Anelaphus simile
Creators: name: Lingafelter, Steven W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Cerambycidae
Anelaphus
Anelaphus simile

description: Anelaphus simile (Schaeffer)
(Fig. 2f, 4 e–f, 6a–f, 7a–f)
Elaphidion simile Schaeffer 1908: 334.
Anoplium tuckeri Casey 1924: 247, new synonym (Fig. 6 e–f).
Anoplium nanulum Casey 1924: 247. Synonymized with Anoplium tuckeri by Linsley (1963: 118).
Elaphidion (Anoplium) hoferi Knull 1934: 69, new synonym (Fig. 6 c–d).
Discussion. The species formerly placed in Peranoplium Linsley, 1957 (which was synonymized with Anelaphus by Lingafelter (1998)) have resulted in an abundance of confusion due to their non-descript appearance and the vague descriptions of alleged differences in setation and punctation. Further, the species in this complex were described without reference or comparison to one another. For example, Casey (1924) in his description of Anoplium tuckeri, did not contrast it with Anelaphus simile (Schaeffer) (at the time, Elaphidion simile), or any other species. Knull (1934) compared his newly described Elaphidion (Anoplium) hoferi to E. cinerescens LeConte (this was misspelled and referred to “ Elaphidion cinerascens ”, a synonym of Micranoplium unicolor (Haldeman)). That species lacks antennal spines, has truncate elytral apices, has fine (not alveolate) pronotal punctation, and occurs only in the eastern United States. Knull made no comparison of A. hoferi to A. simile, A. tuckeri or any other species.
I examined a specimen in the Southwestern Research Station in Portal, Arizona, that was identified as Anelaphus hoferi by Knull in 1959 (Fig. 6 c–d, Fig. 7b, e). This specimen has no characters that would distinguish it from the holotype of A. simile (Fig. 6 a–b, 7a, d) and the lectotype of A. tuckeri (Fig. 6 e–f, Fig. 7c, f), both of which I have also examined. The pronotal punctation is identical and other characters of pubescence, color, proportions, etc., are very minor and within what is expected by intraspecific variation. Therefore, I consider A. hoferi and A. tuckeri as new synonyms of A. simile.
Material examined. Mexico: Sonora: La Aduana, 22 May 1962, F. D. Parker, L. A. Stange (1, SWLC); Sonora, Guayamas, May 1973, Dr. Lenczy (1, ASUC); USA: Arizona: Cochise Co., 5 mi. W. Portal, S.W.R.S., 5400 ′, 13 June 1957, 16 June 1957 & 2 July 1957, M. Statham (3, SWRS); Cochise Co., 1 mile S. Portal, 4800 ′, July 3, 1965, at light, J. H. Davidson, J. M. Davidson, M. A. Cazier (4, ASUC); Cochise Co., Ash Canyon, UV light, 29 April 2011, C.W. O ′ Brien (2, FWSC); Cochise Co., Huachuca Mountains, Ramsey Canyon, 3 June 2012 & 19–23 May 2013, lights, P. H. Sullivan (SWLC, 2); Cochise Co., Hereford, 8920 S. Bryerly Court, N31°24 ′ 14 ″, W110°13 ′ 52 ″, 1500m, 12 June 2016, 11 June 2019, 6 June 2019, 16-17 May 2020, S. W. Lingafelter (8, SWLC); Cochise Co., Hereford, 8920 S. Bryerly Court, N31°24 ′ 14 ″, W110°13 ′ 52 ″, 1500m, 27 May 2020, N. E. Woodley (1, SWLC); Cochise Co., Huachuca Mountains, Carr Canyon Road, 6.6 km from Highway 92, 31°25.922 ′ N, 110°16.674 ′ W, 11 June 2019, MV/UV light, S.W. Lingafelter (2, SWLC); Cochise Co., Cochise Stronghold, 4 July 1973, Jim Cope (1 FWSC); Cochise Co., Huachuca Mountains, Miller Canyon (Palmerlee Ruin), 13 July 1991, UV light, W. B. Warner (1, SWLC); Cochise Co., lower Lutz Canyon, 3.1 km SW of Highway 92, 1750m, 31°22.703 ′ N, 110°15.657 ′ W, 27 May 2020, S. W. Lingafelter (5, SWLC); Pima Co., Santa Rita Ranch, June 1977, Dr. Lenczy (2, SWLC); Pima Co., Sabino Canyon, 14 May 1919, at light, G. Hofer (1, SWLC); Pinal Co., Tom Mix Memorial, Highway 79, 27.5 km SE of Florence 720m, 32°49.294 ′ N, 111°12.274 ′ W, 25 April 2020, MV/UV lights, S. W. Lingafelter (3, SWLC); Santa Cruz Co., Mt. Hopkins Road Km 1 past, Whipple Observatory, 1320m, 31°40.327 ′ N, 110°56.466 ′ W, 26 May 2020, S. W. Lingafelter (5, SWLC); Santa Cruz Co., Nogales, 31.335339°, –110.938107°, May 13, 2019, 3,932 ft, MV/UV lights, S. Vitanza (1, SWLC); Santa Cruz Co., Madera Canyon, 31.712894°, –110.875016°, UV/MV lights, 25 May 2018, S. Vitanza (1, SWLC).
description: Published as part of Lingafelter, Steven W., 2020, Review of species of Anelaphus Linsley and its new synonym Gymnopsyra Linsley from the United States and Canada with description of a new species, synonymies, distributional notes and an illustrated identification key (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Elaphidiini), pp. 1-30 in Insecta Mundi 2020 (798) on pages 13-15, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4565200