Ligyrus (Ligyrus) fossor ( Latreille, 1813 )

López-García, Margarita M. & Deloya, Cuauhtémoc, 2022, Cladistic analysis reveals polyphyly of Tomarus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae): new classification and taxonomic revision, Zootaxa 5211 (1), pp. 1-119 : 41-42

Ligyrus (Ligyrus) fossor ( Latreille, 1813)

( Figs. 9D , 15L , 18D , 26A ; 37 )

Scarabaeus fossor Latreille, 1813: 11 . Original combination.

Female lectotype (MNHN) “[unreadable text] // MUS. LA PERTÉ / 671 // this specimen is probably Latreille’s type of Scar. foss-or // Ex-Musaeo / D.Sharp 1890 // Museum Paris / ex Coll. / R. Oberthur // HOLOTYPE // HOLOTYPE / Scarabaeus / fossor Latreille, 1833 // HOLOTYPE / Tomarus / fossor (Latreille, 1833) // MNHN / EC7078 ” here designated. Type locality: America (it was collected during Humboldt and Bonpland’s voyage).

Description. Habitus as in Fig. 26A . Length 13.5–15.0 mm; humeral width 6.5–7.0 mm. Color reddish brown. Head: Frons deeply rugopunctate, with large and sparse punctures, nearly smooth on vertex and only with sparse, small punctures. Frontoclypeal region with a carina, narrowly interrupted at middle. Ocular canthus acute; with 8 ventral setae. Clypeal surface rugopunctate to transversely rugose, striae denser than those on frons. Clypeus triangular, base 3 times wider than apex. Clypeal teeth triangular, separated by 1 tooth diameter. Mandible with 2 apical and 1 lateral widely rounded tooth; tooth 1 truncate at apex, longer and narrower than tooth 2. Maxilla subrectangular; galea with 4 well-developed teeth, with 2 basal reduced teeth ( Fig. 3G ). Apex of labrum bilobed. Interocular distance equal to 3.2 times an eye width. Antennal club very long. Pronotum: Surface with large, sparse punctures. Apex without tubercle or fovea. Elytra: First interval punctate, punctures similar to the other intervals. Inner surface of apex with small transverse tubercles forming about 70 parallel lines. Abdomen: Apex of tergite IV with a diagonal line of 10 transverse parallel short carinae. Pygidial surface with large punctures, evenly distributed ( Fig. 9D ). Strongly (male) to slightly (female) convex in lateral view. Legs: Protibia tridentate; basal tooth slightly distant from others. Protarsus of male simple; inner claw simple. Metatibia slightly contracted at apex. Apex of metatibia entire, with 18–20 spinules. Female genitalia: Subcoxite subrectangular (2 times wider than long). Coxite subrectangular (wider than long); coxite strongly concave. Subcoxite wider and longer than coxite. Male genitalia: Spiculum gastrale thin, apex truncate. Parameres with apical 4th narrowed, without minute spines; lateral ventral teeth long and curved ( Figs. 15L , 18D ). Internal sac with lamellar spiny belt very long (about 12 times longer than copulatory lamellae); accessory lamella thickened.

Diagnosis. Ligyrus fossor can be recognized by the antennal club very long (2 times longer than antennomeres 2–7); maxilla with 6 teeth ( Fig. 3G ); clypeus long, strongly contracted towards apex; clypeal teeth triangular, long, and not separated; frontal carina narrowly interrupted at middle; pronotum without tubercle or fovea ( Fig. 26A ); parameres with long, dorsal teeth, without ventral teeth ( Figs. 15L , 18D ); female coxite strongly concave.

Distribution. El Salvador, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Curaçao, Antigua, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas ( Endrödi 1969; Ratcliffe & Cave 2015).

