Aulacopalpus valdiviensis, Smith, 2002

Smith, Andrew B. T., 2002, Revision Of The Southern South American Endemic Genus Aulacopalpus Guérin-Méneville With Phylogenetic And Biogeographic Analyses Of The Subtribe Brachysternina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anoplognathini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 56 (3), pp. 379-437 : 417-419

Aulacopalpus valdiviensis n. sp.

( Figs. 1 , 11 , 20 , Map 3)

Types. Holotype and allotype labeled a) ‘‘ Sn. Juan Corral Valdivia 30­VII­ 1982,’’ b) ‘‘ FMNH 986 L. Peña Coll. Acc #17­422.’’ Three male and one female paratypes with same data; one additional male paratype with same locality label but second label ‘‘ Leg. P. Vidal GH.’’ One male paratype labeled a) ‘‘Corral Valdivia Chile 9­VII­82 Leo. W. Fisher,’’ b) ‘‘ FMNH 986 L. Peña Coll. Acc #17­422.’’ One male paratype labeled ‘‘ Corral Valdivia 15 Jul. 1980 W. Fisher. ’’ One male paratype labeled a) ‘‘54068,’’ b) ‘‘ Reed ,’’ c) ‘‘Chili,’’ d) ‘‘Fry Coll. 1905–100.’’ One male paratype labeled a) ‘‘ Reed ,’’ b) ‘‘ Corral 1163,’’ c) ‘‘ Chili Corral,’’ d) ‘‘Fry Coll. 1905–100.’’

Holotype, allotype and two male paratypes at FMNH . One male and one female paratype at UNSM . Two male paratypes at BMNH . One male paratype each at ABTS, MNNC , and PVGH.

Holotype. Male. Length 15.1 mm. Width 8.6 mm. Color: head and pronotum dorsally copper with strong greenish reflections, elytron greenish­brown; venter yellowish­brown. Head: Dorsal surface sparsely setose towards margin; setae long, slender, tawny to cream­colored. Clypeus with surface brown, rugose. Frontoclypeal suture weakly bisinuate. Frons copper colored with strong greenish reflections, densely punctate, punctures large. Labrum moderately produced at middle with triangular tooth. Maxillary palpus with terminal segment enlarged, with deep sulcus. Mentum with surface moderately setose, apex reflexed into oral cavity. Antenna 10­segmented; club elongated, flattened, longer that combined basal segments. Pronotum: Midline weakly punctate. Surface moderately to densely punctate and moderately setose; punctures moderately­sized; setae long, slender, tawny. Scutellum: Surface densely punctate, setose; punctures moderately large; setae long, slender, tawny. Shape parabolic: 1.1 times wider than long medially. Elytron: Surface glabrous, longitudinal striae punctate, weakly impressed; punctures moderately­sized, separated by 1–4 puncture widths; intervals sparsely punctate with moderately­sized punctures. Epipleuron with row of dense setae ventral to bead. Pygidium: Width 2.2 times length medially. Surface sparsely to moderately punctate and moderately setose; punctures small; setae cream­colored. Venter: Thorax densely setose; setae long, tawny. Legs: Protibia with 3 subequally large teeth. Protarsal claws with modified claw slightly thickened when compared with other claw; apex bifurcate (similar to Fig. 7 ). Meso­ and metatarsal claws with modified claw with weak ventral tooth near apex, not thickened when compared with other claw, apex not weakly bifurcate (similar to Fig. 8 ). Tarsomere 5 with ventromedial tooth (similar to Fig. 7 ). Meso­ and metatibia with apical spurs slender, acute (smaller metatibial spur greatly reduced or worn but condition is not typical). Mesotibial apex with 14 spinules. Metatibial apex with 20 spinules. Parameres: Figure 20 . Basally without broad, medial furrow.

Allotype. Female. Length 15.2 mm. Width 8.6 mm. As male except in the following respects. Legs: Protarsal claws with modified claw with ventral tooth, not thickened when compared with other claw; apex not bifurcate.

Variation. Based upon eight male and one female paratypes. Length 14.8– 17.3 mm. Width 7.9–8.9 mm. The paratypes do not differ significantly from the holotype.

Etymology. From the latinized adjective for ‘‘Valdivian,’’ referring to the

418 THE COLEOPTERISTS BULLETIN 56(3), 2002

region in Chile in which this species is found and the province where the entire type series was collected .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from all other species in the genus Aulacopalpus by the following combination of characters: antennal club elon­

THE COLEOPTERISTS BULLETIN 56(3), 2002 419

gated (length slightly shorter than head); head and pronotum dorsally copper with strong greenish reflections, elytron greenish­brown; male protarsal claws

with modified claw slightly thickened when compared with other claw and with apex bifurcate; female protarsal claws with modified claw with ventral tooth, not thickened when compared with other claw, apex not bifurcate; meso­ and metatarsal claws of both sexes with modified claw with weak ventral tooth near apex and not thickened when compared with other claw (unique state for males in this subtribe); and tarsomere 5 with ventromedial tooth; parameres basally without broad, medial furrow.

Distribution (Map 3). Known only from Corral, Valdivia, Chile.

Locality Data. Based on 11 specimens examined from BMNH, FMNH, MNNC, PVGH .

CHILE (11). VALDIVIA (10): Corral. NO DATA (1).

Temporal Data. July (9).

Remarks. Aulacopalpus valdiviensis is an unusual species because of the combination of claw characters of the males. This is the only species of Brachysternina with the modified protarsal claw of the male slightly thickened when compared with the other claw with the apex weakly bifurcate (normal for Aulacopalpus ), but with the meso­ and metatarsal claws with the modified claw with a weak ventral tooth near the apex and not bifurcate (unique in male Brachysternina ). This combination of male claw characters is seen in some species of Platycoelia .

Figures

Fig. 1. The Brachysternina. First row: Aulacopalpus aconcaguensis (male paratype), A. aconcaguensis (male paratype), A. castaneus (male), A. castaneus (male), A. castaneus (male), A. punctatus (male). Second row: A. ciliatus (male), A. clypealis (male),

Figs. 6–11. 6) Protarsomere 5 and claw of male Aulacopalpus pilicollis, 7) Protarsomere 5 and claw of male Aulacopalpus pygidialis. 8) Protarsomere 5 and claw of female Aulacopalpus ciliatus. 9) Dorsal view of modified proclaw of male Aulacopalpus ciliatus. 10) Dorsal view of modified proclaw of male Aulacopalpus castaneus. 11) Lateral view of Aulacopalpus valdiviensis parameres and phallobase.

Figs. 12–20. Parameres in caudal view. 12) Aulacopalpus aconcaguensis; 13) Aulacopalpus ciliatus; 14) Aulacopalpus clypealis; 15) Aulacopalpus pilicollis; 16) Aulacopalpus castaneus; 17) Aulacopalpus punctatus; 18) Aulacopalpus viridis; 19) Aulacopalpus pygidialis, 20) Aulacopalpus valdiviensis.