Tesserodoniella elguetai, Vaz-De-Mello & Halffter, 2006

Vaz-De-Mello, Fernando Z. & Halffter, Gonzalo, 2006, A new dung beetle genus with two new species from Chile (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Zootaxa 1193 (1), pp. 59-68 : 63-65

Tesserodoniella elguetai sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–5 , 10 )

Holotype

♂. CHILE: Región Metropolitana de Santiago: Maipo, Rangue , 5–11 June 2004, M. E lgueta & M. Guerrero leg., “trampa barber, bosque higrófilo + esclerófilo” ( MNNC).

Paratypes

4♂, 4♀. CHILE: Región Metropolitana de Santiago: same as holotype except “bajo excrementos de caballo, suelo arcillo arenoso” (1♀ FVMC, ♀ MNNC, 1♀ UNSM) ; Maipo, Rangue , 2–8 August 2000, A. Fierro leg., barber trap. (1♂ GVHC) ; SW Santiago, Alto Cantillana, Alhué , 3 September 2000, Vidal leg. (1♂, 1♀ PVC) ; Cachapoal, R. N. Roblerías de Loncha , 20­XI­2004, J. Mondaca, “en trampa barber” (1♂ JMEC, 1♂ CMNC) .

Etymology

A patronym honoring Mario Elgueta, MNNC, Santiago, Chile, who kindly offered specimens of both species of this genus for study .

Description

Holotype male. Head ( Fig. 1 ) clypeus with two narrow, parallel­sided, elongated teeth; teeth separated by short, wide U­shaped emargination, each tooth with external angulate lobe. Dorsal eye surface reduced, triangular, visible only when head protracted; interocular dorsal region wider than 20 times one eye width. Prothorax subrectangular, almost twice as wide as long medially. Medium longitudinal line feebly indicated in posterior half by impunctate region. Posterior angles obtusely rounded. Elytra ( Fig. 2 ) with discal striae conspicuous. Interstriae without discal tubercles, with two irregular rows of inconspicuous punctures; some punctures with short, erect setae; punctures and setae denser apically. Lateral carina sharp, juxtaposed and external to seventh stria, extended from elytral base to just before apex of sixth stria. Legs with protibia ( Fig. 5 ) internally curved; external border with 3 well­defined teeth, narrower apically; internally with strong apical tooth, tooth anteroventrally directed. Metafemur ( Fig. 3 ) with posterior, ventral carina forming rounded lobe in median third; with acute subapical lobe. Metatibia with external row of five conspicuous serrations. Venter with mesosternum twice as long as wide. Pygidium basal sulcus with obtusely rounded, median angle. Parameres ( Fig. 4 ) as long as twothirds of phallobase.

Variation

Paratypes vary in size (5.1–6.0 mm) and width (widest at prothorax) 3.0–3.3 mm. Females differ from males in the following respects: protibial teeth wider and stronger, apical internal tooth almost lacking; hind femur with posterior apical lobe rounded; metatibia straighter, widened apically, with less conspicuous external serrations; abdominal ventrite 5 feebly narrowed medially.

Remarks

All specimens are from the Cordillera de la Costa mountain system close to the Central Chilean Coast, parallel to the Andes ( Fig. 10 ). Apart from anthropogenic habitats, the area has dry savannas and sclerophyllous, hygrophyllous, and Nothofagus forests. This area is within the Santiago Biogeographical Province as defined by Morrone (2001, 2006).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Map of central Chile showing distribution of Tesserodoniella elguetai n. sp. (circles) and T. meridionalis n. sp. (triangles).

FIGURES 1–9. 1–5. Tesserodoniella elguetai n. sp.: 1. head; 2. elytron; 3. hind leg; 4. parameres; 5. protibia; 6–9. Tesserodoniella meridionalis n. sp.: 6. head; 7. elytron; 8. hind leg; 9. parameres.