Parochodaeus dentipes Paulsen & Ocampo

Paulsen, M. J. & Ocampo, Federico C., 2012, The Ochodaeidae of Argentina (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea), ZooKeys 174, pp. 7-30 : 15

Parochodaeus dentipes Paulsen & Ocampo p. n. Figs 410Map 1

Type material.

Holotype male (MLP), pinned. Original labels: a) "Piedra Pintada / La Rioja 23-II-39 / Birabén-Scott leg." b) red paper "Parochodaeus / dentipes / Paulsen & Ocampo / HOLOTYPE". One paratype (MLP) labeled as holotype. Three paratypes (LEMQ) labeled: a) "ARGENTINA, La Rioja / Guandacol, 1000m / 1-3.XII.1983, L.E. Peña / at light"; b) black-bordered "Lyman Entomological / Museum / Ste-Anne-Bellevue / Canada". One paratype (CMNC) labeled: a) "ARGT / La Rioja / Mascasín / I- 1959". One paratype (CMNC) labeled "Argentina / Cordoba / Do. Cruz del Eje / Guanaco Muerto / Coll. Martínez” and "Ene. 977". All paratypes with "Parochodaeus / dentipes / Paulsen & Ocampo / PARATYPE" on yellow paper.

Type locality.

Argentina: La Rioja: Piedra Pintada.

Diagnosis.

This is one of only two species in Argentina with a large tooth at the apex of the metafemur (Fig. 4), and the tooth is present in both sexes. The species can be distinguished by the presence of that tooth and a frontal horn on the head (Fig. 10).

Description, holotype male.

Length:7.7 mm. Width:4.0mm. Head: Surface tuberculate, punctate; punctures moderate. Frons with central tubercle. Clypeus broadly rounded, narrow, short (length equal to 1/5 width); anterior margin thickened, produced anteriorly in both sexes. Labrum deeply emarginate. Mandibles weakly angulate externally. Mentum tumid, notched anteriorly. Pronotum: Form convex. Surface shiny, weakly tuberculate anteriorly, tubercles obsolete on disc; surface between tubercles punctate; punctures moderate. Elytra: Setae of interstrial tubercles moderately long, decumbent. Legs: Protibia with apical spur weakly curved; internal apical tooth present; tooth short, acute. Metatrochanter simple. Metafemur with tooth on posterior margin before apex. Metatibia curved (in ventral view external margin rounded, internal margin sinuate), broad (at apex approximately as wide as mesofemur), expanding abruptly in basal third. Metatarsomere 1 not greatly enlarged. Abdomen:Stridulatory peg absent.

Description, paratypes (n=6). Length:6.5-7.6 mm. Width:3.3-3.9 mm. Differs from holotype in the following external characters: Head: Females with clypeus longer, length equal to 1/4 width.

Etymology.

The specific epithet ‘dentipes’ is from Latin dentis “tooth” and pes "foot, leg", for the toothed metafemur, and is used a masculine adjective in the nominative singular.

Distribution

(Map 1). 7 specimens examined.

ARGENTINA: CÓRDOBA: Cruz del Eje (1); LA RIOJA: Guandacol (2), Mascasín (1), Piedra Pintada (2).

Temporal distribution.

January (2), February (2), December (2).

Remarks.

Only seven specimens of this species are known. The specimens from Guandacol were collected at light.