Pseudogeniates intermedius Ohaus, 1914

Jameson, Mary Liz & Ocampo, Federico, 2012, Synopsis of the Argentinian scarab genus Pseudogeniates Ohaus (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae), ZooKeys 241, pp. 33-53 : 41-44

Pseudogeniates intermedius Ohaus, 1914 Figs 2, 9, 17, 20

Pseudogeniates intermedius Ohaus 1914: 303.

Material examined.

Type material (3 males, 1 female) at ZMHB. Lectotype male labeled: a) "ARGENTINA Santiago d E. Wagner" (typeset, white label), b) male genitalia card-mounted, c) mouthparts card-mounted, d) “Typus!” (typeset, red label), e) "Pseudogeniates intermedius Ohs." ( Ohaus’ handwritten, red label), f) "SYNTYPUS Pseudogeniates intermedius Ohaus, 1914 labelled by MNHUS 2007" (typeset, red label), g) "Lectotype 2009 Pseudogeniates intermedius Oh. Soula" (typeset and handwritten, red label). Paralectotype female labeled: a) "ARGENTINA Santiago del Estero" (typeset, white label), b) female symbol, c) mouthparts card-mounted, d) "Pseudogeniates intermedius cotype Ohs." ( Ohaus’ handwritten, red label), e) "SYNTYPUS Pseudogeniates intermedius Ohaus, 1914 labelled by MNHUS 2007" (typeset, red label), f) "Paralectotype 2009 Pseudogeniates intermedius Oh. Soula det." (typeset and handwritten, red label), g) “Alloréférent Pseudogeniates intermedius M. SOULA det 19" (handwritten and typeset, white label with scribed red boarder), h) "Paralectotype 2009 Pseudogeniates intermedius Oh. Soula det." (typeset and handwritten, red label). A second male paralectotype labeled: a) "MUSEUM PARIS PROV. DE SANTIAGO del Estero Barrancas Banados de Rio Dulce, 80 kil. O. d’Icano E.R. WAGNER 1909", b) "Pseudogeniates intermedius cotype Ohs." ( Ohaus’ handwritten, red label), c) "SYNTYPUS Pseudogeniates intermedius Ohaus, 1914 labelled by MNHUS 2007" (typeset, red label), d) "Paralectotype 2009 Pseudogeniates intermedius Oh. Soula det." (typeset and handwritten, red label). An additional paralectotype from Córdoba is the holotype specimen for Pseudogeniates cordobaensis Soula (see treatment for Pseudogeniates cordobaensis ). Ohaus (1914) stated that he described the species based on four specimens: two males and one female from Santiago del Estero (Wagner collection) and one male from Sierra de Córdoba.

