Desmiphora (Desmiphora) elegantula White 1855
Creators: name: Santos-Silva, Antonio
name: Nascimento, Francisco E. De L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Cerambycidae
Desmiphora
Desmiphora elegantula

description: Desmiphora (Desmiphora) elegantula White, 1855
(Figs 25–29, 38)
Desmiphora elegantula White, 1855: 401; Bates, 1866: 201; Aurivillius, 1922: 304 (cat.); Mendes, 1938: 315; Blackwelder, 1946: 599 (checklist); Galileo & Martins, 1991: 329 (distr.).
Desmiphora (Desmiphora) elegantula; Breuning, 1963: 511 (cat.); 1974: 149; Monné & Giesbert, 1994: 216 (checklist); Monné, 1994a: 57 (cat.); Tavakilian & Néouze, 2004: 57 (distr.); Monné, 2005: 385 (cat.); Monné & Hovore, 2006: 243 (checklist); Morvan & Morati, 2006: 44 (distr.); Morvan & Roguet, 2013: 25 (distr.); Monné, 2018: 521 (cat.); Bezark, 2018: 279 (checklist).
Desmophora elegantula; Gemminger, 1873: 3107 (cat.).
Desmiphora senicula Bates, 1866: 200; Aurivillius, 1900: 414 (distr.); 1922: 305 (cat.); Mendes, 1938: 315; Blackwelder, 1946: 599 (checklist); Wappes et al., 2006: 29 (distr.). Syn. nov.
Desmiphora (Desmiphora) senicula; Breuning, 1963: 511 (cat.); 1974: 151; Monné & Giesbert, 1994: 217 (checklist); Monné, 1994a: 60 (cat.); 2005: 390 (cat.); Monné & Hovore, 2006: 244 (checklist); Monné, 2018: 528 (cat.); Bezark, 2018: 279 (checklist).
Desmophora senicula; Gemminger, 1873: 3107 (cat.).
Redescription. Female (Figs 25–28). Head from nearly entirely black to nearly entirely dark reddish-brown, usually gulamentum lighter than dorsal surface, and posterior half of labrum and palpi yellowish-brown. Scape, pedicel and antennomeres III-IV partially yellowish-brown, with remaining surface from dark brown to black (sometimes all or part of these segments entirely black or nearly entirely yellowish-brown); remaining antennomeres from dark-brown to black. Pronotum black, sometimes dark reddish brown on anterocentral region. Prosternum usually black anteriorly, gradually yellowish-brown toward prosternal process. Mesoventrite usually reddish brown centrally, darkened laterally (sometimes entirely reddish-brown or with central area black anteriorly and reddish brown posteriorly); remaining surface of mesothorax black. Ventral side of metathorax black. Elytra from dark brown to black on anterior area, large semi-elliptical central area slightly surpassing apex of anterior third, nearly all posterior quarter, two longitudinal bands on lateral inclined area, from anterior to posterior dark areas, and remaining surface reddish-brown. Pro- and mesofemora from yellowish-brown to reddish-brown on about basal half, brown on remaining surface; metafemora from yellowish-brown to reddish-brown on basal half, black on remaining surface except usually yellowish-brown posterior area of ventral side. Tibiae darkened basally, yellowish-brown on remaining surface. Tarsi from yellowish-brown to reddish-brown except black claws. Abdominal ventrites black (sometimes dark reddish brown on basal segments). Observation: it is expected more color variations than those reported here.
