Anisopodus melinus, 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 : 152-155

Anisopodus melinus sp. nov.

( Figs 1–7 )

Description. Holotype male ( Figs 1–5 ). Head capsule dark brown on frons and sides, brown on vertex, gulamentum, and most surface of antennal tubercles; ventral mouthparts reddish brown except yellowish-brown palpi; postclypeus dark brown; anteclypeus light reddish brown with irregular yellowish-brown areas; labrum brown on posterior half, light-brown on sides of anterior half and anterior margin, yellowish-brown on remaining surface; scape dark reddish brown except darker apical area on dorsal surface; pedicel light reddish brown on basal half, dark brown on apical half; antennomere III orangish brown except dark-brown apex; antennomeres IV–X orangish with dark-brown apex, area close to dark apex more orangish brown; antennomere XI orangish on basal 2/3, orangish brown on apical third. Pronotum dark reddish brown with irregular dark-brown area close to lateral tubercles of prothorax. Sides of prothorax dark reddish brown close to pronotum, dark brown close to prosternum. Prosternum and prosternal process dark reddish brown. Mesoventrite dark reddish brown centrally, dark brown laterally. Mesanepisterna and mesepimera dark brown, slightly lighter depending on light intensity. Mesoventral process mostly dark reddish brown. Metanepisterna and sides of metaventrite dark brown; remaining surface of metaventrite dark reddish brown. Scutellum mostly dark reddish brown. Elytra dark brown basally, gradually lighter toward apex, except irregular somewhat dark-brown macula on sides of anterior half, brown maculae and spots about middle, and light-brown maculae and spots on posterior third and central area near suture. Coxae and trochanters mostly pale yellow. Pro- and mesofemoral peduncles pale yellow; metafemoral peduncle pale yellow basally, gradually orangish toward club; femoral club both dark brown and orangish brown. Protibiae light reddish brown except dark-brown apical region of sides and ventral surface; mesotibiae orangish on basal 2/3, dark brown on apical third; metatibiae orangish on basal 3/4, dark brown on apical quarter. Protarsomeres I–IV mostly brown; protarsomeres V reddish brown basally, brown apically, orangish brown on remaining surface; mesotarsomeres I orangish brown except brown apex; mesotarsomeres II–IV brown; mesotarsomeres V reddish brown basally, brown apically, orangish brown on remaining surface; metatarsomeres I orangish except orangish-brown apex; metatarsomeres II–IV mostly orangish brown; metatarsomeres V orangish with brown apex. Abdominal ventrites irregularly dark brown laterally, this area gradually darker and larger toward ventrite 5, orange on remaining surface, this area slightly darker from ventrite 3.

Head. Frons abundantly, minutely punctate; with dense yellowish-brown pubescence except glabrous median groove; with one long, erect dark-brown seta close to eyes. Area between antennal tubercles with abundant yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument, except glabrous median groove. Area between upper eye lobes with dense light yellowish-brown pubescence except glabrous median groove and glabrous triangular area close to yellowish-white pubescence between antennal tubercles. Remaining surface of vertex and area behind upper eye lobes with dense light yellowish-brown pubescence except sparser brownish pubescence on vertex close to prothorax and glabrous median groove. Area behind lower eye lobes with dense, narrow light yellowish-brown pubescence close to eye and abundant yellowish pubescence not obscuring integument close to prothorax, except glabrous inferior area close to prothorax. Genae 0.49 times frontal length of lower eye lobe; with abundant yellowish pubescence not obscuring integument, except glabrous apex and area close to eye and frons; with a few long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed. Wide central area of postclypeus with abundant, bristly, both yellowish-brown and yellowish-white pubescence, pubescence almost absent on narrow, transverse central area; with long yellowish-brown setae directed forward close to anteclypeus; with one long, erect dark-brown seta on each side near frons. Sides of postclypeus glabrous. Labrum with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument on posterior half, with long yellowish-brown setae directed forward interspersed; sides of anterior half with long yellowish-brown setae directed forward, remaining surface glabrous, except dense fringe of yellowish-brown setae on anterior margin. Outer surface of mandibles triangularly depressed on basal half; with abundant dull yellowish-brown pubescence partially obscuring integument and one long, erect dark-brown seta; remaining surface glabrous. Gulamentum subsmooth, glabrous, except somewhat abundant yellowish pubescence on intermaxillary process. Maximum diameter of upper eye lobes wider than basal width of scape; distance between upper eye lobes 0.20 times distance between outer margins of eyes; in frontal view, distance between lower eye lobes 0.53 times distance between outer margins of eyes.Antennae 2.55 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at basal third of antennomere VI. Scape with abundant yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument, except sparse yellowish-brown pubescence on dark integumental dorsal area; with long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed ventrally, especially on apical quarter. Pedicel with abundant yellowish-white pubescence, partially obscuring integument dorsally, except sparse yellowish-brown pubescence on dorsal apex; with long, erect dark-brown setae interspersed ventrally. Antennomeres III–X with abundant yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument on light integumental area and sparse pubescence on dark integumental area, mostly dark brown on III–VI, mostly darkyellowish-brown on VII–X; with sparse, minute, erect yellowish-white setae interspersed throughout; III with sparse, short, thick, erect dark-brown setae interspersed ventrally; IV–V with a few short, thick, erect dark-brown setae interspersed ventrally; VI–VII with a few short, thick dark-brown setae directed forward on ventral apex; III– VI with a few short, thick, dark-brown setae on apex of dorsal surface. Antennomere XI with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument on basal 2/3 and sparse yellowish-white pubescence on apical third; with minute, erect yellowish-white setae interspersed throughout. Antennal formula (ratio) based on antennomere III: scape = 1.10; pedicel = 0.09; IV = 1.00; V = 0.90; VI = 0.82; VII = 0.74; VIII = 0.70; IX = 0.70; X = 0.65; XI = 0.65.

