Coprophanaeus gephyra Kohlmann & Solís, 2012

Kohlmann, Bert & Solís, Ángel, 2012, New species and revalidations of scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae: Athyreini and Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from Costa Rica and Panama, Zootaxa 3193, pp. 28-52 : 40-41

Coprophanaeus gephyra Kohlmann & Solís , new species

Figs. 10 , 11 , 16

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species of the C. pluto species group by the following combination of characters: Length of male frons more than twice that of clypeus (in females one-half times that of clypeus); posterior portion of paraocular area smooth; pronotal transverse ridge quadrilobate with lobes linked by thick carina ( Figs. 10 c, 11a); basal pronotal fossae effaced; elytral interstriae flat; pygidium with wide basal groove; parameres viewed dorsally with wide, flattened subapical teeth.

Description. Holotype. Male ( Fig. 10 c): Length 19 mm. Humeral width 13 mm. Completely black.

Transversal frontal carina low and trituberculate. Transverse protuberance on pronotum quadrilobate with lobes linked by thick carina ( Fig. 10 c); protuberance flanked by broad concavities; declivitous surface of pronotum beneath protuberance smooth, devoid of sculpturing. Tooth-like projection in the middle of the basal margin of the pygidium. The parameres of the aedeagus have their teeth backwards hooked.

Allotype. Female. Length 18 mm. Humeral width 12.5 mm. Similar to male, but allotype has a low and feeble frontal carina; transverse pronotal carina broadly obtuse, vaguely indented at anterior median edge; surface behind carina shallowly concave, transverse depression summit weakly bitumid.

Variation. Six specimens examined, four males and two females. Length 18–20 mm. Humeral width 12–13 mm. In smaller males the transverse pronotal protuberance is only evident as a thickening.

Examined material (6 specimens). Holotype, male: PANAMA. Panama, Cerro Campana (Capira), 0 8°44’N, 79°57’W, 5 June 1995, 790 m, J. Ashe, R, Brooks, #129, ex: flight intercept trap. Allotype, female: PANAMA. Panamá. Chepo Carti Rd., B. Gill, 400 m, 24 VI – 30 VII 82, Flt. intercept. Paratypes. PANAMA. Panamá. Chepo Carti Rd., 24 VI-30 VII 82, B. Gill, 400 m, Flt. Intercept, 1 male; 6-24 VI 1982, B. Gill, 400 m, Flt. Intercept, 1 male. Canal Zone. Madden Forest, 10-13.VI.77, S. Peck, carrion tps., 1 female. Colón. 270 m, 10 mi SE Colón, Santa Rita Ridge, 10-12.VI.77, S. Peck, carrion tps. Flt. Intercept, 1 male.

Habitat. Tropical moist forest, altitudinal distribution 120–790 m, collected from June to July, with flight interception and carrion traps.

Geographical distribution ( Fig. 16 ). The new species is presently known from central Panama, distributed in the provinces of Colón, Panamá, and the Canal Zone.

Chorological affinities. C. gephyra , represents a geographical and morphological bridge, between C. kohlmanni to the north and C. morenoi to the south of its central Panamanian distribution. It is also found in tropical moist forest, as are the other two species.

Taxonomic relationships. This new species was originally, partly, and erroneously considered to be C. ohausi by Howden & Young (1981) and as a Panamanian variation of C. morenoi by Edmonds & Zidek (2010). In reality, a species complex exists ( Fig. 16 ), where C. kohlmanni is distributed from Nicaragua to northwestern Panama (Bocas del Toro), C. gephyra is distributed in central Panama, and C. morenoi is distributed from southeastern Panama (Darién) to Ecuador. All three species are very similar in their morphological characters.

Etymology. A Greek word in apposition, gephyra (γέφυρα), meaning bridge, in reference to the fact that it acts like a bridge to the distribution of two similar species, C. morenoi in South America and C. kohlmanni in Central America.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Dorsal habitus of males of six species of Coprophanaeus. a. C. kohlmanni; b. C. morenoi; c. C. gephyra Kohlmann & Solís, new species (holotype); d. C. uhleri; e. C. chiriquensis; f. C. gilli.

FIGURE 11. Shape of the male transversal pronotal protuberance in a. Coprophanaeus gephyra Kohlmann & Solís, new species; b. C. morenoi; c. C. kohlmanni.

FIGURE 16. Known distribution of Coprophanaeus kohlmanni (circles), C. gephyra Kohlmann & Solís, new species (triangles), and C. morenoi in Central America (square, arrow indicates more records of this species in Colombia and Ecuador). Base map from Google Maps.