Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) louzadai, Nunes, Rafael V., Carvalho, Marcela S. G. & Vaz-De-Mello, Fernando Z., 2016

Nunes, Rafael V., Carvalho, Marcela S. G. & Vaz-De-Mello, Fernando Z., 2016, Taxonomic review of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) assifer (Eschscholtz) species-group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Zootaxa 4078 (1), pp. 230-244 : 235-236

Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) louzadai sp. nov.

( Figures 3 A–E)

Material examined. Holotype: BRASIL: Minas Gerais: Lima Duarte. Parque Estadual Ibitipoca. VI-2001. FZ Vaz-de-Mello [♂ CEMT]. Paratypes: with same data of the Holotype [2♂, 1♀ CEMT]; Maripá de Minas. HumFaec. XI-2009. MM Modesto [8♂, 3♀ CEMT]; Viçosa, 5-X-1991, Lopes & Louzada [2♂, 2♀ CEMT]; Viçosa, Campus da UFV. Pitfall. X-2000, MGF da Mata [4♂, 3♀ CEMT]; Viçosa, 10-IV-1963, Vanetti [1♀ CEMT]; Viçosa, 1995, JNC Louzada [1♂ CEMT]; Viçosa, 22-XI-1991, JNC Louzada [2♂ CEMT]; Viçosa, 12–17- I-1994, JNC Louzada [9♂ 4♀ CEMT]; Viçosa, 13–17-XII-1993, JNC Louzada [1♂, 1♀ CEMT]; Viçosa, Mata do Paraíso, 20º 47’S, 42º 51’W. XII-1998, FZ Vaz-de-Mello [7♂, 5♀ CEMT]; Conceição dos Ouros, Sul de Minas Gerais, Rio Sapucaí, 9-VIII-2002, GP Almeida [1♂, 1♀ CEMT]; Caxambú, XII-1990, A Bello [2♂ 1♀ CEMT]; Caxambú, X-1993, A Bello [3♂, 1♀ CEMT]; Caxambú, III-1994, A Bello [1♀ CEMT]; São Paulo: Salesópolis, Serra do Mar. Estação Biológica Boracéia. 800–900 mosl. 28–30-IV-1997. Feces trap, cloud forest. F Génier & S. Ide [1♂, 1♀ CEMT]; Anhembi, XI-1965, WD Edmonds [1♂ CEMT]; Salesópolis, Estação Biológica Boracéia. 22- IX-1966, WD Edmonds [1♂ CEMT]; Itú, Forest, meat trap. I-66 Anonymous leg. [1♂ CEMT]; Jundiaí, Serra do Japi. 23º14’S, 46º56’W. 1000–1150 mosl. Armadilha pitfall com fezes. 1998. MIM Hernandez [23♂ 10♀ CEMT]. Rio de Janeiro: Petrópolis, Secretário. XI-1984. C Godinho [2♂, 1♀ CEMT]; Itatiaia. I-1992. C Godinho [2♂, 1♀ CEMT]; Itaipava, Maria Comprida. XI-1992, C Godinho [1♂ CEMT]; Nova Friburgo, I-1994, E Grossi [1♂, 1♀ CEMT]; Nova Friburgo, I-1995. FZ Vaz-de-Mello [1♀ CEMT]; Nova Friburgo, VI-1994. FZ Vaz-de-Mello [1♀ CEMT]; Rio de Janeiro, Pedra do Rio, XII-1993. A Bello [1♀ CEMT]; Itatiaia, 3-V-2008, Anonymous (leg.) [1♂ CEMT]; Rio de Janeiro, Floresta da Tijuca, Bom Retiro. 29-VII-2008. W Beiroz [1♂ CEMT]; No data [1♀ CEMT].

Diagnosis. Dichotomius louzadai sp. nov. is separated of the other species in the group by the following combination of characters: males cephalic carina straight, width reaching at most half the maximum width of the head ( Figs 3 A, C); binodose lobe delimiting males pronotal disc anteriorly ( Figs 3 A, C); and elytral interstriae shining and bearing fine punctures.

