Paraplesiataenius genieri Stebnicka, 2003

Stebnicka, Zdzislawa Teresa, 2003, The Genus Paraplesiataenius Chalumeau, With Descriptions of two New Species from Brazil (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Eupariini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 57 (4), pp. 444-450 : 449

Paraplesiataenius genieri Stebnicka , new species

( Figs. 5–7 )

Description. Length 4.5–5.1 mm, greatest width 1.8–2.0 mm. Body ( Fig. 6 ) elongate oval, convex, subopaque, usually covered with fatty coating; colour reddish brown, antennal club testaceous. Head moderately convex at middle, clypeal margin rounded on each side of shallow median emargination, sides slightly arcuate, gena prominent, right-angled, setaceous; clypeal surface just above emargination shallowly transversely wrinkled, fine punctures at middle of head above wrinkles become larger toward sides, vertex with band of fine, dense punctures separated by one diameter. Pronotum transverse, convex, slightly tumid along base; side margin and base crenate, fringed with rather long palisade setae separated by half of their length; pronotal surface laterally with fine pubescence, punctures shallow and fine in anterior median area, larger along base and on sides, everywhere separated by about one diameter or more. Scutellum impunctate. Elytra arcuate, sides and apical declivity with erect stout setae separated by about their length, elytral margins fringed with shorter setae; humeral denticles small, acute; discal elytral striae fine, shining, very fine punctures inside striae separated by about 4 diameters; intervals microreticulate, slightly convex on disc, more convex apically, each with row of minute granules at outer edge along striae. Ventral sclerites shining; mesosternum roughly punctate, covered with minute hairs, meso-metasternal carina fine, shagreened; space between mesocoxae slightly smaller than width of mesofemur, mesocoxal surface minutely closely granulate; metasternum, femora and abdominal sternites with uniform, setigerous punctures separated by about 3 diameters; metasternal midline impressed, lateral metasternal triangle broad, minutely granulate inside; abdominal sternites 1–2 with short fluting along sutures, fluting of sternites 3–4 two times longer, penultimate sternite posteriorly with row of punctures bearing erect setae; pygidial setae same length as those of penultimate sternite. Legs moderate in length; profemur shining, punctate and setigerous in posterior half, meso- and metafemora with complete posterior lines; meso- and metatibiae as long as femora, posterior tibial fringe of 12–14 short setae; basal segment of metatarsus slightly shorter than upper tibial spur and subequal in length to following three tarsal segments combined. Epipharyngeal structures similar to those of P. tremolerasi .

In males ( Fig. 6 ) the clypeal wrinkles are finer than in females; the pronotal sides are arcuate, the posterior angles are widely truncate and excavate with protruding basal angulation, the base is lobed medially, and the lateral and basal marginal line is fine; genitalia as in Figure 5 .

In females the head is smaller than in males, the pronotum is narrower and more convex, and slightly deplanate above scutellum, posterior angles are widely rounded, base unlobed, and lateral and basal marginal line thicker than in male, and grooved.

Type Series. Holotype male ( CMN). ‘‘ Brazil (SC), Nova Teutonia , Santa Catarina, November 1972, F. Plaumann. ’’ Paratypes (7): 1 male —same data as holotype : 3 females — Brazil ( MG), Aguas Vermelhas , XII.1998, A. Bello ; 1 female — Brazil, Mato Grosso, Xingu , leg. Dirings, coll. Martinez ; 2 females — Brazil, Bahia, Encruzilhada , XI.1972, M. Alvarenga . Paratypes are in CMN, FSCA, HAHC, ISEA .

Affinity. Paraplesiataenius genieri n. sp. might be considered a slightly atypical member of the genus, but its general appearance, the features of the head and ventral surface and the distinctive elytral characters seem to justify its placement. It differs from the remained two species by the combination of reddish brown, opaque integument, setaceous pronotum and advanced sexual dimorphism.

Biological Data. The specimens have been taken ‘‘by Acromyrmex sp. ’’

Etymology. The species is named in honour of François Génier, the Collection Manager in the Canadian Museum of Nature.

Figures

Figs. 2–6. 2) Paraplesiataenius tremolerasi Schmidt, head; 3–4) P. catarinaensis n. sp.; 3) epipharynx, 4) male genitalia in lateral view; 5–6) P. genieri n. sp.; 5) male genitalia in lateral view; 6) habitus of male.

Fig. 7. Known distribution of Paraplesiataenius spp.