Leptostylopsis opuntiae Lingafelter 2020, new species
Creators: name: Lingafelter, Steven W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Cerambycidae
Leptostylopsis
Leptostylopsis opuntiae

description: Leptostylopsis opuntiae Lingafelter, new species
(Fig. 9, 10a, b)
Diagnosis. The tribe Acanthocinini contains several similar genera characterized by a similarly stout body and laterally tuberculate pronotum with variably developed dorsal calli. The relatively short antennae that extend beyond the elytral apices by only 2–3 antennomeres, the strongly laterally tuberculate pronotum with very subdued dorsal calli, and the mesosternal intercoxal process less than the width of each mesocoxa suggest that this species is best assigned to the genus Leptostylopsis as redefined in Lingafelter and Micheli (2009). Among the Hispaniolan Leptostylopsis, it is distinctive by having very reduced tubercles on the pronotal disk, antennae extending beyond the elytral apex by no more than three antennomeres, prominent mandibles extending considerably below and to sides of labrum, and by the distinctive light and dark brown mottling of the elytra with an angled median white fascia in most specimens.
Description. Length: 15–20 mm; width: 5–8 mm.
Head: Integument dark reddish-brown, covered throughout in dense, appressed, mottled white and brown pubescence, with exception of a narrow, median-frontal line extending from frontoclypeal margin to occiput. Antenna: covered with dense, appressed, mottled white, light brown, and dark brown pubescence; scape and antennomeres 3–9 with dark brown apices. Antennae longer than body, extending beyond elytral apices by 2–3 antennomeres. Antennomeres 5–11 each much shorter than 3. Scape extending to near posterior margin of pronotum. Eye: small, lower lobe less than height of gena below it; over twice thickness of upper eye lobe; lobes connected behind antennal tubercle by 3–4 rows of ommatidia at narrowest point. Upper eye lobes separated by slightly more than basal width of scape. Mouthparts: frontoclypeal margin with sparse fringe of short, white and translucent setae that extend only slightly across base of clypeus; clypeus orange, mostly glabrous, with a few long, translucent setae extending at sides to base of labrum. Labrum orange, with sparse short and long setae that are translucent or dark brown at the base. Mandibles prominent and extending considerably below and to sides of labrum.
Thorax: Pronotum integument dark reddish-brown; broad, rounded lateral tubercle positioned medially; dorsal tubercles barely evident at middle and anterolateral regions of disk. Mostly covered in mottled short, appressed ochraceous and dark brown setae with fewer white setae at base, on anterior of lateral tubercles, and at middle. Pronotum more abruptly constricted behind lateral tubercles and gradually narrowed to anterior margin in front of tubercles. Punctures sparse and inconspicuous except for posterior row connecting posterior edge of lateral tubercles. Scutellum broadly rounded posteriorly and covered with short, appressed, mottled white, brown, and ochraceous setae. Prosternum smooth, impunctate, covered with uniform, appressed, white or tawny pubescence. Prosternal process between procoxae less than ½ width of each coxa but expanded at apex to width of procoxa, closing procoxal cavities posteriorly.
Mesosternum reddish-brown, sometimes with margins piceous; smooth, impunctate, covered with uniform, appressed white and ochraceous pubescence. Mesosternal process between mesocoxae broad, about ¾ as wide as mesocoxa. Metasternum reddish-brown, sometimes with margins piceous; covered with appressed, off-white and ochraceous pubescence. Elytra: covered with combination of appressed, off-white, ochraceous, and dark brown pubescence usually forming a vague pattern of darker triangular region at base around scutellum and between humeri, an angled postmedial white fascia, a dark brown region between white fascia and elytral apex, and mostly ochraceous elsewhere. No erect setae present except for inconspicuous, barely elevated dark spot-like tufts along costae and suture. Humeri not projecting; elytra parallel-sided to apical third and then rounded to narrowly sub-truncate apex. Legs: dense, appressed, pubescent with mottled, white, dark brown and light brown setae. Femora paler than tibiae which are darker at base and apex. Tibiae approximately equal in length to femora; hind legs about 1/3 longer than forelegs; metafemora of moderate length, extending to about base or middle of ventrite 5. Tarsi generally covered with short, appressed pubescence of similar color to apex of tibiae.
Abdomen: Ventrites impunctate, reddish-brown, sometimes piceous at sides; covered with appressed, mostly pale ochraceous pubescence, with scattered off-white setae. Fifth ventrite of females about 2× length of penultimate, truncate to slightly concave at apex, with fringe of longer white and translucent setae at apex; lacking basal middle line. Fifth ventrite of males less than 2× length of penultimate, broadly rounded and convex at apex, with fringe of longer white, ochraceous, and black setae at apex; lacking basal middle line.
Etymology. The epithet opuntiae refers to the plant that all known specimens were collected on, Consolea moniliformis (L.) A. Berger (formerly Opuntia), commonly called Necklacelike pricklypear.
Remarks. This is the only known species of Leptostylopsis associated with cacti and all specimens were collected at night walking on the living pads of Consolea [formerly Opuntia] moniliformis (L.) A. Berger (R. Turnbow, pers. comm.).
Type material. Holotype: Dominican Republic: Pedernales, 12 km N. Cabo Rojo, 18 May 1992, Opuntia moniliformis, R. Turnbow (female, FSCA). Paratypes: Same data as holotype (10, RHTC); Same data (1, USNM); Same data (2, SWLC); Same data (2, FSCA); Pedernales, 10.5 km N. Cabo Rojo, 9 July 1996, R. Turnbow (10, RHTC).
description: Published as part of Lingafelter, Steven W., 2020, New genera, species, and records of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from Hispaniola, pp. 1-23 in Insecta Mundi 754 on pages 16-17, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3703003