Trigonopeltastes formidulosus, Smith, Andrew B. T., 2016

Smith, Andrew B. T., 2016, Five new species of Trigonopeltastes Burmeister and Schaum from Central America with new country records for other New World Trichiini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), ZooKeys 617, pp. 91-127 : 93-96

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Scarabaeidae

Trigonopeltastes formidulosus sp. n.

Type locality.

Monteverde, 1500 m, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Type series.

Holotype male, allotype female, 9 male paratypes, and 11 female paratypes. Holotype male, allotype female, and one male paratype at CMNC and one male paratype and one female paratype at UNSM labeled "COSTA RICA, Puntarenas / Monteverde, 1500m / May 11-13, 1996 / E. Giesbert, coll." (typeset). One male and one female paratype at CMNC labeled "COSTA RICA, Puntarenas / San Luis (Monteverde) / 3900' May 12-13, 1996 / E. Giesbert, coll." (typeset). One male paratype (database # INBIOCRI000567265) at MNCR labeled "Est. G. Brenes, 1300m, / Res. Biol. Monteverde, / Prov. Punt. COSTA RICA / E. Bello, Jun 1991, / L-N-249750,450075" (typeset) and " Trigonopeltastes femoratus ? / DET. / H. F. HOWDEN 94" (handwritten and typeset). One female paratype (database # INBIOCRI000601568) at MNCR labeled "Est. G. Brenes, 1300m, / Res. Biol. Monteverde, / Prov. Punt. COSTA RICA / E. Bello, Jun 1991, / L-N-249750,450075" (typeset) and "ADN Barcodeado / 2011 / Elena Ulate A." (typeset). One male paratype (database # INBIOCRI001857744) at MNCR labeled "San Luis, Monteverde, R. B. Monteverde, / A. C. Arenal, Prov. Punta, COSTA RICA. / 1000-1350 m. Ene 1994, Z. Fuentes, L N / 449250_250850 # 2609" (typeset) One female paratype (database # INBIOCRI001894631) at MNCR labeled "Buen Amigo, San Luis Monteverde, A. C. / Arenal, Prov. Punta, COSTA RICA. 1000- / 1350 m. May 1994, Z. Fuentes, L N / 250850_449250 # 2926" (typeset). One male paratype (database # INBIOCRI001895044) at MNCR labeled "Buen Amigo, San Luis Monteverde, A. C. / Arenal, Prov. Punta, COSTA RICA. 1000- / 1350 m. May 1994, Z. Fuentes, L N / 250850_449250 # 2926" (typeset) and "ADN Barcodeado / 2011 / Elena Ulate A." (typeset). One female paratype (database # INBIOCRI001895048) at MNCR labeled "Buen Amigo, San Luis Monteverde, A. C. / Arenal, Prov. Punta, COSTA RICA. 1000- / 1350 m. May 1994, Z. Fuentes, L N / 250850_449250 # 2926" (typeset) and "ADN Barcodeado / 2011 / Elena Ulate A." (typeset). One male paratype (database # INBIOCRI001895061) at MNCR labeled "Buen Amigo, San Luis Monteverde, A. C. / Arenal, Prov. Punta, COSTA RICA. 1000- / 1350 m. May 1994, Z. Fuentes, L N / 250850_449250 # 2926" (typeset). One female paratype (database # INBIOCRI001923144) at MNCR labeled "San Luis, Monteverde, R. B. Monteverde / A. C. Arenal, Prov. Punta, COSTA RICA. / 1000-1350 m, 20-27 Jun 1994, Z. / Fuentes, L N 250850_449250 # 3029" (typeset). One female paratype (database # INBIOCRI001923145) at MNCR labeled "San Luis, Monteverde, R. B. Monteverde / A. C. Arenal, Prov. Punta, COSTA RICA. / 1000-1350 m, 20-27 Jun 1994, Z. / Fuentes, L N 250850_449250 # 3029" (typeset). One female paratype (database # INBIOCRI001923255) at MNCR labeled "Buen Amigo, San Luis Monteverde, A. C. / Arenal, Prov. Punta, COSTA RICA. 1000- / 1350 m. 8-12 Jun 1994, K. Matínez, L N / 250850_479250 # 3078" (typeset). One male paratype (database # INBIOCRI001992059) at MNCR labeled "Buen Amigo, San Luis Monteverde, Prov. / Punta, COSTA RICA. 1000 - 1350 m. Ago / 1994, Z. Fuentes, L N 250850_449250 # / 3168" (typeset), " Trigonopeltastes simplex Bates? / DET. / H. F. HOWDEN 01" (handwritten and typeset), and "ADN Barcodeado / 2011 / Elena Ulate A." (typeset). One female paratype (database # INBIOCRI001992060) at MNCR labeled "Buen Amigo, San Luis Monteverde, Prov. / Punta, COSTA RICA. 1000 - 1350 m. Ago / 1994, Z. Fuentes, L N 250850_449250 # / 3168" (typeset) and "ADN Barcodeado / 2011 / Elena Ulate A." (typeset). One female paratype (database # INBIOCRI000457825) at MNCR labeled "Fca. Cafrosa, 1300m. Est / Las Mellizas, P. Internac. / La Amistad, Prov. Punt. / COSTA RICA. M. / Ramirez, Jun 1991, / L-S-316100, 596100 ♀" (typeset and handwritten), " Trigonopeltastes / femoratus ? / DET. / H.F. HOWDEN 94" (handwritten and typeset), and "ADN Barcodeado / 2011 / Elena Ulate A." (typeset). One male paratype at UNSM labeled "COSTA RICA, PUNTARENAS / MONTEVERDE / APR 19-26 1988 / E. GIESBERT, COLL." (handwritten) and "Tr. / nigrina / DET. group. / H.F. HOWDEN 91" (handwritten and typeset). One female paratype at UNSM labeled "COSTA RICA, PUNTARENAS / MONTEVERDE / APR 19-26 1988 / E. GIESBERT, COLL." (handwritten). The types listed above bear my red holotype or allotype label or yellow paratype label.

