Dichotomius (Selenocopris) geraldimi, Maldaner & Vaz-de-Mello, 2022

Maldaner, Maria Eduarda & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2022, New data and species for the Dichotomius speciosus (Waterhouse, 1891) species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Journal of Natural History 55 (47 - 48), pp. 2999-3006 : 3002-3004

Dichotomius (Selenocopris) geraldimi sp. nov.

Type material

Holotype: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais. Santana do Riacho. PN Serra do Cipó C 5. 19°14 ʹ 21”S; 43° 32 ʹ 26”W. 1309 m. ii-2014. L.F. Ferreira [♂ CEMT].

Paratypes: Same data as holotype [5♂ 12♀ CEMT] . Same data, but ii-2015. [2♀ CEMT] . Same locality, but C12. 19°14 ʹ 46”S; 43°33 ʹ 08”W. 1267 m. ii-2014. L.F. Ferreira. [1♂ CEMT] . Same data, but ii-2015. [1♀ CEMT] . Same locality, but C13. 19°14 ʹ 38”S; 43°33 ʹ 14”W. 1290 m. ii-2015. L.F. Ferreira. [1♀ CEMT] .

Diagnosis

Dichotomius (S.) geraldimi is readily diagnosed within the species group by the following combination of characters: body surface dark blue or green ( Figure 2 (a–b)). Frontoclypeal region of males with conical process laterally compressed. Females with a high transverse clypeofrontal process very weakly emarginate at apex. Pronotal surface uniformly covered by simple punctures, including anterior angles and lateral portions ( Figure 2 ).

Description

Holotype. Male: Length: 14.3 mm. Maximum width of pronotum: 8.8 mm. Surface sericeous, with strong blue tinge. Head: Clypeogenal junction rounded. Clypeofrontal junction with a central acuminate conical elevation. Clypeus with simple shallow punctures, surface with irregularly reticulate microscuplture. Thorax: anteromedial projection rounded, very weakly emarginate apically, forming two rounded, barely distinguishable lobes. Anterior side of pronotum with two strong depressions below projection, separated by a vertical region as wide as half width of central lobe and connected to it. Pronotal disc, posterior and lateral borders with simple and evenly spaced punctures, more closely spaced anteriorly and laterally. Anterior angles right. Hypomeron with dark brown to black setae, dense and similar to those on metasternum and femora, some visible from dorsal view, surface with simple sparse punctures in the middle and medially, ocellate and closer anteriorly, posteriorly and laterally. Mesosternum covered by ocellate punctures with dense setae. Metasternum densely setose laterally and close to anterior region, setae similar to those on hypomeron, femora and mesepisternum. Mesometasternal suture distinct. Elytral striae deeply impressed, defined by simple punctures spaced by at least four times their diameter. Interstriae finely and sparsely punctured. Legs: Ventral surface of profemur with strong ocellate punctures posteriorly and apically. Meso- and metafemora with few setose punctures, concentrated apically. Anterior and posterior borders of femora with dense, dark brown to black setae. Mesotibiae with blue sheen. Abdomen: Sixth ventrite strongly shortened medially, lateral regions of ventrites with setae. Anterior margin of ventrites with a row of punctures. Pygidium as long as wide, covered by fine and equally spaced punctures (30×), with weak purple/violet sheen. Parameres: Paramera subtriangular, 2/3 as long as phallobase. In ventral view, lateral sclerotised region of paramera basally excavated. In lateral view, apex of parameres dorsoventrally flattened. In dorsal view, apexes laterally expanded with external margins rounded.

Variation

Total length varying from 11.5 to 14.3 mm. Small males have cephalic tubercle reduced and pronotal projection reduced. Females differ from males by cephalic tubercle wider and slightly bilobed in larger individuals, weakly emarginated in smaller ones, with paired lobes directed upward. Pronotum with weak projections and excavations in the same regions as males. Sixth sternite almost twice as large as fifth medially.

Etymology

Named after Prof . Dr . G. (‘Geraldim’) Wilson Fernandes, from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais ( UFMG), for his great efforts over the last several decades to work and gather people working on the ecology and conservation of the region where this species was collected (all type specimens mentioned in this study were collected by his research group) .

Distribution

Known only from Serra do Cipó, one of the southernmost parts of the huge and complex Espinhaço range in the Eastern part of the Cerrado and Southern Caatinga of Brazil ( Figure 1 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution map of Dichotomius speciosus species group.

Figure 2. Dichotomius (Selenocopris) geraldimi: (a) male dorsal habitus; (b) female dorsal habitus; (c) aedeagus, dorsal view; (d) male lateral view.