Veturius criniferous, Fonseca & Reyes-Castillo, 2004

Fonseca, Cláudio Ruy Vasconcelos Da & Reyes-Castillo, Pedro, 2004, Synopsis on Passalidae family (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) of Brazil with description of a new species of Veturius Kaup, 1871, Zootaxa 789 (1), pp. 1-26 : 7-10

Description of Veturius criniferous n. sp.

( Figs. 1–6 )

Proculini with length ranging from 35 to 40 mm; shiny black coloring.

Head — Anterior margin of the labrum slightly concave and lateral margins asymmetrical, surface covered by stout dense bristles in the edges and thin ones in the center. Clypeus with the anterior margin somewhat convex and with a small engraving in the center, anterior angles sharp. Frontal area smooth; frontal depressions strongly punctuated and protruding long thick bristles (fig. 1); frontal ridges well marked forming a wide angle, separated by the central horn apex and ending at the inner tubercle lying midway between the central horn and anterior margin of the head; frontal mid structure with high central horn pointing forward and upward, with apex free; parietal tubercles inconspicuous or absent (fig. 1). Occipital groove well marked and curved. Anterior cephalic angles wide. Supra orbital ridges high and with one small mid tubercle. Ocular canthus narrow and with a round angle. Eyes large. Labial palpi with long stout bristles on inner and outer surfaces of the second segment. Labium with ligulae thickly bristled and central tooth very advanced relative to the lateral teeth; loci of insertion of palpi wide. Mentum with lateral lobes tapering toward the apex and with bristles long, thick and dense on the distal 2/3; mid area very wide, punctuated and bristled, anterior half high and with anterior margin thick; scars of the mentum nearly inconspicuous and with thick punctuations. Hipostomal process widened and very far from the mentum (fig. 2). Mandibles with three apical teeth; ventral face with strong broad basal groove; dorsal tooth of medium height. Maxillae with bi­toothed lacinia.

Thorax — Pronotum transverse with the anterior margin sinuous and bi­concavus; anterior angles rounded; marginal grooves wide and deep in the anterior part, reaching the first quarter of the anterior area of the pronotum; scars smooth and discreet. Prosternellum with the apex rhomboidal. Mesoventrite glabrous, with no scars and dull on the anterior half. Metaventrite smooth shiny with no delimitating discus; scars deep and bristled. Elytra with humeri and epipleura glabrous; striae with fine punctuation only on the lateral sides. Forelegs with no longitudinal groove on the anterior margin of the ventral face of the femur; tibiae with 6–7 teeth (fig. 3), apical spur pointed apex. Tibiae II and III hookless with bristles.

Abdomen — Aedeagus (figs 4–6) with basal piece wide, parameres short and mid lobe large; lateral area of the mid lobe with sclerotized spot covering 2/3 of the surface.

Type material — HOLOTYPE male. BRAZIL. Rondônia: Parque Estadual Guajará Mirim , x.1995 (Luiz Aquino), INPA . PARATYPES: Idem, 2 males and 13 females, INPA .

Taxonomic discussionñ Veturius criniferous is part of the group Platyrhinus “sensu” Luederwaldt (1931b) because it presents a glabrous mesoventrite. It resembles V. carpentierae Reyes­Castillo, 1973 on account of the characters on its head specially the bristled frontal depressions, but it differs from it on its high central horn and free apex, lack of parietal tubercle and shape of the parameres.

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. Veturius criniferous n. sp. Head and prothorax (dorsal, vetral). Figs. with same scale.

FIGURES 3–6. Foreleg of Veturius criniferous n. sp. 3, foreleg; 4­6, Aedeagus (Ventral, dorsal, lateral). Figs. 4–6 with same scale.