Revision of the American species of the genus Prionus Geoffroy, 1762 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae, Prionini)
Author
Santos-Silva, Antonio
Author
Nearns, Eugenio H.
Author
Swift, Ian P.
text
Zootaxa
2016
4134
1
1
103
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4134.1.1
a157eae0-8cb8-4b9a-8ce5-dd7ff7913ba3
1175-5326
399754
92AC0E20-F532-4D21-AE1F-4B056327212F
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
heroicus
Semenov, 1908
(
Figs. 143–157
,
172, 177, 178
)
Prionus heros
Fall, 1905
: 274
;
Skinner, 1905
: 291
(preoccupied).
Prionus heroicus
Semenov, 1908
: 259
;
Lameere, 1912a
: 241
;
Casey, 1912
: 244
;
Lameere, 1913
: 77
(cat.); 1919: 138;
Bradley, 1919
: 419
;
Linsley
et al.
, 1961
: 7
(distr.);
Chemsak
et al.
, 1992
: 20
(checklist);
Linsley & Chemsak, 1997
: 424
(host); Barbour
et al.
, 2011: 590.
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
heroicus
;
Casey, 1924
: 212
;
Linsley, 1957
: 8
(syn.);
Linsley, 1962
: 45
(females);
Skiles, 1978
: 412
(biology);
Monné & Giesbert, 1994
: 15
(checklist); Monné, 1995: 52 (cat.); Chemsak, 1996: 109 (females); Heffern, 1998: 6 (distr.);
Monné & Hovore, 2005
: 20
(checklist); 2006: 19 (checklist);
Özdikmen & Turgut, 2009
: 411
;
Bezark & Monné, 2013
: 27
(checklist).
Prionus
(
Prionus) vastus
Casey, 1912
: 236
, 245; 1924: 213;
Lameere, 1919
: 138
;
Linsley, 1957
: 8
(syn.);
Lingafelter
et al.
, 2014
: 342
(
type
).
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
tristis
Casey, 1912
: 236
, 244
(Part: only
paralectotype
female)
; 1924: 212;
Lameere, 1919
: 138
;
Linsley, 1957
: 8
(syn.);
Lingafelter
et al.
, 2014
: 336
(
type
).
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
tetricus
Casey, 1912
: 237
; 1924: 212;
Lameere, 1919
: 138
;
Linsley, 1957
: 9
(syn.);
Lingafelter
et al.
, 2014
: 332
(
type
).
Prionus tetricus
;
Alexander, 1958
: 49
(distr.).
Male (
Figs. 143–148
). Integument blackish; scape and pedicel reddish dark-brown; antennomeres lighter from III to XII; ventrites dark-brown, with apex of ventrites I–IV reddish; femora and tibiae more reddish; tarsi reddish. Head, excluding mandibles, about as long at central area as prothorax, notably elongate behind eyes (distance from posterior ocular edge to the prothorax 1.5 times as long as length of upper eye lobe). Longitudinal dorsal furrow distinct from clypeus to prothoracic edge. Area between antennal tubercles and middle of eyes deeply sulcate, coarsely, confluently punctate. Central area between posterior ocular edge and prothorax coarsely, abundantly punctate (punctures smaller than between eyes). Area behind upper eye lobes coarsely, confluently punctate (punctures smaller than between eyes). Area behind lower eye lobes with short, moderately abundant setae. Antennal tubercles coarsely, abundantly punctate on base, gradually sparsely punctate toward apex. Eyes proportionally large; distance between upper eye lobes 0.8 times length of scape; distance between lower eye lobes 1.2 times length of scape. Submentum trapezoid, punctate-vermiculate. Genae moderately finely, abundantly punctate. Antennae with 12 segments; attaining about distal one-third of elytra. Scape nearly attaining posterior ocular edge; moderately coarsely, abundantly punctate on base, gradually finer, sparser toward apex. Antennomere III 1.3 times longer than scape dorsally, distinctly enlarged toward apex (distal width equal to about 1.8 times basal width); on dorsal view, imbrication distinct, but not very projected; on ventral view, apex of imbrication somewhat emarginate; finely, sparsely punctate dorsally. Antennomere IV about as long as 0.7 times III; moderately finely punctate dorsally, more densely on base; imbrication dorsally as in III; in ventral view apical emargination deeper than in III. Antennomeres V–XI with imbrication as in IV. Antennomere XII slightly longer than XI; not appendiculate or partially divided.
