Elateropsis woodleyi Lingafelter

Lingafelter, Steven W., 2015, The Prioninae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Hispaniola, with Diagnoses, Descriptions of New Species, Distribution Records, and a Key for Identification, The Coleopterists Bulletin 69 (3), pp. 353-388 : 365-366

20. Elateropsis woodleyi Lingafelter , new species ( Figs. 3g , 10b , 16a )

Discussion. One specimen, the holotype male, was collected sweeping tree foliage in eastern Dominican Republic in June and a second specimen, gender unknown due to missing abdomen and much of the meso- and metathorax, was collected in western Dominican Republic (date unspecified).

This species keys closest to the Cuban E. fulvipes in Galileo and Martins (1994) due to the microscuptured, opaque pronotum that lacks a medial depression, unlike all other species of the genus. This new species has completely black integument, including all appendages, very dense, white pubescence on the sides of the pronotum but not the base, and only slightly divergent elytral apices at the suture. All known specimens of the variable E. fulvipes have the elytral apices relatively longer and narrower, strongly divergent at the suture toward the apex, and nearly all have red-orange legs (and usually basal antennomeres). Specimens of E. fulvipes are variable with regard to the pronotal pubescence, either present as a continuous fascia connecting the lateral and posterior margins or absent, but not restricted to the lateral margins as in this species.

The holotype has an unusual greasy exudate from the integument that has kept some of the white pubescent patches on the ventral sclerites from being visible. Intensive cleaning with soapy water and a fine camel-hair brush only yielded slight improvement, exposing one metasternal patch. The paratype differs from the holotype by having slightly longer, narrower elytra (almost 4.2 times longer than wide) and scattered sparse, erect hairs on the pronotum (possibly abraded from the holotype).

Description. Size 16.5 mm long; 4.2 mm wide between elytral humeri; integument black throughout, including all appendages. Head with moderately punctate depression extending from between upper eye lobes, narrowing between antennal tubercles, and expanding onto frons. Antennae extending to just beyond basal third of elytra; mostly glabrous except for very few, scattered microsetae; microsculptured with sparse punctures on dorsal surface. Antennomeres 4–10 strongly flattened and triangular with apex much broader than base; antennomere 11 more elongate than 10, constricted subapically; poriferous sensory areas present as scattered, sparse patches on basal antennomeres, becoming more abundant on distal antennomeres, and covering most of dorsal surface on apical-most antennomeres. Antennomere 3 longest, remainder decreasing in length to 10; antennomere 11 longer than 10.

Pronotum 3.0 mm wide; 2.4 mm long (1.3 times wider than long); without any distinct medial impression; lacking raised calli; punctures sparse to moderate in density, differing in size and distribution, mostly separate; microsculptured, presenting a matte, non-reflective finish. Lateral margins angled outwardly to small spine just posterior of middle, behind which margins are weakly constricted posteriorly; margins mostly without crenulations or denticles. Glabrous except for dense patches of white pubescence on the lateral margins and a few scattered inconspicuous, short setae, mostly concentrated anterior to the scutellum (paratype also has scattered, erect hairs over pronotal disk). Prosternal process broad, approximately as broad as procoxal width, extending beyond posterior margin of procoxae; surface sparsely punctate and pubescent; apex moderately notched, receiving mesosternal process. Prosternum lacking ventral processes.

Elytra 8.5 mm long; 2.1 mm wide (4.0 times longer than wide; 4.2 times longer than wide in paratype); glabrous except for a few inconspicuous, isolated setae; slightly tapering apically; slightly divergent at suture. Punctation dense (much more than on pronotum), mostly with confluent margins giving a weakly rugose texture. Elytral apex dentiform apicolaterally and at suture, rounded between denticles with weak crenulations. Scutellum triangular, nearly glabrous and impunctate. Legs short, hind femur extending to apical fourth of elytra. Femora gradually thickened toward apical fourth; meso- and metafemora each with 2 − 3 small denticles ventrally between thickest portion and apex, near tibial articulation (absent on profemora). Metasternum with dense patch of appressed white pubescence of similar size and angle to that of first ventrite. Metepisternum and mesepisternum coated with dense, white pubescence (but concealed by oily exudate). Abdomen with sparse, white setae throughout median area and dense patches of appressed, white pubescence (mostly concealed by oily exudate) at sides except for ventrite 1 which has patches larger and extending half the length of metacoxal margin. Last ventrite broad with apical margin angling to moderate-sized median notch.

Etymology. The epithet woodleyi is a genitive latinized noun named for Norman Woodley who collected this holotype and many other rare, diurnal prionines in the Dominican Republic, thus greatly contributing to the knowledge of this subfamily.

Type Data. Holotype (male): DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Altagracia Province (Punta Cana near Ecological Reserve , 18°30.477′N, 68°22.499′W, 0–5 meters, day coll., 12 − 13 June 2005, N. E. Woodley [ USNM]) . Paratype (gender unknown): DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Pedernales Province (Parque Nacional Jaragua, Oviedo [ WIBF]) .

Figures

Fig. 3. Dorsal habitus of HispaniolanPrioninae.a) Elateropsis femoratus, male,b) Elateropsis lineatus, female, c) Elateropsis quinquenotatus, female, d) Elateropsis sericeiventris, male, e) Elateropsis trimarginatus, female, f) Elateropsis dichroma, female holotype, g) Elateropsis woodleyi, male holotype, h) Solenoptera dominicensis, male, i) S. dominicensis, female.

Fig. 10. Hispaniolan Prioninae. a) Elateropsis dichroma, female holotype, ventral view, b) Elateropsis woodleyi, male holotype, ventral view, c) Solenoptera scutellata, male, ventral view, d) Solenoptera tomentosa, male paratype, ventral view, e) Hovorodon bituberculatum, female, prosternal process, f) H. bituberculatum, female mandible, lateral view, g) Stenodontes exsertus, female mandible, lateral view.

Fig. 16. Distribution maps of Hispaniolan Prioninae. a) Elateropsis sericeiventris, Elateropsis trimarginatus, Elateropsis dichroma, and Elateropsis woodleyi, b) Solenoptera dominicensis, Solenoptera scutellata, and Solenoptera rugosa.