Palaeophileurus ocampoi Neita and Ratcliffe

Moreno, Jhon César Neita & Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2012, A New Species Of Palaeophileurus Kolbe (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Phileurini) From Peru, The Coleopterists Bulletin 66 (3), pp. 261-265 : 262-264

Palaeophileurus ocampoi Neita and Ratcliffe , new species

( Figs. 1–4 )

Type Material. Holotype labeled “ PERÚ: Departamento de Pasco / Paujil ( Parque Nacional Yanachaga Chemillén )/ 10°21′20.85″S; 75°21′15.15″W. 500 mt. 23-IX-93/ P. Mocking ” . Allotype with same data but date of 9-VI-94. Types deposited at the Museo de San Marco, Universidad Nacional de Lima, Peru .

Holotype. Male ( Fig. 1 ). Length: 25.98 mm; width 12.31 mm. Color piceous, head and pronotum slightly darker. Head: Frons broadly and weakly depressed between eyes; surface with sparse, moderately large punctures. Small tubercle present either side of midline mesad of antennal insertion. Clypeus subtriangular, apex obtusely acuminate, reflexed; surface with small, sparse punctures and feeble ridge extending from apex to base of each tubercle. Interocular width equals 4.5 transverse eye diameters. Mandibles arcuate on lateral edge, apex pointed. Antenna with 10 segments, club subequal in length to segments 2–7. Pronotum: Surface with moderately dense punctures; punctures deep, large, transversely oval to round on disc, moderate in size and round elsewhere; becoming denser along lateral margins. Base lacking marginal bead. Elytra: Surface finely, densely shagreened, with rows of sparse punctures; punctures small in size, not ocellate; lateral margins and apical umbone with small, setigerous punctures; punctures with minute, tawny setae. Intervals flat, impunctate. Legs: Protibia with 3 subequally spaced, elongate teeth. Metatibiae with upper angle of apex produced into short tooth. Basal tarsomere of posterior tarsus with apex slightly produced, but without elongate spine. Pygidium: Surface completely, densely punctate; punctures large, umbilicate, with minute, tawny setae. In lateral view ( Fig. 3 ), surface regularly convex. Venter: Prosternal process ( Fig. 2 ) long, stout, apex broad and with 2 large lobes (anterolateral) and 1 small lobe (posteromedial). All abdominal segments with rows of setae on sides, center without setae. Last sternite completely covered with small, moderately dense punctures. Parameres: In caudal view, each paramere with strong, lateral tooth just above subangulate apex ( Fig. 4 ).

Allotype. Female. Length 21.87 mm; width 10.63 mm. As holotype except in the following respects: Elytra: Humeral umbone slightly more developed; puncture slightly denser and larger; apical umbone smaller. Legs: Spurs on meso- and metatibia shorter. Pygidium: Surface slightly concave in lateral view.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of our colleague, Dr. Federico Carlos Ocampo, in recognition of his contributions to the study of Neotropical scarab beetles and for his friendship.

Distribution. Palaeophileurus ocampoi is known only from the type locality in Parque Nacional Yanachaga Chemillén, Departamento de Pasco, Paujil, Peru. This park is located in the Selva Central of Peru. It is comprised primarily of tropical rain forest (bh-T) with average annual rainfall exceeding 6,000 mm. It has some of Peru’ s most diverse Amazonian flora, with Annonaceae , Bombacaceae , Fabaceae , Lauraceae , Lecythidaceae , Malvaceae , Moraceae , and Myristicaceae dominating ( Vásquez et al. 2005).

Diagnosis. Palaeophileurus ocampoi is distinguished by the unique form of the parameres ( Fig. 4 ), which, in caudal view, have a strong, lateral tooth just above the subangulate apex. This species resembles P. sclateri in gestalt. In P. ocampoi , the tubercles on the head are slightly separated, whereas in P. sclateri they are nearly contiguous, and the depression between the eyes is shallow, but in P. sclateri it is deep. The pronotum lacks a concavity on each side, whereas concavities are present in P. sclateri . The prosternal process has a wider apex ( Fig. 2 ) than in P. sclateri . The meso- and metatibia on the ventral surface have a short row of setae, and in P. sclateri the row of setae extends from the base to the apex. Palaeophileurus ocampoi is also similar to P. panamensis , but the elytral punctures are different. In P. ocampoi the punctures are small, and in P. panamensis the punctures are large. The parameres in P. ocampoi are distinctly different from those of both P. panamensis and P. sclateri . The form of the male parameres is the principal method for species identification, and unidentified females cannot usually be reliably identified.

CHECKLIST OF THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS PALAEOPHILEURUS KOLBE

Palaeophileurus Kolbe 1910: 335 . Type species: Phileurus sclateri Bates , by monotypy.

Palaeophileurus brasiliensis Ratcliffe 1988: 50 (original combination). Brazil.

Palaeophileurus carbo Ratcliffe 2002: 336 (original combination). Peru.

Palaeophileurus erebus Ratcliffe 2002: 336 (original combination). Peru.

Palaeophileurus fallax Dechambre 1997: 32 (original combination). French Guiana.

Palaeophileurus fallax Dechambre 1996: 132 . Nomen nudum.

Palaeophileurus marcusoni Ratcliffe 1988: 52 (original combination). Brazil, Ecuador, Peru.

Palaeophileurus ocampoi Neita and Ratcliffe (original combination; this publication). Peru.

Palaeophileurus panamensis Dechambre 1997: 32 (original combination). Supposedly from Chiriquí, Panamá as indicated on the label (LeMoult collection), but this is probably an erroneous record, and the label data on this old specimen may be incorrect. Paleophileurus panamensis is known only from the Amazon region in South America. JCN found a second specimen in the Humboldt Collection with the following data: COLOMBIA Amazonas/ Tarapaca Corregimiento la/Pedrera quebradón del Ayo/ 1°55′11.9″S 69°31′39.7″W / Captura manual 6.v.2002 /F. Quevedo. Leg.”, and with the identification label of “ Palaeophileurus panamensis Dechambre, 1997 ”.

Palaeophileurus panamensis Dechambre 1996: 132 . Nomen nudum.

Palaeophileurus proximus Dechambre 1997: 32 (original combination). Brazil, Peru.

Palaeophileurus proximus Dechambre 1996: 132 . Nomen nudum.

Palaeophileurus sclateri ( Bates, 1887) . Guyana, French Guiana, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru (New country record: Loreto, Maynas , Napo , Río Curanay , Gasoducto , Barrett , 1°35′16.13″S / 75°24′19.70″W. 216 m, 29-II-2008. W, Paredes collector) .

Phileurus sclateri Bates 1887: 490 (original combination).

Figures

Figs. 1–3. Palaeophileurus ocampoi, holotype. 1) Dorsal view; 2) Ventral view; 3) Lateral view.

Fig. 4. Palaeophileurus ocampoi, parameres. a) Caudal view, b) Lateral view.