Liogenys brachyclypeata Cherman, 2020

Cherman, Mariana A., Basílio, Daniel S., Mise, Kleber M., Frisch, Johannes, Smith, Andrew B. T. & Almeida, Lúcia M., 2020, Liogenys Guérin-Méneville, 1831 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from the southern South American Transition Zone and boundaries: taxonomic overview with four new species, Zootaxa 4896 (1), pp. 46-84 : 49-51

Liogenys brachyclypeata Cherman , new species

Figs. 1 ; 13B, D ; 15

Type material. Holotype, male, labeled ( CMNC): [white typeset] “ ARGENTINA, Mendoza / 40km. N. San Rafael, 1100m., 6.XII.1983 / L. Peña ”, [red typeset and handwritten] “ LIOGENYS / BRACHYCLYPEATA / HOLO-TYPE / Cherman M.A.”, genitalia mounted . Paratypes (42) labeled [yellow typeset and handwritten] “ LIOGENYS / BRACHYCLYPEATA / PARATYPE / Cherman M. A.”: Two males and seven females with the same data as the holotype (one male at DZUP (402736), four females at LEMQ, one male and three females at CMNC). Four female paratypes ( CEMT): [ white typeset] “ ARGENTINA: Rio Negro / Dto. Gral Roca, Catriel / 37º52,83’S 67º50,16’W / 4 Jan. 2005. 311 m / F. C. Ocampo ”. Seven males and 15 females (four males and 10 females CMNC, two males and four females DZUP (402737-42), one male and one female CEMT): [ white typeset] “ ARGENTINA: Mendoza / Reserva Ecológica de Nacuñan / S34°02′42ʺ W67°54′34ʺ / Jan- 17-2003, 824 m / F.C.Ocampo, A.B. T.Smith”. One female ( CMNC): [ white typeset] “ ARGENTINA: Rio Negro / Dto Gral Roca, Catriel / 37°52′30ʺ S 67°50′10ʺ W / 4 Jan. 2005. 311 m / F.C. Ocampo ”, [white typeset with data matrix barcode] “Canadian Museum of / Musée canadien de la / NATURE / CMNEN 00029592 ”. One female ( CMNC): [ white typeset] “ ARGENTINA: Rio Negro / Dto Gral Roca, Catriel / 37°52′30ʺ S 67°50′10ʺ W / 4 Jan. 2005. 311 m / F.C. Ocampo ”, [white typeset with data matrix barcode] “Canadian Museum of / Musée canadien de la / NATURE / CMNEN 00029593 ”. One female ( CMNC): [ white typeset] “ ARGENTINA: Rio Negro / Dto Gral Roca, Catriel / 37°52’30’’S 67°50’10’’W / 4 Jan. 2005. 311 m / F.C. Ocampo ”, [white typeset with data matrix barcode] “Canadian Museum of / Musée canadien de la / NA-TURE / CMNEN 00029594 ”. One female ( CMNC): [ white typeset] “ ARGENTINA: Rio Negro / Colonia Catriel; Ruta Nac. 151 / 37º52’33’’S 67º49’50’’W / 315 m; 23 Jan. 2006; at light / F.C.Ocampo, E.Ruiz, G.Zalazar ”, [white typeset with data matrix barcode] “SCARABS OF / SOUTHERN / SOUTH AMERICA / SSSA3003257 ”, [ white typeset] “A.B. T. SMITH DNA / BARCODE VOUCHER / SPECIMEN ABTS693 ” (DNA specimen stored in alcohol at -80 ºC). One female paratype ( IADIZA) with the labels: [white typeset] “Arg. Rio Negro / Gral. Rocas / Cnia. Catriel 311 m / S. Roig / G. Flores / 04/I/05”, [white typeset] “ 37º52.83’ S / 67º56.16’W ”. One female ( IADIZA): [ white typeset] “ ARGENTINA: Chubut Biedma / Península de Valdes Ea San Pablo / 30 km SW Pto. Pirámides 42º 41’ / 43.2’’S 64º 10’ 42,7’’W 66 m / 06-I-2010 Coll: G. Flores, G. Cheli, / R. Carrara”. One female ( IADIZA): [white typeset] “ ARGENTINA: Chubut / Península Valdez, Golfo Nuevo / Ea. San Pablo, 50 m / 27 Nov. 2005 ”, [white typeset with data matrix barcode] “SCARABS OF / SOUTHERN / SOUTH AMERICA / SSSA3002680 ” .

Holotype and 22 paratypes deposited at CMNC. Seven paratypes deposited at DZUP. Four paratypes deposited at LEMQ. Six paratypes deposited at CEMT. Three paratypes deposited at IADIZA.

Diagnosis. Body elongate, yellow; pronotum slightly darker; pronotum and elytra with bristles throughout,

elytra pruinose on its margins ( Fig. 1A ); antenna with 10 antennomeres; frons very swollen and longer than clypeus; clypeal emargination deep, narrow, and rounded; teeth short, subparallel; clypeal lateral margin barely produced in males; almost straight in females; pronotum as long as one half its width, posterior margin narrower than anterior margin ( Fig. 1B ); elytra with only the sutural and the outer ridge distinguishable; protibia with three teeth ( Fig. 1C ); mesotibia and metatibia with one transverse carina complete ( Fig. 1D ); pygidium elongate, with long, decumbent bristles ( Fig. 1E ); males with protarsomeres slightly enlarged ( Fig. 1D ); paramere length at least three times the length of the apex; apex lanceolate in a single plane ( Fig. 1F ).

