Aneflomorpha minuta Chemsak
Creators: name: Lingafelter, Steven W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Cerambycidae
Aneflomorpha
Aneflomorpha minuta

description: Aneflomorpha minuta Chemsak
(Fig. 2c, 5l, 7l, 8k, 9k, 10l, 12c, d)
Aneflomorpha minuta Chemsak 1962: 103.
Diagnosis. Length 7–13 mm, pronotum averages 1.11 times longer than wide, elytra together average 3.47 times longer than wide (Fig. 2c). Integument dark rufous to piceous. Antennae weakly carinate (Fig. 9k). Spine of third antennomere at least one and one-half times longer than second antennomere and spine of fourth antennomere, projecting away from antennal plane by nearly 45 degrees, subacute at apex (Fig. 9k). Pronotum with pronounced punctures, dense and unobscured by fine, recumbent pubescence; often with small, linear, impunctate, postmedian callus (Fig. 3l). Elytral apices truncate to very weakly bidentate (Fig. 8k). Elytral pubescence white or off-white, recumbent and recurved, with very few scattered long erect to suberect setae (Fig. 7l). Procoxal cavities nearly closed to open by less than half the width of broadly expanded prosternal process (Fig. 10l). Protibia slen-der, gradually widening apically with the dorsal margin straight and non-carinate (as in Fig. 11h).
Discussion. This species is most similar to A. crypta, n. sp., and A. cazieri due to its small size and proportions. The relatively smooth, sparsely punctate and rugose gula distinguishes A. crypta (Fig. 12a) from A. minuta which has the gula densely punctate (Fig. 12c). The pronotum of A. minuta usually has a more prominent, shiny impunctate post-median callus (Fig. 5l) unlike A. crypta which has, at most, a small, irregular post-median impunctate region (Fig. 5e). The anterior margin of the mesosternum is undivided in A. crypta (Fig. 12b) and divided in A. minuta (Fig. 12d). Available specimens of A. minuta have pale testaceous legs (Fig. 2c) that are distinctly lighter in color from the venter unlike A. crypta which has rufous legs that are very similar to the overall ventral coloration (Fig. 1e). The spine of the third antennomere in A. crypta (Fig. 9d) is more acute at the apex than in specimens examined of A. minuta (Fig. 9k). The leg color and antennal spine characters should be used with caution since larger series could reveal variability as has been seen in some specimens of other species. This species might also be confused with small examples of A. rectilinea, but it can be distinguished easily by the weakly carinate antennae (Fig. 9k) which are prominently carinate in A. rectilinea (Fig. 9o). Further, most A. rectilinea have strongly bidentate or weakly bispinose elytral apices unlike A. minuta which have the apices truncate to weakly bidentate. Aneflomorpha minuta resembles A. cazieri, but the longer blunt spine of the third antennomere of most A. cazieri immediately distinguishes them from A. minuta which has a shorter, subacute spine. For those specimens of A. cazieri without a noticeably blunt spine on antennomere three, the presence of basal antennal carinae, lighter colored, pale testaceous legs, and more closed procoxal cavities in A. minuta will help distinguish it from A. cazieri which lack antennal carinae (Fig. 9b), have more open procoxal cavities (Fig. 10c), and have darker rufous legs (Fig. 1c).
Distribution and biology. This species was described from the Baboquivari Mountains, Arizona (Chemsak 1962) and is primarily restricted to Pima and Santa Cruz counties from those mountains to the western and southern Santa Catalina and Santa Rita Mountains. All specimens have been attracted to lights in July and August and no larval hosts are recorded. Sonora, Mexico, represents a new state record and the southernmost collection locality for this species.
Material examined. Mexico: Sonora (new state record): Cholla Bay, 14 June 1968; USA: Arizona: Baboquivari Mts., Brown′ s Cn., 3800 ft, 28 July 1949, F. Werner, W. Nutting, sycamore-oak-mes. (holotype, CASC); Tucson Mtns., Picture Rock Pass, 25 July 1961, uv light, Werner, Nutting (Paratype, UAIC); Pima Co., Baboquivari Mountains, Brown Canyon, 31° 46.179′ N, 111° 33.039′ W, 1220 m, 20 July 2018, mv/uv lights, S. W. Lingafelter (3, SWLC); Pima Co., Baboquivari Mountains, Brown Canyon, 31° 45.759′ N, 111° 32.329′ W, 1175 m, Harm House, 1–2 August 2021, mv/uv lights, S. W. Lingafelter (5, SWLC); Baboquivari Mtns., 18 July 1999, F. W. Skillman, Jr. (FWSC); Pima Co., Continental, July, 1974, Dr. Lenczy (USNM); Pima County, 3 mi. NE Madera Canyon Road, 23 July 2016, J. E. Wappes (FSCA); Pima Co., Sabino Canyon, 25 July 1973, F. T. Hovore (2, FSCA); Pima Co., Baboquivari Mtns., Sabino Canyon, 1143 m, 31 July 1979, Scott McCleve (2, TAMU); Pima Co., Baboquivari Mtns., Baboquivari Camp, 17 July 1972, D. G. Marqua (6, TAMU); Pima Co., Canoa Ranch Rest Area on I-19, 31.76550°N, 111.03491°W, 933 m, 18 -21 July 2017, EG Chapman, AB Richards (5, EGCCRC); Pima Co., Canoa Ranch Rest Area on I-19, 31.76550°N, 111.03491°W, 933 m, 31 July 2019, EG Chapman, P. Baker, JM Leavengood (2, EGCCRC); Pima Co., Canoa Ranch Rest Area, I-19 at exit 52, 18–21 July 2017, A.B. Richards and E. G. Chapman, 31.76550°N, 111.03491°W, 933m (3, ABRC); Santa Rita Mtns., Madera Canyon, 6 July 1974, D. G. Marqua (TAMU); Santa Cruz Co., Peña Blanca Campground, 21 July 1989, G. H. Nelson (FSCA); Santa Cruz Co., Gardner Canyon, 9 July 1976, D. G. Marqua (2, TAMU); Santa Rita Mtns., Madera Canyon, Charcoal Pits, 16 July 1978, D. G. Marqua (TAMU); Santa Cruz Co., Rio Rico, 22 July 1971, D. G. Marqua (TAMU); Santa Cruz Co., Peña Blanca, 3780′, 26 July 2010, at light, Kyle E. Schnepp (KESC).
description: Published as part of Lingafelter, Steven W., 2022, Revision of Aneflomorpha Casey and Neaneflus Linsley (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of the United States with an illustrated key to species, pp. 1-59 in Insecta Mundi 2022 (954) on pages 36-37, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7399054