Dichotomius (Cephagonus) feeri, Nunes & Vaz-de-Mello, 2019

Nunes, Rafael V. & Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Z., 2019, Taxonomic revision of Dichotomius (Cephagonus) Luederwaldt 1929 and the taxonomic status of remaining Dichotomius Hope 1838 subgenera (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Dichotomiini), Journal of Natural History 53 (37), pp. 2231-2351 : 2318-2319

3.13.: Dichotomius (Cephagonus) feeri new species

( Figure 38 (a-d))

Diagnosis. this species is separated from other in the group by the following combined characters: males pronotum with pair of weak knobs on the anterior portion of disc (as D. blancoi ); elytral striae and punctures weakly impressed (as D. fissus ); males paramera with convergent apexes and paramera (ventral view) with a pair o strong basal excavations (as D. socius ).

● HOLOTYPE (male): FRENCH GUYANE: Nouragues. Floresta Primária. ii-2009. F Feer [at CEMT ].

● PARATYPES: same data of Holotype [3 ♀♀ at CEMT]; St. Laurent du Maroni. Bélvedère de Saül. 3³37 ʹ 22 ” Nı 53³12 ʹ 57 ” Wı 326 m. 19-ii-2008. SEAG [1 Ƌı 3 ♀♀ at

CEMT]; GUIANA: Pataro-Siparuni. Iwokara Rain Forest. 4³39 ʹ Nı 58 ³41 ʹ W. 31-v-2009. S Phelps [2 ƋƋ at TLpc];

Description (Holotypeı male). BL: 17 mmı PW: 8 mm. Colour: blackı shiny. Head: fronto-clypealı genal and inter-ocular surfaces smooth with few ocellate punctures evenly spaced. Gena borders slightly curved inward. Clypeo-genal angle acute and protuberant. Cephalic carina longer than wideı conical rounded at apex. Pronotum: borders smoothı not serrated. Pronotal disc shinyı lacking punctures and having a weak pair of tubercles on the anterior portion of disc. Region adjacent to eyes with ocellate punctures. Posterior margin with evenly spaced ocellate punctures. Metasternum: sidesı margins of anterior lobe and medio-anterior portion of anterior lobe covered by long hair. Anterior lobe with a triangular glabrous and microsculptured portion. Setigerous punctures equally spaced at sides. Elytra: striae weakly impressed having fine punctures spaced by 2-three times their diameter. Interstriae slightly convexı almost flat. Interstriae disc with dark-brown colourı lacking microsculpture with very fine punctures (20 x). Abdomen: sides of each ventrite with strong ocellate punctures and excavated near anterior margin. Puncture of each ventrite interrupted medially as well groove along the posterior margin of sixth ventrite. Aedeagus ( Figure 38 (b-d)): dorsallyı paramere apexes roundedı convergent; longitudinal excavation present taking the whole paramera length; basal-rounded excavation present; fine continuous carina present along paramera extension and delimiting excavations. Laterallyı subtle declivity from basis towards apex; wide excavation with chagrinated sculpture. Ventrallyı basis with a pair of wide-rounded excavations; subgenital plate emarginated both at apex and basis.

Morphological variation. males BL: 12 – 18 mmı PW: 7 – 9 mm. Females BL: 12 – 13 mmı PW: 7 – 8 mm. Females are distinguished from males as follows: Head: fronto-clypeal surface striated. Inter-ocular surface smooth. Cephalic carina transversal with two acute tubercles. Pronotum: simply convexı lacking lobes. Elytra: striae deeply impressedı punctures separated by twice their diameter. Blue sheen present near basis. Abdomen: sixth ventrite three times larger than fifth and bearing a weakly central-rounded lobe.

Distribution. Guyana and French Guiana ( Figure 27 ).

Etymology. named after François Feerı entomologist who collected the holotype.

Figures

Figure 27. Distribution map of D. quadraticepsı D. semicircularisı D. rondoniaensisı D. paschoali and D. feeri.

Figure 38. D. feeri: (a) male dorsal habitus; (b) paramera dorsal view; (c) paramera ventral view; (d) paramera lateral view. D. furtadoi: (e) larger male; (f) smaller male; (g) paramera lateral view (black arrow indicating the gibbosity on the anterior portion of the paramera); (h) paramera dorsal view; (i) paramera dorsal.