Megaplatypus Wood, 1993

Chester, Ricardo, 2017, Mixed mode crack propagation: Numerical and Experimental Study, The Coleopterists Bulletin 71 (1), pp. 99-115 : 110-112

Genus Megaplatypus Wood, 1993

** Megaplatypus artecarinatus (Schedl, 1935) Notes. The species was previously known only from the original collection from Costa Rica, so this is the first record from South America. In addition to the two Los Alamos specimens, there is a male labeled Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado, 31-XII- 2013, 267 m, −12.5610°, −71.1065°, T. Pérez, Malaise trap (FSCA).

Both Wood and Schedl confused this species with Megaplatypus konincki (Chapuis) (Kirkendall, unpublished observations), and at least some previous records of Megaplatypus deyrollei (Chapuis) are M. artecarinatus . This species belongs to a complex of at least four

very similar species (Kirkendall, unpublished data; see also notes on Megaplatypus exaratus (Blandford)) . To add to the confusion, the Chapuis syntypes of Platypus konincki contain at least two species. My identification as M. artecarinatus is based on comparison with the holotype of Platypus artecarinatus Schedl compared with type material of Platypus konincki Chapuis , Platypus deyrollei Chapuis , and Platypus exaratus Blandford.

* Megaplatypus asperatus (Schedl, 1976)

Notes. Known only from the first collection in Brazil. At Los Amigos Biological Station , one male was taken from a FIT, one from a Malaise trap. An additional male was taken from Madre de Dios , Río Alta Madre de Dios nr Atalaya, 495 m, 15–18.XI.2007, Malaise trap, coll. J. B. Heppner ( FSCA). A fourth male was taken from Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado, 31-XII- 2013, 267 m, −12.56104°, −71.106 45, T. Pérez, Malaise trap ( FSCA) .

Megaplatypus bicornis ( Nunberg, 1939)

Notes. This is one of the few species in this species-rich genus in which the female can readily be identified. The female has a unique frons, which is clearly figured by Nunberg (1939) in the original description based on two females collected in 1872 from “ Peru ”. No other specimens have been reported. I have a species with a similar female frons, which is clearly related, although it is not the same species (assuming the drawing is accurate). Attempts to locate the type specimen have failed .

Megaplatypus brevicaudatus ( Nunberg, 1939) Notes. Described by Nunberg from a single male from Lima, Peru. I assigned two males collected at Los Amigos Biological Station to this species, based on the description and illustrations of the holotype, and a specimen in NHMW identified as M. brevicaudatus by K. E. Schedl. This is only the second record of M. brevicaudatus .

* Megaplatypus dentatus (Dalman, 1823)

Notes. A large, fairly distinctive species which is probably found throughout southern Central America, northern South America, and Amazonia. Megaplatypus subsulcatus (Chapuis) is a commonly applied junior synonym ( Kirkendall 2017). There are five Peru males in addition to the specimens recorded in Table 2: Madre de Dios, Manú, Cocha Cashu Biological Station, Manú National Park , −11.8958°, −71.4067°, 350 m, FIT, 17–19 Oct. 2000, Robert Brooks ( SEMC) ; Madre de Dios, Manú, Pantiacolla Lodge , 8 km NW, El Mirador Trail, Alto Madre de Dios River , −12.6417°, −71.2781°, 800 m, FIT, 23–26 Oct. 2000, Robert Brooks ( SEMC) ; Madre de Dios, Manú , Pantiacolla Lodge, Alto Madre de Dios R., −12.655°, −71.2317°, 420 m, FIT, 14–19 Nov. 2007, David Brzoska ( SEMC) ; Junín, 15 km NW from Satipo, Río Venado village environs, 1,300 m, window trap, −11.2811°, −74.7686°, 3.X.2015, A. Petrov ( AVPC) .