Maximum prothoracic width 0.9 times elytral base; anterolateral angle slightly projected forward, rounded toward first lateral tooth; first lateral tooth small, rounded at apex, placed close to anterolateral angle; second lateral tooth large, acute at apex, slightly projected backwards, placed about middle of margin; margin between second tooth and posterolateral angle slightly concave; posterolateral angle obtuse, rounded at apex; basal margin sinuous; distal margin slightly sinuous centrally. Pronotum convex, distinctly explanate laterally; callosities distinct; disc moderately coarsely abundantly punctate centrally, coarsely, densely punctate laterally; glabrous. Prosternum moderately coarsely, abundantly punctate laterally, gradually sparser toward center; with moderately long, sparse setae. Prosternal process slightly narrowed centrally. Elytra moderately coarsely, abundantly punctate; each elytron with three distinct carinae, fused near apex; sutural spine absent. Metasternum about as long as ventrites I–II together; finely, abundantly punctate, less so centrally; with long, dense setae throughout (centrally sparser). Metepisterna with sculpture and setae as on sides of metasternum.
FIGURES 143–149
.
Prionus heroicus
, lectotype male:
143
, dorsal habitus;
144
, ventral habitus;
145
, head, dorsal view;
146
, head, ventral view;
147
, head, lateral view;
148
, apex of mesotibiae;
149
, labels.
FIGURES 150–157
.
Prionus heroicus
, paralectotype female:
150
, dorsal habitus;
151
, ventral habitus;
152
, head, dorsal view;
153
, head, ventral view;
154
, metasternum;
155
, head, lateral view;
156
, labels;
157
, apex of mesotibiae.
Ventrites I–IV finely sparsely punctate centrally; with distinct setae laterally; distal margin of ventrite V distinctly concave. Apex of meso- and metatibiae not spined, truncate (
Fig. 148
). Pro- and mesotarsomeres I–III wide; metatarsomere I moderately narrow, elongate.
Female (
Figs. 150–155, 157
). Dorsal side dark-brown; ventral side and legs mostly reddish-brown; antennae dark-brown, gradually reddish toward apex. Head, excluding mandibles, about as long at middle as prothorax. Sculpture on dorsal surface of head and area behind eyes similar to that in male, except for punctures between eyes smaller and sparser. Distance between upper eye lobes slightly shorter than length of scape; distance between lower eye lobes 1.2 times length of scape. Submentum as in male. Antennae with 12 segments, apex nearly reaching basal one-third of elytra. Scape more slender than in male, slightly surpassing posterior ocular edge. Antennomere III 1.2 times longer than scape; antennomeres III–XI without distinct imbrication, distinctly projected at outer distal side only after VII. Prothorax as in male. Metasternum only pubescent laterally. Metepisterna pubescent. Apex of meso- and metatibiae as in male.
Dimensions in mm (male/female)
. Total length (including mandibles), 42.0/48.8; prothoracic length at center, 6.5/7.5; greatest prothoracic width, 15.5/18.0; humeral width, 18.0/20.0; elytral length, 32.0/35.5.
Geographical distribution.
USA
[Arizona (
Fall, 1905
), New
Mexico
(
Casey 1912
), Colorado (Chemsak 1996].
Type
,
type
locality.
Of
Prionus heros
(
Figs. 143–157
): Description based on a couple specimens from
USA
(Arizona), deposited at
MCZ
.
To maintain the stability of the species, we designated as the
lectotype
the male specimen (
Figs. 143–148
) with the following labels (
Fig. 149
):
White (Printed): H. C.
FALL
COLLECTION
White (Handwritten):
heros
/
TYPE
White (Handwritten): Arizona / (S. Sorby)
Red: M.C.Z. (Printed) /
Type
(Printed) / 24879 (Handwritten) Red and yellow (Printed; added by us):
LECTOTYPE
/
Prionus heroicus
(=
P. h ero s
)
Of
Prionus
(
Prionus) vastus
:
Holotype
female from
USA
(Arizona), deposited at
USNM
. Figured at
Lingafelter
et al.
(2016)
.
Of
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
tetricus
(
Figs. 172
):
Holotype
female from
USA
(New
Mexico
), deposited at USNM. Figured at
Lingafelter
et al.
(2016)
.
Of
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
tristis
(only female
paralectotype
(
Figs. 177–178
)).
Syntypes
from
USA
(New
Mexico
), deposited at USNM.