Thorax. Prothorax wider than long; anterior constriction narrow, well marked; sides divergent from anterior constriction to lateral tubercles, subparallel sided from lateral tubercles to near apex, then somewhat abruptly narrowed toward posterolateral angles; lateral tubercles large, somewhat conical, with blunt apex directed backward and upward, located almost on posterior fifth. Pronotum moderately abundantly, coarsely punctate; with oblique, slightly elevated, elongated gibbosity on each side of middle of anterior third and longitudinal, slightly elevated, dorsally carinate gibbosity centrally, from slightly before middle to posterior fifth; anterior gibbosities with sparse yellowish-brown pubescence; with wide, dense pale-yellow pubescent band centrally, from anterior constriction to posterior margin, except glabrous apex of central gibbosity; sides of anterior half with dense light yellowish-brown pubescence and remaining surface with dense pale-yellow pubescence, except longitudinal, irregular glabrous band between central pubescent band and anterior gibbosities and glabrous anterior sulcus; posterior half with large, transverse pale-yellow pubescent macula, fused to central pubescent band and not reaching sides, another short, longitudinal pale-yellow pubescent macula, from previous pubescent band to about middle, abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument on remaining lateral region, and abundant yellowish pubescence not obscuring integument close to posterior margin on sides of central pubescent band, except glabrous sides of posterior sulcus; with long, erect dark-brown setae close to lateral tubercles of prothorax. Sides of prothorax mostly with dense yellowish-brown pubescence centrally, abundant light yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument posteriorly, except glabrous posterior sulcus, and abundant pale-yellow pubescence not obscuring integument anteriorly, except glabrous anterior sulcus. Prosternum with abundant pale-yellow pubescence partially obscuring integument, except glabrous anterior sulcus and innermost area close to procoxal cavities. Prosternal process with dense yellowish pubescence centrally and on lateral margins of anterior 2/3, glabrous between these two areas; posterior third with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument; apex widely concave centrally; narrowest area 0.22 times procoxal width. Mesoventrite with abundant yellowish-white pubescence anterocentrally and on anterior sides and dense yellowish pubescence on remaining surface. Mesanepisterna and mesepimera with dense light yellowish-brown pubescence. Mesoventral process with sides convergent toward truncate apex; with dense yellowish pubescence except glabrous sulcus on each side of anterior 4/5; apex 0.25 times mesocoxal width. Metanepisterna and sides of metaventrite with dense pale-yellow pubescence; remaining surface of metaventrite with abundant yellowish pubescence partially obscuring integument, except glabrous metathoracic discrimen. Scutellum with dense pale-yellow pubescence except subelliptical central area with moderately sparse brownish pubescence.

