Aegidiellus zezaoi, Frolov & Akhmetova & Vaz-de-Mello, 2017

Frolov, Andrey V., Akhmetova, Lilia A. & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2017, Revision of the Neotropical scarab beetle genus Aegidiellus Paulian (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Orphninae) with description of two new species, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 51 (29 - 30), pp. 1767-1779 : 1776-1778

Aegidiellus zezaoi sp. nov.

( Figure 4 (a–e))

Type locality

Brazil, Linhares.

Type material examined

Holotype. Male at CEMT labelled ‘RFCVRD LINHARES ES BRASIL Data: 01/11/88 Col. JSS’.

Paratypes. BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: one female with the same data as the holotype; four males at CEMT labelled ‘ BRASIL: ES Linhares – RFCVRD X.1987 JS Santos’; one male at CMNC labelled ‘ BRASIL Est. E. Santo Mun. Linhares P.N. Sooretama Coll. Martinez Nov.962 /H. & A. HOWDEN COLLECTION ex. A. Martinez coll. / Aegidiellus alatus (La Porte) det. J.B. Colby 2008’; three males at CMNC labelled ‘ BRASIL E° E. Santo Mun. Linhares P.N. Sooretama Coll. Martinez Nov.962 /H. & A. HOWDEN COLLECTION ex. A. Martinez coll. / Aegidiellus alatus (La Porte) det. J.B. Colby 2008’; 33 males and 55 females at CEMT, ZIN, EPGC, BMNH, IRSNB, MHNG, MNHN, NMPC and ZMHUB labelled ‘ BRASIL: Espirito Santo Linhares. Reserva Natural Vale . 19°8ʹ10ʺS 40°3ʹ17ʺW 40m IV-1988 J.S. Santos leg.’. Rio de Janeiro: one female at CMNC labelled ‘ BRASIL E. Santo Linhares Sooretama NOV.62 A. Martinez /H. & A. HOWDEN COLLECTION ex. A. Martinez coll. / Aegidiellus alatus (La Porte det. J.B.Colby 2008’.

Diagnosis

Aegidiellus zezaoi sp. nov. is most similar to A. alatus but can be separated from it by the parameres more tapering apically and having narrower apices ( Figure 4 (d)); dorsal side of parameres slightly convex in lateral view ( Figure 4 (c)).

Description

Holotype, male ( Figure 4 (a,c–f)). Body length 8.0 mm. Colour uniformly dark brown.

Anterior margin of frontoclypeus slightly convex in middle, slightly sinuate each side of medial convexity, rounded laterally, with a narrow border. Frontoclypeus shiny, coarsely punctate anteriorly and somewhat shagreened, sparsely punctate with smaller punctures posteriorly.

Pronotum with widely rounded lateral margins, as wide as elytra, 1.5 times wider than length, 0.6 times length of elytra. Posterior angles sinuate in dorsal view. Anterior margin bordered laterally, convex, not protruding anteriorly, with a conical tubercle-like anterior pronotal process. Base of pronotum without furrow, punctate with irregular row of round to strongly elongated punctures. Pronotum deeply excavated in middle, almost flat on disc. Disc punctate with coarse, rounded punctures separated by one to two puncture anteriorly.

Elytra 1.08 times longer than wide, with feebly distinct humeral and apical humps. Elytra widest in basal one-third, rounded apically in dorsal view. Elytral carinae marked with rows of elongated punctures separated by one to two times their length on disc, becoming denser laterally and apically. Sutural stria as furrow in apical one-third. Elytral intervals smooth.

Aedeagus with relatively slender phallobase, separated into smaller basal and larger apical parts by constriction ( Figure 4 (c)). Apical part of phallobase with protruding anterodorsal margin and without convexity anteroventrally. Lateral margin of parameres without sinuation. Apices relatively narrow and tapering apically ( Figure 4 (d)). Spiculum gastrale triangular ( Figure 4 (e)).

Female ( Figure 4 (b)). differs from male in having a long protibial spur, relatively smaller pronotum feebly sinuate medially on disc, anterior margin of pronotum not protruding, and anterior pronotal process small and tubercle-shaped.

Variation

Body length of males 8.0–9.0, females 7.1–9.3. Most males have less developed lateral pronotal processes and shallower excavation on pronotum than holotype.

Distribution

The species is known from a few close localities in vicinity of Linhares, Espírito Santo State, Brazil ( Figure 1 (b)).

Etymology

The new species is named after Mr José Simplício dos Santos (Zezão), insect enthusiast and collector of the most part the type series.

Figures

Figure 1. Aegidiellus dentipenis¸ holotype male (a, c–f). Habitus in dorsal view (a), locality map (b; triangle – A. dentipenis; circle – Aegidiellus zezaoi), spiculum gastrale (c); aedeagus in lateral view (d), parameres in dorsal (e) and apical (f) view.

Figure 4. Aegidiellus zezaoi. Holotype, male (a, c–e), paratype, female (b). Habitus (a, b), aedeagus in lateral view (c), parameres in dorsal view (d), spiculum gastrale (e).