Cryptocanthon cristobalensis Howden, 1973

Cook, Joyce, 2002, A Revision Of The Neotropical Genus Cryptocanthon Balthasar (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 1) 56, pp. 3-96 : 31-33

10. Cryptocanthon cristobalensis Howden

( Figs. 57–62 )

Cryptocanthon cristobalensis Howden 1973:43

Material Examined. Five specimens (1 male, 4 females).

Type Material Examined. Holotype: MEXICO: ‘‘ 3 mi. N.W. San Cristobal / L.C., Chi [apa]s, Mex. V 28 / 1969 H.F. Howden ’’ ( CMNC) female.

Non-type Material Examined. ‘‘ MEXICO: Chiapas, Mpio: San Cristóbal de las Casas , Reserva Huitepec , 16845.099N, 92840.969W, 2,450 m, 13.XI.2001, R. Anderson, lower cloud forest litter, 2001-202’’ ( CMNC) 1 male, 3 females .

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished by the following combination of characters: vertical surface of clypeus not foveate; pronotal hypomeron carinate; inflexed portion of elytron with a basal fovea; metathoracic wings greatly reduced; pygidium with strong median, longitudinally carinate convexity; paramere apices broadly rounded ( Fig. 59 ).

Description. Male. Total length 4.0 mm; greatest width 2.4 mm. Head. Clypeus not strongly produced anteriorly ( Fig. 58 ). Clypeal teeth well developed, widely separated, moderately reflexed. Clypeal emargination evenly rounded; vertical surface broadly Vshaped, not foveate. Apical margin of clypeus lateral to teeth slightly convexly arcuate. Disc of clypeus concave, with irregularly spaced large punctures. Clypeogenal suture weakly indicated apically. Gena slightly produced, forming an angle at junction with anterior margin of clypeus. Vertex and gena coarsely, densely punctate. Pronotum. Convex medially, laterally explanate, with depressions laterally in posterior half and with shallow median longitudinal depression in posterior half. Anterior angles acute. Sides anterior to lateral angles nearly straight, weakly rounded posterior to lateral angles. Posterior angles broadly rounded, not incised. Pronotum densely punctate; punctures of disc of medium size, irregularly spaced; laterally and along posterior margin, punctures large, round, annulate; setae, when present, conspicuous, pale, arched. Pronotal hypomeron convex, coarsely punctate, with slightly curved posterolateral carina. Elytra. Transversely moderately convex ( Fig. 61 ), longitudinally strongly convex; lateral carinae moderately elevated. Each elytron dorsally with seven striae, each stria indicated by two wavy lines. Elytral intervals weakly convex; each interval with widely spaced very fine setose punctures on each side adjacent to striae; setae conspicuous, strongly arched, pale. Inflexed portion of elytron broad, slightly irregularly narrowed apically, with scattered fine setose punctures; basal fovea present; striae eight and nine absent, ten indicated by row of coarse punctures along epipleural margin. Epipleuron with large, irregularly spaced punctures. Wings. Metathoracic wings greatly reduced. Venter. Prosternum and mesosternum with shallow, annulate punctures. Meso-metasternal suture rounded medially. Metasternum flat medially, impunctate in anterior one-third with medium-sized shallow punctures posteriorly; laterally, punctures large, dense, annulate. Legs. Profemur densely punctate ventrally. Protibia ( Fig. 57 ) not broadened medially, not notched before apex, with preapical lobe. Mesofemur and metafemur with small elongate punctures ventrally. Metatrochanter unmodified. Metatibia very weakly angulate, not crenulate, lacking a subapical lobe.

Abdomen. Apical sternite evenly convex, densely punctate. Pygidium with moderately strong median, longitudinally carinate convexity; broad depression at base; punctures medium-sized, shallow, separated by one diameter or less. Male genitalia. Parameres ( Figs. 59–60 ) with apices broadly rounded, not setose.

Variation. Female. Total length 3.9–4.0 mm; greatest width 2.2–2.3 mm; clypeal teeth more strongly developed; tibiae unmodified. Median convexity of pygidium stronger in females than in single male specimen.

Bionomics. This species has been collected in cloud forest litter at 2,450 m. It has been taken during the months of May and November.

Geographic Distribution ( Fig. 62). This species occurs in the Mexican state of Chiapas.

Figures

Figs. 57–61. Cryptocanthon cristobalensis. 57) left protibia, male; 58) clypeal outline; 59) parameres, dorsal; 60) aedeagus, lateral; 61) elytra, posterior. Scale line 5 0.5 mm (Figs. 57–60), 1.0 mm (Fig. 61).