The multiform genus Psyrassa Pascoe (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Elaphidiini): new species, new records, synonyms and transfers
Author
García, Kimberly
Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Author
Santos-Silva, Antonio
Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
text
Insecta Mundi
2022
2022-10-14
2022
953
1
26
journal article
53975
10.5281/zenodo.7398949
fd89939c-b5c0-428d-937d-32afc2cae011
1942-1354
7398949
194F7545-EF7C-44B7-9783-286A8BDEB1EC
Aneflomorpha sinaloae
(Linsley, 1935)
,
new combination
(
Fig. 8–12
)
Psyrassa sinaloae
Linsley 1935a: 145
;
Blackwelder 1946: 567
(checklist);
Franz 1954: 219
(distr.);
Chemsak et al. 1992: 47
(cat.);
Monné 1993: 12
(cat.);
Monné and Giesbert 1994: 61
(checklist);
Noguera and Chemsak 1996: 399
(checklist);
Monné 2005: 242
(cat.);
Toledo 2005: 48
;
Monné and Hovore 2006: 72
(checklist);
Monné 2022: 425
(cat.).
Aneflomorpha martini
Chemsak and Linsley 1968: 32
;
Ruette 1970: 18
(
type
);
Chemsak et al. 1992: 37
(checklist);
Monné 1993: 29
(cat.);
Monné and Giesbert 1994: 48
(checklist);
Noguera and Chemsak 1996: 398
(checklist.);
Noguera et al. 2002: 623
(distr.);
Monné 2005: 184
(cat.);
Monné and Hovore 2006: 60
(checklist);
Monné 2022: 322
(cat.).
New synonym
.
Remarks.
Psyrassa sinaloae
Linsley, 1935
and
Aneflomorpha martini
Chemsak and Linsley, 1968
(see photographs on
Bezark 2022
) were described from
Sinaloa
(
Mexico
). Comparing photographs of the
holotypes
as well as original descriptions and redescription of the former, we conclude that they are the same species. Therefore, they are synonymized herein. The differences between
Psyrassa
Pascoe, 1866
and
Aneflomorpha
Casey, 1912
are questionable.
Linsley (1961)
separated these two genera in his key as follows: “Pronotum polished, glabrous, sparsely punctate,” leading to
Psyrassa
; “Pronotum densely punctate or pubescent, or punctate with smooth spaces or polished dorsal callosities,” leading to
Aneflomorpha
. However, the sculpturing of the pronotum in
Psyrassa
is very variable, and may be identical to that in species of
Aneflomorpha
, sometimes with distinct smooth area; the pubescence on the pronotum may or may not be present in
Psyrassa
, although when present, always sparse or restricted to the posterior region. According to
Lingafelter (1998)
: “
Aneflomorpha
strongly resembles
Psyrassa
; indeed, the two genera share many characters … Both of these genera are speciose and probably are polyphyletic; each containing some taxa that should belong in the other … The lack of a strong pronotal constriction, more heavily punctate and pubescent pronotum, general openness of the procoxal cavities posteriorly, and longer third antennomere in
Aneflomorpha
distinguish it from
Psyrassa
”. We agree that these two genera appear to be polyphyletic and that there are species of
Psyrassa
in
Aneflomorpha
as well as vice versa. However, the shape of the procoxal cavities posteriorly and the length of the antennomere III cannot be used to separate them. This is because these features are very variable in
Psyrassa
. Furthermore, the prothorax may or may not be strongly constricted in
Psyrassa
. For now, the only reliable difference between
Psyrassa
and
Aneflomorpha
is decumbent pubescence on the pronotum and elytra, sparser or absent in the former, abundant in the latter (
Fig. 8, 12
).
Based on the pronotal and elytral pubescence in
Psyrassa sinaloae
, it is transferred to
Aneflomorpha
. Currently, it is known from
Mexico
(
Sinaloa
,
Morelos
,
Michoacán
,
Jalisco
) (
Monné 2022
;
Tavakilian and Chevillotte 2021
).
Material examined.
MEXICO
,
MICHOACÁN
:
Hwy
MX
37,
98 km
S
Nueva Italia
,
1 female
,
13.VII.2006
,
F. Skillman
and
D.C. Hildebrant
leg. (
MZSP
, formerly
FWSC
)
;
2 females
,
15.VII.2006
,
F. Skillman
and
D.C. Hildebrant
leg. (
FWSC
)
.
JALISCO
:
7 km
N Autlán de Navarro
, rd. to
Microondas de San Francisco
,
19.83506N
104.34757W
,
1 female
,
F. Skillman
and
J.F. Limon
leg. (
FWSC
)
.