Aegidium howdeni Frolov, Akhmetova

Frolov, Andrey V., Akhmetova, Lilia A. & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2017, Revision of the mainland species of the Neotropical genus Aegidium Westwood (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Orphninae), Journal of Natural History 51 (19 - 20), pp. 1035-1090 : 1066-1068

Aegidium howdeni Frolov, Akhmetova and Vaz-de-Mello, sp. nov.

( Figure 6 (a–h))

Type locality

Panama, Chiriquí, Finca La Suiza, 1220 m, FIT.

Type material examined

Holotype, male at CMN labeled ‘ Panama : Chiriqui Prov., Hornito Finca La Suiza 1220m 29. V.2000 H. & A.Howden FIT’ ( Figure 6 (b)) . Paratypes: GUATEMALA. Suchitepéquez: one female at CMN labeled ‘ Guatemala: Suc. Santa Barbara Fc. Santa Maria 12 August 1993 P.H. ’ ; one male at CMN labeled ‘ Guatemala: Suc. Santa Barbara Finca Sta Maria 12 VIII 1993 ’ . PANAMA. one female at BGCO labeled ‘ Panama: Gatun L. Barro Colourado I 14–16 June 1981 B.Gill ’ . Chiriquí: one male at CMN labeled ‘ Panama – Chiriqui Boquete , 1250 m 8°48 ʹ N; 82°26 ʹ W 27-V- 1975 Coll. H. Wolda’ ; one female at BGCO labeled ‘ Panama: Chiriqui Cerro Hornito 15 km NE Gualaca 2 VIII-12 IX 1982 B.Gill 1200 m’ ; two males and one female at ZFMAKB labeled ‘ Chiriqui’ ; one male at MNHN labeled ‘ Chiriqui. A.M. Contrale’ ; four males at CMN labeled ‘ Panama, Chiriqui Prov. Hornito Finca La Suiza 1220m 28.V.2000 H. & A.Howden ’ ; one male at CMN labeled ‘ Panama, Chiriqui Prov. Hornito Finca La Suiza 1220m 28.V.2000 H. & A.Howden FIT’ ; one male at CMN labeled ‘ Panama: Chiriqui Prov., Hornito Finca La Suiza 1220m 4. VI.2000 H. & A. Howden / Flight intercept Trap’ ; one male and one female at CMN labeled ‘ Panama: Chiriqui Prov., Hornito Finca La Suiza 1220m 5 VI.00 H. & A.Howden FIT’ ; one female at MNHN labeled ‘ V. de Chiriqui, 25–4000 ft. Champion’ . Panamá: one male at CMN labeled ‘ Panama: Panama Chepo-Carti Rd . 1–22 VIII 1982 B.Gill 400 m’ .

Additional material examined

PANAMA. Coclé: one female at CMN, El Valle , 14 June 1967, D.M. DeLong and C.A. Triplehorn leg. Panamá: one female at BMNH, Ciricito , 15 March 1930 . These single females most probably belong to Ae. howdeni sp. nov., but their identification is ambiguous and thus they are not included in the type series.

Diagnosis

Aegidium howdeni sp. nov. is most similar to Ae. sinuatum sp. nov. but can be separated from it by mesotibiae with a tuft of setae on inner side apically ( Figure 6 (c)), relatively narrow parameres (in lateral view) ( Figure 6 (e)), and posterior angles of pronotum weakly sinuate or not ( Figure 6 (a)).

Description

Holotype, male ( Figure 6 (a,c,g)). Body length 12.0 mm. Colour uniformly blackish brown.

Anterior margin of frontoclypeus slightly convex in middle, slightly sinuate each side of medial convexity, rounded laterally, with a narrow border. Frontoclypeus coarsely punctate with rounded punctures separated by about 1–2 puncture diameters; punctures on basal part of frontoclypeus 1.5–2.0 times larger than in apical part.

Eyes relatively large: width about 1/7 distance between eyes in dorsal view.

Pronotum with widely rounded lateral margins, wider than elytra, 1.6 times wider than length, 0.6 times length of elytra. Posterior angles subangulate, but not sinuate in dorsal view. Anterior margin bordered, with a row of large punctures interrupted medially. Base of pronotum without furrow, punctate with 2 irregular rows of large, rounded punctures. Pronotal disc excavated, with slightly convex area medially. Lateral pronotal processes acute in lateral view, their apices not protruding past lateral margins of pronotum in dorsal view. Pronotum punctate with large rounded punctures separated by 2–3 puncture diameters on disc and with smaller but denser rounded punctures on sides.

Scutellum narrow, narrowly rounded apically, about 1/11 length of elytra.

Elytra 1.20 times longer than wide, with humeral and apical umbones. Elytra widest in basal 1/3, slightly tapering apically in dorsal view. First elytral carina feebly distinct basally, second indistinct. Elytra covered with relatively dense elongate punctures.

Macropterous.

Mesotibiae with tuft of relatively sparse setae ventroapically. Inner apical spur of mesotibia shorter than basal mesotarsomere and not curved downwards ( Figure 6 (c)).

Aedeagus with relatively short (0.50 times length of phallobase), tapering parameres ( Figure 6 (e)). Apices of parameres acute in dorsal view and slightly curved downwards. Parameres wider than apical part of phallobase in dorsal view ( Figure 6 (f)). Ventrobasal transverse plate of parameres distinct. Endophallus without strongly sclerotised sclerites. Cranial part of spiculum gastrale relatively narrow, tapering apically, with widened and rounded apex ( Figure 6 (g)).

Female ( Figure 6 (d)) differs from male in having a protibial spur, relatively smaller pronotum without armature but with shallow longitudinal impression, and inner protibial tooth absent.

Variation

Body length of the paratypes varies from 9.0– 11.5 mm (males) and from 10.0–11.0 mm (females). The pronotal shape of male paratypes varies from well-developed armature as in the holotype to feebly developed with indistinct lateral processes, a shallow concavity anteromedially, and tubercle-shaped anteroapical pronotal process. Most of the specimens, males and females, have more or less sinuate posterior angles of the pronotum, but the sinuations are not so deep as in Ae. sinuatus sp. nov.

Distribution

Aegidium howdeni sp. nov. is known from a few localities in southern Central America (Cordillera de Talamanca) ( Figure 6 (h)).

Etymology

The new species is named after Henry F. Howden (1925–2014) who collected a part of the type series.

Figures

Figure 6. Aegidium howdeni, holotype male (a, c, g), paratype male (e, f), paratype female (d). Habitus in dorsal view (a, d), labels (b), apex of metatibiae (c), aedeagus in lateral view (e), parameres in dorsal view (f), spiculum gastrale (g), locality map (h).