Description

(based on 2 males and 1 female). Length 14.0-15.7 mm. Widest width 7.5-9.0 mm. Color: Dorsum, venter, and appendages rufotestaceous to castaneous (Fig. 2). Head (Fig. 17): Frons densely, confluently punctate or rugopunctate; punctures small and moderately large, mixed. Clypeus with dorsal surface densely punctate, confluently punctate or rugopunctate, punctures small and large, mixed; clypeal shape broadly semicircular, apex and sides broadly reflexed, with or without constriction basolaterally; disc (frontal view) with surface densely rugopunctate, punctures small and large, mixed, some setose (setae short to moderately long, rufous, sparse). Labrum with setae moderately long and short, rufous. Maxilla with galea fused, with 1 or 2 elongate bristle-like, medial, setae. Mentum (Fig. 9) longer than wide, form subtrapezoidal (base broader than apex), inner apex not projecting anteriorly, with inner shelf. Antenna 10-segmented with 3 segmented club; club subequal to stem. Pronotum: Medial line obsolete (male) or weakly indicated (female). Surface (disc) moderately densely imbricate with sparse, short, testaceous setae; surface (mediolaterally) moderately densely rugopunctate, punctures minute and small. Margin with setae short, testaceous. Elytra: Elytral apex rounded or quadrate (not spiniform). Discal striae punctate; 5 on disc mesad of humerus, 5 laterad of humerus; discal stria 1 (adjacent to sutural stria) extending from base to apical umbone; striae 2-3 and 4-5 paired, extending from near base to apical umbone; humeral stria 1 incomplete (extending from mid-elytron to near apical umbone), stria 2 extending from humerus to near apical umbone, striae 3-4 extending from base of metacoxa to near apical umbone (indicated by punctures, not sulcate), stria 5 poorly indicated, extending from base of metacoxa to subapex (indicated by punctures near base, sulcate near apex); punctures small, some longitudinal. Intervals with moderately dense, random punctures, some transversely wrinkled (on disc), punctures small; interval 1 broader than others. Pygidium: Disc and apex moderately densely punctate, some transverse; base and sides closely, weakly rugulose; punctures minute to small. Legs: Protarsomere 5 of male subequal to tarsomeres 2-4. Modified foreclaw of male subequal in length to tarsomeres 2-4; internoapical tooth present. Protibia (male and female) with external teeth evenly separated; basal 1/3 weakly dilated (male) or moderately dilated (female) (e.g., Figs 11-13). Mesotibia (male) with sides subparallel, weakly divergent towards apex; apex oblique with 8-11 moderately long spinulae; external edge with weak carina in basal 1/3, 1 carina in apical 1/3. Metatrochanter (male and female) weakly produced beyond posterior border of femur. Metacoxal corner square (female). Metacoxa at middle weakly produced posteriorly. Metatibia (male) with sides subparallel, apex weakly divergent; external edge with 1 carina in basal 1/3, 1 carina in apical 1/3; apex without corbel, with 2 inner spurs (spurs equal in width in male, with a weak curve at apex), inner apex with 21-25 short, stout spinulae. Metatibia (female) greatly divergent at apical 1/5; external edge with 1 carina in basal 1/3, 1 carina in apical 1/3; apex without corbel, with 2 inner spurs, inner apex with 28 short, stout spinulae. Parameres: Ventral plate nearly as long as dorsal plate but the sides converge with a weak constriction preapically and a rounded apex (Fig. 20).

Diagnosis.

Pseudogeniates intermedius is known from only three specimens. It is separated from other species in the genus by the form of the mentum (Fig. 9) and the form of the male parameres (Fig. 20). It is distinguished from Pseudogeniates cordobaensis by the form of the mentum (longer than wide and subtrapezoidal in Pseudogeniates intermedius [Fig. 9]; length subequal to width and pentagonal in Pseudogeniates cordobaensis [Fig. 8]) and apex of the ventral plate of the male parameres (with a weak constriction preapically and a rounded apex in Pseudogeniates intermedius [Fig. 20]; lacking preapical constriction and with quadrate apex in Pseudogeniates cordobaensis [Fig. 19]). It is separated from Pseudogeniates richterianus by the apex of the mentum (with an inner shelf in Pseudogeniates intermedius ; lacking inner shelf in Pseudogeniates richterianus [Fig. 9 versus Fig. 10]) and length of the ventral plate of the male parameres (nearly as long as dorsal plate in Pseudogeniates intermedius [Fig. 20]; half length of dorsal plate in Pseudogeniates richterianus [Fig. 21]).

Distribution

(Fig. 22). Pseudogeniates intermedius is distributed in the Chaco-seco eco-region in Argentina.

Locality data.

3 specimens from ZMHB. ARGENTINA (3): SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO (3): Barrancas ( Bañados de Río Dulce, 80 km W. d’Icaño), No data.

Temporal data.

December (1).

Natural history.

This species is known from two male specimens and one female specimen, and the natural history is not known.

Remarks.

Ohaus (1914) distinguished Pseudogeniates intermedius from Pseudogeniates richterianus based on the 10-segmented antenna (versus 9-segmented in Pseudogeniates richterianus ), the "front corners" of the clypeus (rounded in Pseudogeniates richterianus versus absent in Pseudogeniates intermedius ), and elytral coloration (brownish-red color in Pseudogeniates intermedius versus reddish-yellow in Pseudogeniates richterianus ). Based on our examination of specimens, these characters are highly variable and are not reliable for identification. Coloration varies within species (from testaceous to castaneous), form of the clypeus varies, and antennae vary from 9 to 10 segments. However, characters provided in our “Diagnosis” are sufficient to separate Pseudogeniates intermedius and Pseudogeniates richterianus .