Glaresis fritzi Martínez, Pereira, and Vulcano, 1961

Paulsen, M. J., 2016, Two new species of South American Glaresidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea), Zootaxa 4154 (5), pp. 595-600 : 596-597

Glaresis fritzi Martínez, Pereira, and Vulcano, 1961 : 77

Figs. 1 , 4, 7.

Type locality. ARGENTINA: Río Negro: Lamarque.

Type depository. MACN. Holotype, allotype images studied; 17 paratypes studied from CMNC.

Description. Length 2.4–3.8 mm, width 1.2–2.0 mm. Color pale to dark yellowish brown ( Fig. 1 ). Head with surface of clypeus and frons with small tubercles; tubercles separated by> 3 diameters. Clypeal apex emarginate, margin beaded (raised) and anteriorly crenulate, lateral angles not dentate. Mandible with apex and internal tooth strong, external lobe near base rounded. Pronotum transversely depressed in anterior ¼ and subfoveate at lateral ¼ of depression; median longitudinal furrow extending from transverse anterior depression to base; lateral fovea present on each side at middle near lateral margin. Pronotal surface with setae-bearing, elongate tubercles, occasionally conjoined anteriorly; setae decumbent, ½ length of tubercles; basal pronotal margin crenulate, especially at posterior angle, and produced before scutellum. Elytra with striae almost weakly convex, with subtriangular, posteriorly directed tubercles at setal bases; seta distinct, length greater than or equal to width of rectangular punctures of intervals. Metasternum with external ridge of metatibial furrow weakly indicated to obsolete, internal ridge of furrow always obsolete. Mesotibia externally with 5–6 spines in distal half, distinctly projecting at middle at bases of spines 1–2 (appearing dentate at middle); apex rounded. Metatrochanter posterior margin crenulate with largest, usually rectangular, tooth near metafemur; superior surface unarmed. Metafemur with large tooth near trochanter, superior surface unarmed; externally with tuberculate carina from median projection not extending onto ventral surface ( Fig. 4). Metatibia triangular, external margin distinctly projecting at middle ( Fig. 7).

Temporal distribution. November (8), December (12), January (55), February (2).

Distribution ( Fig. 10 ; n = 77). ARGENTINA: Cordoba: Guanaco Muerto/Cruz del Eje. Mendoza: 40 km N San Rafael. Río Negro: Lamarque. San Luis: 18 km S Arizona; San Geronimo. Paratype localities from Martínez et al. (1961), specimens not studied: Catamarca: Fte. El Quemado; La Cíenaga/Belén.

The G. f r i t z i holotype and allotype are labeled 1959, but the original description lists specimens from 1957 and 1958. It appears that specimens from 1959 are also part of the type series and the text was in error. Mondaca (2014) listed the species from Chile, but those specimens are actually a similar species that is described below as new, and G. fritzi does not occur in Chile .

Remarks. This species has more distinctly costate elytra, with the strial tubercles more elongate and thus appearing somewhat triangular instead of simply round. Despite this, the tubercles are still quite short and not at all linear as in the majority of North American species. Further distinguishing characters are discussed in the treatments for the new species described below.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Distribution of South American species of the Glaresis inducta group: orange circles = G. fritzi, white squares = G. smithi, blue triangles = G. mondacai.

FIGURES 1 – 3. Dorsal habitus of South American species of the Glaresis inducta group. 1) G. fritzi, 2) G. smithi, 3) G. mondacai.