Copris nubilosus Kohlmann, Cano and Delgado

Kohlmann, Bert & Delgado, Enio Cano And Leonardo, 2003, New species and records of Copris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae; Scarabaeinae) from Central America, Zootaxa 167, pp. 1-16 : 4-6

Copris nubilosus Kohlmann, Cano and Delgado , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2 , 4 , 5 )

Diagnosis. This species differs from the C. caliginosus in the structure of the male anterior pronotal angle. The anterior margin forms a small, downwardly directed median point and the anterolateral angles are separated from it by a more or less level area ( Fig. 4 ); whereas in caliginosus the margin does not form this median point and the anterolateral angles occupying this space and an excavated area forms behind the angles ( Fig. 4 ). Also, this species has reddish­brown antennal lamellae, whereas in C. caliginosus they are dark brown.

Description. Holotype. Male ( Figs. 2 , 4 ): Total length: 15.1 mm. Elytral width: 8.6 mm.

Head armed. Clypeus with two remote, small teeth, the margin between them curved inward in a broad, shallow arc. Posterior angles of genae acute. Upper surface of head umbilico­punctate, with the exception of the base and along genal suture. Head horn is long and strongly curved backwards. Demarcation between gula and submentum arcuate. Antennae reddish­brown.

Pronotum armed. Anterolateral angles acute, immediately followed by a sharply curved margin. Lateral carina rounded, issuing from margin. Anterior margin behind gena forming a small, downwardly directed median point and separated from the anterolateral acute angles by a more or less level area, not forming any excavation ( Fig. 4 ). Frontal declivity with a carina running through its middle. Median longitudinal sulcus impressed, umbilico­punctate. Punctation of pronotum as follows: coarsely umbilico­punctate in all depressions and margins; raised areas of pronotal base, prominences and most of anterior declivities contrastingly impunctate; no simple punctures. Lateral pronotal prominences small and pointing parallel to the body axis. Median pronotal prominences with a wide base and two diverging teeth pointing upwards. Anterior prosternal margin with a pointed tooth; sternellum umbilico­punctate. Median lobe of metasternum umbilico­punctate anteriorly and laterally; median longitudinal impressed line complete.

Elytra with 8th stria incomplete; 9th stria arising at anterior third of elytron; 10th complete. Striae coarsely punctate, punctures circular, umbilical, and separated by a distance equal to about their diameter. Interstriae slightly convex and microscopically punctate.

Pygidium with complete margin, irregularly umbilico­punctate, punctation bearing short, stiff golden setae.

Ventral surface of profemur setigerous umbilico­punctate on posterior longitudinal half, microscopically punctate on anterior. Protibial apical spur linear and curved downwards tapering to a blunt end. Coxa with some umbilical punctures on outer surface. Mesofemora with umbilicate punctures setigerous toward apex and rear margin, rest of the surface microscopically punctate. Metafemur as mesofemur.

Allotype. Female: Total length: 13.8 mm. Elytral width: 7.1 mm. Differs from the holotype by the following characters: Head with a slightly raised horn, wider than long, apex excavated postero­dorsally. Clypeal margin with teeth more extended and rounded, with an open medial notch. Antennae reddish­brown. Pronotum armed with a faintly developed central carina and two lateral tubercles behind declivity, carina wavelike, emarginated at middle. Pronotal disc and area near the base and posterior angles impunctate, remaining punctures umbilicate. Median longitudinal sulcus impressed and umbilicopunctate. Anterior angles forming a small tooth. Anterolateral regions of metasternal lobe umbilico­punctate.

Variation. Total length: 13.8­16.9 mm. Elytral width: 7.1­8.7 mm. Less developed males have a small thin horn, that does not curve back; whereas in minor males the horn is reduced to a small pointed tubercle. Some male specimens present a faint frontal carina running through the middle of the pronotal declivity.

Examined material (9 males, 1 female). Holotype, male: GUATEMALA. Zacapa. La Unión, 2 km Norte, 23­24.V.1993, 1400m, J. Monzón, Allotype, female: ibidem, 25.IX.94, C. Estrada. Paratypes. Baja Verapaz. Purulhá, 30.IV.1995, X. Leiva, 2 males; Purulhá, Biotopo del Quetzal, VIII.2000 heces humanas, A. Higueros, 1 male. Huehuetenango. Barillas, camino entre Nuevo San Mateo y San Juan de las Milpas, cerca de la Laguna Maxbal (sic, should be Muxbal), 28­30.V.1998, bosque nuboso, E. Cano. Zacapa. La Unión, 2 km Norte, 12­14.IV.1992, 1300m, J. Monzón, 1 male; 23­24.V.1993, 1400m, J. Monzón, 1male; La Unión, 25.IX.94, C. Estrada, 1 male. HONDURAS. Copán. Cerro Azul, 4300 pies, 5­6.IV.1993, W. González, 1 male.

Remarks. This species belongs to the remotus complex, as defined by Matthews (1961). This species will key to the C. remotus remotus and C. mexicanus dichotomy in Matthews’ key based on males, although it will not fit either of the two descriptions.

The only consistently reliable character for separating this species with C. caliginosus is the antennal color. Copris nubilosus has reddish­brown antennae, while those of C. caliginosus are dark brown. This species is closely related to C. sallei and C. caliginosus .

Copris nubilosus differs from C. sallei by having a much more strongly curved horn than C. sallei , antennae reddish­brown, whereas they are dark brown in C. sallei ; the base of the mid­pronotal projections is evenly arched, whereas it forms a distinct gibbosity in C. sallei ; lateral pronotal prominences are small, whereas they are developed in C. sallei ; pronotal face smooth and slightly concave with a faint carina running through its middle, umbilico­punctate only at its flanks, whereas the pronotal face in C. sallei is level and completely umbilico­punctate, no evidence of a central carina running through its middle; lateral pronotal prominences smooth, whereas grossly punctate in C. sallei ; it differs also from C. sallei in having a well developed tooth on the anterior pronotal margin behind the gena and in having a feebly developed acute anterolateral margin; whereas C. sallei has a very feeble tooth on the anterior pronotal margin behind the gena and a very acute and developed anterolateral margin.

Distribution. ( Fig. 5 ). This species seems to be living in the mountainous areas of the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, Sierra de las Minas and Sierra del Merendón in Guatemala and Honduras, associated with cloud forest between 1350­1800m, formed by species of Quercus , Clusia , Nectandra , Inga , and Hedyosum. One would expect to find this species in the northern range of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas too, since Huehuetenango is but a few km away from the border.

Etymology. Latin adjective, nubilosus , meaning cloudy; alluding to the fact that the species lives in cloud forests.

Figures

FIGURE. 2. Dorsal view of Copris nubilosus Kohlmann, Cano and Delgado, sp. nov. (holotype).

FIGURE. 4. Lateral views of head and pronotum of Copris caliginosus Kohlmann, Cano and Delgado, sp. nov. (holotype, top), Copris nubilosus Kohlmann, Cano and Delgado, sp. nov. (holotype, middle) and Copris sallei (bottom).

FIGURE 5. Distribution of Copris cited in the work (except the widely distributed C. lugubris and the Mexican C. sallei) in Central America. White area is above 800 m. Black stars = C. nubilosus Kohlmann, Cano and Delgado, sp. nov.; black triangle = C. caliginosus Kohlmann, Cano and Delgado, sp. nov.; black squares = C. aspericollis; black circle = C. matthewsi pacificus; white triangle = C. costaricensis dolichocerus; white rhombus = C. laeviceps.