Velozideres Nearns 2019, gen. nov.

Velozideres Nearns, gen. nov.

(Fig. 1 a–d)

Type species. Velozideres buntyni, sp. nov., here designated.

Description. General form elongate-oblong, moderately sized. Habitus as in Fig. 1a. Head with frons subquadrate. Eyes with lower lobes large, oblong; area connecting lobes narrower than upper eye lobe. Genae elongate, distinctly shorter than lower eye lobe. Antennal tubercles prominent, widely separated, modified at apex. Antennae longer than body; scape clavate, distinctly shorter than antennomere III, without cicatrix at apex; antennomere III longest, distinctly curved; antennomere IV longer than scape. Pronotum transverse, subcylindrical, each side with distinct, blunt tubercle behind middle. Mesosternal process without tubercle; apex feebly emarginate. Elytra parallel-sided, with scattered, erect, whitish setae; humeri prominent, with small tubercle; disk without gibbosities or tubercles basally; apices individually rounded. Legs moderate in length, with scattered, erect, whitish setae; procoxae without projection; femora robust, clavate; metafemora about 1/3 as long as elytra; tibiae gradually expanded to apex.

Etymology. This genus is named for my good friend and excellent longicornist, Ian Patrick Swift (Irvine, California, USA), for his generosity and comradery in the field. Known affectionately as “Juan Veloz” to members of my family, Ian and the late Frank Hovore collected the two known specimens of this new genus on their last trip together; “veloz” (Spanish, meaning fast) + “δέρη” (Greek, “deres”, meaning neck), with the letter “i” connecting both. Feminine gender.

Diagnosis and remarks. This genus strongly resembles Trestoncideres Martins and Galileo, 1990, but differs as follows (male), compared to the type species, Trestoncideres laterialba Martins and Galileo, 1990: genae shorter than lower eye lobes; each side of pronotum with distinct, blunt tubercle; elytral humeri with small tubercle; elytra and legs with scattered, erect, whitish setae. In Trestoncideres, the genae are longer than the lower eye lobes; pronotal sides without distinct, blunt tubercles; elytral humeri without tubercle; elytra and legs without scattered, erect setae.