Prionus (Prionus) aztecus Casey 1912
Creators: name: Santos-Silva, Antonio
name: Nearns, Eugenio H.
name: Swift, Ian P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Cerambycidae
Prionus
Prionus aztecus

description: Prionus (Prionus) aztecus Casey, 1912
(Figs. 29–32, 103–110)
Prionus (Riponus) aztecus Casey, 1912: 246; Lingafelter et al., 2014: 23 (type).
Prionus aztecus: Lameere, 1919: 139; 1920: 144; Blackwelder, 1946: 556.
Prionus (Neopolyarthron) aztecus; Terrón, 1992: 289, 292, 294, 302 (distr.); Chemsak et al., 1992: 21 (checklist); Monné & Giesbert, 1994: 16 (checklist); Monné, 1995: 54 (cat.); Noguera & Chemsak, 1996: 396 (distr.); Monné & Hovore, 2005: 21 (checklist); 2006: 20 (checklist); Monné, 2006: 87 (cat.); Özdikmen & Turgut, 2009: 410; Barbour et al., 2011: 590, 591; Monné, 2015: 177 (cat.).
Prionus mexicanus; Lameere, 1912a: 245.
Prionus aztecus; Lameere, 1915: 60.
Prionus batesi Lameere, 1920: 144; Blackwelder, 1946: 556 (checklist); Damoiseau & Cools, 1987: 30 (types). Syn. nov.
Prionus (Neopolyarthron) batesi; Chemsak et al., 1992: 21 (checklist); Monné & Giesbert, 1994: 16 (checklist); Monné, 1995: 54 (cat.); Noguera & Chemsak, 1996: 396 (distr.); Monné & Hovore, 2005: 20 (checklist); 2006: 20 (checklist); Monné, 2006: 87 (cat.); Özdikmen & Turgut, 2009: 410; Bezark & Monné, 2013: 27 (checklist); Monné, 2015: 177 (cat.).
Integument reddish-brown, sometimes brown; basal one-third of elytra brown, rarely entirely dark-brown; head dark-brown; antennae dark-brown, sometimes brown or reddish-brown toward apex; pronotum from reddishbrown to dark-brown; legs reddish-brown with dark-brown areas.
Male (Figs. 103–104). Head, excluding mandibles, from 0.95 to 1.15 times as long at central area as prothorax, elongate behind eyes (distance from posterior ocular edge to the prothorax from 0.7 to 1.13 times longest length of upper eye lobe). Longitudinal dorsal furrow from clypeus to anterior edge of prothorax, but usually more distinct from clypeus to posterior ocular edge (sometimes not reaching prothorax). Frons short, usually depressed, centrally smooth. Area between antennal tubercles deeply sulcate, coarsely, confluently punctate (sometimes smooth around longitudinal furrow, especially anteriorly); with short or moderately long, sparse setae. Area between upper eye lobes coarsely, confluently punctate, more so toward eyes; with short, sparse setae (sometimes moderately long). Area behind antennal tubercles with moderately long, sparse setae. Dorsal area between eyes and prothorax coarsely, abundantly punctate (usually punctures distinctly smaller in area between upper eye lobes), slightly coarser and denser laterally; with short, sparse setae. Area behind upper eye lobes finely, densely punctate, usually somewhat rugose; with long, moderately sparse setae toward prothorax, forming brush close to eyes. Antennal tubercles coarsely, moderately sparsely punctate on inner base, finely, densely punctate on frontal area close to scape, remaining surface gradually smooth toward apex; with short, sparse setae on basal one-half (usually more distinct frontally; sometimes absent on inner one-half). Postclypeus coarsely, confluently punctate laterally. Anteclypeus usually distinctly separated from clypeus. Labrum with long, abundant setae. Eyes large; distance between upper eye lobes from 0.4 to 0.7 times length of scape; distance between lower eye lobes from 0.55 to 1.00 times length of scape. Submentum trapezoid, distinctly narrow toward gula, somewhat depressed, with anterior margin narrow, distinctly elevated; surface rugose, with long, abundant setae, more so toward gula. Apex of labial palpi attaining from middle to almost apex of maxillary palpomere IV. Mandibles from 0.45 to 0.65 times as long as head. Antennae 15- to 16-segmented; surpassing middle of elytra. Scape almost reaching or slightly surpassing posterior ocular edge; finely, moderately abundantly punctate dorsally, especially on basal one-third; punctures denser laterally than dorsally. Antennomere III dorsally (Fig. 32) from 1.00 to 1.25 times longer than scape, distinctly enlarged toward apex (widest width from 2.0 to 2.4 times basal width); imbrication very distinct (Fig. 29, 30, 32); apex forming two distinct lobes: outermost wide, slightly emarginated at level of longitudinal carina (sometimes distinctly emarginated), with outermost portion distinctly smaller; inner lobe slender, separated from the former by deep emargination; dorsal surface finely, sparsely punctate. Dorsal surface of antennomeres IV–VI (sometimes only IV) finely, sparsely punctate, but denser than on III; dorsal surface of remaining antennomeres finely, densely punctate. Imbrication of antennomeres IV–XIV as on III. Last antennomere complex.
