Phanaeus violae Halffter, Moctezuma, and Nogueira, 2022

Halffter †, Gonzalo, Moctezuma, Victor & Nogueira, Guillermo, 2022, A New Species of Phanaeus MacLeay, 1819 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from the Mountains of Jalisco, Mexico, The Coleopterists Bulletin 76 (3), pp. 329-335 : 330-334

Phanaeus violae Halffter, Moctezuma, and Nogueira , new species zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: ( Figs. 2 , 4 , 5)

Diagnosis. Dorsal coloration entirely brilliant black ( Fig. 2 ); pronotum very densely rugose ( Fig. 2 ); pronotal disc of the major male with an anteromedial triangular denticle ( Figs. 2B , 4 ), that of the female with a W-shaped carina ( Figs. 2D , 5); female pronotal disc slightly concave posteromedially ( Fig. 2D ); elytral striae superficial ( Fig. 2A ); interstriae completely smooth and flat ( Fig. 2A ).

The new species ( Fig. 2 ) and P. damocles ( Fig. 3 ) share the general morphology of the pronotum, pronotal disc, and posterolateral angles of the pronotum, as well as the morphology of the elytra. However, P. damocles is dark metallic blue-black with a green sheen ( Figs. 3A–C ) or metallic greenblack with a yellow sheen ( Fig. 3D ), whereas P. violae is entirely bright black ( Fig. 2 ), has a pronotal disc more densely rugose than that of P. damocles , and the pronotal concavity of the females is deeper in P.damocles ( Fig. 3D ) than in P. violae ( Fig. 2D ). In addition, females of P. violae have a W-shaped anteromedial carina on the pronotum ( Figs. 2D , 5), while females of P. damocles have a bowed carina ( Figs. 3D , 5). Major males of P. violae have an anteromedial triangular denticle on the pronotal disc ( Figs. 2B , 4 ), whereas major males of P. damocles have a widened carina ( Figs. 3B , 4 ). The concavity of the pronotal disc of the major males is deeper in P. damocles ( Fig. 3B ) than in P. violae ( Fig. 2B ).

Phanaeus violae and P. palliatus are easily differentiated.The new species is always black with smooth elytra ( Fig. 2A ), while P. palliatus is green, dark blue or red with the elytral striae deeply impressed (see Arnaud 2002 and Edmonds and Zídek 2012).

Description. Major male holotype ( Figs. 2A–C ): Body length 18 mm from anterior margin of clypeus to tergite VIII. Dorsal surface completely brilliant black. Head: Antennal club black. Anterior edge of clypeus acuminate, surface densely granulate. Paraocular area of parietals granulate. Frons rectangular, relatively smooth in portions adjacent to cephalic horn. Cephalic horn posteriorly curved over pronotum, more strongly curved apically. Pronotum: Trapezoidal, disc triangular and concave, almost completely rugose with parallel wrinkles, except for lateral portions that are strongly granulorugose. Pronotal disc with anteromedial triangular denticle ( Fig. 4 ). Posteromedial process of pronotum elevated as a small triangular denticle. Posterolateral angles of pronotum strongly raised as triangular denticles. Lateral fossae rounded, deeply impressed. Basal fossae oval, deeply impressed. Posterior edge of pronotum smooth, becoming triangular and with sparse, scarce punctures medially. ElYtra: Striae superficially impressed, minutely, sparsely punctate, basal fossae deeply impressed. Interstriae flat and smooth. Sutural margin with 2 lateral punctate lines. Protibia: Quadridentate. Tergite VIII: Triangular; border of exposed portion with a distinct keel; surface distinctly punctate. Metaventrite: Smooth and flat except posterior portion with a slightly impressed, oval fossa. Abdominal ventrites: Smooth. Parameres: Conical, tapering towards apex, apically rounded.

Minor Male. Similar to major male except for the reduction of the cephalic horn and the posteromedial process and posterolateral angles of the pronotum.

Female. Similar to the male, except for frons, which bears a trituberculate cephalic carina; pronotum with a W-shaped anteromedial carina ( Fig. 5), lacking posteromedial process or posterolateral angles; pronotal disc rounded, with a slight posteromedial concavity; and apical carina of pronotal disc transverse and weakly developed ( Fig. 2D ).

Variation. Average length from the margin of the clypeus to the apex of tergite VIII is 16 mm (13.5– 19. 5 mm). Coloration of the type series is always completely brilliant black.

Remarks. As Price (2005) reported for the P. vindex species-group and Moctezuma et al. (2021) showed for the P. tridens species-group, we observed no useful taxonomic differences among the male genitalia of the species of the P. quadridens species-group.

TYpe LocalitY. Mexico, Jalisco, San Juan de la Montaña: 19°36ʹ14ʹʹN, 103°03ʹ44ʹʹW ( Fig. 1 ) .

