Polymitoleiopus mindoensis, Vlasak & Santos-Silva, 2025

Vlasak, Josef & Santos-Silva, Antonio, 2025, The surprisingly little-known fauna of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) of Ecuador: description of one new genus and eight new species of Acanthocinini (Lamiinae) and new records in Cerambycinae and Lamiinae, Zootaxa 5653 (2), pp. 151-195 : 175-178

Polymitoleiopus mindoensis sp. nov.

( Figs 38–44 )

Description. Holotype male ( Figs 38–42 ). Head capsule dark brown, except brown ventral surface and orangish-brown anterosuperior region of genae; ventral mouthparts mostly yellowish brown; postclypeus partially dark reddish brown; anteclypeus and labrum light yellowish brown; scape dark orangish brown on basal third, mostly dark brown on apical 2/3; pedicel yellowish brown basally, gradually brown toward apex; antennomere III pale yellow basally, brown on remaining basal third, dark brown on apical 2/3; antennomeres IV–V orangish brown on basal 2/3, gradually dark brown on apical third; antennomere VI orangish brown on basal half, except sides partially brown, dark brown on apical half; antennomere VII orangish brown on basal quarter, reddish brown on remaining basal half, dark brown on apical half, except apex partially orangish brown; antennomeres VIII–IX orangish brown basally, brown on remaining basal third, dark brown on apical half, except apex partially orangish brown; X–XI orangish brown basally, dark brown on remaining surface. Pronotum dark brown, except orangish-brown area close to posterior margin and brownish area on each side of anterior region close to anterior sulcus. Sides of prothorax dark brown, except brownish anterior region. Prosternum brown laterally, light orangish brown centrally. Prosternal process orangish brown, slightly darker on apical half. Sides of mesothorax dark brown; central region mostly yellowish-brown. Sides of metathorax dark brown; remaining surface gradually yellowish brown toward center, except orange area close to metacoxal cavities. Scutellum light brown. Elytra with large, triangular dark-brown macula on dorsal surface of basal quarter; humerus brownish; basal area close to scutellum orangish brown; area close to outer margin of dark-brown triangular macula with wide, oblique orange band, more brownish close to suture; with large, somewhat V-shaped orange macula dorsally, from oblique orange band to posterior third; area inside V-shaped macula with subelliptical brown macula; considering both elytra, with large, inverted Y-shaped dark-brown macula dorsally near suture, from anterior to posterior quarter; dark brown laterally on anterior third; remaining anterior 3/4 mostly light brown except orangish-brown area close to epipleural margin; dull yellowish brown on apical quarter, except subelliptical brown macula dorsally. Meso- and metacoxae yellowish brown; metacoxae mostly dark brown. Trochanters and femoral peduncles yellowish; femoral clubs brown, with some areas darker, especially ventrally, except yellowish-brown apex of dorsal and lateral surfaces. Tibiae brown basally, this area wider on protibiae, orangish brown on remaining basal half, dark brown on apical half. Pro- and mesotarsi dark orangish brown, slightly darker on some areas; metatarsomeres I dark brown; metatarsomeres II–V light brown with irregular orangish-brown areas. Abdominal ventrites orangish brown with irregular dark-brown areas interspersed.

Head. Frons densely, very finely punctate; with abundant yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence lighter close to eyes and genae, except glabrous median groove; with one long, erect dark-brown seta close to eyes. Area between antennal tubercles with abundant dull yellowish-brown pubescence centrally not obscuring integument, except glabrous median groove, and somewhat abundant brownish pubescence not obscuring integument laterally. Remaining surface of vertex with abundant light yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument, except mostly glabrous area close to prothorax; with a few long, erect dull yellowish-brown setae interspersed close to eyes. Area behind upper eye lobes superiorly with abundant dull yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument close to eye, dense yellowish-brown pubescence inferiorly close to eye, glabrous close to prothorax. Area behind lower eye lobes with abundant yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument close to eye, with long, erect setae of same color interspersed, glabrous close to prothorax. Genae 0.46 times length of lower eye lobe in frontal view; with sparse yellowish-brown pubescence, absent on most of apex; with a few long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed. Postclypeus almost glabrous, with one long, erect dark-brown seta on each side of wide central area close to frons, seta paler apically, few short dull yellowish-brown setae on sides close to anteclypeus, slightly more abundant on sides of wide central area, and one long, erect dull yellowish-brown seta on sides of wide central area. Labrum with very sparse, decumbent yellowish setae on posterior half, glabrous on anterior half, except fringe of yellowish setae on anterior margin; with a few long, erect, mostly dark-brown setae laterally on posterior half, and a few long, erect yellowish setae on center of posterior half, last ones darkened basally. Gulamentum smooth, glabrous, except somewhat sparse yellowish pubescence on intermaxillary process. Distance between upper eye lobes 0.19 times distance between outer margins of eyes, about 1.5 times maximum width of one upper lobe; in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.54 times distance between outer margins of eyes. Antennae 3.1 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at base of antennomere VI. Scape with somewhat abundant yellowish pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence denser ventrally. Pedicel with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument and two short, thick, erect dark-brown setae ventrally. Antennomeres III–XI with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument on light integumental area and abundant dark-brown pubescence not obscuring integument on dark integumental area, dark area with sparse, short, decumbent whitish setae interspersed; III–IV with a few short, thick, erect dark-brown setae interspersed ventrally; III–VI with a few short, thick dark-brown setae directed backward on apex of dorsal and lateral surfaces; III–XI with a few short, erect yellowish setae interspersed throughout. Antennal formula (ratio) based on length of antennomere III: scape = 1.13; pedicel = 0.13; IV = 0.93; V = 0.86; VI = 0.77; VII = 0.73; VIII = 0.77; IX = 0.81; X = 0.86; XI = 1.07.

