Pygodiscodon similis, Biffi & Constantin, 2018

Biffi, Gabriel & Constantin, Robert, 2018, Taxonomic revision of Pygodiscodon (Coleoptera: Cantharidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 58 (1), pp. 77-90 : 88

Pygodiscodon similis sp. nov.

( Figs 5 , 11 , 29–31 , 39 , 53–55 )

Type locality. Brazil, Amazonas, Manaus, Reserva Ducke.

Type material. HOLOTYPE:, ‘ BRASIL. Amazonas, Manaus | Reserva Ducke | i.1996 | Armadilha malaise | MGV Barbosa Col. || HOLOTYPE | Pygodiscodon | similis | Biffi & Constantin’ ( INPA). PARATYPES: ‘BRASIL. Amazonas, Manaus | Reserva Ducke | iv.1995 | Armadilha malaise | MGV Barbosa Col. || PARATYPE | Pygodiscodon | similis | Biffi & Constantin’ (1 MZSP, 5195); ‘ BRASIL. Amazonas, Manaus | Reserva Ducke, Igarapé Tinga | Arm. suspensa, 20m | 17–27.I.2005 Henriques A. leg || PARATYPE | Pygodiscodon | similis | Biffi & Constantin’ (1 INPA)’; ‘ Manaos | Aug. 74 || 18. || Amazons. | (Trail.) | 97-71 || Pygodiscodon | apicicorne | ( Pic, 1910) ♀ | det. M. Geiser 2014 || PARATYPE | Pygodiscodon | similis | Biffi & Constantin’ (1 ♀ BMNH); ‘ GUYANA, Region 8 | Iwokrama Research Centre , | N4°40 ′ W58°41 ′, ca 60m | 17-21.VI.2014, general collecting | Michael Geiser & Roy Canty leg || BMNH {E} 2014-131 | Biodiversity Initiative || BMNH(E) | 1499483 || Pygodiscodon | apicicorne | ( Pic , 1910) | det. M. Geiser 2014 || PARATYPE | Pygodiscodon | similis | Biffi & Constantin’ (1 BMNH); ‘ GUYANA, Region 8 | Iwokrama Research Centre , | N4°40 ′ W58°41 ′, ca 60m | 17-21.VI.2014, general collecting | Michael Geiser & Roy Canty leg || BMNH {E} 2014-131 | Biodiversity Initiative || BMNH(E) | 1499401 || Pygodiscodon | apicicorne | ( Pic , 1910) | det. M. Geiser 2014 || PARATYPE | Pygodiscodon | similis | Biffi & Constantin’ (1 CBDG); ‘ GUYANA, Region 8 | Iwokrama Research Centre , | N4°40 ′ W58°41 ′, ca 60m | 17-21.VI.2014, general collecting | Michael Geiser & Roy Canty leg || BMNH {E} 2014-131 | Biodiversity Initiative || BMNH(E) | 1499402 || Pygodiscodon | apicicorne | ( Pic , 1910) | det. M. Geiser 2014 || PARATYPE | Pygodiscodon | similis | Biffi & Constantin’ (1 BMNH); ‘ GUYANA, Region 8 | Iwokrama Research Centre , | N4°40 ′ W58°41 ′, ca 60m | 6.VII.2014, general collecting | Michael Geiser leg || BMNH {E} 2014-131 | Biodiversity Initiative || BMNH(E) | 1499552 || Pygodiscodon | apicicorne | ( Pic, 1910) | det. M. Geiser 2014 || NHMB-ENT | 2017-008 | PARATYPE | Pygodiscodon | similis | Biffi & Constantin’ (1 NHMB); ‘ GUYANA, Region 8 | Iwokrama Research Centre , | N4°40 ′ W58°41 ′, ca 60m | 6.VII.2014, general collecting | Michael Geiser leg || BMNH {E} 2014-131 | Biodiversity Initiative || BMNH(E) | 1499553 || Pygodiscodon | apicicorne | ( Pic , 1910) | det. M. Geiser 2014 || PARATYPE | Pygodiscodon | similis | Biffi & Constantin’ (1 BMNH).

Description. Body length: 5.8–6.1 mm. Head dark brown to black; frons, clypeus and base of mandibles light brown to testaceous, slightly translucent; apex of mandibles light brown; palpi light brown. Antennae brown; first antennomere slightly lighter ventrally and antennomeres IX–X and base of XI yellowish-white. Pronotum predominantly dark brown to black, pale yellow around the borders. Elytra, thorax and abdomen brown; legs light brown, darker at base of femora, apex of tibiae and tarsi.