* Megaplatypus discicollis ( Chapuis, 1865) Notes. Though not previously recorded for Peru, this species is distributed throughout most of the Neotropics from Mexico to Bolivia and Brazil. It can be locally abundant, as evidenced by the Peru collections ( Table 2). One additional specimen: Madre de Dios, Manú, Pantiacolla Lodge, 2–7 km NW, El Mirador Trail, Alto Madre de Dios River, −12.6528°, −71.2578°, 450 m, Trap #3 flight intercept trap, 23–26 Oct. 2000, Robert Brooks (SEMC). A very similar species, Megaplatypus LRK 041, was the most abundant playpodine in the trap data reported here ( Table 2); this is not any of the other species in Schedl’ s discoidales species-group, and it may be undescribed. A third species resembling these two, Megaplatypus limbatus ( Chapuis, 1865) , is distributed from Mexico to Brazil, but has not yet been found in Peru.

Megaplatypus equadorensis (Schedl, 1933) Notes. Schedl (1972) reports the species from Ecuador and Peru. Browne (1962) placed the species in his new genus Neotrachyostus , but Wood (1993) lists it as a Megaplatypus without comment. By the original description (Schedl 1933), this is probably a Megaplatypus , close to the species mistakenly known as Neotrachyostus acutidens (Blandford) , which is a typical Megaplatypus (Kirkendall, unpublished data).

** Megaplatypus exaratus (Blandford, 1896) Notes. Syntypes are from Mexico and Guatemala, and I have seen specimens from Costa Rica (INBio, USNM). The five specimens here comprise the first report for South America, but M. exaratus is likely widespread as this species has previously been misidentified as M. artecarinatus and M. konincki (Kirkendall, unpublished data).

* Megaplatypus exitiosus (Schedl, 1936)

Notes. The one trapped male represents the first collection of this species since the type series was collected from two localities in French Guiana. Its discovery in Peru is a significant range extension .

* Megaplatypus fuscus ( Chapuis, 1865)

Notes. Records are from Brazil and Argentina, but its range extends into Central America. I have seen four males from Costa Rica ( INBio) .

* Megaplatypus gregalis (Schedl, 1936)

Notes. The holotype is from Brazil, whereas the paratypes are from French Guiana and Guyana. The single Peru male specimen, from a FIT, is the first record after the publication of the species .

* Megaplatypus irrepertus (Schedl, 1936)

Notes. This is the first collection other than the type series from French Guiana, and as such Peru represents a significant range extension .

* Megaplatypus irruptus (Schedl, 1935)

Notes. Previous collections are known from Brazil and Suriname. This species was collected at the CICRA field station from both FIT and Malaise traps ( Table 2), plus 1 male from Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado, 31– XII– 2013, 267 m, −12.56104°, −71.10645°, T. Pérez, Malaise trap ( FSCA) .

Megaplatypus jelskii ( Nunberg, 1939)

Notes. I have not seen the Nunberg type, but from the blurred black and white photograph it would appear that M. jelskii is not among the Megaplatypus that I have examined in this study.

Megaplatypus mutatus ( Chapuis, 1865)

Notes. A South American species, found throughout the continent, but no records from Central America. This is one of few Neotropical Platypodinae species that are considered as pests; it kills trees in plantations, primarily poplars, both in the southern part of its native range and where introduced in Europe ( Tremblay et al. 2000; Girardi et al. 2006; Alfaro et al. 2007).

Megaplatypus peruanus ( Nunberg, 1939)

Notes. Known only from two females (Lima, Peru) that have no obvious distinguishing features. It might or might not be represented in the material at hand. It is also possible that this species was collected elsewhere, given that the semidesert area around Lima is scarcely amenable to ambrosia beetles .

* Megaplatypus tiriosensis ( Reichardt, 1965) Notes. Described at about the same time from collections in Brazil ( Reichardt 1965) and Guyana (as Platypus schedli Wood 1966 ). It has not been collected outside of Amazonia ( Table 1).