Podolasia parapilosa Smith and Paulsen, 2017

Smith, Andrew B. T. & Paulsen, M. J., 2017, Two New Species of Podolasia Harold (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Podolasiini) from Coahuila, Mexico, The Coleopterists Bulletin 71 (3), pp. 532-536 : 534-536

Podolasia parapilosa Smith and Paulsen , new species

( Figs. 6–11 )

Type Material. Holotype male ( UNMC) labeled: a) “ Mexico: Coahuila: Cuatro / Cienegas Nat’ l. Preserve / 21.VI.2011 / 26.84484°N 102.17866°W / D.C. Lightfoot et al., colrs”; b) “Site B3 / ~ 19.43 km SW of Cuatro / gypsum dunes, pedestals / general collecting”; c) on red paper, “HOLOTYPE / Podolasia parapilosa / Smith & Paulsen”. Eight male paratypes (3 CMNC, 1 MJPC, 1 UNAM, 2 UNMC, 1 UNSM) labeled as holotype except for c) on yellow paper “PARATYPE / Podolasia parapilosa / Smith & Paulsen”. Twenty male paratypes (4 CMNC, 2 MJPC, 1 UNAM, 10 UNMC, 3 UNSM) labeled: a) “ Mexico: Coahuila: Cuatro / Cienegas Prot. Area / 18.V.2010 / 26.8336°N 102.1620°W / D. Lightfoot, K.R. Wetherill, et al.”; b) “Site B1 / ~ 19km SW Cuatrocienegas / gypsum dune / light trap, oatmeal line / general collecting”; c) on yellow paper “PARATYPE / Podolasia parapilosa / Smith & Paulsen”. Twelve male paratypes (2 CMNC, 8 UNMC, 2 UNSM) labeled: a) “ Mexico: Coahuila: Cuatro- / Cienegas Prot. Area 18.V.2010 / 26.833°N 102.162°W, ~ 20 km / SW Cuatrocienegas, colr. D.C. / Lightfoot, K.R. Wetherill, et al.”; b) “Site B1 light trap / Gypsum Dunes”; c) on yellow paper “PARATYPE / Podolasia parapilosa / Smith & Paulsen”.

Description. Male, length 6.5 mm, greatest width 2.5 mm. Color dorsally and ventrally reddish brown with head and pronotum slightly darker. Head apically arcuate (not subcircular), clypeal and genal margins not continuous. Clypeal length and width subequal ( Fig. 10 ), sides reflexed, anteriorly thickened either side of weak median emargination, posteriorly not coplanar with frons; frontoclypeal suture carinate; clypeal disc with scattered large punctures, each with a long seta, surface between punctures roughened with micropunctures. Labrum not visible, presumably fused with clypeus. Genal margin distinctly produced, rounded; raised edge thickened anteriorly. Frons lacking secondary transverse carina, instead with oblique irregular carinae parallel to eyes; surface rugopunctate. Mouthparts reduced, except for labial and maxillary palpomeres. Antenna with 9 antennomeres ( Fig. 10 ). Pronotum weakly convex ( Figs. 6–7 ), not declivous anteriorly, widest at middle, with marginal bead complete, thin laterally, not distinctly crenate near anterior angles; lacking distinct transverse groove behind anterior margin; lateral margin with dense, long setae; setae becoming short and sparse on posterior margin. Anterior angles slightly produced near eyes, acute; posterior angles obsolete; pronotal disc except near anterior and posterior margins with sparse, large punctures, punctures closer laterally than on disc, surface between punctures shiny; some lateral punctures with setae. Scutellum longer than wide, with bluntly rounded apex, surface smooth, impunctate. Elytron lacking impressed striae, 4 striae indicated by irregular rows of large punctures, some punctures with a fine, semi-erect seta; intervals between rows of punctures with irregular, sparse punctures lacking setae; interval punctures mixed fine to large; surface shiny; apex of elytron rounded near suture. Pygidium relatively short and broad, surface with scattered punctures, each with a long seta; surface shiny, feebly reticulate basally. Abdomen with ventral sutures mostly effaced (connate), only apical and basal segments with defined sutures. Protibia with 2 teeth. Metafemur oval, less than 2X long as wide. Metatibia elongate, about 2X longer than width at apex; apex with basotarsal flange narrowly produced in lateral view; slanted carina extending across 1/2 of outer face near apical third of tibia, outer surface without distinct tubercles.Tarsal claws simple. Each paramere of genitalia ( Fig. 11 ) straight externally with distinctive triangular expansion apically. Wings present.

Female. Unknown.

Variation. Length 4.5–6.3 mm, greatest width 1.5–2.6 mm. Smaller specimens lack a clypeal emargination.

Remarks. Podolasia parapilosa keys to P. pilosa in Howden (1997) . Podolasia parapilosa is distinguished by the clypeus being longer than wide (wider than long in P. pilosa ) and usually weakly emarginate (never emarginate in P. pilosa ), the metatibiae being 2–3X as thick at the apex compared to the base (at least 3X thicker in P. pilosa ), the straight outer edges of the parameres (slightly bowed medially in P. pilosa ), and the distribution in Coahuila, Mexico (New Mexico, Chihuahua, and bordering areas of Texas in P. pilosa ).

When describing the tribe Podolasiini, Howden (1997) provided a list of other “primitive” melolonthine taxa that shared some characters. One additional character that we observed and warrants mention is the sclerotized male genital capsule (Fig. 9). This structure has two apical knobs with forward projecting setae, which is remarkable for a taxon in the phytophagous scarab clade (Smith et al. 2006). The vast majority of phytophagous scarabs have a soft genital capsule without hard sclerotized parts or setae.

Etymology. We name this species P. parapilosa , meaning “close to P. pilosa ”, to indicate the many similarities between these two species. This name should be treated as an adjective in the nominative singular.

Figures

Figs. 6–11. Podolasia parapilosa, holotype and paratype. 6) Holotype, dorsal habitus; 7) Holotype, oblique habitus; 8) Paratype, ventral habitus; 9) Holotype sclerotized genital capsule; 10) Holotype, apical view of the head; 11) Holotype parameres.