Polynoncus aricensis ( Gutiérrez, 1950 )

Costa-Silva, Vinícius, Strümpher, Werner P., Thyssen, Patricia J. & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2024, Taxonomic revision of the South American genus Polynoncus Burmeister, 1876 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Trogidae), Journal of Natural History 58 (1 - 4), pp. 14-166 : 39-40

Polynoncus aricensis ( Gutiérrez, 1950)

( Figures 8 , 11 )

Trox aricensis Gutiérrez, 1950: 63 (original description); Vaurie 1962: 126 (redescription); Steiner 1981: 210 (notes on distribution)

Trox (Polynoncus) aricensis : Scholtz 1982: 15 (catalogue)

Polynoncus aricensis : Scholtz 1986a: 362 (systematics); Scholtz 1990: 1436 (redescription); Diéguez 2008: 13 (redescription); Gómez 2008: 516 (key to Argentinean species); Zidek 2013: 7 (checklist); Ratcliffe et al. 2015: 189 (checklist for Peru); Zidek 2017: 98 (checklist); Costa-Silva and Diéguez 2020: 271 (records from Argentina); Mondaca 2023: 209 (checklist from Chile)

Type specimens examined (through photographs). HOLOTYPE. (♂ MZUC – Figure 11 ) First label [white, Guillermo Kuschel’s handwriting]: ‘ Chile / Putre / Arica / 3 [or 8] 650 [vertical] / XII-46 [vertical] / Kuschel [vertical]’. Second label [white with black border]: ‘ Trox ♂ / aricensis [Gutiérrez’s handwriting] / R. Gutiérrez-Det. 45 [handwritten]’. Third label [white with blue border]: ‘ Colección / R. Gutiérrez / 1958’. Fourth label [orange with black border] : ‘ HOLOTIPO ♂ ’. Fifth label [orange]: ‘ Polynoncus aricensis / (Gutiérrez, 1949 / HOLOTYPE / MZUC – UCCC N° 41,944’ ( Figure 11d ). Type locality: ‘Putre, Arica’ (now Arica y Parinacota, XV Region), Chile, collected by the Chilean naturalist Guillermo Kuschel Gerdes (1918–2017).

Paratypes (2 BMNH). First label [white, aged, handwritten]: ‘Putre / 3650 mts. / 23 II – 48’. Second label [round with yellow frame, typeset]: ‘ Para- / type’. Third label [white, aged, handwritten]: ‘ CHILE: Arica. / Putre, 3650 m. / R. Gutierrez Coll / B.M. 1948–510’. Fourth label [white, aged]: Trox / sp.? nov. / J.Balfour-Browne det.” Fifth label [white, aged, unknown handwriting]: ‘ Trox aricensis’. Sixth label [white, aged, Patricia Vaurie’s handwriting]: ‘ Trox / aricensis / Gut. / Vaurie´61’. Seventh label [white with black frame, Vinícius Costa-Silva’s handwriting]: ‘ Polynoncus / aricensis / ( Gutiérrez, 1950) / Det. V. Costa-Silva, 2022’. Eighth label [white, printed]: ‘[QR Code] / NHMUK 014596062’ (1 BMNH). First label [white, aged, handwritten]: ‘Putre / 3650 mts. / 24 II – 48’. Second label [round with yellow frame, typeset]: ‘ Para- / type’. Third label [white, aged, handwritten]: ‘ CHILE: Arica. / Putre, 3650 m. / R. Gutierrez Coll / B.M. 1948–510’. Fourth label [white, aged, unknown handwriting]: ‘ Trox aricensis’. Fifth label [white, aged, Patricia Vaurie’s handwriting]: ‘ Trox / aricensis / Gut. / Vaurie’. Sixth label [white with black frame, Vinícius Costa-Silva’s handwriting]: ‘ Polynoncus / aricensis / ( Gutiérrez, 1950) / Det. V. Costa-Silva, 2022’ (1 BMNH).

Differential diagnosis. Polynoncus aricensis could be confused with P. peruanus but is distinguished from the latter by lacking distinct teeth on the apex of mesotibia and by the smooth lateral pronotal and elytral margins. Polynoncus peruanus has distinct teeth present on the apex of mesotibia and the lateral pronotal and elytral margins serrate or crenulate. For a more detailed description, see Vaurie (1962, p. 126) and Scholtz (1990, p. 1436).

Geographic distribution. Polynoncus aricensis is recorded for Argentina, the northern region of Chile, Bolivia and Peru ( Figure 8 ). Usually collected at high elevations (~ 2000– 4500 m above sea level).

