Biology ETDs

Publication Date

7-1-2009

Abstract

The longhorned beetle genus Elytroleptus (Dugés) (Cerambycidae:Cerambycinae: Trachyderini) is revised to include fifteen species. One new species is described: E. quadricostatus sp.n. (Grzymala & Miller). Three new synonymies are proposed: E. dichromaticus (Linsley, 1961) = E. divisus (LeConte, 1884) syn. n.; E. luteicollis (Skiles & Chemsak, 1982) = E. ignitus (LeConte, 1884) syn. n.; E. peninsularis (Hovore, 1988) = E. immaculipennis (Knull, 1935) syn. n. The genus is generally distributed throughout the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) with one species extending the range to the north and southeastern United States. The genus is of interest to both naturalists and taxonomists as several species are lycid (Coleoptera:Lycidae) mimics with three recorded as predaceous on their own models: E. apicalis (LeConte), E. ignitus (LeConte), and E. limpianus (Skiles & Chemsak). Descriptions of all species are provided with an emphasis on clarifying intraspecific polychromatic variation. A key to the adult species, distribution maps, habitus images, and illustrations of mouthparts and genitalia are provided. A phylogenetic analysis of Elytroleptus was performed using twenty-four adult morphological characters. Two most parsimonious trees (L=78;CI=47;RI=72) were recovered.

Language

English

Keywords

taxonomic revision, phylogenetic analysis, Cerambycidae, Trachyderini

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Biology

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

UNM Biology Department

First Committee Member (Chair)

Lowrey, Timothy

Second Committee Member

Poe, Steve

Third Committee Member

None

Included in

Biology Commons

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