Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) centralis ( Harold, 1869 )

Montoya-Molina, Santiago & Vaz-De, Fernando Z., 2021, Taxonomic review of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) agenor species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 734, pp. 1-64 : 19-22

Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) centralis ( Harold, 1869)

Fig. 6 , Map 4

Pinotus centralis Harold, 1869: 502 (original description)

Pinotus centralis – Blackwelder 1944: 69.

Dichotomius centralis – Halffter & Matthews 1966: 1. — Kohlmann & Solís 1997: 345.

Diagnosis

Dichotomius centralis is separated from the other species in the group by the following combination of characters: pronotum covered by dense subrugose punctures. Elytral striae strongly marked, wide and crenulate, easily observable by unaided eye, punctures undefined and crenulate, separated by the width of a puncture.

Material examined

Lectotype (here designated) NICARAGUA • ♂; “Nicaragua” [white, hw] / “Sallé Coll.” [white, p]/ “ Pinotus centralis type Harold apud. Sallé” [white, hw]/ “722” [green, p]/ “Type” [white, rounded with red margin, p]/ “B.C.A. p52 sp3” [white, p]/ “LECTOTYPE” [red with black margins, p]/ “ Pinotus centralis LECTOT. Ha. Det, F. Vaz-de-Mello, 2011 ” [white with black margins, phw]; BMNH.

Paralectotype

NICARAGUA • 1 ♀; “Type” [white, rounded with red margin, p]/ “Nicaragua” [white, p]/ “Sallé Coll.” [white, p] / “ Pinotus centralis type. Harold. Apud Sallé” [white with black margins, hw] /“B.C.A. p.52 sp.3” [white, p]/ “PARALECTOTYPE” [yellow with black margins, p]/ “NHMUK 010847042” [white, p]; BMNH .

Additional material BELIZE • 2 ♀♀; R. Carstoon [Sarstoon River]; B. Honduras [British Honduras]; Blancaneau B.C.A; p52. Sp3; BMNH • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Chiquibul Forest Res., Las Cuevas field station; 500–700 m a.s.l.; 88º59′ W, 16º44′ N; May–Jun. 1997; D. Inward leg.; BMNH 2005-78 .

COSTA RICA • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; P. Biolley; BMNH 1900-261 • 1 ♂; V.P. B.C.A; p52. Sp3; BMNH. – Cartago • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Paraiso ; 300 ft a.s.l.; Champion; B.C.A; p52. Sp3; BMNH. – Guanacaste • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Cañas , 3 km N of Hacienda La Pacífica; 90 m a.s.l.; 5–6 Jun. 1979; H. and A. Howden leg.; CEMT • 1 ♂; forest, carrion trap; 17 Jul. 1966; S. Peck leg.; CEMT • 26 ♂♂, 25 ♀♀; Santa Rosa NP, S Santa Rosa Estac. Biol.; 277 m a.s.l.; 10º52′10.4″ N, 85º35′56.6″ W; SEC. FORRESR; 15–19 Nov. 2003; L.G. Uhler leg.; BMNH • 2 ♀♀; Santa Rosa NP, Cuajiniquil-Sta. Helena ; 10º54′28.8″ N, 85º43′14.1″ W; 33 m a.s.l.; 14–18 Nov. 2003; Manfred Uhler leg.; BMNH • 9 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀; Guanacaste Prov; 300 m a.s.l.; Hacienda Poco Sol , 34 km N of Liberia; May–Jun. 1989; BMNH • 5 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; Guanacaste Prov. 11 km SW of Santa Rosa, nr Nancite Beach; May–Jun. 1989; BMNH • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Guanacaste Prov. ; 10º50′ N, 85º37′ W; 300 m a.s.l.; bosque humido [Humedo]; May–Jun. 1989; BMNH .

GUATEMALA • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Suchitepequez, Cuyatenango, Chacalte Sia ; V Jun. 1993; E. Espana; CEMT .

Redescription

Male

MEASUREMENTS. Length: 18.5 mm.