Male ( Fig. 5 ). Head as long as wide, broadly rounded behind eyes, densely pubescent; occipital region and frons convex; clypeus wide, emarginated anteriorly. Eyes rounded, rather prominent. Maxillary palpi elongate, last palpomere slender and slightly securiform. Antennae ( Fig. 11 ) long, slightly serrate and slightly compressed dorso-ventrally; dorsal surface of antennomeres IV to VI with irregular longitudinal line, not straight, varying in length and width. Pronotum densely pubescent, transverse, 1.5–1.6 times wider than long; lateral margins slightly emarginated, explanate upwards and shortly notched near middle. Elytra finely rugous, densely covered with erect brownish setae; each elytron 4.9 times longer than wide. Legs slender; tarsomeres increasing in size from pro- to metathoracic legs; inner claw of prothoracic legs broadly lamellate at base; meso- and metathoracic tarsal claws with sharp protruding tooth. Last abdominal ventrite ( Fig. 29 ) bilobed, rounded posteriorly and emarginated internally; abdominal tergite VIII ( Figs 29–34 ) elongate and broad, with shallow latero-posterior compressions and strongly constricted posteriorly, forming rather trapezoidal apical projection bearing two contiguous glandular openings at apex; dorsal surface of apical projection with pair of parallel narrow ridges culminating in strong apical tooth. Aedeagus ( Figs 53–55 ): ventral wall of tegmen long and broad, lateral sides slightly convergent, apical margin rounded; short setae along lateral and apical margins and in narrow longitudinal fringe ventrally; parameres very short, slightly surpassing dorsal margins of tegmen; apex obtuse, bearing few long setae; median lobe broad and membranous; internal sac long, apex exposed beyond median lobe, with two pairs of sclerites; ventral sclerites flattened dorso-ventrally, tip acuminate, curved laterally; dorsal sclerites broadly curved dorsally, apex rounded.

Female. Similar to male but antennae lacking longitudinal lines; pronotum not notched laterally; tarsal claws simple; abdominal ventrite VII ( Fig. 39 ) 2.1 times wider than long, not divided, lateral margins arched, distal margin with short and broad projecting tip; abdominal tergite VIII broad and simple.

Differential diagnosis. Similar to P. apicicornis and P. obscurus . Elytra and pronotal patch lighter in colour; antennal lines not straight, varying in length and width, present from antennomeres III to IV; last abdominal ventrite of males bilobed, with apex sinuated internally; last abdominal tergite of males with broader, trapezoidal median projection with pair of dorsal longitudinal ridges culminating in acute, upwards-pointing tooth.

Etymology. The specific epithet, latin adjective similis (similar), refers to the similarity of this species with P. apicicornis and P. obscurus .

Distribution. Guyana and Brazil (Amazonas state) ( Fig. 59 ).

Figures

Figs 1–6. Habitus of males of Pygodiscodon species. 1 – Pygodiscodon apicicornis (Pic, 1910); 2 – P. gurupi sp. nov.; 3 – P. monoceros sp. nov.; 4 – P. obscurus Wittmer, 1966; 5 – P. similis sp. nov.; 6 – P. touroulti Constantin, 2010. Scale bars = 2.0 mm.

Figs 7–12. Antennae of Pygodiscodon species (dorsal view). 7 – Pygodiscodon apicicornis (Pic, 1910); 8 – P. gurupi sp. nov.; 9 – P. monoceros sp. nov.; 10 – P. obscurus Wittmer, 1966; 11 – P. similis sp. nov.; 12 – P. touroulti Constantin, 2010. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Figs 26–34.Abdominal apex of Pygodiscodon species (ventral, dorsal and lateral views). 26–28 – P. obscurus Wittmer, 1966; 29–31 – P. similis sp. nov.; 32–34 – P. touroulti Constantin, 2010. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 35–40.Abdominal ventrite VII of females of Pygodiscodon species, ventral view. 35 – Pygodiscodon apicicornis (Pic, 1910); 36 – P. gurupi sp. nov.; 37 – P. monoceros sp. nov.; 38 – P.obscurus Wittmer, 1966; 39 – P. similis sp. nov.; 40 – P. touroulti Constantin, 2010. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs 50–58.Aedeagi of Pygodiscodon species (ventral, lateral and dorsal views). 50–52 – P. obscurus Wittmer, 1966; 53–55 – P. similis sp. nov.; 56–58 – P. touroulti Constantin, 2010. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

Figs 59–60. Distribution map of Pygodiscodon Wittmer, 1966. 59 – Distribution of Pygodiscodon species in South America; 60 – Distribution of Pygodiscodon species in French Guiana.