Apteroathlia nox 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 : 282

Apteroathlia nox Smith & Evans , new species

Figs. 1–5 , 66 .

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:70ABBE95-B0D0-4C43-A2DF-4038525D507C

Type locality. Playas de Juancho , Madariaga, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Type series. One male holotype, 4 male paratypes, and 2 female paratypes. Holotype male ( Figs. 1–5 ) at CMNC labeled a) “ ARGENTINA / BUENOS AIRES / Do MADARIAGA / Playas de Juancho / Coll. Martínez / Nov . -941” (handwritten), b) “H. & A. HOWDEN / COLLECTION / ex. A.Martínez coll.” (typeset with black border). Two male paratypes at CMNC labeled a) “ ARGENTINA / BUENOS AIRES / Pdo. MADARIAGA / Playas de Juancho / Coll. Martínez / Nov . -941” (handwritten), b) “H. & A. HOWDEN / COLLECTION / ex. A.Martínez coll.” (typeset with black border). Two male paratypes and one female paratype at CMNC labeled a) “ ARGENTINA / BUENOS AIRES / S. Ventana / Gallardo-leg. / Coll. Martínez / 11-VIII-61 ” (handwritten), b) “H. & A. HOWDEN / COLLECTION / ex. A.Martínez coll.” (typeset with black border). Ono female paratype at CMNC labeled a) “ ARGENTINA / BUENOS AIRES / Villa Gesell / Horacio-leg. / Coll. Martínez / Ene .-976” (handwritten), b) “H. & A. HOWDEN / COLLECTION / ex. A.Martínez coll.” (typeset with black border). 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. 1–5 ). Male. Length 7.0 mm, width 3.1 mm. Head (at base), elytra, ventral surface black; head (apex), pronotum, legs dark tan. Dorsal surface glabrous (except sparse row of setae adjacent to apex of clypeus). Head: clypeus densely punctate, frons moderately punctate. Labrum with apex reflexed and concave medially; underside concave medially. Clypeus with apex straight, abutted to labrum. Frontoclypeal suture visible. Eyes round, weakly protruding laterally. Antennae with 8 antennomeres; antennal club with 3 antennomeres, club approximately half the length of antennomeres 1–5 combined, club surface with some setae. Maxillae robust, triangular, basal width slightly less than width of mentum; maxillary palpus with 4 palpomeres, length approximately approximately half that of antennae. Mentum prominent, slightly longer than wide, apex straight, surface slightly convex; labial palpus reduced. Pronotum: surface moderately to sparsely punctate; apical angle slightly acute, basal angle rounded. Pronotum widest medially with smooth margins. Elytra: surface sparsely punctate, striae punctate but somewhat obscured by other surface punctures. Wings: apterous. Venter: metasternum with dense punctures. Pygidium flat; surface sparsely punctate with microsculpturing. Legs: protibia with 3 apical teeth on outer margin of apical half. Claws symmetrical, each with a minute medial tooth (metatarsal claws appear simple). Protibial spur present, metatibial spurs approximately equal in length. Genitalia: parameres long, curving and tapering into needle-like apices ( Fig. 5 ).

Variation. Length 7.0– 9.4 mm. Pronotum black, dark tan, or black lateral and dark tan/brown medially. Claws all appear simple on the paratype specimens. Females with slightly more inflated, convex abdominal segments.

Etymology. The Latin word nox means night and is used here in reference to the night-like darkness of the dorsal and ventral surfaces. This name is an adjective in the nominative singular.

Distribution ( Fig. 66 ). ARGENTINA (7): Buenos Aires (7): Playas de Juancho, Sierra de la Ventana, Villa Gesell. Temporal data. January (1), August (3), November (3).

Remarks. Apteroathlia nox new species is endemic to the southern part of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The holotype specimen has claws with a minute, medial tooth but the tooth was not seen in other specimens. This perhaps indicates that the tooth is easily worn off.

Figures

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

FIGURES 1–5. Apteroathlia nox Smith & Evans, new species, holotype. 1, dorsal habitus; 2, oblique habitus; 3, ventral habitus; 4, head and pronotum; 5, parameres.