Polynoncus neuquen ( Vaurie, 1962 )

Costa-Silva, Vinícius, Strümpher, Werner P., Thyssen, Patricia J. & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2024, Taxonomic revision of the South American genus Polynoncus Burmeister, 1876 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Trogidae), Journal of Natural History 58 (1 - 4), pp. 14-166 : 109-112

Polynoncus neuquen ( Vaurie, 1962)

( Figures 47–48 )

Trox neuquen Vaurie, 1962: 123 (original description)

Trox (Polynoncus) neuquen : Scholtz 1982: 16 (catalogue)

Polynoncus neuquen : Scholtz 1986a: 362 (systematics); Scholtz 1990: 1434 (redescription); Gómez 2008: 516 (key to Argentinean species); Zidek 2013: 13 (checklist); Zidek 2017: 105 (checklist); Smith 2017: 98 (new records); Costa-Silva and Diéguez 2020: 272 (records from Argentina)

Type specimen examined (through detailed photographs). HOLOTYPE. (♂ MFNB – Figure 47 ) First label [white, aged, typeset]: ‘Dr. LENDL ADOLF / NEUQUEN 1907’. Second label [red with black frame, typeset] : ‘ Holotypus / Nr’. Third label [white, Patricia Vaurie’s handwriting]: ‘ Trox / neuquen / ♂ Vau’. ( Figure 47e ) . Type locality: ‘Neuquén’ ( Argentina). Probably close to the Lake Nahuel Huapi and Confluencia Department, where Dr Adolf Lendl spent a month collecting in 1907 (see Keve and Sámuel 1969, p. 352) .

Differential diagnosis. Polynoncus neuquen is most similar to P. pittinoi , but they can be separated by the morphology of elytral costae. Polynoncus neuquen has a space between tubercles on the odd-numbered costae that is 2 times (sometimes 3 times) bigger than the tubercles’ diameter. In P. pittinoi , this space is smaller than the tubercles’ size. Also, P. neuquen has the 9th elytral costae granulate, never tuberculate, while it is tuberculate in P. pittinoi . Costa-Silva and Diéguez (2020), using high-resolution photographs, illustrated both species in dorsal habitus and the male genitalia for comparison.

Geographic distribution. Polynoncus neuquen is widely distributed in Argentina ( Figure 48 ), with one record from Bolivia, with no precise locality. Scholtz (1990) cited this species from Salta ( Argentina), the northernmost known record. We examined the same specimen previously studied by C. Scholtz at IFML and confirmed its identity as Polynoncus neuquen . Also, we examined one specimen from ‘Bolívia’ (old label, handwritten) housed in BMNH, without further information about its locality. This record from Bolivia (the first from the country), is not surprising since the latitudinal range is similar to the record from Salta ( Argentina) mentioned by Scholtz (1990). However, new records are needed to confirm which regions of Bolivia this species occurs in.

Vaurie (1962) mentioned one female specimen from Coquimbo ( Chile) housed in MFNB. As discussed by Smith (2017), the record provided by Vaurie (1962) is doubtful, since no additional information/records of this species occurring in the Chilean territory were presented in the last 60 years (see Diéguez 2008). Unfortunately, we were not able to examine this specimen.

