Gromphas aeruginosa (Perty, 1830)

Figueroa, Luis, Edmonds, W. D. & Meza-Velez, Felipe, 2012, The genus Gromphas Brullé, 1837 in Peru (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Phanaeini), Insecta Mundi 2012 (248), pp. 1-8 : 3

Gromphas aeruginosa (Perty, 1830)

( Fig. 1-2, 6-11, 14-18)

Diagnosis. Length 13 - 20 mm. Dorsum metallic green with coppery highlights ( Fig. 1-2). Clypeal margin more-or-less evenly curved between notch and median teeth ( Fig. 6). Head of both sexes with prominent conical, apically emarginate horn ( Fig. 1-2, 6). Pronotum of both sexes with a large median prominence drawn out on each side into an acute, conical process ( Fig. 1-2, 8). (Head horn and pronotal prominence attenuated, but usually evident in smaller specimens.) Pronotum densely granulate ( Fig. 11); granulation becoming weaker but remaining distinct posteromedially. Inner apical angle of male protibia with a pencil of long setae ( Fig. 17, arrow), lacking spine; outer edge of protibial spur of both sexes not expanded subapically ( Fig. 17). Apical protarsal segment rounded basally, not strongly prolonged apically ( Fig. 18).

Geographical Distribution. ( Fig. 5) Recorded from Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. In Peru widely distributed in Amazonian lowlands in Cuzco, Huánuco, Madre de Dios, San Martin, Ucayali and Loreto. Peruvian collecting data: CUZCO: Prov. Quispicanchi , ~ 8 km E Quince Mil (13 o 12' S 70°40' W) 550 m AFIC. HUÁNUCO: Prov. Leoncio Prado, Tingo María (9 o 10’S, 76 o 0’W) 600 m [May] MNRJ. LORETO: Prov. Maynas, 3 km S. Yanamono Island (3 o 23’S, 72 o 45’W) 140 m [Sep] MUSM, CMNC. MADRE DE DIOS: Prov. Tahuamanu, Distr. Iñapari (10 o 57’S, 69 o 34’W) 400 m [May] MUSM. Prov. Tambopata, Puerto Maldonado (12 o 41’S, 69 o 06’W) 190 m MNRJ ; [no loc.] (12 o 65’S, 69 o 11’W) AFIC, (12 o 39’S, 69 o 07') AFIC, (12 o 57’S, 70 o 10’W) AFIC, (12 o 36’S, 69 o 10’W) AFIC, MUSM. SAN MAR- TIN: Prov. El Porvenir, Bosque El Pelejo (6 o 16’S, 75 o 50’W) 161 m [May] MUSM. UCAYALI: Distr. Yarinacocha, Río Ucayali (8 o 19’S, 74 o 35’W) [Oct-Nov] MNRJ. Distr. Pucallpa, Nesuya (8 o 25’S, 74 o 28’W) 250 m [Dec] ; San Lorenzo (8 o 22’S, 74 o 33’W) [Jul] WDEC ; Distr. Iparia, Río Pachitea (9 o 18’S, 74 o 25’W) 160 m [Dec] MUSM. Prov. Coronel Portillo, Río Tamaya , CCNN Nueva Yarina (8 o 47’S, 74 o 12’W) 162 m [Mar] MUSM ; Santa Sofia, Río Utoquini (8 o 06' S 74 o 35’W) 85 m [Aug] MUSM ; Pucallpa (8 o 25’S, 74 o 28’W) [Aug] MUSM, MNRJ, WDEC .

Ecology. Common in open areas, pasturelands and other disturbed settings, savannas and river banks (“playas”). Frequently collected from cow dung and pitfall traps baited with human feces.