Trichillum (Trichillum) cordobense, Vaz-De-Mello & Génier, 2005

Vaz-De-Mello, Fernando Z. & Génier, François, 2005, Lectotype designations, new synonymies, and new species in the genera Trichillum Harold and Pedaridium Harold (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Zootaxa 1038, pp. 41-52 : 50-51

Trichillum (Trichillum) cordobense sp. nov.

( Figs. 11–12 )

Holotype ɗ: ARGENTINA: Córdoba: El Sauce, Diquecito, XII­1964, Martínez ( CMNC).

Paratypes: ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires: S. de la Ventana, XI­1981, Bolle (5 CMNC); Córdoba: Do. Santa María, Diquecito, XII­1965, A Martínez (1 BDGC, 1 CMNC, 1 GHC); Alta Gracia, XI­1920, Bruch (2 CMNC); Cabana, I­1944, Prosen (1 CMNC); 28­XII­1925 (1 CMNC); El Sauce, Diquecito, XII­1964, Martínez (1 FVMC).

Etymology: From Córdoba, Argentinean province where the first specimens seen came from.

Diagnosis: 2.8–3.5 mm. Similar to T. depilatum , differing by the presence of discoclypeal setae (lacking in T. depilatum ), short­triangular shape of head (more rounded in T. depilatum ), and clypeal teeth not clearly detached from clypeal sides ( Fig. 11 ).

Description: Holotype male. Head: Clypeal margin slightly upturned, with two obtuse teeth with rounded apices, separated by a wide V­shaped emargination. Lateral clypeal margins almost straight, in continuation with genae. Clypeal surface covered by large simple punctures, coalescent in the middle, separated by less than ¼ of their diameter, some of them setose. Frons with sparse punctures, smaller than those on clypeus, separated by 1 ½ to 3 times the diameter of one point; laterally with two large simple setose punctures in the internal border of each eye. Dorsal interocular space seven to eight times wider that the width of one eye. Gena with few, scattered, simple, setose punctures. Pronotum: Pronotal disk with minute, barely visible (50 x) punctures, separated by more than three times their diameter. Pronotal sides with scattered large, elongated punctures, of larger size on the anterior angles. Pronotal basis not marginated, with a row of elongated punctures, evanescent in the middle, and laterally setose. Apical border not marginated, lateral margins well defined. Anterior transverse row of setose punctures restricted to the sides, with no more than three setae at each side. Hypomeron with simple punctures, separated by two to three diameters. Elytra: Elytral discal striae with small simple punctures, separated by two diameters. Discal interstriae with unorganized, minute, barely visible punctures (size similar to that of the pronotal disk), separated by more than three diameters. First, third, fifth, seventh, and eighth interstriae with a longitudinal row of setose punctures in the apical half, those rows are external in the first interstria (closer to the first elytral stria than to elytral suture) and internal in the remaining ones. Sterna: Prosternon with large umbilicate punctures, and two to four central setose punctures. Mesosternum approximately 2.5 times wider than long in the middle, with simple punctures separated by about two diameters. Metasternal anterior lobe slightly wider in the middle than in base; meso­metasternal suture in straight, rounded angle; meso­metasternal sulcus evanescing posteriorly, at each side, just posterior to the base of the middle trochanter. Metasternal disk with punctures as small as in the pronotal disk, laterally with larger, umbilicate, elongated punctures. Abdomen: Abdominal sternites covered by large umbilicated punctures. Parameres as in figure 12. Legs: First tarsomere of the middle legs as long as the second. First tarsomere of the hind legs about 1.2 times longer than the second.

Variation: Paratypes vary in sexual features, size, color (teneral specimens are less dark in color) and in position of individual head punctures, not differing however of the general structure described for the holotype, apart of features related to abradation of clypeal and fore tibial teeth. Females differ from males by protibial apical internal tooth absent, metasternal disc flat, not concave, and pygidium slightly more transverse.

Remarks: This species was misidentified by Martínez (1968) as T. depilatum , but differs (apart from the characters cited above) by having different paramera (much longer and narrower in T. depilatum ). The new species appears to be closer to T. externepunctatum Borre, 1880 than to T. depilatum , judging by the form of the paramere (shorter and narrowed apically).

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 12. Head (7, 9, and 11) and parameres (8, 10, and 12), dorsal view. 7 – 8. Trichillum tishechkini n. sp. 9 – 10. Trichillum pseudoarrowi n. sp. 11 – 12. Trichillum cordobense n. sp.