Paracryptocanthon, Howden & Cook, 2002

Howden, Henry F. & Cook, Joyce, 2002, Paracryptocanthon, A New Canthonine Genus From Brazil (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 56 (4), pp. 585-588 : 585-588

Paracryptocanthon new genus

( Figs. 1–4 )

Diagnosis. Paracryptocanthon females (male unknown) can be distinguished from all other related genera by the following combination of characters: dorsal surface of head incised laterally on each side with small slit exposing the eye ( Fig. 2 ); anterior margin of head with three small teeth on each side of pair of elongate median teeth ( Figs. 1–2 ); elytron sharply inflexed at seventh stria, inflexed part of elytron with three complete striae; apical spur of protibia unevenly bidentate ( Fig. 3 ); metatibia abruptly

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586 THE COLEOPTERISTS BULLETIN 56(4), 2002

narrowed at basal one-fifth ( Fig. 4 ); terminal abdominal segment medially as long as preceding two segments combined.

Description. Females. Oval ( Fig. 1 ), size moderate, total length 6.0– 6.5 mm, greatest width

3.6–4.1 mm. Dorsally with numerous, short, posteriorly arched, pale setae. Anterior margin of head with eight teeth ( Figs. 1–2 ); medial two teeth narrow, elongate, separated by deep U-shaped notch, lateral teeth shorter and broader; most laterad small tooth on each side at clypeal-genal

junction; lateral margin of gena obtusely angulate at apical two-fifths. Clypeogenal and clypeofrontal sutures obsolete. Dorsal surface of head posteriorly incised on each side forming small slit to expose eye; eye dorsally about three facets wide. Antenna nine-segmented; scape about as long as following five segments combined; club three-segmented, tomentose. Maxillary palpus four segmented; first segment small, glabrous; second larger than third, glabrous; third with small seta at side of apex; apical segment elongate, fusiform, glabrous. Mentum concave medially, raised at anterior edge, margin with two or three long setae. Labial palpus three segmented; segments one and two ovate, strongly setose; apical segment small, about twice as long as broad, with subapical seta. Pronotum short and broad, length approximately one-half of width, strongly convex with irregular, shallow depressions laterally; margin deeply, arcuately emarginate anteriorly; lateral margins nearly parallel, rounded on each side at apical one-fifth, almost rightangled at junction with anterior margin; posterior angles rounded, obtuse; marginal bead present only on lateral one-third of anterior margin, obsolete elsewhere. Pronotal disc conspicuously punctate, punctures large, oval; disc near lateral margin on each side with irregular, incomplete carina near and parallel to margin. Pronotal hypomeron broadly excavated anteriorly, convex medially. Scutellum not visible. Elytra conjointly convex, each elytron dorsally with seven striae, each stria indicated by double wavy line; elytral intervals flat with row of punctures on each side of intervals 2–6; laterad to seventh stria each elytron carinate and abruptly inflexed, inflexed portion of each elytron with three complete striae, stria ten along margin of epipleuron; inflexed portion of elytron wide, at middle twice width of adjacent epipleuron. Flightless, wings reduced to minute flaps. Mesosternum short and broad, length at midline about one-fourth width, transversely swollen behind slightly arcuate anterior margin. Meso-metasternal suture slightly arcuate. Metasternum broad, evenly convex; impressed line extending on each side from lateral one-fifth of meso-metasternal suture posteriorly around apex of mesocoxa, then anteriorly onto lateral portion of metasternum. Protrochanter deeply foveate ventrally at margin of profemur; another deep fovea present anteroventrally at margin of trochanter and profemur. Protibia ( Fig. 3 ) widened at apex with three large teeth on outer margin; protibial spur unevenly bidentate. Mesocoxae widely separated, slightly convergent posteriorly. Mesofemur and metafemur moderately broadened medially, otherwise unmodified. Mesotibia broadened apically, with two apical spurs. Metatibia ( Fig. 4 ) abruptly narrowed at basal one-fifth, with single apical spur. Mesotarsus and metatarsus dorsoventrally flattened, broad, densely setose laterally; basal segment 1 slightly broader than 2, segments 3 and 4 progressively smaller; apical tarsomere with two simple, evenly curved claws. Pygidium ventral in position, convex, short and broad, length less than one-half width; surface lacking foveae and/or carinae. Six visible abdominal sternites, sternites 2–5 shortened medially; apical sternite medially equal in length to length of next two subapical sternites combined.

Type Species. Cryptocanthon borgmeieri Vulcano, Pereira and Martinez 1976:523.

Etymology. Para -(Greek 5 beside or near) cryptocanthon refers to the apparent close relationship of this genus to Cryptocanthon .

Remarks. The type series of C. borgmeieri consists of six specimens, all described as males by Vulcano et al. (1976). The two specimens we examined (including one paratype and one determined by Martinez) were dissected and proved to be females. Since Vulcano et al. (1976) did not describe or illustrate male genitalia or mention any variation within the series, probably all specimens in the type series are females. The unusual unequally split apical spur on the protibia of the females of Paracryptocanthon is a male character in some canthonine genera and possibly led Vulcano et al. (1976) to the conclusion that all of the specimens in the type series were male.

While there is no doubt that Cryptocanthon and Paracryptocanthon are closely related, the relationship of these genera to others is less obvious. Howden (1973) suggested that Cryptocanthon is perhaps most closely related to Bdelyropsis Pereira, Vulcano and Martinez based on thoracic and abdominal similarities. To date, there has been no evidence to change this supposition. However a comprehensive analysis is needed for a proper placement of this group of genera.

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Figures

Figs. 1–4. Paracryptocanthon borgmeieri, female. 1) Dorsum; 2) outline of head, dorsal view; 3) left protibia, dorsal view; 4) right metibia, dorsal view. Scale lines 5 1.0 mm (Fig. 2); 0.5 mm (Figs. 3 and 4).