Glaresis thiniensis Verdú and Galante, 2001

Verdú, José R. & Galante, Eduardo, 2001, A New Species Of Glaresis Erichson From The Iberian Peninsula (Scarabaeoidea: Glaresidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 55 (3), pp. 272-278 : 273-277

Glaresis thiniensis Verdú and Galante , new species

Figs. 1 , 2 , 4, 6 , 8 and 9

Type Series. Holotype (male): Spain, ‘‘ Albufera Natural Park ,’’ El Saler (Valencia), IX­1984, J. Baixeras leg. (Colección Entomológica de la Universidad de Alicante: CEUA). Paratypes: 1 female, ‘‘ Albufera Natural Park ,’’ El Saler (Valencia) , 12­VI­1984, J. Baixeras leg. ( CEUA).; 1 female, ‘‘ Albufera Natural Park ,’’ El Saler (Valencia) , IX­1984, J. Baixeras leg. (Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spain) .

Description. Male. Length: 4.2–4.7 mm, greatest width 2.0– 2.4 mm. Form robust, highly wider posteriorly ( Fig. 1 ); color brownish yellow; setae straw colored. Head ( Fig. 2 ): Anterior clypeal margin obtusely serrate, with sparse setae; frons highly tuberculate (setigerously tuberculate on recently emerged adults); integument rugosely micropunctate. Genal margin serrate with sparse setae. Mandibles robust, external margins sinuate. Pronotum ( Fig. 1 ) transverse, wide two times the length; slightly convex; impressions feeble; longitudinal median impression and anterior transversal impression present; distinct fovea medially near lateral margin; pilifer tubercles as long as setae; pronotal margin highly serrate, with setae; posterior angles of pronotum divergent. Scutellum triangular, with sparse short setae ( Fig. 1 ). Elytra strongly convex with, symmetrically, 10 striae; each stria with a row of coarse simple punctures; intervals of striae highly costate; costae interrupted by erect setae adjacent to space between punctures of striae ( Fig. 1 ); tegument microrreticulate. Legs: Protibia with three prominent acute teeth ( Fig. 1 ). Mesotibia slightly curved ( Fig. 4 ); 5 or 6 strong spines present on outer margin from middle nearly to apex; apex of tibia acute, strongly projected. Mesotibial fossa of metasternum absent. Posterior­superior margin of metatrochanter serrate with a more developed apically tooth ( Fig. 6 ). Posterior­superior margin of metafemur slightly irregular but lacking teeth ( Fig. 6 ). Metatibia broadly triangular, outer margin irregularly serrate with a median projection, strongly pubescent; row of 7–8 tubercles pilifers extending from base to apex medially; inner margin smooth, pubescent; apex of metatibia with outer horseshoe shaped portion subequal than inner spur­bearing portion ( Fig. 6 ). Genitalia: Trilobe aedeagus. Phalobase (B) slightly longer than paramers ( Fig. 8 ). Paramers (P) very short, curved inward; subtriangular, in lateral view ( Fig. 10 ). Tip of median lobe (ML) bluntly rounded ( Fig. 10 ).

Female. Similar to male in external appearance.

Etymology. From the Latin thinium, meaning dune.

Diagnosis. Many morphological characters are relevant to separate Glaresis thiniensis from G. hispana . The absence of a mesotibial fossa in G. thiniensis , the form of clypeus and mandibles ( Figs. 2 and 3 ), the morphology of mesotibiae ( Figs. 4 and 5 ) and the posterior legs ( Figs. 6 and 7 ) (the existence and location of teeth on the trochanters and femora, the size of pilifer microtubercles of the femora and the form and level of development of apical projection of tibia) are the most important diagnostic external characters. Relevant differences are observed in male genitalia, especially in form and length of paramers ( Figs. 8–11 ).

The absence of a mesotibial fossa on the metasternum is also observed in some Glaresis from northern Africa, including G. mandibularis Petrovitz , G. tripolitana Petrovitz , G. carthagensis Petrovitz , G. pardoi Petrovitz and G. mauritanica Petrovitz. Main differences among this group of species have been found in male genitalia, form of mandibles, morphology of mesotibias, length of metatarsomers, and the form of the outer horseshoe­shaped portion of metatibia ( Baraud 1985 and our observations).

Distribution. ( Fig. 12 ). Glaresis thiniensis is known only from the type locality, littoral sand dunes from eastern Iberian Peninsula (‘‘Albufera Natural Park,’’ Valencia Province, Spain). Glaresis hispana occurs in the most arid areas of the Iberian Peninsula, and this rare species is known from provinces of: Albacete, Almería, Ciudad Real, Granada, Murcia, Zaragoza, Lérida ( Ávila 1990; Ávila and Sánchez­Piñero 1992; Muñoz et al. 1997) and Valencia (Calles, 12­VI­1984, J. Baixeras leg., new record).

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitus of Glaresis thiniensis Verdú and Galante, new species. Scale: 1 mm.

Figs. 2–3. Head. 2) Glaresis thiniensis Verdú and Galante, new species; 3) G. hispana (Báguena).

Figs. 4–7. Legs. 4) Glaresis thiniensis, mesotibia; 5) G. hispana, mesotibia; 6) G. thiniensis, posterior leg; 7) G. hispana, posterior leg.

Figs. 8–11. Male genitalia. 8–9) Glaresis thiniensis, dorsal and lateral views; 10– 11) G. hispana, dorsal and lateral views.

Fig. 12. Known distribution of Glaresis thiniensis (*) and G. hispana (c) on the Iberian Peninsula; new record of G. hispana (C).