Peltonotus similis Arrow, 1931

Jameson, Mary Liz & Wada, Kaoru, 2004, Revision of the genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) from Southeastern Asia, Zootaxa 502 (1), pp. 1-66 : 42-44

Peltonotus similis Arrow

( Figs. 27 , 35 , 48a–c , 61 , 67)

Peltonotus similis Arrow 1931: 612–613 . Lectotype male at BMNH labeled: a) "Type" (round label with red border, printed), b) "Kina Balu N. Borneo. 1912–278." (printed), c) "Kina Balu" (handwritten), d) " Peltonotus similis, Arrow type" (handwritten), e) our lectotype label. Arrow (1931) did not state how many specimens comprised the type series, but he had at least one female in addition to the lectotype male. The location of additional paralectotypes is not known.

Peltonotus sakaii Miyake and Yamaya 1994: 39–42 . Holotype male at NSMT labeled: a) "Keningau Borneo 3­III­1992 " (handwritten), b) " Holotype: Peltonotus sakaii Y. MIYAKE et YAMAYA, 1994 " (orange label, printed), male genitalia card­mounted. 3 paratypes (2 male, 1 female) in the collection of K. Sakai labeled: "Crocker Range, 1000–4000m, near Keningau, Sabah, N. Borneo, 11­15.III.1998, N. Kobayashi leg." 2 male paratypes with same locality but date " III.1998 ". 1 female paratype labeled: "Mt. Serapi, Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo, 6.X.1989; native collector". 1 female paratype with same locality but date " III 1991 ". 3 males and 2 females paratypes with label data: "Mt. Trus Madi, 1200m, S.­W. Slope, Sabah, N. Borneo, IV.1991, N. Kobayashi leg." 2 male and 1 female paratype with same locality data but date " V.1991 ". 7 male and 1 female paratype labeled: "Keningau, Sabah, N. Borneo, III.1992, native collector". Deposition of paratypes not stated by Miyake and Yamaya. The original description was based on the holotype and 23 paratypes (16 males, 7 females). We examined the holotype specimen. NEW SYNONYMY.

Description (males=7, females=6). Length 18.0– 20.9 mm. Widest width 8.6–9.6 mm. Color: Male: Clypeus, pronotum, scutellum, elytra, propygidium, pygidium, and venter dark brown; frons black or castaneous; elytra with or without iridescent bloom. Female: Head, pronotum, scutellum, propygidium, pygidium, and venter castaneous to black; elytra castaneous black with iridescent bloom. Head: Surface of frons (male) impunctate to sparsely punctate (base to mid­disc), densely punctate (mid­disc to apex); punctures simple, multisetigerous; setae short (1–20+ per puncture) and moderately long (1–2 per puncture). Surface of frons (female) moderately densely punctate (base) to densely punctate (mid­disc to apex); punctures simple, multisetigerous; setae short (1–12 per puncture) and moderately long (1 per puncture). Surface of clypeus densely punctate; punctures simple, multisetigerous (less setigerous in females); setae short (1–20+ per puncture) and moderately long (1–2 per puncture). Clypeus laterally weakly bowed, apex truncate, corners square, beaded; bead weakly arcuate posteriorly. Labrum broadly emarginate at middle. Mandibles obliquely quadrate apicolaterally, inner apex with 2 teeth. Mentum ( Fig. 27 ) with apical half rounded, notched at middle; palpomere 2 dorsoventrally not obviously flattened, 1.5 times width of palpomere 1, sparsely setose; setae moderately long, rufous, not curled at apex, not flattened. Maxilla: mala lacking lamellate setal brush; stipes with setae sparse, long, not flattened, not curled at apex; palpomere 2 with weak internomedial bump. Antennal club subequal to segments 2–7. Pronotum: Bead lacking anterior to scutellum. Surface moderately densely punctate, punctures simple, multisetigerous laterally in males; setae minute (1–7 per puncture) and short (1 per puncture). Lateral margin lacking long setae. Elytral sutural length: About 4.0 times length of scutellum. Elytron: Surface with 5 poorly developed, punctate, longitudinal striae between suture and humerus; punctures moderate in size, moderately dense, some multisetigerous; setae minute (1–5 per puncture). Intervals with similar sculpturing. Epipleuron of female in ventral view expanded, deeply, ovately incised at sternite 3; in dorsal view expansion welldeveloped ( Fig. 61 ). Propygidium: Surface moderately densely punctate with a row of setose punctures at apex; punctures simple, unisetigerous; setae short, rufous. Pygidium: Surface densely punctate and shagreened; punctures ocellate, mixed small and moderately large, multisetigerous; setae minute (1–7 per puncture) and short (1 per puncture). Venter: Prosternal keel triangular; apex projecting anteriorly at about 90° with respect to ventral plane; apex produced to middle of protrochanter, rounded. Legs: Foretibia of male bidentate; lateral margin with short, dense setae. Foretarsomere 5 ( Fig. 35 ) of male subequal in length to tarsomeres 5 with medial protuberance; foretarsomeres 1–4 with apices expanded, dorsal and ventral apices clothed with dense, short setae. Foreclaws of male with inner claw sickle­shaped, about 4 times thicker than outer claw; outer claw simply arcuate, about 1/3 the length of inner claw; empodium bulbous at base. Foreclaws of female 1/2 length of foretarsomere 5, claw angled toward venter. Meso­ and metatibial claws of male with 2 setae. Metatibia of male with spurs more or less straight; ventral spur produced to middle of metatarsomere 1, dorsal spur produced to middle of metatarsomere 2. Parameres: Fig. 48a–c .