Examined non-type material (136 specimens). ARGENTINA: Catamarca, without specific locality, date or collector (2♂ MLPA) . Chubut, Paso de Indios , 50 km W Los Altares, 8 February 2011, cattle carcass,V .M . Diéguez leg . (1♂ and 1♀ CVMD); Península Valdés , 1 March 1998, D . Rojas Lanus leg . (1 CEMT); Sierra del Chacay, 22 January 2012, horse carcass, no collector (1♂ and 2 unsexed CVMD); Telsen , 3 February 2011, under Guanaco carcass [ Lama guanicoe ], G . Arriagada leg . (1 CVMD); Telsen , 3 February 2011, under Guanaco carcass [ Lama guanicoe ], G . Arriagada leg . (1♂ CEMT); without specific locality, date or collector (1 MLPA) . Entre Rios, Pueblo Liebig , February 1996, Mateo Zelich leg . (1♂ CVMD) . Mendoza, Las Heras , 25 km N Uspallata, 2400 m, 28 January 2004, cattle carcass, G . Flores and S . Roig leg . (5 IADIZA); Las Heras , 7 km E Paramillos, 2824 m, 4 December 2004, cattle carcass,J . Lobos leg . (9 IADIZA); Las Heras, Reserva Natural Villavicencio , 2200 m, 31 December 2014, F . Aballay leg . (2 CEMT); Las Heras, Reserva Natural Villavicencio , 2600 m, 31 January 2016, F . Aballay and F . Jofré leg . (1 CEMT); Las Heras, Reserva Natural Villavicencio , 2600 m, 31 January 2016, F . Aballay and F . Jofré leg . (19 IADIZA); Las Heras, Reserva Natural Villavicencio , 2600 m, 31 December 2014, F . Aballay leg . (8 IADIZA); Las Heras, Reserva Natural Villavicencio , 2600 m, 31 December 2015, F . Aballay and F . Jofré leg . (5 IADIZA); Malargüe, Reserva Provincial La Payunia, zona petrolera Fortunoso , 1668 m, 3 December 2016, black light, G . Flores leg . (1 IADIZA); San Carlos, Reserva Natural Laguna del Diamante, Puesto Alvarado , 2327 m, 34.246°S, 69.380°W, 8–17 February 2005,S . Claver leg . (10 IADIZA); Uspallata , 16 km NW Archaeological Park of Tambillos, 2700 m, 28 January 2004, cattle carcass, G . Flores leg . (2 IADIZA); Uspallata , 25 km NW Archaeological Park of Tambillos, 28 January 2004, cattle carcass, G . Flores leg . (1 IFML); Uspallata , 5 km W Archaeological Park of Tambillos, 2500 m, 27 January 2004, G . Flores and S . Roig leg . (20 IADIZA); Uspallata, Estancia Yaguaraz , 9 March 1940, Biraben leg . (1 MLPA). Neuquén, Bajada del Agrio, 9 May 1964, no collector (2♂ CVMD); Bajada del Agrio, 9 May 1964, no collector (9 IADIZA); Bajada Marucho , 870 m, 4 December 1972, M . Gentili leg . (2 IADIZA); Bajada Marucho , 870 m, 9 January 1970, M . Gentili leg . (3 IADIZA); Cerro La Pintada , 21 January 1983, M . Gentili leg . (1 IADIZA); Cerro La Pintada , 650 m, 21 October 1990, M . Gentili leg . (1 IADIZA); Laguna Blanca National Park , 3 March 1984, M . Gentili leg . (1 IADIZA); Los Lagos, Río Caleufú , November 1964, A . Giai leg . (1 CVMD); Piedra del Aguila , 525 m, 7 February 1992, M . Gentili leg . (1 IADIZA); Sañico , 900 m, 14 March 1972, M . Gentili leg . (2 IADIZA); without specific locality, 1907, Dr Adolf Lendl leg . (1 MNHN); without specific locality, 950 m, 14 December 1974,M . Gentili leg . (3 IADIZA); Zapala, Villa Militar de Covunco 29 October 1962, M . Gentili leg . (1 IADIZA). Río Negro, Ministro Ramos Mexía, Corral Chico, 6 March 1915, no collector (1♂ MLPA); Ministro Ramos Mexía , Corral Chico , no date or collector (5♂ and 3 unsexed MLPA); Pilcaniyeu , 12 km N [north] Comallo , Estancia El Gringo , 735 m, 11 July 2017, black and white lights, G . Flores and F . Aballay leg. (1 IADIZA). Salta, Capiazutti , September 1944, R . Golbach leg . (1 IFML). San Luis, Villa Elena , November 1976, M . Viana leg . (1♂ CVMD) . BOLIVIA: without specific locality, date or collector (1 BMNH) .

Figures

Figure 47. Holotype of Trox neuquen Vaurie, 1962 (now Polynoncus neuquen): habitus in a, dorsal and b, lateral view; male genitalia in c, dorsal and d, lateral view; e, labels. Photos by Bernd Jäger (MFNB).

Figure 48. Distribution map of Polynoncus neuquen (red circles), P. patriciae (green triangles), and P. pittinoi (blue squares) in South America. The records with a black dot in the centre indicate the type locality of the respective species.