Maximum prothoracic width from 0.80 to 0.85 times elytral base; anterolateral angles spined, with anterior edge straight or slightly rounded and projected forward; laterally with long spine about middle; posterolateral angle spined or acute and projected. Pronotum finely, abundantly punctate centrally (sometimes with smooth area at base); center of disc from convex to somewhat flat; slightly more coarsely punctate laterally than centrally; with moderately long, sparse setae, more conspicuous near anterior and posterior angles. Prosternal process not or very slightly longitudinally sulcate. Elytra moderately coarsely, abundantly punctate, sometimes moderately rugose; each elytron with three carinae, innermost two more distinct; sutural spine usually short, distinct. Metasternum and metepisterna densely microsculptured; with long, dense setae.
Ventrite I finely, sparsely punctate on basal one-half to one-third, with long, moderately abundant setae (sometimes almost absent); ventrites II–IV finely, moderately sparsely punctate on basal three-fourths, centrally glabrous (sometimes with setae on base of IV), with short, sparse setae laterally; ventrite V with short, sparse setae. Pro- and mesotarsomeres I–III wide; apex of pro- and mesotarsomeres I–II acute (sometimes slightly spined); metatarsomeres distinctly slender, especially I, with apex of I–III projected (usually with short spine at III).
Female (Figs. 105–106). Head, excluding mandibles, from 0.85 to 0.95 times length of prothorax at middle. Sculpture of dorsal surface of head and area behind eyes similar to male. Distance between upper eye lobes from 0.6 to 0.8 times length of scape; distance between lower eye lobes from 0.80 to 1.05 times length of scape. Submentum as in male. Antennae with 14 segments, not reaching middle of elytra; scape slender, longer than in male; antennomere III from 1.00 to 1.25 times length of scape; antennomeres (Fig. 31) ventrally carinate, with apex projected at level of carina, widely emarginated between projection and inner side. Prothorax as in male. Metasternum and metepisterna as in male, but setae usually shorter.
Dimensions in mm (male/female). Total length (including mandibles), 31.0–44.3/32.2–42.3; prothoracic length at center, 3.9–5.6/4.5–5.4; widest prothoracic width, 10.0–13.6/9.6–12.8; humeral width, 11.5–16.6/11.8– 15.8; elytral length, 22.3–32.8/24.1–33.2.
Geographical distribution. Mexico [Durango (Casey, 1912), Zacatecas (new state record)].
Monné & Giesbert (1994) recorded the geographical distribution as: “n Mexico (CHA)”. Monné (1995, 2006) wrongly interpreted the type locality of P. aztecus as “Chihuahua: Colonia Garcia.” Thus, the record of this species to Chihuahua was based on a mistake, started in Monné & Giesbert (1994).
Types, type localities. Of Prionus aztecus: Described based on one male and one female from Mexico (Durango, Ciudad de Durango), deposited at USNM. Lingafelter et al. (2014) designated lectotype. Lectotype figured at Lingafelter et al. (2016).
Of Prionus batesi (Figs. 107–110): a couple of syntypes from Mexico (Durango, “Sierra de Durango au Mexique ”), deposited at IRSN.
