Clavipalpus Laporte, 1832

Katovich, Kerry, 2008, A generic-level phylogenetic review of the Macrodactylini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (23), pp. 1-78 : 35-36

Clavipalpus Laporte, 1832

( Figure 67-71 )

Clavipalpus Laporte, 1832: 406 . Type species Clavipalpus dejeani Laporte, 1832 , by monotypy.

Amphicrania Burmeister, 1855: 26 . Type species Amphicrania ursina Burmeister, 1855 , by subsequent designation ( Evans 2003: 249). Synonym proposed by Dalla Torre (1913).

Taxonomic Notes

The following generic diagnosis is based on four dissected homeotypes of the presumptive syntype of Clavipalpus ursinus Blanchard located at the MNHC and identified with a Blanchard label. The type species C. dejeani Laporte was not located at the MNHC during this study. A syntype of A. ursina (MLUH) was examined to confirm synonymy. The holotype of Clavipalpus aequatorialus Moser, 1918 (ZMHB) was also examined to investigate the generic limits of this genus.

Generic diagnosis

This genus is characterized by its large, ovate size, rotund body; prementum quadrate, ventral surface with a weakly raised lobe; small, semicircular labrum in frontal view, elongate clypeus in frontal view, elongate labial palpi.

Generic redescription

Measurements: Prothorax at widest point 6.2 mm, elytra at widest point 8.4 mm, length 15.0 mm.

Color and vestiture: Head and pronotum reddish brown, dorsal surface smooth, with vestiture consisting of scattered golden setae, ventrally yellowish brown, with scattered golden setae.

Head: Clypeus not coplanar with frons; frons angled at 60 o; labrum in frontal view small, ovate, deeply emarginate, in lateral profile labrum vertical, produced outward from clypeus; labrum with prementum quadrate, ventral surface with a weak medially raised lobe; apical palpus of labial palp ovate, narrowly elongate, apically acute, dorsally grooved ( Fig. 69 ); mandibles in dorsal view hourglass shaped, scissorial area bluntly produced, glabrous, heavily sclerotized, molar area well developed; maxillary palpi with apical palpus broadly ovate, adoral margin sinuate, broader proximally, distal apex acute; antennae with 9 antennomeres, antennomeres 7-9 forming the club, lamellae thin, elongate, equal to length of antennomeres 3-6 combined.

Prothorax: Pronotum oblong, transverse, widest medially, anterior angle obtuse, lateral margins convex, narrowing anteriorly, posterior angle obtuse, posterior margin convex, medially with a broad, rounded lobe ( Fig. 70 ), dorsal surface strongly rounded; prothoracic legs with coxa transverse; tibia dentate; pretarsus with claws divergent, equal in length, both claws broadly split, upper lobe narrow, lower lobe broad on individual claw.

Mesothorax: Scutellum broadly subtriangular; elytra slightly wider than long, widest in posterior 1/ 4, epipleuron flattened, weakly grooved, lacking membranous border, dorsal surface weakly striate, striae smooth, glabrous, intervals glabrous, punctate, punctures small and shallow, anterior and posterior umbones prominent; pretarsus similar to prothoracic pretarsus.

Metathorax: Metathoracic leg with coxa contiguous; femur ovate, widest medially, narrow proximally; tibia triangular, narrow proximally, widest medially, posteroventral margin with pair of long, stout spurs, anterior spur shorter than posterior spur, posterior margin with a shallow U-shaped grooved; claws similar to prothoracic claws.

Abdomen: Ventrites 2-4 equal in length, 5 th ventrite (= propygidium) equal to length of ventrites 3-4 combined, ventrite and sternite of 5 th abdominal segment lacking a suture, spiracle placed slightly anteromedially in a slight depression, 6 th ventrite equal to length of 4 th ventrite, posterior margin membranous; pygidium wider than long, subtriangular, posterior margin rounded ( Fig. 71 ).

Diversity and Geographic Distribution

Clavipalpus currently contains 20 species. There is no species level key available for this genus. Distribution is poorly understood, apparently centered in northern South America ( Colombia, Brazil, and Ecuador).

Figures

Figure 67-71. Clavipalpus ursinus (Burmeister). 67) Dorsal habitus. 68) Left lateral view. 69) Prementum, ligula and labial palpi, ventral view. 70) Head and pronotum, dorsal view. 71) Pygidium, dorsal view.