Aegognathus aguirei Arnaud and Bomans, 2007

Cáceres, Juan Sebastián D. & Grossi, Paschoal Coelho, 2023, Taxonomic revision of Aegognathus Leuthner, 1883 (Coleoptera: Lucanidae), Journal of Natural History 57 (9 - 12), pp. 557-595 : 586-589

Aegognathus aguirei Arnaud and Bomans, 2007

( Figure 5c–d : 1J, 1♀)

Aegognathus aguirei Arnaud and Bomans, 2007: 2 (original combination and description)

Examined material

Holotype J and allotype ♀: Peru, Ayacucho, dist. Chalcos , 1800 m, xi.2006, A. Damaso rec., in coll. CPFA . Paratypes 4J, 4♀, same data as holotype, in CPFA.

Additional material

Peru, Ayacucho, Sucre, Chalcos Distr ., 1400 m, 18 .xi .2007, A. Damaso coll . – 1♀, 3J ( UNSM); Peru, Ayacucho, District of Chalcos ., 1800 m, 19 .ii .2007, D . Aguirre col . – 2♀, 2J ( EPGC) .

Diagnosis

Males dorsally dark red with carmine to bluish tones and black spots, ventrally black. Head shape trapezoidal, wider than elytra and larger compared with other Aegognathus species; temporal process rounded and somewhat lamellate; mandibles almost straight and wide. Pronotum wider than elytra. Elytral surface with coarse, dense to contiguous punctures, setae varying from dendritic to smooth. Gena with two oblique carinae besides the one at theposterior margin, present in all members of the genus; abdominal ventrite II laterally wrinkled. Dorsal cross bar of aedeagus slightly lobed posteriorly. Females with normal size heads, showing darker tones along whole body; body surface with coarse, dense to contiguous punctation; elytra with distinct yellowish setae laterally; gena lacking oblique carinae, instead with a strong and conspicuous, coarse punctation.

Description – male

Size: Total length. 15.6–16 mm. Total width. 5–7 mm. Colour: In dorsal view dark red, with carmine to bluish tones and black spots. Head mainly black except for a dark carmine region medially. Pronotum dark red with two black spots. Elytra carmine with bluish reflections along disc, darker close to margins. Legs seem black at first glance but on closer examination are dark red. Ventrally mainly black with some dark red regions along the gula and coxae. Head: Shape somewhat trapezoidal, emarginate anteriorly, wider than elytra and larger compared with other Aegognathus species; surface shagreened, mainly glabrous, anterior margin with an interrupted band of yellowish setae; temporal process distinct, rounded and somewhat lamellate. Mandibles as long as the head and the anterior portion of pronotum, less curved compared with other members of the genus, wide, with two rounded basal teeth, one located more over the anterior third, rounded apically. Pronotum: Wider than elytra; surface shagreened with some moderate to somewhat large punctures along the posterior region, with yellowish short setae along lateral and posterior margins; anterior angles rounded and somewhat convex; sides convergent posteriorly; posterior angles rounded. Elytra: Surface strongly punctured, punctures coarse, dense to somewhat contiguous at some striae, with yellowish dendritic setae mainly distributed along disc, becoming smooth and suberect over lateral and posterior regions, setae more distinct closer to margins. Epipleuron with large to coarse punctures, with short yellowish setae. Legs: Protibiae externally serrate with variable number of teeth but presenting at least two strong ones at apex, one internal tooth and one apical spur. Mesotibiae with two median teeth, when two present the second one reduced, four apical teeth and two apical spurs. Metatibiae with one median tooth, apically as described for mesotibiae. Venter: Mentum trapezoidal with a weak transverse groove present in some individuals; surface punctured, punctures moderate to large, with yellowish curved to somewhat appressed smooth setae. Gena with two oblique carinae, also with a curved one along the posterior margin, strongly but not densely punctured, punctures large over posterior region, coarse anteriorly, glabrous to poorly covered by setae. Prosternum strongly punctate, punctures large to coarse, dense, mainly distributed along lateral portions, with yellowish appressed setae. Mesoventrite punctate, punctures moderate to large, dense, mainly distributed medially, with yellowish appressed to suberect setae. Metaventrite punctate mainly along anterior margin and lateral portions, punctures large to somewhat coarse, with yellowish curved setae; discrimen present as a continuous suture, becoming a distinct groove posteriorly. Abdominal ventrites mainly punctate laterally, punctures large to somewhat coarse, densely distributed at lateral portions, becoming sparse medially, with yellowish curved to appressed setae, and a somewhat continuous discrete longitudinal carina over lateral margins of every ventrite, ventrite II wrinkled. Genitalia ( Figure 8c ): Aedeagus symmetrical, subtriangular, somewhat convex along the proximal region and slightly divergent distally. Basal piece subtriangular with slightly convex sides; slightly convex in lateral view, disc translucent, 1.0 times longer than the parameres. Median lobe almost cylindrical, slightly convex distally, laterally punctured, in dorsal view with ′X̍-shaped cross bar struts that are slightly lobed posteriorly. Parameres rounded over the posterior margin, setose, almost straight in lateral view. Everted sac 1.5 times longer than the basal piece and parameres together, with two strap-like sclerites that end at the beginning of the apical third, apex subconical with concave lateral margins over the median portion, ending in the gonopore.