Examined non-type material (94 specimens). ARGENTINA: Catamarca, Aconquija , 3000 m, 1916, P. Jorgensen and Joel Blamey leg. (4 OUMNH) ; Aconquija , La Plaza, 2340 m, 1916, P. Jorgensen and Joel Blamey leg. (2 OUMNH) ; Belén, Reserva de Biósfera de Laguna Blanca , no date, [Bruch’s collection], Weiser leg. (1 MACN) ; without specific locality, 30 November 1946, R. Golbach leg. (1 IFML) ; without specific locality, date or collector (2 MLPA). Jujuy, La Quiaca, 1944, Cipolletti [?] leg. (1 MNHN) ; without specific locality, 1900, [Bruch’s collection] (1 MACN) ; without specific locality, 1900, [ Bruch’s collection] (1 MLPA) ; without specific locality, 3400 m, 30 November 1909, [Bruch’s collection] (2 MACN) ; without specific locality, date or collector (2 MLPA) ; without specific locality, date or collector (5 MLPA). Salta, Iruya, Iruya , 20 November 1981, A. Roig leg. (1♀ IADIZA) ; Piedra del Molino , 3640 m, January 1988, A. Martinez leg. (1♂ JZPC). Santiago del Estero, Juan Felipe Ibarra, Suncho Corral , 1906, Girard leg. (1 IFML). Tucumán, Cumbre de Chaquivil, near the Cumbres Calchaquíes , January 1945, D. Olea leg. (6 IFML) ; Cumbre de Chaquivil, near the Cumbres Calchaquíes , February 1945, no collector (3 IFML) ; El Infernillo, 7 December 2003, sheep carcass, R. Gomez leg. (1 IFML). BOLIVIA: Cochabamba, without specific locality, 1889, P. Germain leg. (2 MNHN). La Paz, Ancocahua, 3800 m, no date or collector (1♀ CEMT) ; Omasuyos, Anchacachi , 3840 m, 5 February 2008, Marcos Ferru leg. (1 CVMD) ; Omasuyos, Anchacachi , 3850 m, December 1948, Helen leg. (1 MNNC). Oruro, Cosapa , March 1996, A. Ugarte leg. (1 JZPC) ; without specific locality, 3700 m, 9 March 1940, W. Wittmer leg. (1 BMNH). Potosí, Uyuni, 3660 m, no date, wet season,no collector (1 BMNH) ; Uyuni , 3660 m, November 1901, no collector (1♂ and 3 unsexed BMNH). Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz de La Sierra , 11 November 1830 – May 1831, d’Orbigny leg.(1♀ MNHN). Without specific locality, date or collector (1 MNHN). CHILE: Antofagasta (II Region), Atacama Desert , no date, Rhamer leg. (1 MNNC). Arica y Parinacota (XV Region), Arica, Aduana de Arica , 6 March 1996, G. Castillo leg. (3 CVMD) ; Parinacota, Aduana de Visviri , 4084 m, 17.597°S, 69.483°W, 28 March 2015, Llama carcass, G. Arriagada and G. Castillo leg. (1 CVMD) ; Parinacota, Putre , 18 February 1999, M. Beeche leg. (1 CVMD) ; Parinacota, Putre , 3650 m, October 1946, Kusche leg. (1 MNNC) ; Parinacota, Putre , November 1948, Kusche leg. (1 MNNC) ; Parinacota, Putre , December 1946, Kuschel leg. (1 MZUC) ; Parinacota, Putre, Zapahuira , 3210 m, 20 March 2000, Franscisco Ramirez leg. (1♂ and 1 unsexed CVMD) ; Parinacota, Putre, Zapahuira , 3225 m, 4March 2000, Franscisco Ramirez leg.(1♂ and 1 unsexed CVMD) ; Parinacota, Putre, Zapahuira , 3250 m, 24 March2000, Franscisco Ramirez leg.(1♂ and 1 unsexed CVMD). Tarapacá (I Region), Caraguano , 4200 m, January 1998, A. Ugarte leg. (1♂ and 1 unsexed JZPC) ; Iqueque, Colchane, Enquelga , 3900 m, 10 March 2001, Marcos Ferru leg. (1 CVMD) ; Iqueque, Colchane, Pampa Caraguano , 3900 m, 28–30 January 1998, H. Larraín leg. (3 MNNC) ; Iqueque, Colchane, Pampa Caraguano , 4000 m, 1 February 1998, Horácio Larraín leg. (1 CVMD) ; Iqueque, Colchane, Pampa Caraguano , 4000 m, 3 February 1998, A. Ugarte leg. (1♂ and 1 unsexed CVMD) ; Iqueque, Colchane, Pampa Caraguano , 4000 m, 30 January 1998, Horácio Larraín leg. (2♀ CEMT) ; Iqueque, Colchane, Pampa Caraguano , 4000 m, 30 January 1998, Horácio Larraín leg. (2 MUSM) ; Iqueque, Colchane, Pampa Caraguano , 4200 m, 19.563°S, 68.740°W, 3 March 1998, A. Ugarte leg. (6 CEMT) ; Iqueque, Colchane, Pampa Caraguano , January 1998, F. Vaz-de-Mello leg. (1 CVMD). PERU: Cusco, Cusco , 1839, J.B. Pentland leg. (1 MNHN) ; without specific locality, 1849, C. Gay leg. (1 MNHN). Junín, Tarma , 3000 m, 1942 (4 IFML). Lima, Lima , 1847, De Castelnau leg. (2 MNHN). Puno, Puno , March 1998, no collector (2 CVMD) ; without specific locality, 3850 m, 5 November 1949, Kusche leg. (1 MNNC).

Figures

Figure 8. Distribution map of Polynoncus aeger (red circles), P. aricensis (green triangles), and P. diffluens (blue squares) in South America. The records with a black dot in the centre indicate the type locality of the respective species.? = dubious record.

Figure 11. Holotype of Trox aricensis Gutiérrez, 1950 (now Polynoncus aricensis): a, dorsal and b, lateral view; c, male genitalia in dorsal view; d, labels. Photos by Marina Fuentes (UCCH).