Lingafelter
et al.
(2014)
recorded:
tristis
Casey, 1912
: 236
(
Fig. 173
q, r),
Holotype
. However, according to
Casey (1912)
: “Length (♂) 29.0, (♀) 46.0–47.0 mm.; width (♂) 11.8, (♀) 18.0–
18.2 mm
.; length of prothorax (♀)
6.25 mm
.; width of head (♀)
8.3–8.8 mm
. Thus, there is no
holotype
because
Casey (1912)
did not designate one and he had at least three specimens (one male and two females). The female
syntype
figured at
Lingafelter
et al.
(2016)
as
holotype
of
P.
(
P.
)
tristis
belongs to
P.
(
P.
)
californicus
. As
P.
(
P.
)
tristis
encompasses two species, we are herein designating as
Lectotype
the specimen figured by
Lingafelter
et al.
(2014)
, and figuring the ventral side of this specimen (
Fig. 176
). The specimen has the following labels:
White (Printed): N. M
White (Handwritten):
tristis Casey
Red:
TYPE
USNM (Printed) / 36426 (Handwritten) Red and yellow (Printed; added by us):
LECTOTYPE
/
Prionus tristis
(=
P. californicus
)
Material examined.
All
types
were examined.
Remarks.
Lameere (1919)
, in doubt, indicated the following synonyms with
P. heroicus
:
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
tumidus
;
P.
(
P.
)
vastus
;
P.
(
P.
)
tristis
;
P.
(
P.
)
alutaceus
; and
P.
(
P.
)
tetricus
.
Casey (1924)
did not comment on Lameere’s doubts, and considered all them as distinct from
P. heroicus
.
Linsley (1957)
formalized the synonyms indicated by
Lameere (1919)
, but excluded
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
alutaceus
(considered a synonym of
P. californicus
), and added
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
fontinalis
, a species not mentioned by
Lameere (1919)
.
According to
Linsley (1957)
: “Casey had no specimens in his collection identified as this species [
P. heroicus
].
His six examples, all females…” This statement encompasses two mistakes:
P.
(
P.
)
fontinalis
was described based on a single male; and
Casey (1912
,
1924
) listed seven specimens:
1 female
of
P.
(
P.
)
tumidus
;
1 female
of
P.
(
P.
)
vastus
;
1 male
and
2 females
of
P.
(
P.
)
tristis
;
1 female
of
P.
(
P.
)
tetricus
;
1 male
of
P.
(
P.
)
fontinalis
.
According to
Linsley (1962)
and Chemsak (1996), in the key: “antennae with external processes well developed”—leading to
P. californicus
; and “antennae with external processes moderate”—leading to
P. heroicus
. However, in the male
lectotype
of
P. he ro i c u s
, the processes are very similar to many specimens of
P. californicus
, in which this feature is highly variable. The color, another feature used by those authors to differentiate these species, is also highly variable in
P. californicus
.
Males of
Prionus heroicus
differ from those of
P. californicus
by the apex of meso- and metatibiae not spined at dorsal margin. Females of the former differ from the latter by the metasternum with distinct pubescence only laterally (usually throughout in
P. californicus
), and by the apex of meso- and metatibiae as in male.
Prionus
(
Prionus
)
vastus
and
P.
(
P.
)
tetricus
(
Fig. 172
) are kept in synonymy with
P.
(
Prionus
)
heroicus
, mainly by the shape of tibiae apex and by the metasternum centrally glabrous.
The redescription above was based on the male
lectotype
and female
paralectotype
of
Prionus heroicus
.
Apparently, the
types
of
P. heroicus
were not examined by
Linsley (1962)
and Chemsak (1996).
Fall (1905)
made clear a character that was not taken into account by those authors: the robust form of the body. The general appearance of the
lectotype
of
P. heroi cus
is much more similar to
P. laticollis
than to
P. californicus
.
Linsley (1957)
synonymized
P.
(
P.
)
tristis
with
P.
(
P.
)
heroicus
. However, the
lectotype
female and
paralectotype
male (the latter could not be located) belong to
P.
(
P.
)
californicus
, because the apex of meso- and metatibiae are as in that species. Notwithstanding, we believe that the
paralectotype
female (
Figs. 177–178
) is a true
P.
(
P.
)
heroicus
, because the apex of meso- and metatibiae clearly agrees with the
paralectotype
of
P.
(
P.
)
heroicus
.