Head. Frons moderately coarsely and abundantly punctate; with dense yellowish-brown pubescence, more brownish toward antennal tubercles, interspersed with grayish-white pubescence (more whitish depending on angle of light source) centrally and close to inferior margin of lower eye lobes, and interspersed with long, erect paleyellow and whitish setae, longer close to lower eye lobes. Vertex moderately coarsely, densely punctate; with brownish pubescence not obscuring integument except dense yellowish-brown pubescence close to upper eye lobes and V-shaped yellowish-brown band connected to pubescence close to eyes; with dense tuft of long, dark, thick setae between upper eye lobes and prothoracic margin on each side of median groove. Area behind upper eye lobes with brownish pubescence partially obscuring integument, except small, transverse white pubescent macula close to prothorax; with a few long, erect dark setae close to eye. Area behind lower eye lobes with brownish-golden pubescence close to eye (partially bristly), glabrous toward prothorax; with long, erect, moderately abundant white setae on pubescent area. Genae with yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument (more brownishgolden depending on angle of light source) except glabrous area close to inferior side of lower eye lobe; with long, erect, sparse white setae. Antennal tubercles with sculpturing as on frons basally, densely micropunctate on remaining surface; with yellowish-brown pubescence, gradually sparser toward apex; with long, erect white setae frontally, and long, erect, dark setae toward upper eye lobes. Median groove distinct from clypeus to prothoracic margin. Postclypeus with yellowish-brown pubescence on wide central area, longer, bristly on sides of this area, glabrous laterally; with long, erect, sparse yellowish and whitish setae. Labrum with yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument, with long, erect, moderately abundant yellowish setae on sides of inclined area; with fringe of golden setae at anterior margin. Gulamentum with sparse yellowish-white setae anteriorly, glabrous on remaining surface. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.46 times length of scape; in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes slightly larger than length of scape. Antennae 1.3 times elytral length, reaching about posterior ninth of elytra. Scape with yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument dorsally, slightly longer whitish ventrally; with a few long, erect dark setae dorsally, more abundant, white ventrally. Pedicel with yellowish-brown pubescence anteriorly, whitish toward apex; erect setae as on scape. Antennomeres III–IV with minute, slightly distinct yellowish-brown pubescence interspersed with distinct, white pubescence ventrally and laterally (denser near apex); with long, erect, sparse dark setae dorsally, white ventrally. Antennomeres V–X with longitudinal white pubescent band dorsally, widened near apex; with long, erect, dark setae throughout, and long, erect yellow setae on apex. Antennomere XI with long, erect, dark setae throughout, and long, erect yellow setae posteriorly. Antennal formula based on antennomere III (only one female measured): scape = 0.76; pedicel = 0.19; IV = 0.85; V = 0.54; VI = 0.47; VII = 0.46; VIII = 0.44; IX = 0.44; X = 0.42; XI = 0.47.
Thorax. Prothorax 1.38 times wider than long (including lateral tubercles); lateral tubercles long, spiniform, placed after middle. Pronotum coarsely, abundantly centrally, slightly finer anteriorly and posteriorly; with large trapezoid area with brownish pubescence (more yellowish-brown on some areas) centrally, less conspicuous on sides of posterior third and sides of central region; with narrow, longitudinal white pubescent macula centrally on posterior third (often fragmented, or incomplete); lateral margins of trapezoid region with oblique, dense, longitudinal pubescent band on posterior third, with distinctly erect, notably dense oblique band with tawny pubescence toward almost anterior margin, then curved, widened toward sides (pubescence on this latter area is dense but not erect); laterocentral area with large elliptical tawny pubescent macula, interspersed with transverse, narrow white pubescent macula toward lateral tubercles; remaining surface with slight conspicuous brownish pubescence, whitish anteriorly close to outer side of oblique tawny band, nearly glabrous on about middle of area between tawny elliptical and oblique pubescent areas; with long, erect, moderately sparse dark setae throughout; posterior margin with long, erect yellowish-brown setae projected on scutellum. Sides of prothorax with yellowishwhite pubescence obscuring integument except, moderately narrow transverse area close to pronotum with brownish, slightly conspicuous pubescence, anterior and posterior areas with yellowish-brown pubescence, and large, subtriangular macula with slightly conspicuous brownish pubescence posteriorly. Prosternum with sparse whitish setae anteriorly and centrally, with yellowish-brown pubescence on sides of posterior area; with long, erect white setae laterally. Mesoventrite with golden pubescence, distinctly denser laterally. Mesanepisternum and mesepimeron with wide black