Dendropaemon (D.) ater ( Laporte, 1832 )

François Génier & Patrick Arnaud, 2016, Dendropaemon Perty, 1830: taxonomy, systematics and phylogeny of the morphologically most derived phanaeine genus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae, Phanaeini), Zootaxa 4099 (1) : 28-29

14. Dendropaemon (D.) ater ( Laporte, 1832)

( Figs. 14 , 60–61, 137, 157)

Enicotarsus Ater Laporte 1832 , Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1: 402 (original description) Enicotarsus ater: Castelnau 1840 , Hist. Nat . Ins. 2: 83 (diagnosis, distribution) Dendropemon ater: Harold 1869 , Cat. Col. IV: 1020 (mentioned as synonym)

Enicotarsus ater: Harold 1875 , Col. Hefte 13: 68 (comment)

Dendropemon ater: Gillet 1911 , Col. Cat. 38: 88 (mentioned as synonym)

Dendropaemon ater: Olsoufieff 1924 , Insecta 13: 159 (mentioned as synonym) Dendropaemon ater: Blut 1939 , Arch. Naturg. (N.F.) 8: 291 (mentioned as synonym) Dendropemon atrum: Blackwelder 1944 , U.S. Nat . Mus. Bull. 185: 211 (mentioned as synonym)

Type locality. Environ de Cacao, Guyane française.

Diagnosis. The two-segmented meso- and metatarsi of which the first segment is approximately 3 times as long as wide at apex, the completely glossy black body and the clypeal teeth lacking emargination laterally will place this species in the piceus complex. From closely related species it can be separated from D. angustulus , D. larseni , D. telephus by its lager body size and more slender metafemur, from D. flechtmanni and D. vazdemelloi by its much finer elytral striae 1–4 and finally, from D. aenigmaticus by its distinctly convex posterior protibial surface and more broadly arcuate clypeal edge. The more slender and gradually tapering toward apex meso- and metatibia will separate it from D. piceus , from which it also differs by its only minutely punctate elytral striae.

Description. Male neotype ( Fig. 14 ). Body. Body large, length 15.0 mm, maximum width 7.5 mm; body subrectangular in dorsal view; dorsum largely flat. Color. Dorsal surface black, glossy, lacking metallic sheen; ventrum black; pygidium black; legs black.

Head. Clypeus broadly arcuate, anterior portion slightly upturned; clypeal teeth obtusely triangular; clypeal median emargination v-shaped, clypeal edge lacking emargination on external side of each clypeal tooth, clypeal teeth ventral surface with a fine v-shaped carina, clypeal margin ill-defined, lacking sharp carina posteriorly, clypeal surface with short and blunt transverse rugulae; clypeogenal suture well-defined, bluntly carinate internally; genal surface simply punctate, with a long and acute transverse carina; clypeofrontal carina low, more than 6 times wider than high, slightly bisinuate in dorsal view, simply carinate, clypeofrontal carina apical edge slightly sinuous medially in frontal view; eyes small in dorsal view, interocular ratio 5.2. Pronotum. Pronotum transverse in dorsal view, pronotal width/length ratio 1.5; disc of pronotum minutely punctate throughout, with a fine ill-defined longitudinal sulcus on posterior half; pronotal anterior margin wider and flat lateral to eyes; anterior portion with a tri-sinuous carina; anterior angles surface minutely punctate, similar to lateral margin along posterior edge of anterior margin; lateral fossae simply rounded, concave; lateral portions slightly explanate; pronotal basal fossae small, more or less rounded; posterior margin well-defined, lacking crenulation and setae. Elytra. Elytra approximately as long as wide in dorsal view, elytral combined width/length ratio 0.9; elytral base lacking distinct margin, simply convex; elytral striae 1–4 fine and well-defined, evenly impressed throughout, elytral striae 5 atrophied, lacking fine carina on each side on disc, strial punctures minute, stria 1 well-defined apically, connecting to marginal stria; interstriae slightly convex, minutely punctate throughout, surface glossy. Thoracic sterna. Proepisternal carina reduced, present along coxal insertion only; metasternal median lobe angularly produced anteromedially, ventral ridge well-defined, keel-shaped. Legs. Profemur posterior surface slightly but distinctly convex and glabrous internally, posterointernal margin rather thick, evenly developed, internal edge rather wide, with a contiguous row of setae along anterointernal edge and few scattered long setae on anterior half, remaining surface with irregular ill-defined punctures and glossy. Protibia with four teeth on lateral edge; internal basal angle lobate; anterior surface with long aligned row of setae internally, surface glossy or feebly microsculptured between punctures; posterior surface with some well-defined punctures externally to median carina, surface glossy between punctures, with a single interrupted setal row along lateral teeth. Mesofemur angularly produced on anterointernal edge apically. Mesotibia rather short, gradually widening toward apex in anterior view; anteroapical edge straight in anterior view, anteroapical row of setae complete; apicoanterior edge circularly indented internally; external edge more or less rounded, with several large elongate setiferous punctures. Mesotarsus similar in shape to metatarsus, 2-segmented, first segment elongate, more than three times as long as wide at apex. Metafemur elongate, internal and lateral edges mostly parallel in ventral view, more than twice as long as wide, lacking distinct depressed area anterointernally before apex, apicoposterior edge unmodified, anterior surface with a well-defined sulcus on apical half. Metatibia moderately slender, slightly widening toward apex in anterior view, anterior surface with distinct row of setae, surface glossy, metatibial posterior surface flat between longitudinal row of setae and lateral edge, with transverse microsculpture. Metatarsus 2-segmented, first segment elongate, more than three time as long as wide at apex, with anterointernal carina ill-defined. Abdominal sternites. Sternites 3-6 longitudinally flat; sternites 4–6 with 1–3 unaligned rows of setae laterally, glabrous medially; sternite 7 approximately longitudinally flat medially, shorter than segment 6 along midline; pygidium minutely punctate on disc. Male genitalia (Figs. 60–61). Parameres simply rounded apically in dorsal view; with minute raspy tubercles apically.

