Parochodaeus phoxus Paulsen & Ocampo

Paulsen, M. J. & Ocampo, Federico C., 2012, The Ochodaeidae of Argentina (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea), ZooKeys 174, pp. 7-30 : 17-18

Parochodaeus phoxus Paulsen & Ocampo sp. n. Fig. 13Map 2

Type material.

Holotype male (FSCA), pinned. Original labels: a) "ARGENTINA: LA RIOJA / Castro Barros; Santa Vera / Cruz; b) -28.67 -66.96; 1600m / 15-II-2005; L. Stange"; b) red paper "Parochodaeus / phoxus / ♂ / Paulsen & Ocampo / HOLOTYPE". Three paratypes (FSCA, MJPC) labeled as holotype. Four paratypes (UNSM, IAZA) labeled: "ARGENTINA: Catamarca: / Londres. 15 km / SW Belen / 5 Dec. 1973 - 24 Jan. 1974 / Frank A. Enders". One paratype (USNM) labeled: a) "ARGENTINA: Tucumán / Amaichá del Valle, 1995 m. / S 26 º 35' 22" W 65 º 55' 13" / XII-7-2003 F.C. Ocampo"; b) black-bordered "UNSM SCARAB DNA / VOUCHER SPECIMEN / [FO 63 4/04]". All paratypes labeled: "Parochodaeus / phoxus /Paulsen & Ocampo / PARATYPE" on yellow paper.

Type locality.

Argentina: La Rioja: Castro Barros, Santa Vera Cruz.

Diagnosis.

Parochodaeus phoxus (Fig. 13) is similar to Parochodaeus proceripes in that it also has a large frontal horn (Fig. 2). In Parochodaeus phoxus , the flatter mentum lacking a longitudinal furrow and broad metatibiae will immediately separate it from Parochodaeus proceripes , which has a distinctly furrowed mentum and slender metatibiae.

Description, holotype male.

Length:7.6 mm. Width:4.0mm. Head: Surface tuberculate, punctate; punctures small. Frons with horn. Clypeus subtrapezoidal, narrow, short (length equal to 1/4 width); anterior margin not thickened, truncate. Labrum broadly emarginate. Mandibles obtusely angulate at basal third. Mentum almost flat, weakly concave, declivous anteriorly, lacking longitudinal furrow. Pronotum: Form strongly convex, declivous anteriorly. Surface densely tiled with tubercles; tubercles small, setose; surface between tubercles punctate; punctures fine. Elytra: Setae of interstrial tubercles moderately long, erect. Legs: Protibia with apical spur weakly curved; internal apical tooth absent. Metatrochanter simple. Metafemur with posterior margin simple. Metatibia straight, moderately broad (at apex not as wide as mesofemur), gradually expanding to apex. Metatarsomere 1 not greatly enlarged. Abdomen:Stridulatory peg present.

Description, paratypes (n=8). Length:6.4-8.0 mm. Width:3.5-4.1 mm. Differing from the holotype in the following external characters: Head: Female paratypes with clypeus longer, length equal to 1/3 width.

Etymology.

The specific epithet ‘phoxus’ is Latinized form of the Greek ‘phoxos’, or "pointed, peaked", referring to the frontal horn. It is used a masculine adjective in the nominative singular.

Distribution

(Map 2). 9 specimens examined.

ARGENTINA: CATAMARCA: Londres (4);LA RIOJA: Santa Vera Cruz (4); TUCUMÁN: Amaichá del Valle (1).

Temporal distribution.

February (4), December (5).

Remarks.

Only nine specimens of this species are known. Nothing is known about the life history of these beetles. The Tucumán specimen was collected at mercury vapor light.