Madecorphnus cuccodoroi Frolov, 2010

Frolov, Andrey V., Montreuil, Olivier & Akhmetova, Lilia A., 2016, Review of the Madagascan Orphninae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) with a revision of the genus Triodontus Westwood, Zootaxa 4207 (1), pp. 1-93 : 48-50

Madecorphnus cuccodoroi Frolov, 2010

( Figs. 24 A–F)

Madecorphnus cuccodoroi Frolov, 2010a: 64 .

Type material examined. Holotype ( Figs. 24 A, C–E), male, “ MADAGASCAR, Mt Ambre , 3 km NE N.P. camp site, 12°33'09''S, 49°09'40''E, 1300 m . 28.II.2003 #3a G. Cuccodoro / Holotypus Madec. cuccodoroi Frolov 2010 ” (MHNG).

Paratypes: one male, “ Madagascar, Mt Ambre , 2,5 km SE N.P. camp site, 12°31'12''S, 49°11'42''N, 1050 m . 11.III.2003, G. Cuccodoro ” ( MHNG); one male, “ Madagascar, Mt Ambre , 1 km NW N.P. camp site, 12°31'55''S, 49°10'32''N, 1000 m . 2.III.2003, G. Cuccodoro ” ( MHNG); two males, “ Madagascar, Mt Ambre , 3 km NE N.P. camp site, 12°32'30''S, 49°10'02''N, 1250 m . 15.III.2003, G. Cuccodoro ” ( MHNG, ZIN); one female, “ Madagascar, Mt Ambre , 2,5 km SE N.P. camp site, 12°31'15''S, 49°11'40''N, 950 m . 03.III.2003, G. Cuccodoro ” ( MHNG); two females, “ Madagascar, Mt Ambre , 0,5 km NE N.P. camp site, 12°31'50''S, 49°10'25''N, 1000 m . 0 1.III.2003, G. Cuccodoro” (MHNG, ZIN).

Additional material examined. MADAGASCAR: Antsiranana: six males, “ MADAGASCAR: Province d'Antsiranana, Parc National Montagne d'Ambre 3.6 km 235° SW Joffreville Elev 925 m 20–26 Jan 2001 / 12°32′4″S, 49°10′46″E coll. Fisher, Griswold et al . California Acad. of Sciences , sifted litter, montane rainforest, code: BLF2564” ( CASC) .

Diagnosis. This species is externally similar to M. peyrierasi Frolov, 2010 and M. perinetensis Frolov, 2010 and can reliably be separated from them only by the shape of the parameres and, especially, the internal sac armature. In M. peyrierasi and M. perinetensis , the internal sac armature consists of 2 larger sclerites basally; 2 smaller, comma-shaped sclerites apically; and an area of numerous minute spinules situated between the sclerites ( Figs. 26 D–E, 27 D–E). In M. cuccodoroi , the 2 larger sclerites are probably homologous to those in the previous species, but they differ slightly in shape. The area composed of numerous minute spinules is larger in M. cuccodoroi , the spinules are somewhat coarser, and a part of the apical spinules is more robust and they are almost tooth shaped ( Fig. 24 C). Madecorphnus cuccodoroi also differs in the shape of the parameres, which are somewhat wider and more curved at apices ( Figs. 24 D, 26B, 27B).

Description. Male. Body length 5.0– 5.5 mm. Color uniformly dark brown, almost black, legs somewhat paler ( Fig. 24 A).

Right mandible slightly longer than left, without tooth behind apex. Labrum trapezoidal, with slightly rounded sides, length about 1/6 width (in dorsal view). Frontoclypeus slightly asymmetrical, apically obtuse, with 2 long and 2 shorter setae on the apical margin. Frontoclypeus slightly depressed apicomedially. Head finely punctate with minute punctures separated by greater than 4 times their diameter.

Pronotum approximately 1.5 times wider than long, widest medially. Disc of pronotum convex, without any depressions, tubercles, or ridges. Punctation on pronotum finer than on head, almost indistinct. Margins with relatively wide border, lateral margins with 4 long setae: 1 seta on basal angle, 1 seta approximately in the middle of lateral margin, and 2 setae on the apical angle.

Scutellum triangular, angulate apically, about 1/12 length of elytra.

Elytra convex, with distinct humeral and apical, widest at basal third. First stria distinct and reaching the apex of elytron, other striae indistinct. Disc of elytra sparsely punctate with relatively large punctures. Epipleura with long, sparse, brown setae. Base of elytron with border from scutellum to humeral callus.

Protibiae with 3 outer teeth, lateral margin basad of outer teeth not crenulate. Apex of protibia with robust, spur-like seta and a few smaller setae basally. Mesothoracic and metathoracic legs similar in shape to each other. Longer tibial spur shorter than 2 basal tarsomeres in mesothoracic legs and as long as 2 tarsomeres in metathoracic legs.

Parameres with small teeth laterally, narrowly rounded apically in dorsal view and curved downwards in lateral view ( Fig. 24 D). Internal sac with 2 long sclerites and a large number of small spinules; some spinules more robust and form 2 indistinctly separated clusters in apical part ( Fig. 24 C).

Female. Females ( Fig. 24 B) differ from males in having the apical spur of the protibiae that is slightly longer and more robust than apical seta in males.

Variation. Body length of the examined specimens varies from 5.0– 5.5 mm. Left and right mandibles of some males are almost equal in length and similar to those in females.

Distribution and habitat. All specimens were collected in the Amber Mountain National Park in Antsiranana Province (northern Madagascar, Fig. 24 F). The park occupies the Madagascan northernmost remnant of indigenous humid forest covering about 200 km 2. All specimens were collected by sifting forest litter. The number of the collected specimens suggests that the population density of M. cuccodoroi is low at least during the season when the collecting was done.

Figures

FIGURE 24. Madecorphnus cuccodoroi, holotype male (A, C, D, E), paratype female (B). Habitus in dorsal view, internal sac of aedeagus (C), aedeagus in lateral view and parameres in dorsal view (D), labels (E), distributional records (F).

FIGURE 26. Madecorphnus perinetensis, holotype. Habitus in dorsal view (A), aedeagus in lateral view and parameres in dorsal view (B), labels (C), internal sac of aedeagus (D—photograph, E—schematic representation of armature), distributional records (F).