Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) puntarenosa Morón and Solís, 2001

Morón, Miguel Angel & Solís, Angel, 2001, Seven New Species Of Phyllophaga (S. Str.) Harris From Costa Rica (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Melolonthinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 55 (1), pp. 11-29 : 19-21

Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) puntarenosa Morón and Solís , new species

Figs. 14–17

Holotype. Male. Clypeus, frons, pronotum and basal sixth of elytra, shiny dark reddish brown; remaining surface of elytra shiny reddish brown, without macroscopic vestiture; mouthparts, sterna, pygidium and legs shiny dark reddish brown. Clypeus 3.5× wider than long, anterior border widely sinuate, with elevated margin, surface slightly concave toward sides, with many uniformly distributed, shallow, round punctures and without setae. Frontoclypeal suture sinuate and shallowly impressed. Frons 2.1× wider than long, convex, densely punctate, slightly rugose at center of disk, without setae. Antenna 10­ segmented, with 3­segmented club, lamellae of 8th to 10th segments 1.8× longer than length of preceeding 6 segments combined. Frons 2.4× wider than dorsal diameter of eye. Eye canthus long and narrow, with 10–11 setae. Labrum bilobed, widely sinuate, with scattered slender setae. Mentum slightly concave, impunctate, with scarce slender setae at sides, anterior border narrowly notched. Pronotum 1.8× wider than long and 3.0× wider than frons. Pronotal disk shiny, with shallow, round punctures irregularly separated from one another by 0.3–2 diameters; lateral borders widely angled, lateral marginal bead irregularly crenulate, with scattered, short, slender setae; basal bead clearly indicated, reinforced with punctures throughout; anterior angles obtuse, not prominent; posterior angles widely obtuse, not prominent. Scutellum 1.5× wider than long, with some small punctures. Elytron 2.3× longer than wide, shiny, densely punctate; epipleural border very narrow, extended along complete margin, provided with very short, scattered, slender setae; humeral callus rounded, prominent; apical callus rounded. Metathoracic wings completely developed. Propygidium shiny, densely punctate with sparse short setae. Pygidium scarcely convex, shiny, punctate­rugose with round punctures, glabrous; apical margin with 12 long, slender setae; basal margin effaced medially. Pterosterna with long, moderately dense, yellowish setae. Visible abdominal sternites II and IV slightly depressed, polished and with scarce short setae near the midline; sternite V convex, shiny, with sparse punctures and some scattered setae toward the sides; anal plate narrow, sligthly prominent, irregularly punctate, with transverse carina and 24 slender setae near the posterior border. Protibia slightly shorter than protarsus (0.8:1), with external border tridentate, basal tooth small, preapical spur slightly curved with rounded apex, as long as 2th protarsomere. Mesotibia with one oblique, sharp, setiferous carina on external side; upper apical spur straight, narrow, and 1.4× longer than lower spur. Metatibia as long as metatarsus, with one oblique, sharp, setiferous carina on external side; upper apical spur articulated, curved, apex rounded, as long as basal metatarsomere, and 2.6× longer than lower spur; lower apical spur fused with tibial border, acute apex. Tarsomeres semicylindrical, elongate, with enlarged apices, some setae apically and two longitudinal fine carinae usually with lines of scattered, stout setae. Protarsomeres 1–4 with subapical tooth­like or rounded process. Tarsal claws symmetrical, similar on all legs, with long tooth at middle of ventral border directed slightly towards apex ( Fig. 14 ). Genital capsule with short parameres, dorsally fused, apices ventrally curved, sharply pointed. Aedeagus long, with preapical dorsal patches of spinules and wide sclerotized support ( Figs. 15–16 ). Tectum uniformly convex. Length of genital capsule from apex of parameres to border of basal piece: 4.0 mm. Total body length: 17.2 mm. Humeral width: 7.8 mm.

Allotype. Female. Similar to the male except as follows: anterior border of clypeus more sinuate; antennae with lamellae of 8th to 10th segments shorter than the length of six preceeding one (0.9:1). Pygidium moderadely convex, 1.2× longer than in male, distal half nearly flattened, the center of disk shiny and sides slightly pruinose. Visible abdominal sternites II to V convex, with scattered, setiferous punctures; anal plate 1.6× longer than male anal plate, convex, moderately punctate setiferous, with 26 slender setae near the posterior border. Meso­ and metatibiae each with one oblique, strong, setiferous carina on external side. Both apical spurs of metatibia articulated, wide, lanceolate and curved. Ventral genital plates slightly sclerotized, sligthly asymmetrical, elongated and vaguely angulate, with scarce short setae at mesodistal angle; dorsal genital plates slightly sclerotized, completely fused to each other, distal border widely sinuate with five stout, long setae at each side ( Fig. 17 ). Total body length: 19.5 mm. Humeral width: 9.2 mm.

Paratype Variation. Males. Similar to holotype except in total body length: 14.9–21.4 mm, humeral width: 6.3–9.0 mm, anterior dorsal surface of some specimens darker or lighter than holotype, other specimens with antennal club 1.5–1.6× longer than length of preceeding six segments combined. Female similar to allotype except as follows: total body length: 17.8–24.0 mm; humeral width: 7.8–10.7 mm, some specimens do not have the pruinosity on the pygidium, but others have the pygidial disk completely pruinose. Anterior dorsal surface of some specimens darker or lighter than allotype.

Type Series. Described from 30 males and 24 females. Holotype male ( IN­BIO): ‘‘ COSTA RICA: Puntarenas, Península Osa, Rancho Quemado , II­91, F. Quezada, INBIO CR 292500 511000 .’’ Allotype female ( INBIO): same data as holotype . Paratypes: same data as holotype (8 males, 10 females); ‘‘ Puntarenas, P.N. Amistad, Est. Las Mellizas , Finca Cafosa , IV­91, G. Mora, INBIO CR 1000 659021 ’’ (21 males, 13 females) . Paratypes deposited in CASC, CNC, INBIO, MXAL, TAMU and ZMHU.

Type Locality. Rancho Quemado, Península de Osa , province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica (aprox. 8°34'N; 83°35'W).

Biological Data. Males and females of Phyllophaga puntarenosa n. sp. were collected at lights at localities between 50–1,200 m of altitude, including disturbed habitat as well as tropical deciduous forests. Phenology: February (18), April (34). Other species of Phyllophaga flying at the same time and places were: P. favosa Saylor, P. gigantea Bates, P. hemilissa Bates, P. morganella Saylor, P. menetriesi Blanchard, P. schizorhina Bates, P. vicina Moser, one new species under description and four unidentified species.

Remarks. Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) puntarenosa n.sp. belongs to the species group ‘‘ rorulenta ’’ (sensu Morón 1986). It may be related to P. ( Phyllophaga ) chiriquina (Bates) ( Nicaragua to Colombia; Saylor 1943), by the general shape of the apical half of parameres, but the bicolorate dorsum, lenght of male antennal club, the flattened female pygidial disk, the lenght of the lower male metatibial spur, and the apex of parameres sharply pointed, will aid in the recognition of this new species.

Etymology. Derived from combination of words ‘‘Puntarenas’’ province and ‘‘Osa’’ peninsula, that comprise the geographic range where this species lives.

Figures

Figs. 14–17. Phyllophaga puntarenosa. 14) protarsal claw, male; 15) genital capsule, lateral view; 16) paramera, distal view; 17) genital plates, female. Scale lines 5 1 mm, except Fig. 14 5 0.5 mm.