Bothynus sapukai Duarte, Dupuis and Grossi, 2025

Duarte, Paulo R. M., Dupuis, Fabien & Grossi, Paschoal C., 2025, Taxonomic revision of the Bothynus ascanius (Kirby, 1819) (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Dynastinae) species group, Journal of Natural History 59 (9 - 12), pp. 663-737 : 723-725

Bothynus sapukai Duarte, Dupuis and Grossi sp. n.

( Figures 4c, 7d, 11k, 13o, 14o, 16d, 19l, 20e, 22)

Diagnosis

Bothynus sapukai sp. n. is nearly identical to B. rufipennis sp. n., but can be distinguished from the latter species by the set of characters listed above (see the differential diagnosis of B. rufipennis sp. n.). Bothynus sapukai sp. n. can also be compared to B. cylindricus , B. laticifex and B. ovalatus sp. n. However, B. sapukai differs from B. cylindricus by the concavity with complete posterior edge in both sexes; parameres with minute punctures only, combined with the apical lobes bearing divergent inner margins ( Figure 13 (o)); and tergite 8 of female entirely covered with coarse rugosity ( Figures 19 (l), 20(e)). Bothynus cylindricus instead bears the pronotal cavity with interrupted posterior edge in both sexes ( Figure 9 (c)); parameres with large and dense punctures, combined with nearly parallel apical lobes ( Figure 13 (e)); and tergite 8 of female finely rugose or punctate on disc (similar to those of B. laticifex ; see Figures 19 (i), 20(c)). From B. laticifex , B. sapukai sp. n. is distinguished by the inner protarsal claw of male with branches subequal in length ( Figure 11 (k)), parameres with convergent apical lobes ( Figure 14 (f)) and tergite 8 of female coarsely rugose ( Figure 19 (l), 20(e)). While B. laticifex bears the inner protarsal claw of male with outer branch shorter than inner one ( Figure 11 (e,f)), parameres with subparallel apical lobes ( Figure 13 (i)) and tergite 8 of female punctate or finely rugose ( Figure 19 (i), 20(c)). For the differentiation of B. sapukai sp. n. from B. ovalatus sp. n, see the differential diagnosis of the latter above.

Holotype

Male, dissected, labelled: ‘ PARAGUAY: Paraguarí, Sapucai , 19.viii.1994, Drechsei leg’. ( CERPE).

Paratypes

Three males with same data as holotype ( CERPE) . Two females, same data as holotype, except for ‘ 28 .vii .1997’ ( CERPE). One male, same data as holotype, except for: ‘ x .1995’ ( FDPC). One male and one female, labelled: ‘ PARAGUAY: Paraguarí, La Colmena, Caatumi, 03 .v .2005’ ( FDPC). Two males and two females, labelled: ‘ PARAGUAY: Departamento

Central, Capiata , 03 .x .2005’ ( FDPC). One female, labelled: ‘ PARAGUAY: Paraguarí: PN Ybycui, 21 .xi .1989’ ( FDPC).

Holotype description ( Figure 4 (c))

Length: 18.0 mm. Width: 9.5 mm. Colour: Reddish brown. Head: Clypeus subtriangular (posterior width 2.8 times wider than anterior); lateral margins regularly convergent, without constriction; anterior teeth small, triangular; surface densely rugose, glabrous. Frontoclypeal carina finely marked, slightly arched. Frons densely, transversely rugose; setae scarce, confined on sides close to eyes. Interocular width equals 4.3 transverse eye diameters. Ocular canthus subtriangular, weakly crenulate on outer margins. Mouthparts: Mandible bearing 3 teeth on outer margin; apical tooth subtriangular, diagonally truncated apically; medial tooth rounded apically, larger compared to apical one; basal tooth triangular, smaller than previous ones. Maxilla with 3 small, triangular teeth produced on apex of galea ( Figure 7 (d)). Labium subtriangular, slightly rounded laterally; lateral margins densely covered with large, deep, setigerous punctures; disc strongly rugopunctate. Antennae: Club globular, subequal in length to antennomeres 2–7 combined. Prothorax: Pronotum with small, conical anterior tubercle, rounded on apex; cavity oval, narrow, confined on anterior disc, moderately deep; pronotal surface strongly rugopunctate on anterior corners; lateral punctures large, dense, ocellate, contiguous, gradually becoming smaller, sparser towards discal region; posterior margin entirely covered with large, deep, coalescent punctures. Pterothorax: Scutellar plate subparabolic, finely punctate, punctures irregularly scattered. Elytral striae well marked, covered with small, ocellate punctures; punctures on sutural stria predominantly contiguous; punctures on other striae from contiguous to separated by 1 puncture diameter; interstriae scarcely punctate, except for the juxtasutural stria with large punctures scattered from anterior region to posterior corner of elytron. Legs: Inner protarsal claw deeply incised, with inner branch broader than outer one ( Figure 11 (k)). Protarsomere 5 bearing a ventrolateral, subapical process. Meso- and metatibia only with a middle carina produced on outer surface. Abdomen: Tergite 7 with stridulatory apparatus formed by 1 band of numerous finely marked, transverse striae. Tergite 8 glabrous, strongly rugose on sides, becoming finely rugopunctate on disc. Sternite 4 nearly completely rugopunctate; sternites 5–7 with a row of setose punctures confined on sides, disc smooth; sternite 8 densely rugopunctate on sides, disc smooth. Aedeagus: Parameres, in caudal view, smooth, rounded laterally at basal half, strongly constricted lateroventrally at apical half; apical lobes oval, with outer curvature close to basis, inner margins distinctly separated at basis, becoming strongly convergent towards apex ( Figure 13 (o)). Parameres, in lateral view, convex dorsally; ventral area with a small, basal carina; apex weakly deflexed; subapical region behind lobes strongly depressed ( Figure 14 (o)).

Variation in the paratypes

Males. Length: 16.8–17.0 mm. Width: 9.1–10.1 mm. Head: Interocular width equals 4.6 transverse eye diameters. Mouthparts: Mandible with rounded basal tooth. Legs: Inner protarsal claw sometimes with shorter outer branch (possibly broken). Aedeagus: Parameres provided with lateroventral teeth visible in caudal view. Females ( Figure 16 (d)). Length: 18.5–19.9 mm. Width: 9.9–10.8 mm. Head: Interocular width equals 4.2 transverse eye diameters. Prothorax: Pronotum bearing small anterior tubercle; cavity shallow, nearly declivous; sides of pronotum entirely covered with dense, large, deep, contiguous punctures; disc less punctate compared to sides; cavity densely rugopunctate, punctures oval in shape. Pterothorax: Elytral punctures larger compared to those of male, easily observed at naked eyes or 10× magnification. Legs: Inner protarsal claw simple, similar to outer claw. Tarsomere 5 without lateroventral process. Abdomen: Tergite 8 glabrous, completely covered with coarse rugosity ( Figures 19 (l), 20(e)). Sternite 8 entirely rugose, scarcely setose.

Distribution

Known from Paraguay (Paraguarí) ( Figure 22). There are records from Argentina and Uruguay ( Ratcliffe et al. 2023).

Etymology

The species name refers to ‘sapukaí’ from the Guaraní dialect, which means clamour. The specific epithet name has the same pronunciation as their type locality, Sapucai , a city of the Paraguari department, Paraguay .

Remarks

Bothynus sapukai sp. n. refers to ‘ Bothynus species 3 ’ mentioned by Ratcliffe et al. (2023).