First record of the Long-horned Beetle Apiocephalus licheneus Gahan from western India ( Coleoptera : Cerambycidae : Lepturinae )

though he himself did not provide its etymology (Image 1). The prothorax, metasternum, metepisterna and distal sternites are also covered with a dense pubescence. The first two sternites are shining dark brown to black in the median region but have grayish and dark brown pubescence on their lateral sides. Head elongate, slightly sloping in front of eyes, gradually narrowed behind the eyes producing a noticeable ‘neck’; mandibles prominent, curved, sharply pointed; front rugulose, shining, with sparse white pubescence at places. Clypeus narrow, transverse; maxillary and labial palpi moderately long, dark brown and covered with sparse pubescence (Image 2); eyes large, coarsely facetted, very feebly or shallowly emarginated behind antennal tubercles; head width maximum at eye level; genae moderately long (Image3). Antennae inserted at a distance in front of the eyes, antennal First record of the Long-horned Beetle Apiocephalus licheneus Gahan from western India (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lepturinae)

the reason why Gahan named the species licheneus; though he himself did not provide its etymology (Image 1).The prothorax, metasternum, metepisterna and distal sternites are also covered with a dense pubescence.The first two sternites are shining dark brown to black in the median region but have grayish and dark brown pubescence on their lateral sides.
Head elongate, slightly sloping in front of eyes, gradually narrowed behind the eyes producing a noticeable 'neck'; mandibles prominent, curved, sharply pointed; front rugulose, shining, with sparse white pubescence at places.Clypeus narrow, transverse; maxillary and labial palpi moderately long, dark brown and covered with sparse pubescence (Image 2); eyes large, coarsely facetted, very feebly or shallowly emarginated behind antennal tubercles; head width maximum at eye level; genae moderately long (Image3).Antennae inserted at a distance in front of the eyes, antennal apex, broadest at the level of lateral tubercles, its anterior margin slightly raised, behind which there is a shallow transverse sulcus all around; the disc of prothorax as well as lateral spines covered densely with white, silky pubescence; disc of prothorax is provided with four prominent lateral tubercles-an anterior pair and a posterior pair: anterior pair consists of smaller more or less rounded, blunt tubercles while the posterior pair is of larger, blunt, but distinctly conical tubercles; the area in between tubercles flattish in the middle but somewhat concave laterally; a distinct black cross mark is present at the base which is actually due to fine carinae that are devoid of pubescence.Laterally the prothorax has a distinct conical, tubercular spine with a broad base (Images 5, 6).Prosternum somewhat sunken, with sparse pubescence at the side, prosternal process densely covered with pubescence, elevated almost to the level of globular coxae and somewhat tubercle-like distally (Image 7); mesosternum considerably depressed relatively, much below the level of pro-and mesocoxae; mesosternal process broad, tongue-like and elevated between mesocoxae; metasternum of moderate length, densely covered with white pubescence, its anteromedian region produced like a tongue to meet the mesosternal process, a deep median sulcus prominent in the distal half of metasternum and a distinct transverse sulcus at base; metepisternum also covered with grayish pubescence (Image 8).
All legs moderately long, covered with grayish and blackish pubescence, coxae prominent, femora fusiformclavate and show a typical wavy ring of white and gray pubescence at the tip (Image 9); tibia more pubescent; in hind legs first tarsal segment long -equal to second and third put together; hind-claws divergent.
Elytra much broad at the base than prothorax, coarsely punctate in basal 1/4 th and without any costae, covered with patches of pubescence that produce light brown or blackish patches at places.A pattern of white, silky, pubescence present in the apical 1/4 th of elytra (Image 10).Elytra almost parallel sided, except in the apical 1/3 rd region, where these are narrowed, their apices moderately truncate; a projecting tuft of pubescence present at each of the outer angles, apparently giving a false impression of an emarginate elytra (Images 11, 12), as pointed out by Gahan (1906).
Abdominal segments dark brown, minutely punctured and partly covered with long gray pubescence ventrally.First two abdominal ventrites shining and less pubescent in the middle while the remaining with prominent, long pubescence all over (Image 14).
Discussion: It appears that Apiocephalus licheneus Gahan is a very rare beetle, as there are no published records of it being collected anywhere in India (or elsewhere) since the original collection.This may be because there are no extensive surveys for Cerambycidae, and because these beetles are a difficult group taxonomically.The only other record is of the host plant and emergence period of this species by Beeson (verbatim: "beetles occur in September-October and January-February, host plant Buchanania latifolia Roxb."), who also studied larva and pupa (Beeson 1941).It is possible that this species is endemic to India or Indian subcontinent.
There is a recent suggestion that Apiocephalus should now be placed in the subfamily Dorcasominae, Tribe Dorcasomini Lacordaire (Ozdikmen 2008); however, the mandibles of Apiocephalus possess a distinct molar plate

Image 12 .
Elytral tip of Apiocephalus, in ventral view; note tuft of pubescence and true shape of the elytral tip.© H.V. Ghate Image 11. Elytral tip of Apiocephalus in dorsal view, note apparently emarginated appearance due to tuft of pubescence © H.V. Ghate

Image 10 .
Elytra of Apiocephalus in dorsal view to show 'lichengrowth' like pattern of pubescence.A -Apex; B -Base Image 13. Ventral view of Apiocephalus at the base (Image 15), which is typical in Lepturinae members, and this fact has been verified by Dr. Eduard Vives (pers.comm.June 2013, Barcelona, Spain).Thus we firmly place Apiocephalus in Lepturinae again rather than accepting its transfer to Dorcasominae.© H.V. Ghate Image 14. Ventral view of abdomen of Apiocephalus, note pubescence on various parts.Image 15. Mandible of Apiocephalus to show molar plate, marked in red.