Description of holotype

(Figs 7-11, 13). Male. Length 9.0 mm, width 3.5 mm. Color: dorsal surface black with orange band and white, cretaceous band on each elytron (Figs 7-8). Legs tan except protibia and protarsus dark brown. Head: Surface setose with short setae medially on disc, without cretaceous markings (Fig. 11), clypeus with longitudinally elongate punctures. Clypeus about as long as wide with midline weakly elevated, apex emarginate. Antenna with 10 antennomeres, club longer than length of antennomeres 2-7. Maxilla with long, thin brush slightly protruding beyond clypeus in dorsal view. Mentum densely setose, obscuring surface. Pronotum: Surface of disc dull-black with shiny micropunctures (Fig. 11). Marginal bead complete, without complete ring of setose cretaceous markings inside marginal bead (only a few small patches of cretaceous markings in marginal bead). Pronotal disc with more-or-less complete inverted triangle indented into the surface with thin, cretaceous markings; cretaceous markings of triangle without setae (Fig. 11). Scutellum: Surface without cretaceous markings. Elytra: Surface glabrous, matt. Transverse cretaceous bands (1 on each side) adjacent to lateral edge approximately halfway between base and apex, length approximately ¼ width of single elytron (Figs 7-8). Elytral striae weakly defined with rows of small punctures, striae not indented into surface. Orange markings consisting of a transverse band adjacent to lateral edge approximately halfway between base and apex, width slightly less that half the width of single elytron (Figs 7-8). Pygidium: Surface with large, basiolateral, cretaceous makings; disc with distinct ridges of concentric circles (as in Fig. 12). Disc strongly, evenly convex with apex deflexed, flat. Venter: Sternum with large, central, cretaceous marking and smaller transverse, cretaceous markings apicolaterally and basiolaterally; remainder of surface setose (Fig. 9). Visible abdominal sternites 1-4 medially covered with cretaceous markings (except for small, central triangles); with short, white setae scattered throughout (Fig. 9). Legs: Protibia with 2 distinct teeth near apex (Fig. 8). Mesotibia robust with edges weakly bowed outward medially. Metatibia clavate. Tibial spurs acute, unmodified. Parameres: Robust at base tapering to an acuminate tip apically (Figs 10, 13).

Variation.

Female allotype (Figs 14-17): length 9.5 mm, width 4.0 mm. The female allotype differs in the following characters. Color: orange band on elytra twice as thick as on holotype (Figs 14-15). Legs dark brown except mesotarsus, metatibia, and metatarsus tan. Pygidium: Surface with smaller basiolateral cretaceous makings. Disc weakly convex with apex not deflexed (Fig. 17). Venter: Sternum without cretaceous markings. Visible abdominal sternite 1 with small, lateral, cretaceous spot; sternites 2-4 without cretaceous markings. Legs: Protibia with 3 distinct teeth, 2 near apex and 1 medial. Paratypes: length 8.5-10.0 mm. Orange band on elytra either thick or thin, regardless of sex; 3 females had greatly expanded, orange coloration covering much of basal half of elytra. Legs vary from dark tan to dark brown with females generally having darker legs than males. Pygidium: Basiolateral cretaceous makings never significantly larger than seen in Figs 12, 17. Venter: Sternum and abdominal sternites of males with variable-sized cretaceous markings but markings always present in males and never present in females (except on sternite 1).

Etymology.

This species is named for the black-and-orange, Halloween-themed coloration of the dorsal surface. The word formidulosus is a Latin for “scary”. This name is an adjective in the nominative singular.

Distribution

(Fig. 56). COSTA RICA - Puntarenas (18): Buen Amigo (San Luis, Monteverde), Estación G. Brenes (Reserva Biológica Monteverde), Finca Cafrosa ( Estación Las Mellizas, La Amistad), Monteverde, San Luis (Monteverde).

Temporal data.

January (1), May (9), June (6), August (2).

Remarks.

This species has many similarities to Trigonopeltastes geometricus but has consistently different dorsal color pattern and pygidial structure and cretaceous markings. Trigonopeltastes geometricus is variable across it’s distribution and within populations but typically has more extensive orange color patterns on the elytra and always has thick lateral bands of cretaceous markings on the pygidium often leaving only a medial strip exposed. Trigonopeltastes formidulosus consistently has a single orange spot on each elytron without further orange lines and markings (except for the occasional thin basal line adjacent to scutellum and three females have more extensive orange coloring covering much of the basal half of the elytra). The apex of the pygidium in males is deflexed at a 90° angle in Trigonopeltastes formidulosus while only slightly convex in male Trigonopeltastes geometricus .