Aegopsis vazdemelloi Sobral & Grossi, 2018

Sobral, Rafael, Grossi, Paschoal C. & De Morais, José W., 2018, Two new species of Aegopsis Burmeister, 1847 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) from the central Brazilian Cerrado, Zootaxa 4526 (2), pp. 175-194 : 190-192

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4526.2.4
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:541D8D11-DCC0-4E5C-8B23-81D92D0F1BE9
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5976895
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FC87E9-FF8B-0629-FF4C-CE2DF992C532
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Aegopsis vazdemelloi Sobral & Grossi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Aegopsis vazdemelloi Sobral & Grossi View in CoL , new species

( Fig. 2–8 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 View FIGURE 8 , 10–11 View FIGURE 10 View FIGURE 11 )

Diagnosis. Males: clypeus subrectangular, apex slightly emarginate ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ); internal lobe of mandibles strongly sclerotized, mesal brush not crossing the internal lobe ( Fig. 5C View FIGURE 5 ); mentum subtriangular ( Fig. 5F View FIGURE 5 ); labrum slightly prominent at middle, sides round ( Fig. 4G View FIGURE 4 ); small punctures on posterior angles of pronotum with micropunctures between them ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ); parameres, in ventral view, with apex acute, ventral carina basally acute, inferior edge of parameres round ( Fig. 6H View FIGURE 6 ). Females: clypeus round, punctures deep and coalescent on vertex ( Fig. 7E View FIGURE 7 ); distance from canthi carina to canthi apex larger than canthi thickness ( Fig. 3F View FIGURE 3 ); sensorial area of maxillary palpus rugose ( Fig. 4I View FIGURE 4 ).

Holotype description, male. Color: Surface lustrous; dorsum, venter, and appendages reddish brown with a weak metallic shine ( Fig. 10A View FIGURE 10 ). Head: Frons sparsely punctate, punctures small. Vertex almost four times wider than eye width. Cephalic horns moderately punctate; punctures small, mixed with larger punctures dorsally on lateral side. Clypeus densely punctate, punctures larger and marked basally, punctures fine apically; clypeus subrectangular, apex slightly emarginate at middle ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ). Ocular canthi anteriorly almost straight, posteriorly projecting with a round tip; canthi carina oblique, almost straight, continuous with canthi anteriorly ( Fig. 3E View FIGURE 3 ). Mouthparts: Labrum setose, almost semicircular, slightly prominent at middle, sides round ( Fig. 4G View FIGURE 4 ). Mandibles subtriangular with two prominent teeth apically and two ventral carina; apical protuberance absent; in ventral view, internal lobe strongly sclerotized, mesal brush not crossing internal lobe ( Fig. 5C View FIGURE 5 ). Maxilla with galea subtriangular, strongly oblique, teeth absent, anterior margin of external edge concave; maxillary palpomere IV 3.6 times longer than wide, sensorial area sparsely striate ( Fig. 4H View FIGURE 4 ). Mentum subtriangular, carina absent ( Fig. 5F View FIGURE 5 ). Prothorax: Pronotum bordered, disc weakly gibbous and distinctly punctate. Thoracic horn strong, apex slightly downturned. Punctures sparse medially, becoming denser laterally; small punctures on posterior angles of pronotum with micropunctures between them ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ). Anterior angles and lateral edges of horn completely wrinkled. Scutellum: Subtriangular , apex distinctly acute; punctures sparse and weak anteriorly, absent posteriorly, no setae. Elytra: Form 1.7 times longer than wide. Surface glabrous, irregularly covered by ocellate punctures, microsculpture slightly wrinkled. Elytral punctures generally irregular, with distinct sutural striae; striae not impressed, punctures large. Humeral umbone strong, apical umbone distinct crossing elytral external edges in dorsal view. Legs: Protibial surface with punctures coalescent dorsally; protibia with three well-developed external teeth, posteriorly decreasing in size; punctures weak and small on external edge of teeth. Pygidium : Form 2.5 times wider than longer, strongly convex. Disc glabrous on middle and posterior edges, hirsute laterally. Disc completely wrinkled with sparse punctures medially. Genitalia: Parameres, in dorsal view, as in Fig. 6I View FIGURE 6 ; in lateral view, almost with same thickness as apex of phallobase, lateral carina distinctly curved at base ( Fig. 6G View FIGURE 6 ); in ventral view, apex acute, ventral carina basally acute, inferior edge of parameres round ( Fig. 6H View FIGURE 6 ).

Measurement of holotype. Body length: 32.1 mm. Cephalic horns length: 7.3 mm. Elytral length: 17.6 mm. Elytral width: 10.0 mm. Pronotal width: 14.2 mm. Protibial length: 8.9 mm.

Paratypes variation, males. Major males with cephalic horns 2–4 times longer than vertex; body length 24.4– 34.2 mm (n = 14) and pronotal width 12.1–14.5 mm (n = 14), sometimes ocular canthi anteriorly rounder but never protruding. Thoracic horn 0.5 or one time longer than vertex. Minor males ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ) with cephalic horns smaller than vertex or with same length; body length 16.2–23.0 mm (n = 8) and pronotal width 9.8–11.0 mm (n = 8), thoracic horn short, like a tubercle, not crossing anterior margin of pronotum. Ocular canthi shorter, posteriorly more distinct; punctures of pronotum larger and denser than holotype.

Measurements of male paratypes. Body length: 16.2–34.2 mm. Cephalic horns length: 1.2–6.7 mm. Elytral length: 12.7–16.6 mm. Elytral width: 7.9–9.4 mm. Pronotal width: 9.8–14.5 mm. Protibial length: 6.4–8.1 mm.

