Eophileurus quadratifovealis Yang & Pathomwattananurak, 2022

Yang, Qiao-Zhi, Geshev, Georgi, Pathomwattananurak, Wuttipon & Zhao, Ming-Zhi, 2023, Two new species of the genus Eophileurus Arrow, 1908 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae Dynastinae) from the Philippines and Vietnam, with first description of E quadratifovealis Yang & Pathomwattananurak, 2022 female, Zootaxa 5249 (2), pp. 290-300 : 298-299

Eophileurus quadratifovealis Yang & Pathomwattananurak, 2022

( Figs. 7A–7C )

Eophileurus quadratifovealis Yang & Pathomwattananurak, 2022: 472 (type locality: “Pluang Subdist., Chanthaburi Prov., Thailand ”), fig. 1b (elytral punctures), figs. 99–102, 113–114 (habitus), figs. 175–180 (parameres).

Type material examined. As in Yang & Pathomwattananurak (2022).

Additional material examined (1♀). Thailand: 1♀ ( CQZY), pupa collected at 15.VII.2022, Mu Si Subdist., Pak Chong Dist. , Nakhon Ratchasima Prov., Qiao-Zhi Yang & W. Pathomwattananurak leg., adult emerged 16.VII.2022 .

Description of female. General ( Figs. 7A–7C ): Body black with slight reddish color, oblong, flattened, surface shiny; ventral surface with dense, short, reddish-yellow setae. Head: Clypeus strongly and densely rugopunctate throughout, with a short, sharp tubercle at center; clypeal apex acute. Frons strongly and densely rugopunctate throughout. Mandible sinuate on outer margin. Pronotum: Surface with dense and large punctures, punctures becoming denser and larger near margins, more so near anterior margin. Anterior region with an indistinct, small, flattened area. Sides subparallel at middle; all margins beaded, more strongly on sides. Anterior angle acute, apex slightly rounded, posterior angle obtusely angulate. Scutellum: Surface with sparse punctures mainly near base. Elytra: Surface with dense micropunctures, and dense, U-shaped, large punctures. Interstice 1 with punctures in 3 irregular rows combined at middle to 2 irregular rows then to 1 irregular row on posterior one-third, interstice 2 with irregularly distributed punctures, rows unrecognizable. Primary costa A distinct, primary costa B less distinct. Subapical umbone moderately prominent. Margins of elytra strongly and horizontally dilated from base to posterior two-fifth. Pygidium: Surface convex but flattened on disc, with dense and small punctures throughout. Metasternum: Surface mainly dark reddish, with lighter color on central region; punctures dense and large near sides; central portion with sparse and small punctures only; setae yellow, dense and short on posterior region excluding the center. Abdominal ventrites: Surfaces with micropunctures throughout and larger punctures on each side; last ventrite with dense, large punctures throughout and rugopunctures at anterior region, punctures denser and larger than on other ventrites. Legs: Protibia tridentate. Inner metatibial spur long, slightly curved outward, outer metatibial spur shorter, more strongly curved outward.

Measurements. Length: 24.5 mm; width: 13.0 mm.

Natural history. A single pupa was collected from the rotten part (with gray, dirt-like rotten wood material) approximately 1.5 meter tall on a standing rotten tree trunk (40 to 50 centimeters in diameter), without trace of any other larva, pupa or adult or any adult body remains. The adult emerged on the second day after its collection.

Remarks. The description of the female of Eophileurus quadratifovealis Yang & Pathomwattananurak, 2022 is based on a specimen collected from the same area (same forest) as one of the male paratypes. Distribution of this species seems to be limited to eastern Thailand based on only a few specimens; the more common and better known E. confinis Prell, 1913 however, distributes surrounding the aforementioned region, and does not have record within it (see Yang & Pathomwattananurak 2022). The female is therefore assigned to this species due to its collecting locality and the highly similar external characters to the male. Due to the close relation between E, quadratifovealis and E. confinis , the female resembles each other greatly. There seems not to be any stable character distinguishing the two except the former has generally denser punctures and micropunctures on the elytra than the latter, and the pronotum margin more distinctly parallel at the middle than in E. confinis . It would be more reliable to distinguish them via with the accompany of male specimens or the distribution.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Habitus of Eophileurus quadratifovealis Yang & Pathomwattananurak, 2022, female. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, oblique view.