Locality records ( Fig. 37 ). 164 examined specimens from FSCA, ICN, MEFLG, MZUSP, UNAB, UNSM, USNM. Some data from Ratcliffe (2003), Escalona & Joly (2006), and Ratcliffe & Cave (2015). ANTIGUA (1). St. Paul (1): English Harbor. BAHAMAS (1). Andros (1): N Andros Island. COLOMBIA (36). Antioquia (1): Turbaco. Atlántico (7): Barranquilla; Juan de Acosta; Repelón; Bolívar (3): Carmen; Cartagena; Isla Barú. Córdoba (3): Cereté. Cesar (6): Agustín Codazzi. Guajira (6): Campamento Mushaisa. Magdalena (5): Parque Nacional Tayrona. Ambiguous data (2): Manizales; Medellín. No data (2). CUBA (21). Cienfuegos (1): Cayamas. Ciego de Avila (1): Chambas. Guantanamo (1): Tortuguilla. Holguin (1): Guardalavaca. La Habana (9): La Habana; Santiago de las Vegas. Matanzas (2): Colón; Matanzas. Pinar del Río (4): Consolación del Sur; Pinar del Río; San Diego de los Baños; San Juan y Martínez. Santiago (2): Dos Caminos; Segundo Frente. CURAÇAO (3). Willemstad (3): Hato; Piscadera. EL SALVADOR (2). Ahuachapan (1): El Imposible. La Unión (1): Isla Martín Pérez. JAMAICA (95). Clarendon (2): Alligator Hole; Milk River Bath. St. Andrew (70): Bull Bay; Cockburn Peninsula; Cross Roads; Gordon Town; Halfway Tree; Irish Town; Jack’s Hill; Kingston; Liguanea; Seaview Gardens. St. Ann (3): Baron Hill Forest Reserve; Ocho Ríos. St. Catherine (2): Worthy Park Estate. St. Elizabeth (3): Maggotty. St. James (11): Greenwood; Montego Bay. St. Mary (1): Oracabessa. St. Thomas (1): Bath. Trelawny (4): Ducans; Martha Brae. PANAMA (28). Coclé (3): Interamerican Highway at Rio Grande. Colón (2): Madden Dam; Parque Nacional Soberanía. Los Santos (2): Corozal; Paraíso. Panamá (12): Alhajuela; Chame; Panamá; Taboga Island. Veraguas (3): Soná. No data (5). PUERTO RICO (2). Ponce (1): Mercedita. Mayagüez (1): Mayagüez. VENEZUELA (135). Anzoátegui (1): Clarines; El Hatillo. Aragua (1): Cardoncito; Cata; Chaparral; Choroní; El Limón; La Cabrera; La Victoria; Maracay; Parque Nacional Henri Pittier; Rancho Grande; San Mateo; Tasajeras; Turiamo; Turmero. Barinas (1). Reserva Forestal Ticoporo. Bolívar (10). Ciudad Bolívar; El Pao; Guasipi; Moitaco. Carabobo (19). Bejuma; Cachinche; Las Quiguas; Las Trincheras; Los Colorados; Nirgua; San Joaquín; Tacarigua; Yeramalis. Cojedes (10). El Baúl; El Pao; Girardot; San Carlos. Distrito Capital (14). Caracas; El Valle; Las Adjuntas. Falcón (7). Boca de Aroa; Cerro Santa Ana; Chichiriviche; Sanare; San José de Cocodite; San Juan; Santa Cruz de Bucaral. Guarico (6). El Sombrero; La Smith; Llanos de Cruz; Valle de la Pascua. Lara (13). Barquisimeto; Carora. Crespo; El Cuji; La Pastora (4 km NW); Parapara; Quibor. Mérida (1). Pueblo Nuevo. Miranda (2). Los Teques; Tacarigua de Mamporal. Monagas (4). El Piñal; San Antonio de Maturin; Santa Bárbara; Uverito. Nueva Esparta (4). Cerro Cimarrón; Guatamare; Salamanca; Tacarigua. Portuguesa (3). Acarigua; Ospino. Sucre (2). Cariaco; Cumanacoa. Táchira (2). La Pediera; San Cristóbal. Trujillo (3). El Cenizo; Escuque; San Pablo de Mendoza. Vargas (2). Caracaya; Punta de Tarma. Yaracuy (3). La Hoya; Sabana de Parra; Yaritagua. Zulia (6). Maracaibo.

Natural history. There were some records of adults in roots and inflorescences of sunflower ( Helianthus annus L.), and roots of maize. Most records are from tropical dry forest between 2– 269 m.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Maxilla. A) Ligyrus (Anagrylius) moroni, B) L. (Ligyrodes) sallaei, C) Ligyrus (Ligyrus) allonasutus. Numeration of teeth of galea: D) Euligyrus similis, E) L. (Ligyrodes) sallaei, F) Tomarus gyas, G) L. (Ligyrus) fossor, H) L. (Ligyrus) allonasutus.

FIGURE 9. Pygidium of male. A) Euligyrus ebenus, B) Proculigyrus cicatricosus, C) Ligyrus (Anagrylius) cuniculus, D) L. (Ligyrus) fossor, E) L. (Ligyrus) paranaensis, F) Tomarus bituberculatus, G) T. colombianus, H) T. maracaiboensis, I) T. pilcopataensis, J) T. pullus, K) T. roigjunenti, L) T. rostratus.

FIGURE 15. Parameres in frontal view. A) Euligyrus ebenus, B) E. similis, C) Proculigyrus cicatricosus, D) Ligyrus (Anagrylius) cuniculus, E) L. (Anagrylius) moroni, F) L. (Ligyrodes) peruvianus, G) L. (Ligyrodes) relictus, H) L. (Ligyrodes) sallaei, I) L. (Ligyrus) allonasutus, J) L. (Ligyrus) bidentulus, K) L. (Ligyrus) burmeisteri, L) Ligyrus (Ligyrus) fossor, M) L. (Ligyrus) gibbosus, N) L. (Ligyrus) nasutus, O) L. (Ligyrus) neglectus, P) L. (Ligyrus) paranaensis, Q) L. (Ligyrus) peninsularis, R) L. (Ligyrus) rubripes, S) L. (Ligyrus) ruginasus, T) L. (Ligyrus) villosus.

FIGURE 18. Parameres in lateral view.A) L. (Ligyrus.) allonasutus, B) L. (Ligyrus) bidentulus, C) L. (Ligyrus) burmeisteri, D) Ligyrus (Ligyrus) fossor, E) L. (Ligyrus) gibbosus, F) L. (Ligyrus) nasutus, G) L. (Ligyrus) neglectus, H) L. (Ligyrus) paranaensis, I) L. (Ligyrus) peninsularis, J) L. (Ligyrus) rubripes, K) L. (Ligyrus) ruginasus, L) L. (Ligyrus) villosus.

FIGURE 26. Habitus of the species of Ligyrus. Subgenus Ligyrus: A) Ligyrus fossor, B) L. gibbosus, C) L. nasutus, D) L. neglectus, E) L. paranaensis, F) L. peninsularis, G) L. rubripes, H) L. ruginasus, I) L. villosus. Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURE 37. Distributional records of Ligyrus (Ligyrus) fossor and L. neglectus.