Paramaronius impressipennis (Pic, 1906)

Biffi, Gabriel, 2015, Three new species and distributional records for Paramaronius Wittmer (Coleoptera, Cantharidae, Chauliognathinae), ZooKeys 516, pp. 49-69 : 53-56

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Cantharidae

Paramaronius impressipennis (Pic, 1906) Figs 10-13, 17, 19, 21, 25, 29, 33

Remarks.

This species was briefly described by Pic (1906) based on a male from Tucumán, northern Argentina. However, some specimens have been collected in the northeastern region of Brazil (states of Bahia and Maranhão), far away from the type locality. The comparison of the Brazilian specimens with the holotype (MNHN) shows there are no observable differences within them and they are, indeed, the same species.

Even though these localities are so distant, they belong to Cerrado and Chaco provinces, adjacent areas of the same biogeographic subregion (Chaco dominion) ( Morrone 2000, 2006) (Fig. 44).

A redescription of Paramaronius impressipennis is presented as well as a supplementary description of the female for the first time to complete its morphological information after specimens from Brazil.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE ♂ (MNHN): ARGENTINA: Tucumán, 4.i.1900. BRAZIL: Maranhão, Mirador (Parque Estadual do Mirador, Base da Geraldina) 6°46'37"S; 45°06'34"W, 22. ii– 01.iii.2009, armadilha luminosa [light trap], F. Limeira-de-Oliveira col. (4♂, 14♀ MZSP, 4♂, 15♀ CZMA); same locality, (Parque Estadual do Mirador, Base do Mosquito), 04-08.ii.2011, armadilha luminosa, F. Limeira-de-Oliveira col. (1♀) (CZMA); Bahia, Barreiras (Estrada Mata de Cachoei ras, Acaba Vida, km 7), 11°52'20"S; 45°32'55"W, 23.i.2009, luz [light trap], Nihei, Figueiredo, Almeida & Cezar col. (1♀) (MZSP).

Redescription.

Head with vertex, frons, clypeus and bases of mandibles pale yellow, slightly translucent; apex of mandibles dark brown; occipital region with a V-shaped testaceous mark; labial and maxillary palpi pale yellow, last palpomere brown. Antennae light brown, three first antennomeres pale yellow. Pronotum pale yellow to light brown, sometimes translucent. Scutellum pale yellow with apex translucent. Elytra testaceous to light brown with a lateral longitudinal darker brown band from the epipleura to the posterior third quarter of dorsal surface; apex of elytra with an oblique yellow band on outer margin; on less pigmented specimens, pronotum pale yellow and lateral and apical patches indistinct. Hind wings light brown. Legs testaceous to light brown; tarsi and dorsal surface of tibiae darker. Ventrally, thorax and abdomen pale yellow.

Male (Fig. 10): body covered by dense and fine pubescence. Lateral margins of head arcuate behind eyes; vertex slightly convex, frons flat. Eyes prominent. Antennae short, with one antennomere exceeding the apex of elytra. Antennomere 1 long and swollen, 2.7 times longer than wide; antennomere 2 short, third antennomere 1.7 times shorter than antennomere 1, forth to seventh subequal in length, slightly shorter than antennomere 1, the latter progressively shorter than seventh. Pronotum subrectangular, shiny, slightly narrower near fore angles; anterior margin slightly rounded. Scutellum triangular, apex truncate. Elytra short, 1.5 times longer than wide, covered by fine hairs and some sparse black hairs. Apical half modified, forming a longitudinal ridge and two sloped surfaces covered by very short hairs (Figs 11, 12). Legs slender; hind tibia as long as hind femur; tarsomeres gradually increasing in size from fore to hind legs; first metatarsomere 1.7 times longer than second and 2.7 times longer than third. Abdominal glandular pores slightly prominent. Seventh abdominal ventrite (Fig. 17) wider than long, deeply emarginate, forming two distal lobes, narrowed apicad. Aedeagus (Fig. 25) with right prolongation of tegmen large and arcuate on posterior margin, and covered with large setae; dorsal surface with a short and rounded apophysis; left setiferous prolongation very long and curved, clubbed apically, with few setae on its apex. Right paramere (Fig. 29) short, narrowing apicad, then divided at apex, forming an inclined prolongation, reaching apophysis of tegmen; left paramere flat, very short and wide, divided apically and partially covering dorsal surface of median lobe; median lobe long and curved to right, sometimes retracted. Ventral and lateral surfaces of tegmen (Fig. 33) with fine scratches.

Female (Fig. 13) slightly bigger than male; antennomere 1 slender, not swollen; dorsal surface of elytra without sculptural modification, brown lateral and yellow apical bands more distinct. Seventh abdominal ventrite (Fig. 19) trapezoidal, distal margin straight with a short, rounded notch. Coxites (Fig. 21) small and membranous; styles short, wider apically.

Distribution.

Argentina ( Tucumán) and Brazil ( Maranhão and Bahia) (Fig. 44).

Biological data.

The specimens from Maranhão and Bahia were collected on Brazilian savannah (cerrado) and were attracted by light traps.