pubescent macula centrally, margined with whitish pubescence laterally. Metanepisternum and narrow sides of metaventrite with brownish, slightly conspicuous pubescence; with subtriangular, large tawny pubescent macula on sides of metaventrite (close to area with slightly conspicuous pubescence), and white pubescence on remaining surface; with long, erect white setae, especially on area with white pubescence. Scutellum with yellowish-brown pubescence obscuring integument. Elytra. Moderately coarsely and abundantly punctate on anterior third, gradually finer, sparer toward apex. Anterior third with nearly M-shaped area with complex pubescence: laterally with white pubescence (forming tuft posteriorly close to inclined area of elytra) interspersed with irregular areas with slightly conspicuous, brownish pubescence (more yellowish-brown toward epipleura), except oblique band anteriorly, between humerus and scutellum, with yellowish-brown pubescence margined with white pubescence; semi-elliptical central area with tawny pubescence on sides, white anteriorly, posteriorly and along suture. Central area of basal sixth with small tubercle covered with tuft of dense, long, dark, white and tawny setae. Posterior third with wide, arced, white pubescent macula, narrowed toward suture, forming distinct tufts laterally. Large central area with short yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument (sides of this area convergent toward arced posterior white macula); remaining wide central area with brownish, nearly inconspicuous pubescence interspersed with short, sparse white setae, and subelliptical, small spots with yellowish-brown pubescence along suture, which reach apex of elytra. Posterior area between arced macula and apex with light yellowish-brown pubescence interspersed with white pubescence. With long, erect, sparse, dark setae throughout, and long, erect white setae laterally on posterior third. Legs. Femora with white pubescence on light areas, not obscuring integument, more yellowish-white on dark areas of pro- and mesofemora, nearly inconspicuous on dark area of metafemora; with long, erect, moderately abundant white setae. Tibiae with white pubescence not obscuring integument, interspersed with long, erect, abundant white setae. Tarsi dorsally with yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument, interspersed with long, erect white setae.
Abdomen. Ventrite I with white pubescence partially obscuring integument, and fringe with tawny setae posteriorly; ventrite II with yellowish pubescence laterally, and white pubescence centrally; ventrites III–IV with dense tawny pubescence laterally, except on lateroanterior area with nearly inconspicuous pubescence, and white pubescence centrally; ventrite V with dense white pubescence except on lateroanterior area with nearly inconspicuous pubescence; all ventrites with long, erect, moderately sparse white setae; ventrite V transversely depressed at posterior area; posterior margin of ventrite V rounded.
Male. Antennae longer, reaching elytral apex at basal third of antennomere XI; abdominal ventrite V not depressed posteriorly.
Dimensions (mm), 3 males / 3 females. Total length, 6.70–8.55/7.90–10.55; prothoracic length, 1.70–2.20/ 1.85–2.45; posterior prothoracic width, 1.50–2.05/1.75–2.40; anterior prothoracic width, 1.55–2.10/1.85–2.50; widest prothoracic width, 2.00–2.70/2.35–3.35; humeral width, 2.40–3.05/2.75–3.70; elytral length, 4.70–6.05/ 5.55–7.50.
Material examined. BRAZIL, Mato Grosso do Sul (new state record): Salobra (zona da N.O.B), 1 male, 18- 29.X.1938, no collector indicated (MZSP). São Paulo (new state record): Valentim Gentil (20°22’25.8”S / 50°05’17.9”W, 2 males, 2 females, 30.VI.2017, W. D. Silva col. (1 male, 1 female, MZSP; 1 male, 1 female, ESALQ); margem do Rio Paraná, 1 male, X.1964, Expedição do Museu de Zoologia col. (MZSP).
Remarks. According to Bates (1866) on Desmiphora senicula (Fig. 38): “Elytra... base with one or two short tubercles on each side, but without tufts of long hairs.” We do not understand what Bates intended to say when he reported that the elytra have “one or two short tubercles on each side,” especially since his description is based on a single specimen. Comparing photographs of the holotype of both species, as well as the specimens examined, it is not possible to find a reliable difference between them. It is likely that the holotype of D. senicula is a specimen with reduced or lost tuft of setae on basal tubercles of the elytra. Also, these setae appear to be considerably variable in length, density and color, and we examined a specimen with the tuft of setae almost absent. Accordingly, we synonymize D. senicula with D. elegantula (Fig. 29), both described from Tapajós (Brazil, Pará). The redescription above (head, prothorax, legs, and abdomen) is based on a specimen with the most typical pubescence.
description: Published as part of Santos-Silva, Antonio & Nascimento, Francisco E. De L., 2018, Synonymies, transferences, redescriptions and new species in Lamiinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), pp. 192-210 in Zootaxa 4462 (2) on pages 203-207, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4462.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/3769955