Amithao cavifrons ( Burmeister, 1842 )

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2013, A Revision Of The Neotropical Genus Amithao Thomson, 1878 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 67 (3), pp. 265-292 : 273-275

Amithao cavifrons ( Burmeister, 1842) ( Figs. 14–18 )

Cotinis cavifrons Burmeister 1842: 263 (original combination). Lectotype male ( Ratcliffe 2004) at MLUH, examined. Type locality: “ Mexico.”

Description. Length 18.0– 25.7 mm; width across humeri 10.0– 13.8 mm. Color black, shiny,

with distinct green or copper sheen, elytra and pygidium occasionally dark brown shiny. Head: Lateral margins distinctly elevated, especially mesad of each eye. Frons and clypeus longitudinally concave, with short, median, transverse tubercle on base of clypeus. Surface moderately to densely to confluently punctate; punctures mostly large, setigerous (when not abraded away); setae long, moderately dense, black. Clypeus with apex broadly, shallowly bilobed ( Fig. 14 ), strongly reflexed. Eyes large, interocular width equals 3.0–4.0 transverse eye diameters. Antenna with 10 antennomeres, club distinctly longer than antennomeres 2–7 in males, slightly longer than antennomeres 2–7 in females. Pronotum: Surface with punctures moderately dense on disc, moderate to large, punctures becoming larger and denser on lateral thirds, some females entirely, densely punctate. Sides with thick marginal bead. Elytra: Surface densely rugulopunctate (rarely with dense, small punctures), with 2 distinctly elevated, parallel costae terminating at prominent apical umbone, sutural and post-humeral costae also prominent; punctures moderate to large, moderately dense, becoming larger and denser laterally. Apices behind apical umbone densely strigulose. Apices at suture only weakly produced. Pygidium: Surface densely, concentrically strigulopunctate, setigerous in both sexes; setae dense, short, black. In lateral view, profile weakly convex. Venter: Setae mostly black, some tawny. Mesometasternal process bluntly rounded and weakly protuberant in lateral view ( Fig. 16 ), apex broadly rounded in ventral view. Abdominal ventrites nearly smooth in central third, lateral thirds sparsely rugopunctate. Legs: Protibia slender in males, with 2 lateral teeth, weak third, basal tooth sometimes present. Protibia in females broader, strongly tridentate. Parameres ( Figs. 17–18 ): Form short; apices divergent, bluntly rounded, curving inwards.

Distribution. Amithao cavifrons is a common species known from central Mexico south to Costa Rica and rarely into Colombia. The absence of any data for Panama suggests that further collecting is warranted.

Locality Records. 309 specimens from ADMC, AMIC, AMNH, BCRC, BMNH, CASC, CNCI, CZUG, DEIC, EAPZ, FMNH, FSCA, HAHC, HNHM, INBC, JNNC, JDGC, JMMC, FSCA, LSAM, MCZC, MGFT, MLUH, MNHN, MUCR, PKLC, RDCC, RMNH, SLTC, TAMU, USNM, UVGC, WBWC, WSUC, ZMHU, ZSMC. Some data from Morón and Márquez (2012). BELIZE (11): BELIZE (1): Manatee. CAYO (2): Las Cuevas Research Station . ORANGE WALK (4): Indian Church Village , La Milpa Field Station . TOLEDO (4): Blue Creek Village . COLOMBIA (1): CHOCÓ (1): Acandí. COSTA RICA (37): GUANACASTE (37): Estación Biológica Maritza , Santa Cecilia (9 km S). GUATEMALA (40): ALTA VERAPAZ (2): Finca Chulac (Mayaniquel Mining Co.), Tres Aguas. HUEHUETENANGO (1): Soloma. IZABAL (17): Morales, Morales (25 km SSE), Puerto Barrios. PETÉN (17): Biotopo Cerro Cahuí, Chuntoqui, Parque Nacional Río Azul , Parque Nacional Tikal, Sitio Area Yaxhá, Tikál, Uaxactún. ZACAPA (1): Sierra de las Minas (El Naranjo, south slope below San Lorenzo mine). NO DATA (2). HONDURAS (41): ATLÁNTIDA (17): El Manchón (Parque Nacional Pico Bonito), Estación CURLA (Parque Nacional Pico Bonito). COLÓN (1): Trujillo. COMAYAGUA (6): Lago de Yojoa , Siguatepeque. CORTÉS (2): Cofradia (9 km NNW), Orión. EL PARAÍSO (1): Capire (8 km SE). OLANCHO (3): Montaña del Malacate. YORO (11): Parque Nacional Pico Pijol, San Rafael (Parque Nacional Pico Bonito), Tela (45 km S). NO DATA (2). MEXICO (145): CAMPECHE (2): Escarceaga (5 mi. N). CHIAPAS (7): Chajul, Chorreodero Canyon (5 mi. E Chiapas de Corzo), Ixhuatán, Musté, Ocosingo, Palenque. DISTRITO FEDERAL (1): Mexico City. DURANGO (4): Durango. HIDALGO (3): Carrizal, Molango, No data. JALISCO (2): Atoyac. OAXACA (6): Chiltepex, Sarabia, Temescal. PUEBLA (1): Xicotepec. QUINTANA ROO (12): Bacalar (80 km N), X-Can, Yaxcaba, No data. SAN LUIS POTOSÍ (4): Las Pozas de James , Tamazunchale (2 km S), Xilitla. Tamazunchale (2 km S). VERACRUZ (49): Atoyac, Cordoba, Fortin, Jesús Caranza, Lake Catemaco , Lake Catemaco (5 mi. E), Los Tuxlas Biological Station . Misantla, Motzorongo, Orizaba, Tuxpan, Xalapa. YUCATÁN (28): Chichén Itzá, Conkal, Piste, Tzucacab, No data. NO DATA (26). NICARAGUA (20): CHONTALES (8): No data. REGIÓN AUTÓNOMA ATLÁNTICO NORTE (3): Cerro Saslaya (Reserva de la Biósfera Bosawas), Cerro Cola Blanca ( Río Las Latas ) .

JINOTEGA (1): Cerro Kilambé. NO DATA (8). NO DATA (14).

Temporal Distribution. January (1), April (6), May (80). June (83), July (40), August (5), September (2), October (1).

Diagnosis. Amithao cavifrons is easily distinguished by the combination of a short, transverse tubercle at the base of the clypeus and by the densely and finely rugulopunctate elytral surface with two raised costae and the usually distinctive greenish or copper sheen.

Natural History. Specimens have been collected primarily during the rainy season in rotting fruit traps and light traps at elevations from near sea level to 1,400 m (label data). Nothing else is known of its life history.

Figures

Figs. 14–16. Amithao cavifrons. 14) Dorsal view; 15) Ventral view; 16) Lateral view.

Figs. 17–18. Amithao cavifrons, parameres.17) Dorsal view; 18) Lateral view.