Peltonotus animus Jameson and Wada, 2009

Jameson, Mary Liz & Wada, Kaoru, 2009, Five new species of Peltonotus Burmeister (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) from Southeast Asia, Insecta Mundi 2009 (102), pp. 1-16 : 4-6

Peltonotus animus Jameson and Wada , n. sp.

( Fig. 1 , 8 , 17 a-b, 24, 25)

Type Material. Holotype male housed at WADA (from WADA) with following label data and with male genitalia and maxilla mounted beneath specimen: a) “Bukit, Tinggi, 1-VII-1991 ” (hand-written, black ink), b) “This species near Peltonotus silvanus but differ Genitalia and color” (hand-written, black ink), c) our holotype label.

Description. Holotype male. Length 16.5 mm. Widest width 7.7 mm. Color ( Fig. 1 ): Head, pronotum, scutellum, pygidium, elytron, and venter castaneous. Elytra with weak iridescent bloom. Head: Surface of frons with base sparsely punctate, disc and apex moderately densely punctate; punctures simple, multisetigerous at apex; setae minute (1-20+ per puncture) and moderately long (0-1 per puncture). Surface of clypeus moderate densely punctate; punctures simple, multisetigerous; setae minute (1-20+ per puncture) and moderately long (0-1 per puncture). Clypeus laterally weakly bowed, apex truncate, corners square, beaded; bead weakly arcuate posteriorly. Labrum broadly emarginate at middle. Mandible with external edge rounded, inner apex with 2 teeth. Mentum with apical half rounded, notched at middle; palpomere 2 dorsoventrally flattened, about 2.5 times width of palpomere 1, setose; setae dense, moderately long, rufous, weakly thickened, some setae curled at the apex. Maxilla ( Fig. 8 ): Mala with dense lamellate setal brush; stipes with setae dense, long, not flattened at apex, some curled at apex; palpomere 2 with internomedial bump. Antennal club slightly longer than segments 2-7. Pronotum: Bead lacking anterior to scutellum; anterior bead incomplete at middle. Surface moderately densely punctate; punctures simple, lacking setae. Lateral margin lacking long setae. Elytron: Sutural length about 4.0 times length of scutellum. Surface with 5 moderately developed, punctate, longitudinal striae between suture and humerus; punctures ocellate, moderate in size, moderately dense, some multisetigerous at apex; setae minute (1-20+ per puncture). Intervals similarly sculptured. Propygidium: Surface shagreened and moderately densely punctate; punctures simple, unisetigerous; setae moderate in length, tawny and rufous. Pygidium: Surface moderately densely punctate; punctures ocellate, unisetigerous (base to disc) and multisetigerous (apex); setae minute (7-12+ per puncture) and moderately long (0-1 per puncture). Venter: Prosternal keel elongate; apex projecting anteriorly at about 90 o with respect to ventral plane, extends to about 1/2 height of protrochanter, truncate. Legs: Protibia (Fig. 24) of male tridentate (basal tooth obsolete); lateral margin with short, dense setae. Protarsomere 5 subequal in length to tarsomeres 1-4, greatly thickened; protarsomeres 3-4 with apices expanded, dorsal and ventral apices of tarsomeres 1-4 clothed dense, short setae. Anterior claws with inner claw broadly curved, about 3 times thicker than outer claw; outer claw elongate-arcuate, about 1/2 the length of inner claw; empodium bulbous at base. Meso- and metatibial claws of male with 2 setae, claw angled toward venter, about 3/4 length of metatarsomere 5. Metatibia of male with apical spurs nearly straight; ventral spur produced to middle of metatarsomere 1, dorsal spur produced to middle of metatarsomere 2. Parameres: Fig. 17 a-b.

Diagnosis. Peltonotus animus is most similar to P. silvanus Jameson and Wada , but it is distinguished based on the following characters: mala with setae curled at the apices ( Fig. 8 ) (not curled in P. silvanus ); pronotum lacking setae laterally and apically (multisetigerous laterally and apically in P. silvanus ); elytral sutural length 4.0 times length of scutellum (3.2 times length of scutellum in P. silvanus ); elytra with 5 moderately developed, punctate striae (7 striae in P. silvanus ); propygidium with simple, unisetigerous punctures (multisetigerous with minute and long setae at apex of propygidium in P. silvanus ); pygidium multisetigerous only at apex (pygidium entirely multisetigerous in P. silvanus , with minute and long setae); and form of the male genitalia ( Fig. 17 a-b).

Peltonotus animus is easily separated from other species in the genus based on the form of the male genitalia ( Fig. 17 a-b), form of the mouthparts (labial palpomere 2 greatly enlarged, maxilla with lamellate setal brush [ Fig. 8 ], and maxillary stipes with long setae, some of which are curled at the apex [ Fig. 8 ]), and protibia tridentate with basal tooth obsolete (Fig. 24).

Etymology. The specific epithet “ animus ” is derived from the Latin “ anima ” meaning soul or life, in reference to the cultural traditions of the Minangkabau cultural group in West Sumatra. The Minangkabau cultural beliefs were derived from “animism”, and remnants of those beliefs still exist in the region. Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities, such as animals, plants, and natural phenomena can have souls. Often these entities must be placated by offerings in order to gain favors. We name this species in reverence to the forest spirits in the Minangkabau region.

Distribution ( Fig. 25 ). Central Sumatra, Indonesia.

Locality records (1 specimen) from WADA (deposited in WADA). INDONESIA (SUMATRA). West Sumatera Province (1): Bukittinggi.

Temporal Data. July (1).

Remarks. Based on its distribution, P. animus is probably sympatric with P. gracilipodus Jameson and Wada and P. cybele . We considered that P. animus could be associated with P. cybele (known only from one female), but the form of the mouthparts clearly indicate that these are different species.

In the key to species ( Jameson and Wada 2004), P. animus keys most closely to P. malayensis Arrow because some setae on the maxillary stipes are apically curly. However, the form of the male genitalia indicates that these are two distinct species.

Figures

Figure 25. Distribution of Peltonotus species in Southeast Asia and Sundaland.

Figure 1-7. Peltonotus species dorsal habitus. 1) P. animus (holotype, male). 2) P. cybele (holotype, female). 3) P. favonius (holotype male). 4) P. karubei (male paratype). 5) P. karubei (male) showing variation. 6) P. mushiyaus (holotype female). 7) P. tigerus (holotype female). Scale bar = 2 mm.

Figure 8-13. Maxilla (dorsal view) showing mala with or without lamellate setal brush (black arrow) and form. 8) P. animus (holotype). 9) P. cybele (holotype). 10) P. favonius (holotype). 11) P. karubei. 12) P. mushiyaus (holotype). 13) P. tigerus (holotype).

Figure 14-18. Male genitalia in dorsal and left lateral view. 14a-b) P. karubei. 15a-b) P. favonius (holotype). 16ab) P. malayensis. 17a-b) P. animus (holotype). 18a-b) P. silvanus.