collaris female (ANIC 25-067050). F: Rhytiphora piperitia male (ANIC 25-058414).

FIGURE 9. Rhytiphora species, male genitalia (penis and tegmen). A: Rhytiphora garnetensis sp. nov. paratype. B: Rhytiphora amicula. C: Rhytiphora collaris. D: Rhytiphora delicatula (ANIC 25-061931). E: Rhytiphora piperitia. F: Rhytiphora argentata.