Elaphidiini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) from the Caribbean region of Colombia: New species, taxonomic notes and new geographical records

. Two new species of Elaphidiini from Colombia are described: Sphaerion costae sp. nov., and Mephritus costae sp. nov. The keys to species of Sphaerion Audinet-Serville, 1834 and Mephritus Pascoe, 1866 are translated and modified to include the new species. Chromatic variations of Mephritus apicatus (Linsley, 1935) are reported. Moreover, the geographical distribution is expanded for 12 species of Elaphidiini.

Sphaerion Audinet-Serville, 1834 was created as a subdivision for Elaphidion Audinet-Serville, 1834 (Martins, 2005). The genus has had a complex taxonomic history, being synonymized many times with Nephalius Blanchard, 1843 and Mephritus Pascoe, 1866 (Martins, 2005). However, according to Lingafelter (1998) and Martins (2005), it differs from those genera in having a small projection at the posterior margin of the metepisternum, near posterior notch; prothorax rounded at lateral margins, without tubercles in males; very distinct sexual punctures on the lateral margins of the male's prothorax; antennomere I without or with very small spines in males. This genus currently contains eight species, occurring in North, Central and South America (Bezark, 2019). The new species described herein is the first known from Colombia. Additionally, Galileo et al. (2015) described Sphaerion iuasanga and mentioned that it can be included in the alternative of couplet 3, with S. sladeni and S. rusticum Burmesiter, 1865 in Martins (2005) key, but did not add the modified key in the text. Later, S. lingafelteri Galileo & Santos-Silva, 2016 was described and added in the alternative of couplet 5 from Martins (2005) by Galileo & Santos-Silva (2016). Herein, S. iuasanga and S. lingafelteri are added along with the new species in Martins (2005) modified key.
The genus Mephritus contains 22 species with geographical distribution restricted to Central and South America, none of which are reported from Colombia (Bezark, 2019). Mephritus is similar to Nephalius; the latter was synonymized by Gounelle (1907), but Napp & Martins (1982) revalidated the genus, and mentioned its similarity with Mephritus. Later, Martins (2005), established the differences between Sphaerion and Mephritus (mentioned above), and created a key to the South American species of Mephritus. Galileo & Martins (2011) described three new species from Brazil, and Galileo et al. (2014) described four new species and modified the key to include the 22 species currently known.
Herein, Sphaerion costae sp. nov., and Mephritus costae sp. nov., are described and illustrated. The keys proposed by Martins (2005), Galileo et al. (2014) and Galileo & Santos-Silva (2016) are modified to include these new species. Additionally, we comment on and illustrate chromatic variation in Mephritus apicatus (Linsley, 1935), and the geographical distribution for 12 species of Elaphidiini is expanded.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The material examined was collected in two fragments of tropical dry forest in the Caribbean region of Colombia (Reserva Campesina la Montaña (RCM), Atlántico and Reserva La Flecha (RLF), Bolívar). The specimens were collected with the following techniques: white light trap, UV light trap, manual capture and fruit baited traps. The sampling was supplemented by visits to entomological collections.
The material in this study is deposited in the following institutions, which are subsequently referred to by their acronyms Photographs were taken with a Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR camera, Canon MP-E 65 mm f/2.8 1-5× macro lens, controlled by Zerene Stacker focus stacking software. Measurements were taken in millimeters using Leica Application Suite (LAS 4.0) software and a Leica M125 stereomicroscope, also used in the study of specimens. The terminology used herein for morphological structures follows Lawrence et al. (2010). Thorax: Prothorax with moderately, yellowish pubescence, not obliterating integument. Pronotum with slightly elevated tubercles, two latero-anterior and two latero-posterior; with glabrous elongate median area; with coarse punctures near glabrous area. Lateral margins of prothorax with small obtuse tubercle at middle. Ventral thoracic surface with pubescence as on pronotum; with a dense punctation usually considered as sexually dimorphic in the species of this genus. Prosternal process about 0.3 times as wide as a procoxal cavity; mesoventral process 0.7 times as wide as mesocoxal cavity.
Abdomen: Ventrites with yellowish, moderately abundant pubescence, not obscuring integument; ventrite I about 2 times the width of II (from abdominal process); III-IV subequal in width; ventrite V with yellow pubescence laterally, white centrally, both abundant but not obscuring integument; with a few long, erect, white setae laterally on ventrite I, yellowish-white on ventrites II-IV, and yellowish-white and yellowish-brown setae on ventrite V; ventrite V about 0.6 times the width of IV, slightly notched at middle of apex. elytra, which is composed by species with elytral coloration homogeneous, sometimes with apex or margin darkened (Galileo et al., 2014). The new species differs from M. guttatus Napp & Martins, 1982, M. destitutus Napp & Martins, 1982and M. vescus Galileo & Martins, 2011 especially by antennomere III longer and strong-ly, laterally compressed, and by the blackish tibiae. By the blackish tibiae, the new species is also similar to M. citreus Napp & Martins, 1982, however, it differs by the well-marked pronotal tubercles and by the smaller elytral spines. It is important to mention that the new species is from a region geographically isolated from the four spe- Elytra: Finely and abundantly punctate, denser on anterior third, sparser toward the apex; with dense pubescence partially obscuring integument; and long, erect setae aligned in three rows; one next to sutural margin, arising from coarse punctation, abundant in the basal region; one in medium area of apical third; and one next to outer margin on apical third. Apex of elytra emarginated with small spine at outer angle, 0.6 times length of pedicel.
Variability: Some specimens have lighter integument, reddish and yellowish; denser decumbent setae on head and frons; longer spines at apex of antennomere III; denser pubescence on ventral face of the body, lateral margin of submentum and scape; pronotal disk entirely pubescent (including the gibbosities).
Sexual dimorphism: Females have shorter antennae, reaching elytral apex at apex of antennomere X; prothorax with lateral tubercles, acute at apex; prosternum with a few, coarse punctation in the middle, densely pubes-cent; ventrite V longer, trapezoidal, posterior margin truncate. Some females are lighter than the others, with denser pubescence.

Etymology:
The species epithet is in honor of Cleide Costa (MZSP) in recognition of her work and contributions to the knowledge of Coleoptera, especially for immature stages in the Neotropical Region.
Remarks: Sphaerion costae sp. nov., is similar to Sphaerion sladeni Gahan, 1903 (Figs. 9, 13) by the reddish-brown integument, and general pubescence. Sphaerion costae sp. nov., differs by having basal antennomeres barely carinate or lacking carinae; prothoracic pubescence on lateral and ventral sides, lateral pubescence denser, especially on males where it forms a patch; longer elytral spines; and distribution in the Caribbean region of Colombia. Sphaerion sladeni have small spines on elytral apex; prothorax without dense pubescence; antennomeres distinctly carinate; with distribution in the Amazon. A single female specimen from the type series of S. costae sp. nov., has the prothorax rounded at sides (Fig. 10), a characteristic that is not present in any species of Sphaerion, or any other similar genera like Mephritus, however, we consider it an aberrant specimen of S. costae sp. nov. Herein, Sphaerion costae sp. nov., is included in the couplet 4 of Martins (2005) key (translated and modified), along with S. iuasanga and S. lingafelteri according to Galileo et al. (2015) and Galileo & Santos-Silva (2016