Holotype. Male. Length: 17 mm. Maximum width (pronotum) 10.5 mm. Dorsal surface black, shining. Dark brown setae on ventral surface. Head: dorsal surface smooth, with few indications of lateral striations. Clypeous with a central emargination separating two rounded clypeal teeth. Clypeal margin more distinct at the clypeal teeth. Ventral clypeal process bifurcated. Clypeo-genal junction not angled. Cephalic carina wider than high, reaching almost half the maximum width of the head. Interocular space shining, smooth and lacking punctures. Clypeogenal suture distinct. Antenal club with red tumescence. Pronotum: wider than long and width equal that of elytra. Pronotal disc shining and smooth, lacking deep punctures and having, at most, only a few dispersed spaced fine punctures (20x). Longitudinal groove (sulcus) weakly impressed and produced by anteriomedian lobe bifurcation. Deep and coarse punctures present only at the anterior angles and anterior declivity. Elliptical ocellate puncture present close to the margin of the pronotal basis. Binodose lobe delimiting the pronotal disc anteriorly. Anterior angles rounded. Hypomeron: anterior portion bearing a well-defined excavation that is delimited by a dense brush of setae. External band of the hypomeron bearing long setae with almost the same size of the setae at the excavation and that can be seen on dorsal view. Prosternum: bearing equally spaced ocellate setigerous punctures. Setae short, reaching at most 1/5 the length of metasternal pilosity. Mesosternum: strongly narrowed medially and covered by ocellate setigerous punctures. Setae short, reaching at most 1/5 the length of metasternal pilosity. Mesepisternum: fully covered by ocellate setigerous punctures. Pilosity dense, setae with the same length of those found at the metasternum. Upper margin of the posterior portion with a triangular projection that almost reaches the pseudoepipleuron Metasternum: mesometasternal suture distinct. Pilosity dense and covering mainly the metasternal suture. Setigerous punctures restricted mainly to the margins of the mestasternal lobe but enroaching onto middle of this lobe after its midpoint. Longitudinal sulcus present, terminating in posterior concavity which bears small ocellate setigerous punctures. Elytra: shining, interstriae convex, smooth with fine punctures (8x). Discal striae with ocellate punctures separated by twice diameter of single puncture. Legs: apex of the anterior tibiae bearing a tuft of setae. Anterior calcar spatulate. Anterior tibiae tridendate, teeth confined to the apical onehalf of lateral margin. Apex of the metatibiae bearing a medial tooth ( Fig. 1 D). Ventral surface of the profemur bearing ocellate setigerous punctures; similar punctures present marginally on the meso and metafemur. Tarsi densely covered by setae. Abdomen: sixth sternite very narrowed medially. Setigerous punctures present on sides near anterior margin of each sternite. Pygidium: as long as wide, bearing fine punctures equally spaced (8x). Paramera: as on Figs 3 D–E.

Morphological variation. body length varies from 14–20 mm and pronotum width from 9–11 mm. Smaller males bear a lower cephalic carina while the central wide lobe delimiting the pronotal disc from the anterior declivity is smaller but still observable. Some larger males have an acute tubercle at each apex of the cephalic carina and a small protuberance in the middle of it. Cephalic carina weakly emarginated medially only in the smallest analyzed paratype. Females ( Fig. 3 B) are smaller, bear denser and longer pilosity and are also differentiated as follows: Head: cephalic carina low, feebly emarginated and bearing an acute tubercle at each apex. Pronotum: anterior declivity and central lobe are not present. Pronotal disc bearing deep punctures. Abdomen: sixth sternite not shortened medially, bearing a central knob.

Distribution. This species is found in the Atlantic Forest of the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brasil ( Fig. 7 ).

Etymology. N amed after Julio Neil Cassa Louzada (Universidade Federal de Lavras), Ecologist who has been working with dung beetles since the 1990’s. Julio Louzada advised several dung beetle ecologists and taxonomists (including the third author) and has published numerous important papers dealing with dung beetles mainly at the community level. Julio also collected part of the type series of this new species and specimens of D. assifer and D. affinis .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Diagnostics characters of Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) assifer species-group. A – B. excavation of the anterior portion of the hypomeron indicated by the white arrows; C. setae concentrated at the sides of abdominal sternites indicated by the black arrows. The sixth abdominal sternite, wider than the other sternites and bearing a central knob; D. medial tooth at the apex of hind tibiae indicated by the black arrow; E. pronotal disc surface showing well defined punctures typical on D. affinis, D. angeloi sp. nov. and D. machadoi; F. pronotal disc surface generally lacking punctures, smooth and shining, typical of D. assifer and D. louzadai sp. nov.; G. smooth and shining elytral interstriae disc, typical of D. assifer and D. louzadai sp. nov.; H. wrinkled interstriae disc, typical of D. affinis, D. machadoi and D. angeloi sp. nov.

FIGURE 3. Dichotomius louzadai sp. nov. A. dorsal habitus of the male; B. dorsal habitus of the female; C. fronto-lateral view of the male head and pronotum; D. dorsal view of the paramera; E. lateral view of the aedeagus.

FIGURE 7. Distribution map of species in the Dichotomius (L uederwaldtinia) assifer species-group.