HEAD. Most of clypeal and genal surface rugose. Cephalic carina wider than high, anterior surface rugose. Median tubercle twice as high as lateral tubercles, conical in shape and not emarginated at apex; surface smooth, posterior portion rugose. Ventral clypeal process truncate and distally expanded (see Fig. 2B ).

PRONOTUM. Twice as wide as long. Anterior portion displaying accentuated declivity, dense sub-rugose punctures reaching antero-lateral fossae, separated by the width of a puncture ( Fig. 6D ). Pronotal disc covered by simple punctures, each of these punctures with fine microsculpture. Longitudinal sulcus weakly impressed. Anterior and posterior margins bearing row of disorganized ocellate punctures. Hypomeron middle edge smooth, without punctures. External margin with single row of disorganized long setae, all approximately same length.

ABDOMEN. Mesosternum and metepisternum covered by large ocellate setigerous punctures. Metasternum setigerous punctures restricted mainly to lateral and anterior areas.Anterior lobe pilosity does not connect with lateral pilosity through margins of mesocoxa (see Fig. 2H ). Lateral ocellate punctures separated by three times width of a puncture, setae long reaching metepisternal suture, suture visible. Longitudinal sulcus weakly marked. Ocellate punctures along anterior margin of each sternite, denser in lateral areas. Pygidium surface covered by simple punctures, basal margin bearing dense ocellate punctures.

ELYTRA. Surface of interstriae with shagreened microsculpture (see Fig. 2J ). Striae strongly marked, wide and crenulate, easily detectable without stereoscope, separated by one time width of puncture ( Fig. 6H ).

LEGS. Metacoxa posterior edge bearing single row of organized ocellate setigerous punctures, separated by width of a puncture.

PARAMERES AND LAMELLA COPULATRIX. As in Fig. 6C , E–F.

Morphological variation

Females ( Fig. 6B )

As males except for the following characters:

HEAD. Surface completely rugose. Fronto-clypeal carina quadridentate, median tubercles higher than lateral.

PRONOTUM. Weak medial knob, inconspicuous, observable in lateral view. Anterior and lateral surface covered by subrugose punctures fading towards medial disc. Hypomeron setae longer and denser than in males.

ELYTRA. Striae wider. Striae punctation undefined, crenulate and separated by half, or less width of a puncture.

Remarks

This species occurs in Belize, Costa Rica and Guatemala. The original description specified that the type series was collected in Granada, Nicaragua. Other published works report it for El Salvador ( Kohlmann & Solís 1997; López-Guerrero 2005). López-Guerrero (2005) argues that it is marginally likely to find this species in the south of Mexico, precisely in the state of Chiapas due to the proximity to Guatemala.

Figures

Fig. 6. Dichotomius centralis (Harold, 1869). A–B. Dorsal habitus. A. ♂. B. ♀. C. Lateral view of the aedeagus. D. Anterior view, head surface rugose, pronotal anterior surface showing subrugose punctation. E. Ventral view of the aedeagus. F–G. Lamella copulatrix. H. Elytral striae with crenulate punctures.

Fig. 2. General characters that help differentiate the species of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) agenor species group. A–D. Ventral clypeal process. A. Cordate as in D. agenor (Harold, 1869). B. Truncate as in D. sagittarius (Harold, 1869) stat. rev. C. Bifurcate as in D. belus (Harold, 1880). D. Cylindrical as in D. henripittieri sp. nov. E–F. Hypomeral characters. E. Medial disc smooth, lateral margin with multiple rows of setae as in D. amplicollis (Harold, 1869). F. Medial disc punctate, lateral margin with single row of setae as in D. tristis (Luederwaldt, 1923). G–H. Metasternum characters. G. Setigerous punctures from the medial and lateral edges joining throughout the margin of the mesocaxa as in D. enioi sp. nov. H. Setigerous punctures from the medial and lateral edges not joining throughout the margin of the mesocaxa as in D. centralis (Harold, 1869). I–J. Elytra interstriae. I. Smooth as in D. amplicollis. J. Shagreened as in D. agenor.