Aegidium varians 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 : 1087-1088

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

( Figure 20 (a–i))

Type locality

Ecuador, Cotopaxi, Otonga Natural Reserve.

Type material examined

Holotype, male at CEMT labeled ‘ ECUADOR COTOPAXI OTONGA 2000 m 00°25’S 79°00 ʹ W 23AUG1999 TEnriquez’ ( Figure 20 (b)) . Paratype, male ( Figure 20 (c–f)) at CMN labeled ‘ Ecu Pich ., 4300 ʹ 3km W. Tandapi 21–27.VI.75, S.Peck wet ravinecar.tp 49’.

Diagnosis

Aegidium varians sp. nov. is similar to Ae. borrei but differs in the absence of a tuft of setae on the metatibiae. From other species of Aegidium it also differs in the parameres having long, narrow, sclerotised apices.

Description

Male, holotype ( Figure 20 (a,c,h)). Body length 20.0 mm. Colour uniformly blackish brown.

Anterior margin of frontoclypeus slightly convex in middle, very slightly sinuate each side of medial convexity, rounded laterally, without border. Frontoclypeus punctate with rounded to slightly elongate punctures separated by less than a puncture diameter.

Eye width about 1/8 distance between eyes in dorsal view.

Pronotum with widely rounded lateral margins, wider than elytra, 1.5 times wider than length, 0.6 times length of elytra. Posterior angles widely narrowly rounded. Anterior margin not bordered. Anterior pronotal process long, horn-shaped, with truncate apex. Base of pronotum not bordered, with irregular row of large, rounded, punctures separated by about 1 puncture diameter. Pronotal disc deeply excavated. Lateral pronotal processes long, horn-shaped, curved backwards. Punctation of pronotum relatively dense on sides and sparser on median excavation and at each side of lateral processes; most of punctures have slightly raised margins giving punctures somewhat crater-shaped appearance.

Scutellum narrow, rounded apically, about 1/12 length of elytra.

Elytra 1.2 times longer than wide, with humeral and apical umbones. Elytra widest in basal 1/3, tapering apically in dorsal view. Elytral carinae distinct. Elytra covered with relatively sparse punctures (separated by 1–2 puncture diameters); punctures are smaller and sparser on lateral sides and apices of elytra, and denser and somewhat elongate, with slightly raised margins on disc.

Macropterous.

Mesotibiae without a tuft of setae ventroapically. Inner apical spur of mesotibia shorter than basal mesotarsomere and not curved downwards ( Figure 20 (c)).

Aedeagus with relatively long (0.56 times length of phallobase), tapering parameres ( Figure 20 (e)). Parameres almost as wide as apical part of phallobase in dorsal view ( Figure 20 (f)). Ventrobasal transverse plate of parameres indistinct ( Figure 20 (g)). Lateral teeth of parameres not protruding past paramere outline in dorsal view ( Figure 20 (f)). Apices of parameres long, narrow, and sclerotised ( Figure 20 (e,f)). Endophallus without strongly sclerotised sclerites. Cranial part of spiculum gastrale wide, tapering in apical 1/ 3 ( Figure 20 (h)).

Female unknown.

Variation

The paratype is smaller (body length 16 mm), with narrower pronotum, poorly developed prothoracic armature. Its dorsal side punctate with rounded to elongate punctures without raised margins as in the holotype ( Figure 20 (d)).

Distribution

Aegidium varians sp. nov. is known from two close localities in the Ecuadorian Andes ( Figure 20 (i)).

Etymology

From the Latin varians , indicating a variable appearance.

Figures

Figure 20. Aegidium onorei, holotype male (a–c, h), paratype male (d, e–g). Habitus in dorsal view (a, d), labels (b), apex of metatibiae (c), aedeagus in lateral view (e), parameres in dorsal view (f), parameres in ventral view (g), spiculum gastrale (h), locality map (i).