Measurements (4 males, 12 females). Length: male 14.0–17.0 (15.4±1.4), female 13.5–17.5 (15.2±1.1) mm.

Primary type data ( Fig. 137 ). Neotype male (CPFA>MNHN) present designation: [ Guyane française/ Environs de Cacao/ 6.XII.2008 / ex. filet cryldé/ P. Bonin réc.]; [WORLD/ SCARAB./ DATABASE/ WSD00017501]; [NEOTYPE / Enicotarsus / ater / Laporte, 1832 / dés. Génier & Arnaud, 2014] red card; [ Dendropaemon ♂/ ater / ( Laporte, 1832)/ vid. F. Génier, 2013].

Material examined. BRAZIL: MATO GROSSO, Campos de Júlio, 30 km N Uirapuru, (13°57'6''S, 59°16'4''W), xii.2002, coll. A. Foucart— 1 female ( CEMT); Fazenda São Nicolau (mata nordeste), Municipio Cotriguaçu, (9°50'25''S, 58°15'9''W), 10.x.2009, coll. F. Z. Vaz de Mello— 1 male ( CEMT); Lucas do Rio Verde, (13°4'22''S, 55°55'10''W), 2.xi.2011, coll. B.F. Camera— 1 female ( CEMT); GUYANA: POTARO-SIPARUNI, Iwokrama Forest Reserve, elev. 600 m (4°40'19''N, 58°41'4''W), 25.v.2001, coll. R. Brooks & Z. Falin— 1 female ( CMNC); GUYANE FRANÇAISE: Centre ORSTOM de Cayenne, (4°56'39''N, 52°18'56''W), 20.ii.1989, coll. G. Tavakilian— 1 female ( CEMT); environs de Cacao, (4°35'N, 52°28'W), 6.xii.2008, coll. P. Bonin— 1 male (neotype) ( CMNC); same locality, 19.i.2009, coll. P. Bonin— 1 female ( CPFA); La Source, Cacao, (4°35'N, 52°28'W), iv.2009, coll. P. Bonin— 1 female ( CPFA); Montagne des Pères, Kourou, (5°5'50''N, 52°38'23''W), xii.2012, coll. Giuglaris— 2 females ( CPFA); PK 5, Piste KM 25, Route Régina-Saint-Georges, (4°6'54''N, 52°7'16''W), iii.2008, coll. J.L. Giuglaris— 1 female ( ATHC); Régina, (4°19'N, 52°8'W), iv.2009, coll. J.L. Giuglaris— 1 female ( PMOC); Réserve naturelle des Nouragues, (4°19'N, 52°22'W), 30.iii.2006, coll. F. Feer— 1 female ( MNHNB); same locality, 28.vi.2008, coll. F. Feer— 1 male ( MNHNB); Savane Matiti, (5°5'N, 52°37'W), i.2011, coll. [anonymous]— 1 female ( CPFA); [NO DATA]: -., coll. [anonymous]— 1 male ( IRSNB).

Natural history. A single specimen was collected using a dung trap, all other specimens with data were collected using flight interception traps, “filet cryldé” or window trap.

Remarks. Meso and hyperthelic males can only be separated from females by the slightly larger median tubercle of the pronotal anterior carina. The pronotal anterior carina is slightly more sinuous medially and lateral portion set slightly more behind.

Variation, mostly limited to size and development of the pronotal median tubercle. The Brazilian specimens are externally indistinguishable from the Guianan specimen, however, the only male known differs by the shape of parameres which are more slender and by the shape of the internal sac sclerites. At this point we consider this variation as part of a cline until more material becomes available.

Nomenclature and taxonomy. Laporte’s type material could not be located in the MNHN (Paris) where Horn & Kahle (1990) state it should be deposited after transiting through van Lansberge’s and Oberthür’s collection. However, Evenhuis (2012) state that the personal collection of Laporte made prior to 1840 was transferred to Washington D.C. and is presumed to have been destroyed in a fire at the Smithsonian Institution in 1865. In order to stabilize nomenclature for a group of closely related species we designate a neotype for this species. Laporte’s laconic description being applicable to nearly all black and shiny species, we selected a male specimen of one of the species that is from French Guiana to match the type locality as much as possible and which is relatively frequently collected. The neotype specimen is relatively intact, the clypeal anterior edge is slightly abraded and the pronotal disc has a small depression on the right side which is the result of a slight malformation.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 18. Dorsal habitus. 13. D. angustulus, male holotype; 14. D. ater, male neotype; 15. D. flechtmanni, male holotype; 16. D. larseni, male holotype; 17. D. piceus, male holotype; 18. D. telephus, male holotype.

FIGURES 134 – 154. Primary type labels. 134. D. hirticollis; 135. D. pauliani; 136. D. renatii; 137. D. ater; 138. D. piceus; 139: D. telephus; 140. D. viridis; 141. D. viridipennis. 142. D. convexus; 143. D. fredericki; 144. D. angustipennis; 145. D. bahianus; 146. D. amyntas (= D. attalus); 147. D. ganglbaueri; 148. D. refulgens; 149. D. fractipes; 150. D. fasces; 151. D. haroldi; 152. D. nitidicollis; 153. D. quadratus; 154. D. similis; 155. D. denticollis.