Bolbapium modestum ( Castelnau, 1840 )

Carvalho, Edrielly Carolinne & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2022, A taxonomic revision of Bolbapium Boucomont, 1910 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Geotrupidae), Journal of Natural History 56 (13 - 16), pp. 769-828 : 803-804

Bolbapium modestum ( Castelnau, 1840)

( Figures 6 (a), 10(a), (b), (c), 15(b))

Bolboceras modestus Castelnau, 1840: 105 (original description)

Bolboceras modestum: Gemminger and Harold 1869: 1079 (catalogue); Luederwaldt 1931: 430, 436, 437 (review, key), Martínez 1976 (checklist, incertae sedis)

Bolboceras modesta: Blackwelder 1944: 220 (checklist)

Diagnosis

Frons with interocular tubercles between eyes and depression in the central region between the tubercles and the clypeus. Pronotum mesoanteriorly with almost rectangular structure in dorsal view;the structure measures less than or equal to half the interocular width ( Figure6 (a)).

Redescripition

Body size: Length: 5.52–5.64 mm. Width: 4.35–4.57 mm. Head: Frons with interocular tubercles between eyes, not connected by tranverse carina; region between the tubercles depressed and punctured. Pronotum: Pronotum mesoanteriorly with almost rectangular structure in dorsal view, the structure measures less than or equal to half the interocular width. Disc with sparse points, unevenly distributed. Male terminalia: In dorsal view, greatly separated parameres and posterior margin with projection beyond the apex of the parameres (broken right paramere) ( Figure 10 (a)); In lateral view, parameres presenting curvature close to 45°, with the base released and the apex thin ( Figure 10 (c)). Genital capsule with rounded lateral margins, with setae in both the lateral and central lobes. Sexual dimorphism: This species does not feature sexual dimorphism. Remarks: Castelnau (1840) described the species apparently based on a single specimen collected in Colombia; the original description is simple and does not mention the number of specimens examined. The author mentions that the specimen belongs to the collection of M. Gory; however, the type was never found. It is possible the type is among the miscellany in MNHN; however, no one has been able to analyse it. After the review by Martínez 1976, the species was considered incertae sedis and later works do not mention it. Earlier, however, Luederwaldt 1931 mentioned the species among those that currently belong to the genus Bolbapium . Considering this, and carefully analysing the original description and species distribution, the transfer of the species to the genus Bolbapium is here proposed. Thus, Bolboceras modestum is now considered Bolbapium modestum comb. nov.

Differential diagnosis. Bolbapium modestum is morphologically similar to B. borgmeieri , B. boillyi sp. nov., B. caesum , B. howdeni , B. parcepunctatum , B. sampaioorum sp. nov. and B. santanaorum sp. nov. in not presenting the transverse carina forehead interconnecting the interocular tubercles. However, it is easily differentiated by the almost rectangular structure in dorsal view.

Geographical distribution. Colômbia (Tolima).

Non-type material. 2 specimens.

COLOMBIA, Chaparral, viii .1998, J . Noriega leg . (1 CEMT). Tolima, Meuse , BLT – 300m, [4° 5 ʹ 33”N, 75°9 ʹ 16”W], xi .1995, EE leg. (1 CEMT).

Figures

Figure 6. (a). Pronotum with almost rectangular structure, Bolbapium modestum (Castelnau, 1840); (b). head with tubercle adjacent to each eye, Bolbapium borgmeieri Martínez, 1976; (c). head without tubercles, Bolbapium matheusi Carvalho and Vaz-de-Mello, sp. nov.; (d). pronotum with curved structure towards the head, without angulations, Bolbapium howdeni Martínez, 1976; (e). head with tubercles wider than long; pronotum with rectangular structure, Bolbapium sampaioorum Carvalho and Vaz-de-Mello, sp. nov.; (f). head with tubercle narrow adjacent to each eye; pronotum with curved structure, Bolbapium caesum (Klug, 1843).

Figure 10. Aedeagus. Bolbapium modestum (Castelnau, 1840) (a). dorsal view; (b). ventral view; (c). lateral view. Bolbapium parcepunctatum (Arrow, 1913) (d). dorsal view; (e). ventral view; (f). lateral view. Bolbapium santanaorum Carvalho and Vaz-de-Mello, sp. nov. (g). dorsal view; (h). ventral view; (i). lateral view. Bolbapium borgmeieri Martínez, 1976 (j). dorsal view; (k). ventral view; (l). lateral view.