Material examined. MEXICO, Zacatecas: Hacienda Laguna Valderrama (25 miles W Fresnillo, 7,900 feet), 4 males, 1 female, 21–25.VI.1954, R. H. Brewer col. (ESSIG); 8 mi. S Chalchihuites (8300 ft.), 1 male, VII.2 – 3.1954, R. H. Brewer col. (ESSIG). Durango: Km 1019, Hwy 40, 30 miles W Durango, 1 male, VI.23.1967, W. H. Clark col. (ESSIG); 25 miles W Durango (8100’), 2 males, VII.20.1964, J. A. Chemsak & J. Powell col. (ESSIG); 30 miles W Durango (8500’), 2 males, VII.31.1964, J. A. Chemsak col. (ESSIG); El Salto, 1 female, VI.9.1967, Molden col. (ESSIG); 10 miles W El Salto (9000’), 1 female, VI.26.1964, J. F. McAlpine col. (ESSIG); 1 female, VI.19.1964, H. F. Howden col. (ESSIG); 33 miles W El Salto, 1 female, VI.7.1962, E. Sleeper, R. Anderson, A. Hardy & R. Somerby col. (ESSIG); 4 miles E Otinapa, 1 male, VII.11.1952, J. D. Lattin col. (ESSIG); Sierra Madre, 1 male [no date or collector indicated] (ESSIG).
Remarks. On Lameere’s (1912, 1915) error, see remarks under Prionus mexicanus.
The description of P. mexicanus in Lameere (1912a) that according to Lameere (1920) corresponds to P. batesi is [translation]: “ Mexico (Ciudad, at “Sierra de Durango”, 8,100 feet height); Museum of Hamburg. Differs from P. Flohri by its antennae more robust and longer, with 16 segments (H. W. Bates considered 14, having omitted the two basal ones), the 16th appendiculate in both sexes; the inner apex of antennal projections is more emarginated than in P. Flohri and the outer process still more developed; the general color is lighter and the head narrower than in P. Flohri; the elytra are slightly rough, simply covered by coarse, sparse punctures; the lobes of third metatarsomere are slightly angular; the metasternum is less pubescent, mainly in females; the intercoxal abdominal projection of female is wider than in P. californicus and Flohri.” Although Lameere (1920) mentioned that the specimens described in Lameere (1912a) and that figured in Heyne & Taschenberg (1908) as P. mexicanus are P. batesi, those specimens are not syntypes of the latter. Lameere (1920) did not make clear the condition of them.
According to Lameere (1920) [translation]: “one couple from “La Sierra de Durango” in Mexico. This is the species to which I gave in my “Revision des Prionides”, following HEYNE & TASCHENBERG who figured it, the wrong denomination of P. mexicanus. It is really different from P. az t e cu s CASEY, with the inner lobe of antennal segments of male emarginated at apex, antennae with 16 segments, the 16th of male is as the 15th of P. curticollis; in female, the antennae are very short, only reaching the basal third of elytra, the third segment is dentate at outer apex, but rounded at inner apex, the 16th as long as 15th; the eyes are more widely separated dorsally than in P. aztecus, and the other features are similar.” According to Lameere (1920), in P. az t e cu s [translation]: “eyes dorsally separated by space equal to width of one lobe”; “inner lobe of third metatarsomere dentate”; “inner lobe of antennomeres not emarginated”; “antennae with 15 segments, the 15th more or less as in P. curticollis, the base as long as 14th segment, and the distal projection truncate at apex.”
The differences pointed out by Lameere (1920), between P. aztecus and P. batesi, are just variations of the former. Also, the lectotype male of P. aztecus shows some of the features recorded to P. batesi by Lameere (1920): the inner lobe of antennomere projections is distinctly emarginated, and the eyes are more widely separate dorsally than the width of one lobe. The number of antennal segments is variable in males of P. aztecus (from 14 to 16), the shape of last antennomeres is highly variable, the emargination of antennomeres is also variable (from slight to distinct), the distance between upper eye lobes is variable (from smaller than width of one lobe to slightly larger), and the apex of third metatarsomere, typically is dentate on both sides.
description: Published as part of Santos-Silva, Antonio, Nearns, Eugenio H. & Swift, Ian P., 2016, Revision of the American species of the genus Prionus Geoffroy, 1762 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae, Prionini), pp. 1-103 in Zootaxa 4134 (1) on pages 50-53, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4134.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/399754