Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) guapiloides Morón and Solís, 2001

Morón, Miguel Angel & Solís, Angel, 2001, Seven New Species Of Phyllophaga (S. Str.) Harris From Costa Rica (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Melolonthinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 55 (1), pp. 11-29 : 26-28

Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) guapiloides Morón and Solís , new species

Figs. 28–31

Holotype. Male. Clypeus, frons and pronotum shiny dark brown; elytra shiny dark brown, head and pronotum with erect, mixed long and short setae on entire surface; elytra with abundant decumbent short setae on entire surface and some scattered erect setae along the suture and toward the sides of scutellum; mouth parts, sterna, pygidium and legs shiny reddish brown. Clypeus 3.8× wider than long, anterior border slightly sinuate, with clearly elevated margin, surface slightly concave, densely rugopunctate, with many short erect setae. Frontoclypeal suture sinuate and partially hidden by punctures. Frons 1.7× wider than long, convex,densely rugopunctate, with mixed short and long setae on entire surface. Antenna 10­segmented, with 3­segmented club, lamellae of 8th to 10th segments 1.2× longer than length of preceeding 6 segments combined. Frons 5.0× wider than dorsal diameter of eye. Eye canthus long and wide, with 12–15 setae. Labrum bilobed, deeply notched, with abundant slender setae. Mentum slightly convex, with slender setae on each side, moderately sinuate anteriorly. Pronotum 1.8× wider than long and 2.2× wider than frons. Pronotal disk shiny, with deep, round punctures irregularly separated from one another by less than 1 diameter; lateral borders strongly angled, lateral marginal bead crenulate and progressively dentate toward posterior corner, with regularly located, long, slender setae; basal bead indicated by punctures, mainly toward the sides; anterior angles right, clearly prominent; posterior angles obtuse, clearly prominent. Scutellum 1.7× wider than long, with numerous shallow setiferous punctures. Elytron 2.4× longer than wider, shiny, densely setiferous punctate; epipleural border very narrow, extended along the complete margin, provided with dense fringe of short setae for entire length; humeral callus rounded, prominent; apical callus rounded. Metathoracic wings completely developed. Propygidium shiny, with fine punctures densely placed and setiferous punctures. Pygidium moderately convex, shiny, with fine punctures densely placed and setiferous punctures, with scattered long erect setae on distal half of disk; apical margin with 16 long, slender setae; basal margin effaced medially. Pterosterna with long, dense, yellowish setae. Visible abdominal sternites II–IV convex, with scattered fine setiferous punctures; sternite V convex, finely rugose with setiferous punctures on the middle, with a shallow transverse sulcus before the posterior border; anal plate moderately narrowed, slightly concave, with scattered setiferous punctures, anterior and posterior border clearly elevated nearly all along the complete width, with 14 long setae near the posterior border. Protibia slightly shorter than protarsus (0.8:1), with external border tridentate, basal tooth short, preapical spur acute, straight, as long as 2nd protarsomere. Mesotibia with one oblique, sharp, setiferous carina on external side; upper apical spur straight, narrow, and as long as lower spur. Metatibia 0.8× shorter than metatarsus, with one oblique, feeble, setiferous carina on external side; upper apical spur articulated, slightly curved, with apex acute, 0.9× shorter than basal metatarsomere, and 1.6× longer than lower spur; lower apical spur articulated with tibial border, slightly curved, with rounded apex. Tarsomeres semicylindrical, not much elongate, with enlarged apex and some setae apically; meso­ and metatarsomeres 2–4 ventrally with a serrulate longitudinal carina and one line of short setae at each side; protarsomeres 1–3 each with subapical small tooth­like blade. Tarsal claws symmetrical, similar on all legs, each with a large acute tooth near the middle of ventral border with some minute incisions before the base ( Fig. 28 ). Genital capsule with short and narrowed parameres, dorsally and ventrally fused, ring­shaped, apex straight, progresively narrowed, with tooth­like apex finely notched. Aedeagus long with preapical patches of strongly sclerotized short spines and one tuft of 7–8 very long setae on the dorso­apical area of sclerotized support, this support is a canaliculated wide structure with the base articulated with membranous parts of trema; ventral border of the apex slightly bisinuate ( Figs. 29– 30 ). Tectum convex. Length of genital capsule from apex of parameres to border of basal piece: 4.7 mm. Total body length: 19.2 mm. Humeral width: 8.9 mm.

Allotype. Female. Similar to the male except as follows: antennal club 0.8× shorter than the preceeding 6 segments; visible abdominal sternites II to V convex with more setae; anal plate convex. Metafemur 1.4× wider than femur of male. Metatibia at apex 1.4× wider than male metatibia. Both apical spurs of metatibia wider than in male. Pygidium less convex. Ventral genital plates strongly sclerotized, nearly symmetrical, round with wide, slightly elongated, setiferous apex; dorsal genital plates sclerotized, shortened, with wide setiferous apex ( Fig. 31 ). Total body length: 21.9 mm. Humeral width: 9.2 mm.

Paratype Variation. Males. Similar to holotype except in total body length: 18.0– 21.2 mm, humeral width: 8.0– 9.5 mm; some specimens slightly darker or lighter than holotype. Females. Similar to allotype except in total body length: 18.2–21.0 mm, humeral width: 8.3–9.1 mm.

Type Series. Described from 19 males and 13 females. Holotype male ( IN­BIO): ‘‘ Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Coto Brus, Estación Biológica Las Alturas , 23­III to 2­V­92, 1,500 m, F. Araya LS 322500, 591300/ INBIO CR 1000 909226 .’’ Allotype female ( INBIO): same data as holotype except INBIO CR I000 909233 . Paratypes: same data as holotype (18 males, 12 females). Paratypes deposited in CASC, CNC, INBIO, MXAL and ZMHU.

Type Locality. Estación Biológica Las Alturas , Coto Brus, province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica (approx. 8°58'N; 83°6'W).

Biological Data. All males and females of P. guapiloides n. sp. were collected at lights on the border of coffee plantations located at 1,500 m of altitude. Phenology: March–May (22).

Remarks. Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) guapiloides n. sp. probably belong to ‘‘ setidorsis ’’ species group (sensu Morón 1986), but the structure of the aedeagus is much different from that species. It is closely related to Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) guapiles Saylor from Guanacaste area and is without external differences, but the structure of parameres and the sclerotized support of aedeagus are clearly different ( Figs. 32–33 ). Female genital plates are also slightly different from P. guapiles ( Fig. 34 ). Density, size and shape of the punctures on the head, pronotum, elytra and pygidium; body vestiture; shape of hind tibial spurs, and tarsal claws; structure of tarsomeres and general pattern of aedeagus, will aid to separate this pair of sister species from other species in the ‘‘ setidorsis ’’ group.

Etymology. Derived from latin sufix ­ oides, similar, false (Jaeger 1955), meaning ‘‘similar to guapiles .’’ In the popular Spanish language of Costa Rica, the term ‘‘ guapil ’’ is applied to paired things.

Figures

Figs. 28–31. Phyllophaga guapiloides. 28) Protarsal claw, male; 29) genital capsule, lateral view; 30) paramera, distal view; 31) genital plates, female. Scale lines 5 1 mm, except Fig. 28 5 0.5 mm.

Figs. 32–34. Phyllophaga guapiles. 32) apex of genital capsule, lateral view; 33) apex of paramera and sclerotized support of aedeagus, ventro­distal view; 34) genital plates, female. Scale lines 5 1 mm.