Phanaeus victoriae Moctezuma, 2021

Moctezuma, Victor, Halffter, Gonzalo & Lizardo, Viridiana, 2021, The Phanaeus tridens species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea): a dung beetle group with genital morphological stasis but a changing ecological niche, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 61 (2), pp. 447-482 : 466-467

Phanaeus victoriae Moctezuma sp. nov.

( Figs 27–28 , 41 , 53 )

Type material examined. MEXICO: OAXACA: HOLOTYPE ( Fig. 27 ): ♂, Santa María Chimalapa, Benito Juárez , 860 m., 16°43′41.8″N, 94°9′17.5″W, 18-X-2017, V. Moctezuma leg. from coprotrap ( IEXA) . PARATYPES: 76 ♂♂ 63 ♀♀, same locality as the holotype, GHVM: 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀; IEXA: 15 ♂♂ 8 ♀♀; CEMT: 6 ♂♂ 6 ♀♀; CNMN: 1 ♂ 1 ♀; JLSHVM: 9♂♂ 5♀♀; NMPC: 2♂♂ 2♀♀; TAMU: 2♂♂ 2♀♀; UVGC: 1 ♂; VMPM: 38 ♂♂ 38 ♀♀) .

Diagnosis. Metallic bright red species with green-yellow sheen ( Figs 27–28 , 53 ). Sides of pronotal disc finely granulate to finely granulorugose ( Figs 27–28 , 53 ). Posteromedial process of pronotum produced into denticle, distinctly widened laterally, slightly bifurcated apically ( Figs 41 , 53 ). Anterolateral margins of pronotal disc with distinctly developed ridge of tubercles ( Fig. 53 ). Posterolateral angles of pronotum shorter than posteromedial process of pronotum ( Figs 41 , 53 ). Elytral striae coarsely impressed and coarsely punctate. Elytral interstriae distinctly scabriculous ( Figs 27–28 ).

Description. Major male (holotype). Total length from apex of clypeus to tergite VIII: 17 mm. Metallic bright red with green-yellow sheen ( Fig. 27 ). Head. Clypeus rounded dorsally, not spine-like laterally, black on anterior margin, with roughened sculpture ( Fig. 27 ). Paraocular areas of parietals with roughened sculpture ( Fig. 27 ). Cephalic horn black, curved posteriorly over pronotum ( Fig. 27 ). Pronotum. Sides of pronotal disc finely granulate to finely granulorugose ( Figs 27 , 53 ). Pronotal disc coarsely, sparsely rugose ( Figs 27 , 53 ). Posteromedial process of pronotum produced into denticle, distinctly widened laterally, slightly bifurcated apically ( Figs 41 , 53 ). Anteromedial portion of pronotal disc with two denticles, distinctly separate ( Fig. 53 ). Anterolateral margins of pronotal disc with distinctly developed ridge of tubercles ( Fig. 53 ). Posterolateral angles of pronotum shorter than posteromedial process ( Figs 41 , 53 ). Lateral and basal fossae distinctly impressed ( Fig. 27 ). Elytra. Striae scabriculous, coarsely impressed, coarsely punctate ( Fig. 27 ). Interstriae scabriculous, superficially punctate, convex ( Fig. 27 ). Protibiae. Quadridentate, with apical spine ( Fig. 27 ). Tergite VIII. Scabriculous sculpture, coarsely punctate with roughened punctures.

Variability. Total length from apex of clypeus to tergite VIII: 13–18 mm. This species is highly homogeneous in colour ( Figs 27–28 ). Minor male. Similar to major male, except for reduction of secondary sexual characters (i.e., cephalic horn, pronotal processes and posterolateral angles). Female. Similar to male, except for head showing trituberculate carina; pronotal sculpture granulate, becoming smooth to superficially punctate posteriorly; pronotum with anteromedial black macula, and anteromedial carina followed by posterior concavity ( Fig. 28 ).

Etymology. The first author is honored to dedicate this new species to his beloved daughter Victoria Peralta Vara.