Diagnosis. Peltonotus similis is most closely related (and most closely resembles) P. adelphosimilis . The two species are separated based on the form of the labrum (broadly emarginate in P. similis ; deeply, narrowly emarginate in P. adelphosimilis ), form of foretarsomere 5 in males (with median protuberance in P. similis [ Fig. 35 ]; with apical protuberance in P. adelphosimilis [ Fig. 36 ]), and form of the female epipleuron (incised area ovate in P. similis [ Fig. 61 ]; round in P. adelphosimilis ). The following characters will separate this species from other Peltonotus species : mandibles of male and female rounded laterally; mentum with apical half rounded, palpomere 2 not obviously flattened or greatly enlarged and lacking curled setae; mala lacking lamellate setal brush; stipes with setae sparse and not curled at apex; form of female epipleuron ( Fig. 61 ]); elytra with multisetigerous punctures; foretarsomere 5 of male subequal in length to tarsomeres 5 with medial protuberance; foretarsomeres 1–4 with apices expanded, dorsal and ventral apices clothed with dense, short setae; dorsal metatibial spur produced to middle of metatarsomere 2, more or less straight in males.

Distribution (Fig. 67). Sabah State, Bornean Malaysia.

Locality records (13 specimens) from MLJC, FUJI, ZMHB, WADA, BMNH, NSMT .

BORNEAN MALAYSIA. Sabah State (13): Crocker Range, Keningau (Kumanis road near Keningau), Kinabalu.

Temporal Data. March (3), April (2), June (1), August (2).

Natural History. Specimens were recorded from 1000–1400 m elevation.

Remarks. Mikaye and Yamaya (1994) stated that P. sakaii differed from specimens of P. similis based on the labrum that is more shallowly emarginate apically, mandible that is angulate at the middle, elytral striae that are "vanished under the lateral callosities in the female," and pygidium that is feebly shining near the apex. We examined type specimens of both P. sakaii and P. similis and found that they are conspecific based on the observed characters. Herein, we synonymize P.sakaii with P.similis .

Figures

FIGURES 19–28. Mentum, dorsal view of: 19) P. deltamentum, 20) P. gracilipodus, 21) P. kyojinus, 22) P. malayensis, 23) P. podocrassus, 24) P. nasutus, 25) P. nethis, 26) P. pruinosus, 27) P. similis, 28) P. sisyrus.

FIGURES 31–36. Detail of right forelegs of: 31) P. malayensis (showing bidentate foretibia, dorsal view), 32) P.rubripennis (showing tridentate foretibia with basal tooth very weakly developed, dorsal view), 33) P. deltamentum (showing strongly arcuate smaller claw, ventral view), 34) P. nasutus (showing form of foretarsomeres 1–5), 35) P.similis (showing form of foretarsomeres 1–5 and median protuberance of foretarsomere 5 [arrow]), 36) P. adelphosimilis (showing form of foretarsomeres 1–5 and apical protuberance of foretarsomere 5 [arrow]).

FIGURES 46–48. Male genitalia in dorsal (parameres only [a]) and lateral views (parameres and phallobase [b–c]) of: 46) P.rubripennis, 47) P. silvanus, 48) P. similis.

FIGURES 61–64. Elytral epipleuron (gray, ventral view) with position of metacoxa of: 61) P. similis, 62) P. sisyrus, 63) P. suehirogarus, 64a–b) P. vittatus.