Tomarus maimon Erichson, 1847

(Figs. 1I, 8H, L, 16I, 19I, 23D, 27I; 43)

Tomarus maimon Erichson, 1847: 96 . Original combination.

Male lectotype (ZMHB) “Hist-Coll ( Coleoptera) / Nr. 27450 / Tomarus / Maimon Erichs. / Peru, v. Tschudi/Zool. Mus. Berlin // SYNTYPUS / Tomarus / maimon Erichson, 1847 / labelled by MNHUB 2013 // TOMARUS / MAIMON / ERICHSON / LECTOTYPE / B.C. Ratcliffe”, here designated. Ratcliffe labeled the specimen but did not publish the lectotype designation. Female paralectotype (ZMHB) same labels as lectotype except “ TOMARUS / MAIMON / ERICHSON / LECTOALLOTYPE / B. C. Ratcliffe”. Male paralectotype (ZMHB) same labels as lectotype except “ TOMARUS / MAIMON / ERICHSON / PARALECTOTYPE / B. C. Ratcliffe 2014 ”. Male paralectotype (ZMHB) “Maimon / Er / Peru v. Tschudi / Lima // SYNTYPUS / Tomarus / maimon Erichson, 1847 / labelled by MNHUB 2013 // TOMARUS / MAIMON / ERICHSON / PARALECTOTYPE / B.C. Ratcliffe 2014 ”. Type locality: Peru.

Heteronychus fossator Burmeister, 1847: 101 . Synonym. Female lectotype designated by Dupuis (2016: 31) (MLUH) “fossator / Dej. / Cayenne Buq // Pronotum + kopf fraglich // Lectotypus / Ligyrus / (Heteronychus) fossator Burm. / Endrödy” Head and pronotum glued are a different species of another genus with rounded clypeus and bituberculate pronotum. Dupuis (2016) chose the abdomen as the lectotype, which is valid based on Article 73.1.5 of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (1999). Type locality: Cayenne, French Guiana.

Description. Habitus as in Fig. 27I. Length 21.9–28.0 mm; humeral width 11.0– 13.5 mm. Color dark reddish brown to black. Head: Frons and clypeus coarsely and densely rugose. Frontoclypeal region with 2 conical tubercles (Fig. 1I), separated by about 4.5–5.0 tubercle diameters. Clypeus narrowed towards apex (Fig. 1I), base 3 times wider than apex. Clypeal teeth triangular, separated by a tooth diameter. Mandible with 2 apical teeth and a lateral, narrowly rounded tooth. Mentum abruptly constricted at apical 3rd. Galea of maxilla with teeth 5 and 6 well developed. Interocular distance 3.5 times an eye width. Pronotum: Surface with small punctures; denser and deeper on anterior and posterior angles. Apical tubercle prominent, rounded, slightly recurved. Subapical fovea deep, rounded, narrow (> 1/2 the interocular distance), equal in both sexes, surface transversely rugose. Scutellum: Surface with minute, sparse punctures. Elytra: Punctures on first interval as large as those on other intervals. Inner surface of apex with rounded, large tubercles forming 30 diagonal parallel lines (Fig. 8L). Abdomen: Apex of tergite IV with a triangular wide area with large, rounded tubercles forming 14–15 parallel lines (Fig. 8H). Pygidium with dense rugosity on basal 3rd, apex rounded. Venter: Apex of prosternal process flat, longitudinally oval to subrectangular. Metasternum with short, sparse setae. Legs: Protibia tridentate, without basal denticle. Apex of metatibia crenulate, with 15–19 spinules. Male genitalia: Spiculum gastrale without basal plates. Phallobase 1.2 times longer than parameres. Parameres with 1 dorsal small tooth each side, rarely without teeth, apices widely dilated (Figs. 16I, 19I). Internal sac with copulatory lamella and short lamellar spiny belt; with a complex of 5 spine-like accessory lamellae, with dense granules at base (Fig. 23D).

Diagnosis. Tomarus maimon can be differentiated by the following character combination: frontoclypeal tubercles conical (Fig. 1I); pronotal tubercle acute and prominent; pronotal fovea transversely oval (as wide as interocular distance); protibia tridentate, without basal denticle; apex of metatibia with 15–19 spinules; parameres with 1 dorsal small tooth each side, rarely without teeth; apices roundly dilated (Figs. 16I, 19I).

Distribution. Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador.

Locality records (Fig. 43). 195 examined specimens from IEXA, FSCA, MERKB, MN/UFRJ, SENASA, UNSM, USAAC, USNM, and ZMHB. Some records from CMNC and Endrödi (1969) and Dupuis (2016). BRAZIL (5). Mato Grosso (2): Parque Nacional Xingú; Rosario Oeste. Pará (3): Carindé, Río Guripi; Utinga. CHILE (6). Arica y Parinacota (6): Arica; Valle de Azapa. ECUADOR (5). Guayas (1): Guayaquil. Manabí (2): Bahía de Caraquez; Manta. Los Ríos (2): Los Ríos. FRENCH GUIANA (1). Cayenne (1): Cayenne. GUYANA (1). Georgetown (1): Georgetown. PERU (212). Ancash (1): Santa, Moro. Arequipa (1): Camaná, Quilca. Cajamarca (1): Baños del Inca. Ica (36): Chavín, Cerro Lindo; Chincha; Ica; Paracas, Santa Cruz; Topará; Villacurí. Junín (12): Chanchamayo; La Merced; Pichanaqui; Satipo, Mazamari. La Libertad (15): Ascope, Chócope; Libertad; Pacasmayo; Trujillo; Virú. Lambayeque (2): Chiclayo, Lambayeque. Huánuco (7): Aucayacu, Tingo María. Lima (87): Canta, Santa Rosa de Quives; Cañete; Huaura, Lachay; Huaura, Sayán/Andahuasi; Huaral, Huando; Huarochirí, Matucana; Huarochirí, San Pedro de Casta; Huarochirí, Santa Eulalia; Lima, La Molina; Lurín; Quebrada Verde. Loreto (11): Alto Amazonas, Yurimaguas; Yanamono. Moquegua (1): Ilo, Río Osmore. Piura (11): Chira; Morropón, Chulucanas; Paita; Piura. Tambogrande/Progreso Bajo. Tacna (6): Jorge Basadre, Locumba; Tacna. San Martín (1): Tocache. Imprecise data (20): Peru.

Natural history. Tomarus maimon is a relative common species in Peru where it is known as “gusano blanco” and has been cited as occasional pest of sugar cane feeding on roots and stumps (Carrasco 1967; Ayquipa & Cueva 1979); it can also attack the roots of the sweet potato that is known as camote (Daza & Rincón 1993). Adults are attracted to lights at night.