Ancognatha scarabaeoides Erichson, 1847

Paucar-Cabrera, Aura & Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2018, The Ancognatha Erichson (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) of Ecuador, with Description of a New Species, The Coleopterists Bulletin 72 (4), pp. 665-687 : 680-681

Ancognatha scarabaeoides Erichson, 1847 ( Figs. 1d , 29–31 )

Ancognatha scarabaeoides Erichson 1847: 97 (original combination). Lectotype male at ZMHU ( Moore et al. 2018).

Chalepides unduavicus Prokofiev 2012: 3 (synonym). Holotype male at IEE ( Moore et al. 2018).

Ancognatha scarabaeoides unduavica Prokofiev 2013: 1 (synonym).

Redescription. Length 18.8–29.2 mm; width 8.7–14.8 mm. Color of elytra reddish brown or black, pronotum variably colored reddish brown or brown with reddish brown spots on each side of midline. Head: Frons and clypeus minutely shagreened, punctures small and moderate in density or with clypeus slightly more densely punctate. Frontoclypeal line with 2 low, rounded or transverse tubercles mesad of eye canthus. Clypeus subtriangular, sides arcuate (more so in female), apex narrowly rounded and reflexed. Interocular width equals 2.2–2.4 transverse eye diameters. Mentum with apex distinctly, but not deeply, emarginate. Pronotum: Surface similar to that of frons. Elytra: Surface minutely shagreened, moderately densely punctate, punctures small, usually in rows on disc; weakly impressed striae or transverse wrinkling sometimes evident. Epipleuron of female (in ventral view) slightly expanded at level of sternites 1–2. Pygidium: Surface vaguely shagreened, with small, moderately dense punctures (less evident in males). In lateral view, surface in male evenly convex, surface in female almost flat. Legs: Protibia tridentate, teeth subequally spaced. Venter: Prosternal process long, apex flattened and with distinct, round, raised “button”; posterior surface near base with distinct tooth; process covered with dense, long setae. Parameres: Fig. 30 .

Distribution. Ancognatha scarabaeoides is known from Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia ( Endrödi 1966, 1985; Ratcliffe 2003).

Locality Records ( Fig.31 ). 303 specimens examined from BCRC, CISEC, CMNC, CMNH, CNCI, DCCC, MECN, MEPN, QCAZ, SLTC, UNSM, USNM .

AZUAY (71): Bosque Protector Aguarongo, Cuenca, Parque Nacional El Cajas, Girón (8 km NE), Las Nieves (13 km NE), Rancho Alegre. ~ BOLÍVAR (2): Cashca Totoras, Totoras. CANAR (8): Cantón Huaca (Parroquia Mariscal Sucre, Hacienda La Breta~ na), El Calvario, Naranjapata. CARCHI (11): El Rosario, El Tambo, La Paz, Palo Blanco, San Gabriel (Bosque Arrayanes), Tufi~ no (35 km W), Tulcán (La Alegr´ıa). CHIMBORAZO (2): Alaus´ı, Huigra. COTOPAXI (23): Parque Nacional Cotopaxi (Caspi entrance, 12 km NE Mulaló), El Boliche, La Maná, Saguambi, Salcedo via Tena (km 50), Sigchos, Triunfo Bajo. EL ORO (1): Guanazón (6 km ESE). IMBABURA (15): Ambuqua, Chachimbiro, El Tejar, Lita, M. Acosta–Ibarra road (km 4), Zuleta. LOJA (37): Cordillera Cordoncillo Saraguro (11 km S), La Toma, El Capul´ı, Jipiro Alto, Loja, Loja (La Argelia), Loja (10 km NW), Rocafuerte, Saraguro, Uritusinga, Villonaco, Zambi. LOS RÍOS (1): Quevedo. MORONA SANTIAGO (19): Gualaceo (21 km SE), Gualaceo (34 km SE), Parque Nacional Sangay (Parroquia Zu~ nac, Lingüichaca), R´ıo Culebrillas Gualaceo (34 km). NAPO (27): Baeza, Caba~ nas de San Isidro (2 km W of Cosanga), Coca, Lumbaqui, Oyacachi, Papallacta, Salcedo Tena road. PICHINCHA (37): Calacal´ı–Mindo road, Cochasqu´ı, Hacienda La Esperie, Hacienda Niebli de Monjas, Los Laureles, Palmeras, Palma Texaco, Pasochoa, Perucho, Puerto Quito, Quito, Pululahua, R´ıo Alambi (sector Guarumos OCP), San Miguel de los Bancos, Tandayapa. SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSÁCHILAS (3) Hacienda Palmeras, R´ıo Toachi, Toachi. SUCUMBÍOS (27): La Bonita, Oyacachi, Santa Bárbara. TUNGURAHUA (14): Ba~ nos, Chimborazo (7 km NW). ZAMORA CHINCHIPE (3): Chumusquin, Estación Cient´ıfica San Francisco, Reserva Tapichalaca. PROVINCE UNKNOWN (2): Sebundoi.

Temporal Distribution. January (24), February (18), March (17), April (23), May (6), June (6), July (3), August (9), September (19), October (47), November (71), December (10).

Diagnosis. Ancognatha scarabaeoides is distinguished from A. atacazo and A. castanea , the other two black or brown species in the study area, by its more triangular clypeus, broadly separated frontal tubercles, glabrous pygidium, and form of the parameres ( Fig. 30 ).

Natural History. Adults are attracted to lights. Pardo-Locarno (1994) reported larvae feeding on the roots of alfalfa, tomatoes, potatoes, wheat, barley, berries, and pasture grasses in Colombia where this species is abundant. In Ecuador, it is an abundant species, while in Panama Ratcliffe (2003) reported this species is rare and has been collected only in the montane wet forests of Chiriqu´ı at an elevation of 2,100 m. The larval stage was described by Vallejo and Morón (2008).

Figures

Fig. 1. Ancognatha species, clypeus and mandibles, dorsal view. a) A. horrida, b) A. jamesoni c) A. lutea, d) A. scarabaeoides.

Figs. 29–31. Ancognatha scarabaeoides. 29) Habitus; 30) Parameres; 31) Distribution in Ecuador.