Pachacama Soula, 2006

Moore, Matthew R., Jameson, Mary L., Garner, Beulah H., Audibert, Cedric, Smith, Andrew B. T. & Seidel, Matthias, 2017, Synopsis of the pelidnotine scarabs (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae, Rutelini) and annotated catalog of the species and subspecies, ZooKeys 666, pp. 1-349 : 1

Pachacama Soula, 2006 Fig. 50

Type species.

Pachacama ocampoi Soula, 2006.

Species.

2 subspecies; length 15-17 mm.

As noted by Soula (2006; translated from French) in his description of this unusual genus, "cladistics or molecular analysis is needed more than ever." Soula (2006) included this lustrous, dark green chafer in the pelidnotine scarabs, and he noted characters that it shared with Minilasiocala (now a junior synonym of Microogenius ) and Chrysophora . Phylogenetic analyses are needed to address sister-group relationships of this taxon. Pachacama ocampoi possesses unusual autapomorphs (prosternum produced anteriorly, mesosternum posterior to prosternal peg with transverse fold), and it is possible that it is more closely related to some anticheirine scarabs.

Pachacama can be diagnosed based on the following characters: dorsal surface smooth (lacking striae, obvious punctures or rugosity); clypeus elongate with parabolic apex (subequal in length and width); external margin of mandible bisinuate with apical tooth reflexed; pronotum with apical bead incomplete at middle (bead complete medially and basally); protibia with 2 external teeth; apex of metatibia produced on external margin; metatarsus 1 short (half the length of metatarsus 2); metacoxal corner produced, acute; mesosternum appreciably produced beyond metamesosternal suture; protarsal claws of male with internal claw enlarged, split (female split); meso- and metatarsal claws simple in male (widely split in female); 5th tarsomeres (all legs) with medial tooth; uncus subcylindrical, tapering at apex.

Pachacama ocampoi is endemic to Ecuador where it is recorded between 500 to 1650 m elevation in the provinces of Cañar and Pichincha. Natural history and larvae are unknown.

Figures

Figure 50. Pachacama ocampoi Soula male from MSPC. A Dorsal habitus B Lateral habitus C Male genitalia, lateral view D Male parameres, dorsal view.