Apteroathlia translucida Smith & Evans, 2018

Smith, Andrew B. T. & Evans, Arthur V., 2018, Taxonomic review of Athliini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), a new tribe of scarab beetles endemic to South America, Zootaxa 4471 (2), pp. 279-308 : 283-285

Apteroathlia translucida Smith & Evans , new species

Figs. 6–10 , 66 .

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D4F8FA09-1E22-41A0-91F1-CD2945005552

Type locality. Cerro , Montevideo, Uruguay.

Type series. One male holotype, 14 male paratypes, and 14 female paratypes. Holotype male ( Figs. 6–10 ) at CMNC labeled a) “Montevideo / Cerro / 1. X. 33 ” (handwritten), b) “H. & A. HOWDEN / COLLECTION / ex. A.Martínez coll.” (typeset with black border), c) “ Apterops / translucidus / (Cand. in litt.)” (handwritten). One paratype male at USNM labeled a) “ Bs As / Azul / V.956. Daguerre ” (handwritten), b) “ ARGENTINA / 1968 Colln. / J.Daguerre ” (typeset over red, white, and green background), c) “ Apterops / translucidus / (in lit.) Cand. / Vialle det” (handwritten). One paratype male at CMNC and one parartype female at USNM labeled a) “ Bs As / Azul / V.956. Daguerre ” (handwritten), b) “ ARGENTINA / 1968 Colln. / J.Daguerre ” (typeset over red, white, and green background). Four male paratypes at CMNC (2) and USMN (2) and six female paratypes at CMNC (3) and USNM (3) labeled a) “ ARGENTINA / Buenos Aires Prov. / Azul ; V.1956 / J. Daguerre” (typeset). One male paratype at USNM labeled a) “ Montevideo / Cerro / 12 IX 34 ” (handwritten), b) “Apterops / translucidus / (Chand. i. litt)” (handwritten). One paratype male at CMNC labeled a) “ Montevideo / Cerro / 1. X. 33 ” (handwritten), b) “H. & A. HOWDEN / COLLECTION / ex. A.Martínez coll.” (typeset with black border). Four male and two female paratypes at CMNC labeled a) “R. O. del / Uruguay ” (typeset on faded green paper), b) “H. & A. HOWDEN / COLLECTION / ex. A.Martínez coll.” (typeset with black border). One male paratype at BMNH labeled a) “18234” (handwritten), b) “ La Plata / M Video ” (handwritten), c) “ Fry Coll. / 1905-100.” (typeset). One male paratype at BMNH labeled a) “Monte- / video” (typeset), b) “ 1909–74 . ” (typeset), c) “21.” (handwritten). One female paratype at BMNH labeled a) “ Brazil ” (handwritten), b) “2032.” (handwritten), c) “67-45” (handwritten), d) “inflate Reiche / Brasilia” (handwritten), e) “So named / in Reiches / Collection. / C.W.” (typeset). One female paratype at MNHN labeled a) “Plata / Dolle” (handwritten), b) “ MUSÉUM PARIS / 1906 / Coll. Léon FAIRMAIRE” (handwritten). One female paratype at USNM labeled a) “ Montevideo / Cerro / 24. IX. 33 ” (handwritten), b) “ Apterops / translucidus / (Chand. i. litt.)” (handwritten), c) “OLCartwright / Collection / 1959” (typeset). Two female paratypes at USNM labeled a) “ Montevideo / Cerro / 12 IX 34 ” (handwritten). All paratypes listed above also bear a yellow paratype label and a database label with the database number and a barcode.

Description of holotype ( Figs. 6–10 ). Male. Length 6.6 mm, width 3.1 mm. Dorsal and ventral color light brown, elytra translucent. Dorsal surface glabrous. Head: surface moderately punctate. Labrum with apex reflexed backward and convexly parabolic medially; underside concave medially. Clypeus with apex straight, abutted to labrum. Frontoclypeal suture visible. Eyes round, slightly protruding laterally. Antennae with 8 antennomeres; antennal club with 3 antennomeres, club distinctly shorter in length to antennomeres 1–5 combined, club surface thickly setose. Maxillae robust, triangular, basal width slightly less than width of mentum; maxillary palpus with 4 palpomeres, length approximately ¾ that of antennae. Mentum prominent, slightly longer than wide, apex straight, surface slightly convex; labial palpus reduced. Pronotum: surface moderately to densely punctate; apical angle acute, basal angle squared. Pronotum widest medially with smooth margins. Elytra: surface moderately to densely punctate, striae punctate but obscured by other surface punctures. Wings: apterous. Venter: metasternum with dense punctures. Pygidium flat; surface moderately to sparsely punctate with microsculpturing. Legs: protibia with 3 apical teeth on outer margin of apical half; 3rd tooth weak. Claws symmetrical with medial tooth. Protibial spur present, metatibial spurs approximately equal in length. Genitalia: parameres long, slender, tapering into needlelike apices ( Fig. 10 ).

Variation. Length 5.9–7.7 mm. Dorsal color tan to brown. Females with slightly more inflated, convex abdominal segments.

Etymology. This name is in reference to the translucent elytra and an homage to “ Apterops translucidus ”, which was used on older determination labels for some specimens but was never published. It should be treated as an adjective in the nominative singular.

Distribution ( Fig. 66 ). URUGUAY (14): Montevideo (8): Cerro, Montevideo; no data (6). ARGENTINA (14): Buenos Aires (14): Azul, La Plata. NO DATA (1): “ Brazil ”.

Temporal data. May (13), September (4), October (2).

Remarks. Apteroathlia translucida new species is mainly found around the gulf shores of Río de la Plata in Uruguay and Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. One 19th Century specimen is labeled “ Brazil ”, but we consider this record doubtful and in need of further verification. The specimens collected in May were probably collected fresh while those obtained in September and October appear to have been found dead and dried. The conservation status of this species should be investigated since most of the specimens were collected from coastal habitats in highly populated urban areas.

Figures

FIGURE 66. Distribution map of Apteroathlia nox Smith & Evans, new species (black circles) and Apteroathlia translucida Smith & Evans, new species (red circles).

FIGURES 6–10. Apteroathlia translucida Smith & Evans, new species, holotype. 6, dorsal habitus; 7, oblique habitus; 8, ventral habitus; 9, head and pronotum; 10, parameres.