TYpe Material. Holotype major male ( Figs. 2A–C ) labeled: “ MEXICO: La Garita , ( San Juan de la Montaña), Jalisco , 1,630 m. 29-VI-2009. Col. Guillermo Nogueira G. ” ( IEXA) . Paratypes: 8 males (4 major), 5 females, with the same label as the holotype ( IEXA: 2 males, 1 female; VMC: 2 males, 1 female; GNC: 2 males, 2 females; CEMT: 1 male, 1 female; CMNC: 1 male) ; 15 males (at least 2 major) , 6 females, labeled: “ Mexico, Jalisco, San Juan de Montaña, Nigromante , 10 km SE San Juan, 6/Aug./2010. 19°36ʹ14ʹʹN, 103°03ʹ44ʹʹW, RA Cunningham and G. Nogueira lgts. Pitfall trap. Baited with human dung” ( RAC) .

EtYmologY. The authors have the honor of dedicating this new species to the memory of Violeta Halffter (Violeta “translates” into Latin as viola in the nominative singular, meaning “violet”, and as violae in the genitive singular, meaning “of violet”), who was a researcher at the Instituto de Ecología, A. C. and wife of the first author of this work.

EcologY. The new species is coprophagous and inhabits pine-oak forests with thorny shrubs in the mountains of the western Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt ( Fig. 1 ).

if this variation in coloring is attributable to interspecific or intraspecific differences.

Phanaeus violae keys to P. damocles in the key provided by Moctezuma et al. (2020). The following modification will help to separate both species:

EXamined Material of Phanaeus damocles . Lectotype minor male (examined from photographs, Fig. 6 ), labeled “ Mexico, P. Damocles Harold. Ex- Musӕo E. Harold. Muséum Paris 1952 Coll. R. Oberthur. LECTOTYPE. Phanaeus damocles LECTOTYPE ♂ P.Arnaud Det 1980. MNHN, Paris EC13224” ( MNHN); paralectotype minor male (examined from photographs), same data as the lectotype except “ MNHN, Paris EC13225” ( MNHN); 1 major male, 1 female, labeled “ Juxtlahuaca, Guerrero, 4-jul-1998 ” ( GNC); 1 major male, 1 female, labeled “ Cordillera, Oaxaca, 2-ago-1997 ” ( GNC); 1 major male, 7 females, labeled “ Santa María Papalo , 23-jun-98” ( GNC); 2 major males, 1 female, labeled “ San Pablo Etla , Oaxaca ” ( VMC); 2 minor males, 1 female, labeled “ Omiltemi , Guerrero ” ( IEXA: 1 male; VMC: 1 male, 1 female) .

EXamined Material of Phanaeus palliatus . Four major males, 4 females, labeled “Michoacán, Pátzcuaro” ( IEXA) ; 1 major male, 1 female, labeled “Temascaltepec, Edo. Mex.” ( IEXA) ; 1 major male, labeled “Ocoyoacan, Edo. Mex.” (IEXA); 1 major male, 3 females, labeled “La Michilía, Durango ” ( IEXA) ; 1 major male, 1 female, labeled “ Real de Arriba , Edo. Mex.” ( IEXA) ; 1 major male, labeled “Taneltero, Michoacán ” ( IEXA) ; 1 major male, labeled “Tepoztlán, Morelos ” ( IEXA) ; 1 major male, labeled “Azcapotzalco, Distrito Federal ” ( IEXA) , 2 females, labeled “Toluca, Estado de México ” ( IEXA) ; 8 major males, 8 females, labeled “Telcome, Jalisco ” ( VMC) .

Additional Comments. Interestingly, the examined specimens of P. damocles from Guerrero are bicolored (females: black-green) or tricolored (males: black-green-red). On the other hand, all specimens from Oaxaca are black-dark blue (females) or tricolored (males: black-dark blueturquoise). Future studies are needed to determine 1. Pronotum of male bearing a single anteromedial widened carina ( Figs. 3B , 4 ). Disc of female pronotum with anteriorly bowed, anteromedian carina ( Figs. 3C–D , 5). Dorsum dark blue, metallic green with red sheen or black with turquoise and dark blue sheen ( Figs. 3 , 6 ). Higher elevations ( 1,800 –2,900 m) of Sierra Madre del Sur in Guerrero and Oaxaca ( Fig. 1 ) ................... ........................ Phanaeus damocles Harold, 1863 1ʹ. Pronotum of male bearing a single anteromedial triangular denticle ( Figs. 2B , 4 ). Disc of female pronotum with anteromedian, W-shaped carina ( Figs. 2D , 5). Dorsum completely brilliant black ( Fig. 2 ). Middle elevations ( 1,600 –1,700 m) of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in Jalisco ( Fig. 1 ) .................. Phanaeus violae Halffter, Moctezuma, and Nogueira , new species

Figures

Fig. 2. Phanaeus violae, new species. A–C) Holotype male, D) Paratype female.

Fig. 4. Anterior triangular denticle of major male pronotum of Phanaeus violae (top image). Anterior widened carina of major male pronotum of P. damocles (bottom image).

Fig. 3. Phanaeus damocles. A–B) Male, C–D) Female.

Fig. 1. Distribution of the species in the Phanaeus quadridens species-group (based on Edmonds 1994, Edmonds and Zídek 2012, Moctezuma et al. 2020, and this study).

Fig. 6. Lectotype of Phanaeus damocles.