Paratype description, females. Females as males in general aspect, except the following ( Fig. 10C View FIGURE 10 ). Head: Cephalic horns absent; frons with two inconspicuous tubercles ( Fig. 7F View FIGURE 7 ); clypeus round, slightly concave from frontoclypeal suture to apex; punctures larger and denser especially on clypeus, wrinkles in front of tubercles ( Fig. 7E View FIGURE 7 ). Ocular canthi convex anteriorly, concave posteriorly with tip thick and round; distance from canthi carina to canthi apex longer than canthi thickness ( Fig. 3F View FIGURE 3 ). Mouthparts: Labrum thinner, sides acute. Mandibles and teeth shorter, mesal brush reaching internal lobe but less hirsute than apex, internal lobe less sclerotized ( Fig. 8C View FIGURE 8 ). Maxilla shorter, galea apically acute, maxillary palpomere IV 2.8 times longer than wide, sensorial area shorter, rugose ( Fig. 4I View FIGURE 4 ). Mentum shorter and less triangular, apex longer ( Fig. 8F View FIGURE 8 ). Pronotum: Weakly convex; prothoracic horn absent; punctures larger and denser, sparser on sides, wrinkles absent. Scutellum: Punctures sparser on middle, larger and denser near base. Pygidium: Convex , apex sharp. Surface weakly setose laterally and medially. Coalescent punctures denser laterally, round large and dense punctures on middle, wrinkles on sides and posterior edge.

Measurements of female paratypes. Body length: 18.3–24.1 mm. Elytral length: 11.9–16.1 mm. Elytral width: 6.8–9.3 mm. Head length: 2.6–3.2 mm. Pronotal width: 9–11.2 mm. Protibial length: 4.6–6.7 mm.

Geographic distribution. Brazil: Mato Grosso ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ).

Material examined. Holotype male dissected, labeled: a) “ BRASIL: Mato Grosso. / Chapada dos Guimarães. / Centro. X-2010 FZ Vaz-de- / Mello”; b) “ Aegopsis vazdemelloi n. sp. / male HOLOTYPUS / R. Sobral & P.C. Grossi det. 2016”. Holotype at CERPE. Paratypes: 10 males and 3 females ( CERPE) with same data as holotype ; 3 males and 3 females ( INPA) with same data as holotype ; 12 males and 2 females ( CEMT) with same data as holotype ; 3 males ( EPGC) with same data as holotype ; 2 males ( EPGC) with the following data: “ BRASIL: Mato Grosso. / Chapada dos Guimarães. / 15.XI.2008 AAS Pinto” ; 1 female ( EPGC) with the following data: “ BRASIL: Mato Grosso. / Cuiabá. Tijucal. Manual. / 25.IX.2010 / A.P. Pinheiro ” ; 6 males and 3 females ( EPGC) with the following data: “ BRASIL: MT. Chapada / dos Guimarães. / 26.XI.2006 / F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello ” .

Etymology. This name is in honor of Dr. Fernando Zagury Vaz-de-Mello (UFMT), a scarab beetle specialist who collected most of the type series.

Remarks. Aegopsis vazdemelloi was found only in Chapada dos Guimarães municipality, a region with a formation of mountain ranges within the Cerrado in the south-central portion of Mato Grosso. The environmental conditions of the Chapada dos Guimarães are distinct from the other Cerrado areas, where A. diceratops and A. bolboceridus were found, generally being more humid and with extensive valley forests, covering the crevices and recesses of rocky walls ( Pinto & Oliveira-Filho 1999). Aegopsis vazdemelloi is very similar to A. bolboceridus but differs in males by having the vertex four times wider than the eye width ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ), the mentum subtriangular ( Fig. 5F View FIGURE 5 ), and the presence of small punctures on the posterior pronotal angles, with micropunctation between them ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ). On the contrary, in A. bolboceridus the vertex is 3.5 times wider than the eye width ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ), the mentum is subrectangular ( Fig. 5D View FIGURE 5 ), and the micropunctures are absent between the punctures on the posterior angles, instead with the surface smooth ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ). Also, males of A. vazdemelloi differ from A. diceratops in having the apex of the clypeus emarginate ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ), ocular canthi anteriorly almost straight ( Fig. 3E View FIGURE 3 ), and the ventral carina of the parameres basally acute ( Fig. 6H View FIGURE 6 ). In A. diceratops the apex of the clypeus is round ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ), ocular canthi anteriorly protruded ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ), and the ventral carina of the parameres is basally round ( Fig. 6E View FIGURE 6 ). Females of A. vazdemelloi can be distinguished by the deeper and coalescent punctures on the vertex ( Fig. 7E View FIGURE 7 ), the distance from canthus carina to canthus apex longer than the canthus thickness ( Fig. 3F View FIGURE 3 ), the pronotum rounder ( Fig. 10C View FIGURE 10 ), and the sensorial area of maxillary palpi rugose ( Fig. 4I View FIGURE 4 ). In A. bolboceridus , the punctures are shallower and annular on the vertex ( Fig. 7A View FIGURE 7 ), the distance from canthus carina to canthus apex is subequal to the canthus thickness ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ), and the sensorial area of the maxillary palpi striate ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ). In A. diceratops , the clypeus is trapezoidal, and punctures are absent on the vertex ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE 7 ), while in A. vazdemelloi the clypeus is round, and the punctures are deeper and coalescent on the vertex ( Fig. 7E View FIGURE 7 ).