Description – female

Size: Total length. 12–15.6 mm. Total width. 4.7–5.5 mm. Colour: In dorsal view dark red, with darker tones along the head, and two large spots at pronotum. Elytra with dark red and black longitudinal interleaved lines. Legs presenting dark red tones distally. Ventrally black with a few dark red regions. Head: Smaller than male heads, about a half, not including the mandibles; surface highly punctate, punctures coarse, dense to contiguous with minute yellowish setae, also with some slightly carinate areas close to the anterior angles, and over the disc; anterior margin emarginate with an interrupted line of yellowish suberect setae; temporal process minute; mandibles reduced, being as long as the first half of the head, with acuminate apex and a median laminar tooth, asymmetrical, laminar teeth with three acuminate projections, more distinct at left mandible. Pronotum: Surface strongly punctate, punctures large to coarse, densely distributed along margins and somewhat contiguous at disc, with yellowish erect setae, mainly visible laterally; lateral margins somewhat convergent and rounded anteriorly, posterior margin as wide as elytra. Elytra: Surface highly punctate, punctures coarse, contiguous at disc and densely distributed along margins, with yellowish, curved, dendritic setae, more distinct along distal portions; weak irregular longitudinal costae present over each elytra. Legs: As in males except for presenting two to three median teeth at mesotibiae and one at metatibiae. Venter: As in males except for presenting more distinct punctation along whole venter; mentum and gena with coarse punctures, gena not carinate; discrimen present as a continuous suture at the metaventrite. Abdominal ventrites almost regular punctate, with yellowish appressed setae, and a somewhat continuous discrete longitudinal carina along lateral margins of every ventrite. Genitalia ( Figure 8d ): Styli symmetrical, almost quadrate, with a slightly concave apex and fine setae. Distal coxite with convex internal sides, externally somewhat sinuous. Proximal coxite almost straight, distally with a concave portion. Lateral paraproct with a truncate lateral extension, basally straight.

Distribution

Southern Peru, Central Cordillera. Yungas province ( Morrone et al. 2022).

Remarks

A. aguirei shows colour patterns similar to those shown by several species of the genus, but it is probably most easily recognisable by its males with wider head, mandibles not curved and wide, temporal process somewhat lamellate, and a gena distinctly carinate. In the case of female specimens, the correct identification is more difficult. Aegognathus leuthneri , A. similis , A. damasoi , A. soulai and A. aguirei are all very similar, and the best characteristic to separate A. aguirei female from females of other species is likely the strong coarse punctation at the gena, that replaces the oblique carinae present in males.

Figures

Figure 5. Dorsal habitus of Aegognathus damasoi Arnaud and Bomans, 2006: (a) Male and (b) female (CERPE).Aegognathus aguirei Arnaud and Bomans, 2007: (c) male and (d) female (CERPE).Aegognathus dulima Cáceres, Ríos-Málaver and Grossi, 2019: (e) holotype male (CERPE). Aegognathus arnaudi Cáceres, Ríos-Málaver and Grossi, 2019: (f) holotype male and (g) paratype female (CERPE). Scale bars: 5 mm.

Figure 8. Ventral view of A. damasoi (a) male aedeagus and (b) female genitalia. Aegognathus aguirei (c) male aedeagus and (d) female genitalia. (e) Aegognathus dulima male aedeagus. Aegognathus arnaudi: (f) male aedeagus and (g) female genitalia. Scale bars: 1 mm.