Comments. The pronotal morphology of this species ( Figs 27–28 , 41 , 53 ) is similar to that of P. nimrod ( Figs 24–26 , 40 , 52 , 60 ). Nevertheless, the posteromedial process of pronotum in major males of P. victoriae ( Figs 41 , 53 ) is distinctly triangular and slightly bifurcated apically (medially widened and not bifurcated apically in P. nimrod , Figs 40 , 52 ). The elytral striae in P. victoriae ( Figs 27–28 ) and P. eximius ( Figs 29–31 ) are deeply impressed and the elytral interstriae strongly convex. Nevertheless, the elytral interstriae are never vermiculate in P. victoriae ( Figs 27–28 ), and they are in P. eximius ( Figs 29–31 ). The posterolateral angles of pronotum are more rounded in P. victoriae ( Figs 41 , 53 ) than in P. moroni ( Figs 33–44 ), while the pronotal disc of P. victoriae ( Figs 27 , 53 ) is never wine-garnet red to black, as it is in P. moroni ( Figs 6–7 , 44 ). Phanaeus victoriae is completely allopatric in relation to the remaining species within the P. tridens species group ( Fig. 67 ).

Distribution. Eastern Oaxaca, Mexico. This species probably shows the smallest range (≈ 61 km 2) of the genus Phanaeus ( Fig. 67 ).

Figures

Figs 27–28. Phanaeus victoriae Moctezuma sp. nov. 27 – holotype male; 28 – paratype female. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 32–42. Posterior view of pronotum of major male. 32 – P. tridens Castelnau, 1840; 33 – P. moroni Arnaud, 2001, stat. rev.; 34 – P. bal- thasari Arnaud, 2001, stat. rev.; 35 – P. daphnis Harold, 1863; 36 – P. substriolatus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev.; 37 – P.herbeus Bates, 1887, stat. rev.; 38 – P.furiosus Bates, 1887; 39 – P.pseudofurcosus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev.; 40 – P. nimrod Harold, 1863; 41 – P. victoriae Moctezuma sp. nov.; 42 – P. eximius Bates, 1887. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 43–54. Lateral view of pronotum of major male. 43 – P. tridens Castelnau, 1840; 44 – P. moroni Arnaud, 2001, stat. rev.; 45 – P. balthasari Arnaud, 2001; 46 – P. daphnis Harold, 1863; 47 – P. coeruleus Bates, 1887, stat. rev. (holotype, by Keita Matsumoto, BMNH); 48 – P. substriolatus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev.; 49 – P. herbeus Bates, 1887, stat. rev. (green-red phase); 50 – P. furiosus Bates, 1887 (green phase); 51 – P. pseudofurcosus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev.; 52 – P. nimrod Harold, 1863; 53 – P. victoriae Moctezuma sp. nov. (holotype); 54 – P. eximius Bates, 1887. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 24–26. Phanaeus nimrod Harold, 1863. 24 – male green-red phase; 25 – lectotype and labels (by Christophe Rivier, MNHN); 26 – P. babori Balthasar, 1939, junior subjective synonymy, holotype and labels (by Jiří Hájek, NMPC). Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 55–62. Pronotum of female. 55 – P. tridens Castelnau, 1840; 56 – P. balthasari Arnaud, 2001, stat. rev.; 57 – P. daphnis Harold, 1863; 58 – P. substriolatus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev. (dark blue-black phase); 59 – P.herbeus Bates, 1887, stat. rev. (green phase); 60 – P. nimrod Harold, 1863 (blue-green phase); 61 – P. furiosus Bates, 1887 (dark blue phase); 62 – P. pseudofurcosus Balthasar, 1939, stat. rev. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 29–31. Phanaeus eximius Bates, 1887. 29 – male blue phase; 30 – female green phase (typical); 31 – lectotype and labels (by Keita Matsumoto, BMNH). Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 6–7. Phanaeus moroni Arnaud, 2001, stat. rev. 6 – male; 7 – holotype and labels (by Patrick Arnaud, PFASF). Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Fig. 67. Predicted distribution of P. nimrod Harold, 1863 and P. victoriae Moctezuma sp. nov.