Elytra. Subparallel-sided on anterior third, then convergent toward apex, more distinctly on posterior quarter; outer apical angle forming large triangular projection, sutural apical angle slightly projected, area between apical angles concave; moderately abundantly, coarsely punctate on anterior half, punctures sparser on posterior half; humeral region with abundant yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument; basal area close to scutellum with dense pale-yellow pubescence; area close to suture on anterior quarter with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, this area triangularly shaped; remaining surface with dense yellowish pubescence, with irregular areas with sparse yellowish-brown pubescence, with four larger and more conspicuous: one on anterior third, almost reaching epipleural margin and reaching sides of dorsal surface, one about middle, almost reaching epipleural margin and reaching sides of dorsal surface, one inverted J-shaped dorsally, located from about middle to posterior third, and one dorsally on posterior quarter; humeral carina almost absent; centrobasal crest absent. Legs. Femora with abundant yellowish pubescence not obscuring integument, pubescence yellower dorsally and laterally on pro- and mesofemoral clubs, and yellower dorsally on metafemoral club; metafemora distinctly surpassing elytral apex. Protibiae arched backward and inward apically; with dense yellowish-white pubescence except sides of apical quarter with abundant yellowish-brown pubescence not obscuring integument, area of ventral surface between basal third and area near apex with dense, bristly dark yellowish-brown pubescence, pubescence appearing to be darker depending on light intensity and angle source, and apex of ventral surface with dense yellowish-brown pubescence on apex. Mesotibiae with abundant yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument on basal 3/4, except dorsal sulcus with dense, short, erect dark-brown setae, moderately abundant yellowish-brown pubescence on apical quarter of dorsal and lateral surfaces, and dense, bristly yellowish-brown pubescence on ventral apical quarter; dorsal surface of apical quarter with short, suberect dark-brown setae interspersed. Metatibiae strongly arched after middle; with abundant yellowish-white pubescence partially obscuring integument, pubescence sparser dorsally and laterally on apical quarter and bristly, yellowish brown close to ventral apex; with short, erect, thick, dark-brown setae interspersed between anterior third and posterior quarter. Dorsal surface of protarsomeres with sparse yellowish-white pubescence, pubescence slightly more abundant on tarsomeres I and apical half of V; dorsal surface of meso- and metatarsomeres I with dense pale-yellow pubescence, slightly sparser apically; dorsal surface of meso- and metatarsomeres II–IV with somewhat sparse light yellowish-brown pubescence; dorsal surface of meso- and metatarsomeres V with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument; metatarsomere I 3.9 times longer than II–III together.

Abdomen. Ventrites with abundant yellowish-white pubescence not obscuring integument, except glabrous apices of ventrites 2–4. Apex of ventrite 5 widely concave.

Female ( Figs 6–7 ). Similar to male, differing by the antennae shorter, 2.25 times elytral length, reaching elytral apex at apical fifth of antennomere VI, metafemora shorter, base of central region of abdominal ventrite 5 slightly longitudinally sulcate and glabrous, and apex of abdominal ventrite 5 widely slightly concave.

Dimensions in mm (Holotype male/ paratype male/ paratype females). Total length, 10.10/8.85/9.40–10.80; prothoracic length, 1.75/1.60/1.70–1.80; anterior prothoracic width, 1.60/1.45/1.60–1.80; posterior prothoracic width, 2.10/1.70/2.00–2.20; maximum prothoracic width, 2.60/2.20/2.55–2.70; humeral width, 2.95/2.60/2.95– 3.20; elytral length, 7.10/6.25/6.80–8.15.

Type material. Holotype male from ECUADOR, Pichincha: 1300 m, Nanegal, 9 Jul 2023, J. Vlasak leg. ( MZSP) . Paratype male, same data as holotype ( JVCO), 1 paratype female, same data as holotype ( MZSP), 2 paratype females, same data as holotype ( JVCO) .

Etymology. The name “melinus ” (from Latin “mel” (honey)) refers to the color of this species.

Remarks. Anisopodus melinus sp. nov. is similar to Anisopodus xylinus Bates, 1881 (see photographs on Bezark 2025), but differs as follows: pronotum without wide, longitudinal dark pubescent band on each side of middle, from near anterior to near posterior margin; apex of lateral tubercles of prothorax not acute; dark pubescent bands about middle of elytra not fused to form a zig-zag macula; and metafemora in females distinctly not reaching the elytral apex. In A. xylinus , the pronotum has wide, longitudinal dark pubescent band from near anterior to near posterior margin, the apex of the lateral tubercles of the prothorax is acute, the dark pubescent bands about middle of elytra fused forming a zig-zag macula, and the metafemora almost reach the apex in females. It is also similar to Anisopodus scriptipennis Bates, 1872 (see photographs on Bezark (2025) and in Santos-Silva & Devesa (2021)), differing especially by the elytral basal area without transverse dark pubescent band (present in A. scriptipennis ), and the metafemora in males not abruptly clavate (abruptly clavate in males of A. scriptipennis ). Note: the paralectotype male of A. scriptipennis illustrated on Bezark (2025) does not appear to belong to the same species of the lectotype male. In the paralectotype, the metafemora appear to be much longer (according to Bates (1872), the metafemora are “modica elongatis [moderately elongated].”).

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Anisopodus melinus sp. nov. 1–5) Holotype male: 1) Dorsal habitus; 2) Ventral habitus; 3) Lateral habitus; 4) Head, frontal view; 5) Pronotum. 6–7) Paratype female: 6) Dorsal habitus; 7) Ventral habitus.