Delopleurus parvus (Sharp)

Frolov, Andrey V., 2014, Revision of the genus Delopleurus Boheman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) with description of new species from Africa, Journal of Natural History 49 (3), pp. 129-154 : 150-151

Delopleurus parvus (Sharp)

( Figure 8A–F )

Coptorhina parva Sharp 1876 .

Delopleurus cardoni Paulian 1934 , syn. nov.

Diagnosis

This species differs from the other Delopleurus species in having bilobate glabrous disc of pygidium with very thick borders similar in both sexes ( Figure 8B, E ), and elytral striae with large punctures ( Figure 8A, D ).

Description

Beetles are small (4.5–5.2 mm), strongly convex, black or dark brown, glabrous.

Male ( Figure 8A ). Clypeus quadridentate, medial teeth acute, lateral ones rightangled. Clypeal surface rugose in anterior part and laterally, frons densely punctate (punctures separated by less than puncture diameter).

Pronotum about two times wider than long. Anterior and lateral margins distinctly bordered, base not or feebly bordered laterally. Surface of pronotum densely punctate anterolaterally, sparsely punctate with smaller punctures basally and anteromedially.

Elytra trapezoidal, as wide as long, shiny. Stria fine, with punctures much larger than striae width. Elytral intervals slightly convex to almost flat, with minute punctuation.

Anterior tibiae with three outer teeth, without a small acute tooth between first outer tooth and apical spur. Anterior tibial spur bifurcated apically.

Pygidium with wide borders. Disc relatively small, somewhat bilobate, smooth and glabrous ( Figure 8E ).

Parameres rounded in lateral view, without processes ( Figure 8C ).

Female ( Figure 8D ) can be separated from male in having acute, not bifurcated spurs of anterior tibiae. Sculpture of pygidium is similar to that of male ( Figure 8E ).

Type material

Delopleurus parvus – holotype, female with the labels ‘Ind. Bor.’, ‘Laforte 5821’, ‘ex Mus. D.Sharp 1890’, ‘Museum Paris 1952 Coll. R. Oberthür’, ‘ Coptorhina parva Type D.S.’ ( MNHN) .

Delopleurus cardoni – 3 syntypes with the label ‘ Chota-Nagpore Palkot R.P. Cardon VII-VIII 1897’ ( MNHN) .

Additional material

INDIA: Chota Nagpore Nowatoli R.P. Cardon VIII-IX 1896, 3 females, 6 spm. ( IRSNB) ; Chota-Nagpore Nawatoli R.P. Cardon X.1897, 2 spm. ( MNHN) ; Chota-Nagpore Nawatoli R.P. Cardon 1898, 3 spm. ( MNHN) ; Chota-Nagpore Barway R.P. Cardon VI-VII.1897, 1 spm. ( MNHN) ; Bangalore Chikmagalur Tabourel 1900, 1 spm. ( MNHN) ; Pulney Hills R.P. Castets 1898, 3 spm. ( MNHN) . SRI LANKA: Coll. R.I.Sc.N.B Ceylan coll. Doherty Collection E.Candeze, 1 female ( IRSNB) .

Distribution

The species is known from a few localities in the Indian Peninsula – southeastern Deccan Plateau and Chota Nagpur Plateau. Locality map ( Figure 8F ) suggests that it can be associated with transitional zones between moist and dry deciduous forest ecoregions.

Remarks

Paulian (1934) described Delopleurus cardoni from nine specimens from northern India (‘Chota-Nagpore Nawatoli Palkot, R.P.Cardon VII-VIII.1897’). He separated D.cardoni from D.parvus on the basis of the punctate disk of pronotum in the former species and smooth in the latter. Comparison of the types of the both nominal species showed, however, that the both have relatively densely punctate disk of pronotum and do not differ significantly in other characters. The new synonymy is therefore established.

Figures

Figure 8. Delopleurus parvus. (A, D) habitus (A, male, D, female); (B, E) pygidium (B, male, E, female); (C) aedeagus in lateral view and internal sac; (F) locality map.