Thorax. Prothorax wider than long; anterior constriction narrow, distinct; sides rounded and widened close to anterior constriction, then slightly divergent toward lateral tubercles, distinctly narrowed past lateral tubercles, parallel-sided toward posterolateral angles; lateral tubercles with acute apex directed backward, located on posterior quarter. Pronotum densely, finely punctate, except transverse row of coarse punctures on posterior fifth; with abundant dull yellowish-brown pubescence partially obscuring integument, except one large, longitudinal, subrectangular macula with somewhat abundant dark-brown pubescence not obscuring integument on each side of center, from near anterior constriction to posterior quarter, and moderately large, oblique brown pubescent macula on each side of middle; with a few long, erect dull yellowish-brown setae interspersed on posterior quarter. Sides of prothorax with abundant dull yellowish-brown pubescence partially obscuring integument, pubescence more yellowish-white close to prosternum, except large central area with somewhat abundant dark-brown pubescence not obscuring integument, continuing the oblique dark-brown pubescent band on pronotum, and glabrous anterior sulcus. Prosternum with abundant yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument laterally, somewhat abundant yellowish-white pubescence centrally close to procoxal cavities and prosternal process, subglabrous on anterior region of central surface. Prosternal process with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument on anterior half and sparse yellowish-white pubescence on posterior half; central region sub-laminiform. Mesoventrite with somewhat sparse yellowish-white pubescence on center of anterior region, subglabrous on sides of anterior region, and abundant yellowish-white pubescence on sides. Mesanepisterna, mesepimera, metanepisterna, and wide sides of metaventrite with abundant yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument; remaining surface of metaventrite with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument. Mesoventral process with sparse yellowish-white pubescence, wide central area sub-laminiform. Scutellum with abundant dull yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence sparser, shorter, slightly darker anterolaterally. Elytra. Abundantly, coarsely punctate on anterior 3/4, punctures almost absent on posterior quarter; apex individually rounded; with somewhat sparse dull yellowish-brown pubescence basally close to scutellum, abundant white pubescence partially obscuring integument on orange and brownish areas, small yellowish pubescent macula on area of humeral carina on anterior quarter, white pubescent macula on middle of dorsal surface close to area of humeral carina, whitish pubescent macula on posterior third, from area of humeral carina to epipleural margin, distinctly widened toward this later, with inverted J-shaped white pubescent macula dorsally on posterior quarter, oblique white pubescent macula laterally on posterior fifth, reaching epipleural margin, subfused with inverted J-shaped dorsal macula, narrow dull yellowish-brown pubescent band close to suture on anterior quarter, very sparse whitish pubescence close to suture from anterior to posterior quarter, sparse white pubescence close to suture on posterior quarter, somewhat sparse brown pubescence on dark-brown integumental areas, yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument on subelliptical brown macula on posterior quarter, and somewhat abundant brownish pubescence not obscuring integument on remaining surface. Legs. Femora with abundant white pubescence on peduncles and abundant light yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument on clubs, pubescence whiter ventrally. Basal half of tibiae with abundant white pubescence not obscuring integument; with somewhat abundant whitish pubescence not obscuring integument on beginning of posterior half; apical third of dorsal and lateral surfaces of protibiae with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, except apex of dorsal surface with brown pubescence not obscuring integument; apical third of meso- and metatibiae with brown pubescence not obscuring integument, with decumbent, both whitish and yellowish setae interspersed; ventral surface of apical half of protibiae with abundant, bristly yellowish-brown pubescence, dorsal surface of posterior half of mesotibiae with abundant, short, erect dark-brown setae. Dorsal surface of pro- and mesotarsi with abundant whitish pubescence not obscuring integument; dorsal surface of metatarsomeres I–II with abundant brown pubescence not obscuring integument, with short, decumbent yellowish-white setae interspersed; metatarsomeres III–V with whitish pubescence not obscuring integument; metatarsomere I 1.8 times II–III together.

