Vesperus ligusticus nov. sp. is an endemic Italian species, until today localised in the coastline of Liguria, Northern Italy.

This new species is characterised by wintry phenology, since it emerges only from December until the beginning of March, especially at light during mild nights of February.

V. ligusticus (on the right) is similar to V. strepens (Fabricius, 1792) (on the left) and to V. aragonicus Baraud, 1964.
It differs from both species in the morphometric characters ( less robust habitus, much more elongated head and elytra), more sulcate and depressed occiput and lighter colour (especially in females).
It especially differs from V. stepens morpha litigiosus Mulsant, 1862 (in the middle) in the wintry phenology and the more elongated habitus.

Holotype and Allotype deposed in the ZSM (Zoologische Staatssammlung, Münich, Germany), Paratypes in Vitali's private collection, Topotypes in Adlbauer's (Graz, Austria) , Vives's (Terrassa, Spain) and Merinos Tejedor's (Portugalete, Spain) private collections.

News about this discovery (the biggest Italian endemism among the Cerambycids described during the last Century) has been also reported by some local newspapers such as Il Secolo XIX and Il Corriere Mercantile.

(in Italian with French abstract. A translation in English may be downloaded ).