Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) buapae Morón, 2013

Morón, Miguel-Ángel, 2013, Three New Species of Phyllophaga Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from the State of Puebla, Mexico, The Coleopterists Bulletin 67 (2), pp. 167-174 : 169-171

Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) buapae Morón , new species

( Figs. 8–12 , 20–21 )

Holotype. Male. Length: 17.5 mm. Humeral width: 7.3 mm. Color: Head and pronotum shiny, dark brown; elytra, abdomen, and legs shiny, yellowish brown. Head: Clypeus with scattered erect setae, 2.9X wider than long, anterior border scarcely elevated, anterior margin widely notched, disk surface wide and moderately concave at sides, raised at middle, with dense, deep, round punctures. Frontoclypeal suture clearly impressed, nearly straight at middle. Frons 3X wider than long, widely convex, coarsely rugopunctate with sparse, medium size, erect setae on disk. Antenna 10-segmented, with 3-segmented club, lamellae 1.2X longer than length of preceding 6 segments combined; segments 3 and 4 of equal length, segment 5 shorter than preceding, with weak, rounded prominence on anterior margin; segments 6 and 7 wider than long, with acute prominences on anterior margins. Frons 3.7X wider than dorsal diameter of eye. Canthus long and narrow, with 10 setae ( Fig. 8 ). Labrum reniform, deeply notched, with slender, long setae along borders. Mentum widely concave, with sparse punctures and slender setae at sides, anterior border narrowly notched. Thorax: Pronotum 1.8X wider than long and 2.0X wider than frons. Pronotal disk with sparse, long slender setae on basal half, with deep, round punctures irregularly separated by 1–6 diameters; anterior bead complete, with long, curved setae; lateral borders widely angled, lateral marginal bead irregularly crenulate, with slender, long setae; basal bead indicated by irregular row of punctures and scattered, curved setae; anterior angles straight, prominent; posterior angles widely obtuse, not prominent ( Fig. 8 ). Scutellum 1.5X wider than long, without punctures, and anterior border nearly straight. Elytron 2.8X longer than wide, denselt, irregularly punctuate, nearly glabrous, only a few erect setae located between scutellum and humeral callus; epipleural border progressively narrowed toward apex, with scattered short setae; humeral callus rounded, prominent; apical callus rounded ( Fig. 21 ). Metathoracic wings completely developed. Pterosternum with many yellowish, long setae. Abdomen: Visible abdominal sternites 2–4 convex, with scattered minute setae; sternite 3 with a pair of asymmetrical, flattened teeth near midline; sternite 4 with a pair of small teeth; sternite 5 with irregularly granulose area at middle and scattered short setae toward lateral margins; anal plate shiny, deeply and widely furrowed along midline, finely granulose at sides, with slender, long setae toward sides and posterior border. Propygidium shiny, weakly rugopunctuate, with many minute setae. Pygidium shiny, glabrous, convex, prominent basally ( Fig. 20 ), with scattered shallow punctures irregularly distributed; apical margin with 12 slender setae; basal margin narrowed, weakly distinct at middle. Legs: Protibia shorter than protarsus (1.0:1.2), with 2 large teeth and a small basal tooth on external border, preapical spur acute, straight, as long as 2nd protarsomere. Mesotibia with an oblique, well-marked, setiferous carina and small setiferous tooth on external side; upper apical spur with rounded apex, 1.2X longer than lower spur. Metatibia with an oblique, setiferous carina and small, setiferous tooth on external side; upper apical spur articulated, slightly curved, rounded apically, and 1.3X longer than lower spur; lower apical spur articulated, curved, apex rounded. Protarsomeres 1–2 semicylindrical, elongate, with subapical, inner projection and sparse tuft of short setae; protarsomeres 3–4 with scattered ventral setae and crown of apical setae. Meso- and metatarsomeres semicylindrical, elongate, each with enlarged apex, crown of apical setae, and a row of scattered setae along ventral side. Tarsal claws dentate, with ventral tooth narrow, acute, located toward base ( Fig. 9 ). Genital capsule: With short, narrowed, curved parameres dorsally fused, apex narrowed, acute, and briefly curved backward, with 3 slender setae on preapical inner border ( Figs. 10–11 ). Aedeagus with large, strongly sclerotized, tubular support apically bifurcate and curved downward; inner sac with 2 preapical spines ( Figs. 10–12 ). Tectum wide, uniformly convex. Length of genital capsule from apex of parameres to border of basal piece 5.0 mm.

Female. Unknown.

Type Material. Holotype male: MEXICO: Puebla, Zacatlán, San Miguel Tenango , 14-V-2000, bosque de coníferas, trampa luz Hg, 2,100 m, S. M. Percino ( IEXA).

Type Locality. San Miguel Tenango , Zacatlan municipality, state of Puebla, Mexico (19°55′N, 97°55′W) .

Biological Data. This species inhabits disturbed forest with species of Pinus L. ( Pinaceae ) and Juniperus L. ( Cupressaceae ) located near 2,100 m of altitude. The single known specimen was collected in a light trap during May.

Remarks. Phyllophaga buapae is placed in the scissa species-group (sensu Morón 2003) and is similar externally to P. scissa . However, the pronotum and basal third of the elytra in P. buapae bear erect setae, The male genital capsule of P. buapae ( Fig. 11 ) is distinguished from that of P. scissa ( Fig. 24 ) by its short parameres with preapical setae, and the very stout and apically bifurcate, sclerotized support of the aedeagus. Furthermore, there are tooth-like projections on visible sternites 3 and 4 associated with asymmetrical intersegmental sutures. The holotype is missing the last three tarsomeres of the right foreleg. Both metatarsi and left metatibia are partially deformed ( Fig. 20 ), not completely extended, probably as a result of difficulties during the emergence of the young adult.

Etymology. The specific epithet buapae is derived from the acronym of Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, BUAP, an institution that has supported various aspects of scarab beetle studies in the region over the past 16 years.

Figures

Figs. 8–12. Phyllophaga buapae. 8) Head and pronotum; 9) Male protarsal claw; 10) Aedeagus and parameres, latero-distal view; 11) Complete genital capsule, lateral view; 12) Complete genital capsule, dorsal view. Scale bars = 2 mm, except in Fig. 9 = 0.5 mm.

Figs. 18–23. Habitus of Phyllophaga species from Puebla. 18) P. aragoni, dorsal view; 19) P. aragoni, lateral view; 20) P. buapae, lateral view; 21) P. buapae, dorsal view; 22) P. cazahuata, dorsal view; 23) P. cazahuata, lateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs. 24–25. Lateral view of the genital capsule of Phyllophaga species. 24) P. scissa. 25) P. plairi. Scale bars = 1 mm.