Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) henripittieri, Montoya-Molina & Vaz-De, 2021

Montoya-Molina, Santiago & Vaz-De, Fernando Z., 2021, Taxonomic review of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) agenor species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 734, pp. 1-64 : 31-33

Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) henripittieri sp. nov.

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Fig. 10 , Map 11

Diagnosis

Dichotomius henripittieri sp. nov. differs from other species of the group by the following combination of characters: clypeal teeth short and rounded. Clypeo-genal junction not emarginate. Cephalic carina, wide as high, median tubercle rounded at apex. Dense, ocellate punctures covering interocular surface. Pronotum twice as wide as long. Anterior medial disk with weak declivity, not truncate. Impressed fine punctures restricted to antero-lateral edges. Row of uninterrupted ocellate punctures along pronotal margin. Interstriae microsculpture shagreened.

Etymology

Name based on the locality where this new species was collected, Henri Pittier National Park, Venezuela.

Material examined

Holotype VENEZUELA • ♂; Aragua, Mario Briceño Iragorry , PN. Henri Pittier , Est. Bio. Periquito ; 1145 m a.s.l.; 10º20′51″ N, 67º41′17″ W; human faeces; 18–20 Aug. 2010; R. Acconcia and J. Gámez leg. [white, p]; CEMT.

Paratypes VENEZUELA • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotpye [white, p]; CEMT .

Description

Male

MEASUREMENTS. Length: 19.36 mm.

HEAD. Wider than long. Anterior edge surface weakly rugose, extending posteriorly not reaching base of cephalic carina. Clypeo-genal surface covered by ocellate punctures spaced by one time diameter of a puncture. Interocular surface with ocellate punctures next to eyes ( Fig. 10A, C ). Clypeus rounded, weak central emargination separating two rounded clypeal teeth. Ventral clypeal process longitudinally enlarged, cylindrical (see Fig. 2D ). Cephalic carina as wide as high, posterior surface shagreened microsculpture with ocellate shallow punctation. Median tubercle three times as high as lateral tubercles and curved posteriorly, apex rounded never bifurcate. Lateral tubercles obtuse at apex, vertically flattened ( Fig. 10C ).

PRONOTUM. Twice as wide as long, and as wide as elytra. Anterior medial disc with weak declivity, not truncate. Median disc shiny and smooth, lacking deep punctures and having at most fine punctures. Antero-lateral surface with dense well-impressed simple punctures, scattered ocellate punctures also visible. Row of ocellate punctures along margins, punctures denser at anterior and posterior margins edges. Hypomeron medial disc punctation separated by three times width of a puncture, never smooth or impunctate. External margin bearing single row of organized long setae (see Fig. 2F ).

ABDOMEN. Prosternum and mesosternum with ocellate setigerous punctures. Metepisternum surface shagreened, displaying ocellate setigerous punctures, pilosity sparce. Metasternum setigerous punctures restricted mainly to lateral and anterior areas of mestasternal lobe, puncture diameter variable, medial disc smooth. Margins of mesocoxa surrounded by multiple ocellate punctures, reaching lateral portions of metasternum ( Fig. 10D ). Lateral surface of metasternum, with ocellate setigerous punctures separated by three times width of a puncture. Ocellate punctures along sternites anterior margins. Pygidium wider than long, basal margin rugose, bearing ocellate punctures in basal half.

ELYTRA. Interstriae microsculpture shagreened, with smooth fine scattered punctures. Striae wellimpressed with ocellate punctures separated by less the diameter of a puncture on elytral disc ( Fig. 10A ).

LEGS. Metacoxa posterior edge bearing single row of disorganized ocellate setigerous punctures, separated by twice diameter of a puncture. Profemora displaying aggregation of setigerous punctures on distal ¾.

PARAMERES AND LAMELLA COPULATRIX. As in Fig. 10 E–G.

Morphological variation

Females ( Fig. 10B )

As males except for the following characters:

HEAD. Completely transversely rugose, denser on anterior portion. Clypeus with strong central emargination separating two acute clypeal teeth. Cephalic carina bituberculate, tubercles narrow, almost fading ( Fig. 10B ).

PRONOTUM. Surface covered by fine punctures, denser on antero-lateral areas. Punctuation on margins ocellate and dense, discernible. Hypomeron setae longer and denser than in males.

Remarks

This species was collected in the Henri Pittier National Park located on the ridge of the Cordillera de la Costa of Venezuela. The vegetation of the area is characterized by extensive cloud forest.

Figures

Fig. 10. Dichotomius henripittieri sp. nov. A–B. Dorsal habitus. A. Holotype, ♂ (CEMT). B. ♀. C. Lateral view of the aedeagus. D. Frontal view of the head, cephalic carina medial tubercle rounded at the apex. E. Dorsal view of the aedeagus. F–G. Lamella copulatrix. H. Ventral view of the metasternum, mesocoxa surrounded by multiple ocellate punctures, medial disc smooth.

Fig. 2. General characters that help differentiate the species of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) agenor species group. A–D. Ventral clypeal process. A. Cordate as in D. agenor (Harold, 1869). B. Truncate as in D. sagittarius (Harold, 1869) stat. rev. C. Bifurcate as in D. belus (Harold, 1880). D. Cylindrical as in D. henripittieri sp. nov. E–F. Hypomeral characters. E. Medial disc smooth, lateral margin with multiple rows of setae as in D. amplicollis (Harold, 1869). F. Medial disc punctate, lateral margin with single row of setae as in D. tristis (Luederwaldt, 1923). G–H. Metasternum characters. G. Setigerous punctures from the medial and lateral edges joining throughout the margin of the mesocaxa as in D. enioi sp. nov. H. Setigerous punctures from the medial and lateral edges not joining throughout the margin of the mesocaxa as in D. centralis (Harold, 1869). I–J. Elytra interstriae. I. Smooth as in D. amplicollis. J. Shagreened as in D. agenor.