Gorditus rotundus Ratcliffe

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2010, Gorditus rotundus, a new genus and species of Pentodontini from Cuba (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae), Zootaxa 2683, pp. 56-60 : 59-60

Gorditus rotundus Ratcliffe , new species

( Figs. 1–5 )

Type material. Holotype male, labeled “ Mina Carlota / Trinidad Mts/VII. ’39 CUBA /Parsons” and with my red holotype label. Holotype deposited at the U. S. National Collection (Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C., USA).

Holotype. Male. Length 21.9 mm; width 12.4 mm. Form rotund, highly vaulted in lateral view. Color dark reddish brown. Head: Frons on anterior half with large, confluent punctures, posterior half with only a few sparse punctures. Frontoclypeal region at center with low, transverse swelling. Clypeus with surface similar to that of anterior half of frons, lateral margin constricted before ocular canthus; apex attenuate, narrowly truncate, weakly reflexed. Interocular width equals 6.0 transverse eye diameters. Antenna with 10 antennomeres, club short, subequal in length to antennomeres 2–7. Mandibles exposed, subtriangular. Pronotum: Surface punctate; punctures large, deep, moderately dense in anterior two thirds, sparse in posterior third, becoming denser in anterior angles. Disc lacking tubercle or fovea. Base with marginal bead, bead obsolete at center. Lateral margins with sparse, very long, reddish brown setae. Elytra: Sutural stria impressed. Surface nearly smooth, with minute, sparse punctures on sides in posterior half. Pygidium: Surface densely, completely rugulopunctate, with traces of a few long setae basolaterally on one side. In lateral view, surface regularly convex. Legs: Protibia vaguely quadridentate, teeth subequally spaced from one another, basal tooth greatly reduced. Metatibia at apex truncate, with 12 bristles on left leg (some broken off), 19 on right leg. Protarsomeres 3–5 on right leg missing. Metatarsomeres 4–5 on left leg missing. Ve n te r: Metasternum densely, setigerously punctate in anterior half, nearly smooth on posterior half; setae long, dense, reddish brown. Prosternal process small, laminate, narrowly subtriangular, hidden by long setae. Abdominal spiracles large, directed posteriorly. Parameres: Figs. 3–4. Form simple, slightly tapering to apices.

Etymology. The specific epithet is from the Latin rotundus , meaning round; used here in reference to the distinctly globular body form.

Distribution. Gorditus rotundus is known only from the Trinidad Mountains in Cienfuegos Province in south central Cuba ( Fig. 5 ).

Locality records. 1 specimen examined. CUBA (1): CIENFUEGOS (1): Mina Carlota ( Trinidad Mountains).

Temporal distribution. July (1).

Diagnosis. The generic diagnosis above will suffice, since there is only this single species known. Females of G. rotundus remain unknown.

Natural history. Nothing is known of the life history of this species. The type locality is approximately 450 m in elevation.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Topographic map of Cuba showing highland areas (shaded) and distribution of Gorditus rotundus. Map courtesy of Sadalmelik, Wikimedia Commons.

FIGURES 1 – 2. Gorditus rotundus, dorsal and lateral habitus views of holotype.