Holotype. Male. Length 8.7 mm; width: 3.9 mm. Yellow. Head: distance between eyes three times the width of one eye; frons longer than clypeus, swollen; frontoclypeal surface with long bristles; clypeal emargination deep, narrow, and rounded; outer sides of anterior teeth subparallel; clypeal lateral margin weakly produced; distance between clypeal lateral projection and anterior tooth longer than the basal width of anterior tooth, distance between clypeal lateral projection and anterior margin of eye half the length of one eye, margin continuous, not forming a sharp angle between outer side of anterior teeth and clypeal lateral projection; distal maxillary palpomere, maximum width more than two times the apical width; fovea deep, very small, not reaching the transverse midline of the palpomere; antenna with 10 antennomeres, club lighter in color and equal in length to the funicle. Thorax: anterior margin of pronotum slightly produced medially, pronotum anteriorly slightly narrowed forming a depressed ring strongly impressed; disc with bristles throughout, mainly at the sides; pronotal disc with punctures coarse and sparse; posterior corners obtusely angulate; pronotal posterior margin narrower than anterior margin; hypomere with long bristles; mesepisternum, sides of metaventrite, and metacoxae with sparse bristles; distance between mesocoxae and metacoxae less than twice the metacoxa length; scutellum ogival, finely punctate throughout and with bristles. Elytra: disc shiny, pruinose along the margins, mainly on posterior and lateral surfaces; bristles on disc disposed randomly; elytral suture and elytron unicolored, elevated; elytral ridges undistinguishable, exept for the outer ridge. Legs: procoxa with bristles and punctate; protibia with three teeth, middle and apical teeth robust and equal in size, distance between basal and middle teeth slightly less than middle and apical teeth; mesotibia cylindric in cross section; mesotibial surface finely sculptured; one transverse carina almost complete; inner margin of metatibia not carinate towards apex; surface finely sculptured; metatibia with two transverse carinae, the apical carina almost complete; metatibial apical spurs subequal in size, the longer spur slightly longer than the diameter of the tibial apex, the smaller spur narrower and truncate; metatarsomere I equal in size to tarsomere II; protarsomeres I–IV slightly enlarged, protarsomere II elongate; claw bifid, symmetrical, superior tooth of claw longer and equal in width to the inferior tooth; distance between teeth equal to the length of inferior tooth. Abdomen: ventrites with uniform bristles on the disc and sides; propygidium with bristles; pygidium flat; subquadrate; elongate; pygidial width not exceeding distance between spiracles of propygidium; pygidial disc finely punctate and with long decumbent bristles throughout; pygidial apex subquadrate. Parameres: basal region wider than both sections of the parameres at maximum width, parameral split at 2/3 the length of the basal region; inner margins convex; paramere length at least three times the length of the apex; apex lanceolate-like shaped in one plane; parameres in lateral view straight, coplanar ( Fig. 1G ).

Variation. Male paratypes. Length: 8.6–9.0 mm; width: 3.9–4.0 mm. As the holotype except in the clypeal lateral margin not produced. Female paratypes. Length: 8.0– 9.2 mm; width: 3.8–4.2 mm. As the holotype except in the clypeal lateral margin straight; pronotum shorter and coarsely punctate, and elytra less pruinose.

Etymology. Adjective in the nominative singular. From Ancient Greek βραχύς (brakhús, “short”) + Latin clypeata (“relative to clypeus”). The name is referring to the clypeus shorter than the frons, a rare feature in Liogenys .

Type locality. ARGENTINA, Mendoza, 40 km. N. San Rafael [34°10’40.9’’S 68°20’41.3’’W], 1100 m .

Geographical distribution. ARGENTINA (Mendoza, Río Negro, Chubut) .

Remarks. Liogenys brachyclypeata new species resembles L. rufoflava in the body size and color, antenna with 10 antennomeres, elytra with bristles, protibia with three teeth in both sexes, and pygidium elongate and with bristles. Liogenys brachyclypeata new species differs from L. rufoflava (in parenthesis) mainly in the frons noticeable swollen and smooth, longer than clypeus (less swollen and punctate, as long as clypeus); clypeal emargination deep (shallow); pronotum shorter; lateral margin of pronotum with concavity more acute (unique among the Liogenys , which have broader concavity); pronotal posterior margin slightly narrower than the anterior margin and the head, with sharp corners (wider than head, subangulate corners); mesotibiae and metatibiae with one transverse carina complete (as in L. kuntzeni ; in L. rufoflava males with transverse carina incomplete or only posteriorly); bristles of pygidium longer, and in males protarsomeres slightly enlarged (distinctly enlarged). The shape of the parameres closely resembles those of L. rufoflava , but in L. brachyclypeata new species they are longer, while the apex is thinner and narrower.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Liogenys brachyclypeata Cherman, new species, male holotype views: A) dorsal, B) clypeus and pronotum, C) frontal, D) lateral, E) pygidium, and parameres views: F) dorsal, G) lateral.

FIGURE 13. Liogenys maxillaricuspis Cherman, new species: A) head in ventral view, C) labium, G) right maxilla; L. brachyclypeata Cherman, new species: B) head in ventral view, D) labium; L. calcarata Frey, 1970: E) left maxilla; L. xanthocera Harold, 1869: F) right maxilla. Legends: A, B) CLP: clypeus, LBM: labium, LBR: labrum, MXL: maxilla, MXLP: maxillary palp. C, D) LGL: ligula, LPLP: labial palp, MTM: mentum, PMTM: postmentum.

FIGURE 15. Geographical distribution of Liogenys new species occurring in the STZ and its boundaries: A) general, B, C) detail. Image legend: shaped points: new species; colors: provinces of Neotropical, South American Transition Zone (STZ), and Andean regions.