Abdomen. Ventrites with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument; apex of ventrite 5 slightly concave.

Female ( Figs 43–44 ). Similar to males, differing by the antennae shorter, 2.7 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at middle of antennomere VI, and femoral clubs slender, specially metafemoral club.

Variation. Dark-brown integumental areas on dorsal surface of elytra fused; pubescent band close to elytral suture on anterior quarter whitish; elytral white pubescent band located laterally on middle fused with white pubescence on orange dorsal area.

Dimensions (mm) (Holotype male/ paratype females). Total length, 4.00/4.15–4.55; prothoracic length, 0.85/0.75–0.80; anterior prothoracic width, 0.80/0.85–0.90; posterior prothoracic width, 0.90/0.90–1.00; maximum prothoracic width, 0.95/1.10–1.25; humeral width, 1.35/1.40–1.55; elytral length, 2.75/2.90–3.20.

Type specimens. Holotype male from ECUADOR, Pichincha: Yellow House , 1400 m, San Carlos, Mindo, 5 Jul 2023, J. Vlasak leg. ( MZSP, formerly JVCO). Four paratype females, same data as holotype (1 MZSP, 3 JVCO).

Etymology. The specific epithet “mindoensis ” refers to Mindo Valley in Ecuador, where the type series was collected.

Remarks. Polymitoleiopus mindoensis sp. nov. is similar to Polymitoleiopus ornatissimus ( Bates, 1885) ( Fig. 45 ), comparison established only between male holotypes, especially by the body proportionally stouter (slender in P. ornatissimus ), elytra 3.25 times the prothoracic length (3.95 times in P. ornatissimus ), upper eye lobe wider, with the distance between them about 1.5 times the maximum width of one upper lobe (narrower, with the distance between them slightly wider than twice the maximum width of one upper lobe in P. ornatissimus ). The new species differs from Polymitoleiopus amoenulus (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and in Monné et al. (2020b)), by the pronotum without a single large dark-brown pubescent macula centrally (present in P. amoenulus ), the width of the upper eye lobes distinctly wider and the distance between then distinctly shorter (narrower and the distance between them wider than 2.5 times the maximum diameter of one upper lobe in P. amoenulus ), and the metatarsomere I is distinct longer than II–III together (about as long in P. amoenulus ); from Polymitoleiopus charillus ( Bates, 1885) (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and in Santos-Silva et al. (2024)), especially by the different elytral pubescent pattern; from Polymitoleiopus clerulus (Bates, 1881) ( Fig. 46 ) especially by the different elytral pubescent pattern, the width of the upper eye lobes distinctly wider, and the distance between then distinctly shorter (narrower and the distance between them wider than 3.0 times the maximum diameter of one upper lobe in P. clerulus ); from Polymitoleiopus colibri ( Vlasak & Santos-Silva, 2024) (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and in Vlasak & Santos-Silva (2024)), especially by the different elytral pubescent pattern; and from Polymitoleiopus vulcanensis Santos-Silva, Pérez-Flores, Bezark & Monné (2024) (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and in Santos-Silva et al. (2024)), by the different elytral pubescent pattern, the width of the upper eye lobes distinctly wider, and the distance between then distinctly shorter (narrower and the distance between them wider than 2.5 times the maximum diameter of one upper lobe in P. vulcanensis ).

Figures

FIGURES 38–42. Polymitoleiopus mindoensis sp. nov., holotype male: 38) Dorsal habitus; 39) Ventral habitus; 40) Lateral habitus; 41) Head, frontal view; 42) Upper eye lobes.

FIGURES 43–46. Polymitoleiopus spp. 43–44) Polymitoleiopus mindoensis sp. nov., paratype female: 43) Dorsal habitus; 44) Ventral habitus. 45) Polymitoleiopus ornatissimus (Bates, 1885), holotype, dorsal habitus. 46) Polymitoleiopus clerulus (Bates, 1881), holotype, dorsal habitus. Figures 45–46 by Jesus Santiago Moure.