Phileurus valgus ( Olivier, 1789 )

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2011, A Review of the Species ofPhileurusLatreille (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Phileurini) with Quadridentate Protibiae and Description of a New Species from Panama, The Coleopterists Bulletin 65 (2), pp. 125-129 : 127

Phileurus valgus ( Olivier, 1789) ( Fig. 3 )

Scarabaeus valgus Olivier 1789: 48 (original combination).

Scarabaeus castaneus Haldeman 1843: 304 (synonym).

Phileurus capra Bates 1888: 341 (synonym).

Phileurus valgus septentrionis Kolbe 1910: 352 (synonym).

Phileurus meridionalis Kolbe 1910: 352 (synonym).

Phileurus valgus antillarum Prell 1912: 180 (subspecies).

Phileurus texensis Casey 1915: 268 (synonym).

Phileurus carolinae Casey 1915: 269 (synonym).

Phileurus sulcifer Casey 1915: 269 (synonym).

Phileurus floridanus Casey 1915: 270 (synonym).

Phileurus clathratus Casey 1915: 271 (synonym).

Phileurus valgus is a common species known from the southern United States to Argentina and the West Indies (Endrödi 1978, 1985a; Chalumeau 1983). A West Indian subspecies, Phileurus valgus antillarum Prell , is distinguished because this population is isolated from the mainland population. Phileurus valgus is distinguished from other Phileurus species by its quadridentate protibia, alternately elevated elytral intervals, two large teeth on the apex of the metatibia, and the form of the parameres. In cases where some specimens of P. valgus have nearly subequal elytral intervals or a reduced basal tooth on the protibia, the form of the parameres ( Fig. 3 ) will separate the males.

Endrödi (1978, 1985a) recognized three “races” of P. valgus that he designated as subspecies. In his view, the nominate subspecies, P. valgus valgus , occurs from the southern United States to Colombia and Venezuela. The subspecies Phileurus valgus meridionalis Kolbe occurs from Colombia to Argentina and is characterized by having three or four protibial teeth. The subspecies from the Antilles was designated P. valgus antillarum in Endrödi’ s 1978 synopsis and P. valgus capra Bates in the 1985a English translation; Endrödi (1985a) indicated that Bates’ name had priority, but the type specimen is from Guatemala and so does not represent the Caribbean subspecies. Therefore, the Prell designation of P. valgus antillarum is the correct designation.

The separation of the West Indian population into a distinct subspecies is valid because, if for no other reason, it is reproductively isolated from the mainland population. However, Endrödi’ s separation of “northern” and “southern” populations into two separate subspecies seems arbitrary and without foundation. Reproductive isolation has not been established nor are there any consistent morphological differences with which to distin- guish the two “races”. Subspecific names for these two “races” do not seem justified.

Adults are readily attracted to lights at night, and both adults and larvae live in rotting wood like many other species of phileurines. Deloya (1988) found adults in the detritus refuse piles of the leafcutter ant, Atta mexicana (Smith) , in Mexico. Specimens have been collected from tropical dry broadleaf forests, montane broadleaf and pine-oak forests, and lowland broadleaf rainforests between the elevations of 40 and 1,850 m (Ratcliffe 2003; Ratcliffe and Cave 2006). Adults have been captured during all months of the year.

Figures

Figs. 1–7. Parameres of 1) Phileurus didymus; 2) Phileurus toulgoeti; 3) Phileurus valgus; 4) Phileurus voirinae; 5–7) Phileurus zonianis.