Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) belus ( Harold, 1880 )

Montoya-Molina, Santiago & Vaz-De, Fernando Z., 2021, Taxonomic review of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) agenor species group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 734, pp. 1-64 : 15-19

Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) belus ( Harold, 1880)

Fig. 5 , Map 3

Pinotus belus Harold, 1880: 25 (original description). Pinotus belus – Luederwaldt 1929: 98; 1936: 213. — Blackwelder 1944: 80.

Dichotomius belus – Roze 1955: 44. — Medina et al. 2001: 138. — Sarmiento & Amat 2014: 93–95.

Diagnosis

Dichotomius belus is separated from other species in the group by the following combination of characters: setae on body surface sparse or absent. Clypeal teeth generally reduced in large males and in most cases completely absent in females. Male cephalic carina conical, antero-posteriorly flattened and curved anteriorly, higher than wide. Ventral clypeal process greatly emarginate.

Material examined

Lectotype (here designated) COLOMBIA • ♂, “ Medellín ” [white, hw]/ “ Belus Harold .” [white, hw] /“Ex-Musaeo E. Harold” [white with black margins, p]/ “LECTOTYPE ♂ Pinotus belus Harold des. F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014” [red with black margin, phw]; MNHN .

Paralectotypes (3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀)

COLOMBIA • 1 ♀; “Columbia Pinotus Belus Harold ” [white, hw] / “Ex-Musaeo E. Harold” [white with black margins, p]/ “ PARALECTOTYPE ♀ Pinotus belus Harold des. F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014” [yellow with black margin, phw]; MNHN • 1 ♂; “ Medellín ” [white, hw] / “Ex-Musaeo E. Steinheil” [white with black margins, p]/ “PARALECTOTYPE ♂ Pinotus belus Harold des. F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014” [yellow with black margin, phw]; MNHN • 1 ♀; “ Medellín ” [white, hw]/ “Ex-Musaeo E. Steinheil” [white with black margins, p]/ “ PARALECTOTYPE ♀ Pinotus belus Harold des. F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014” [yellow with black margin, phw]; MNHN • 1 ♀; “ Medellín ” [white, hw] / “Ex-Musaeo E. Steinheil” [white with black margins, p]/ “ PARALECTOTYPE ♀ Pinotus belus Harold des. F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014” [yellow with black margin, phw]; MNHN • 1 ♂; “ Ocaña Landoldt ” [white, hw]/ “Ex-Musaeo E. Steinheil” [white with black margins, p]/ “ PARALECTOTYPE ♂ Pinotus belus Harold des. F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014” [yellow with black margin, phw]; MNHN • 1 ♂; “ Ambalema ” [white, hw]/ “Ex- Musaeo E. Steinheil” [white with black margins, p]/ “ PARALECTOTYPE ♂ Pinotus belus Harold des. F.Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014” [yellow with black margin, phw]; MNHN.

Additional material

COLOMBIA • 1 ♂; 1–4 Mar. 1972; dung and forest; S. and J. Peck leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀; 22 Apr. 1964; CEMT • 1 ♀; Sep. 1957; Gallego; CEMT • 1 ♀; 21 Apr. 1964; CEMT. – Antioquia • 1 ♂; Medellín; BMNH • 7 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; Medellín; CEMT • 1 ♀; Medellín ; 15 Dec. 1962; CEMT • 1 ♀; Medellín; Encorredo ; Apr. 1947; Gallego leg.; CEMT • 6 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Puerto Berrio ; 300 m a.s.l.; 6º29′31.20″ N, 74º34′39.84″ W; Mar. 2015; S. Montoya-M leg.; CEMT • 3 specs; Puerto Berrio, Vda. La Carlota ; 590 m a.s.l.; 6.518° N, -74.582° W; Oct. 2012; J. León leg.; IAvH. – Boyacá • 1 ♂; Villa de Leyva; Pastizal ; Dec. 1998; J. Noriega leg.; CEMT • 1 spec.; Villa de Leyva, Rio Cane ; 2200 m a.s.l.; Jul. 1996; F. Escobar leg.; IAvH • 1 spec.; Villa de Leyva ; 2200 m a.s.l.; Sep. 1996; M. Álvares leg.; IAvH ] • 1 spec.; Villa de Leyva, Claustro San Agustín ; 2200 m a.s.l.; Aug. 1998; K. Schutze leg.; IAvH. – Cauca • 1 spec.; Bolivar, Buenos Aires, Área de reserva Lerma ; 1700 m a.s.l.; 2º0′0″ N, 76º57′ W; Jan. 2010; W. Guzmán leg.; ECC. – Cundinamarca • 1 spec.; Beltrán, Insp. Paquiló, Fca. Santana ; 650 m a.s.l.; 4.6678° N, 74.7596° W; Nov. 2014; A. Lopera leg.; ECC • 1 spec.; Chinauta, Fusagasugá ; 1900 m a.s.l.; Jan. 1995; A. Amézquita and A. Lopera leg.; ECC • 1 ♂; Fusagasugá ; 6 Sep. 1962; CEMT • 1 ♀; Cachipay, alrededores colégio Fátima ; 1500 m a.s.l.; 14 Apr. 1991; A. Mera and R. Lozano leg.; CEMT • 1 spec.; Juan de Rio Seco ; 1300 m a.s.l.; Oct. 1997; H. Pulido-Riveros leg.; IAvH • 1 ♂; Bogotá; S9S2; BMNH. – Huila • 12 specs; Garzón , Vda. El Espinal ; 1000 m a.s.l.; 2º17′45″ N, 75º35′37″ W; Sep. 2002; M. Ospina leg.; IAvH • 1 ♀; La Guajira, Fonseca; 10º49.488′ N, 72º49.476′ W; S. Montoya-M. leg.; CEMT. – Meta • 1 ♂; 33 Km E of Villavicencio; 2–4 Mar. 1972; S. and J. Peck; CEMT. – Nariño • 1 ♀; Aguada ; BMNH • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Buesaco, RN El Charmolan, Vda. Hatotongosoy; 2500 m a.s.l.; 1º22′38″ N, 77º13′9″ W; pitfall, Potrero Ganadero ; 22–26 Aug. 2008; A.N.L. Hidalgo leg.; CEMT • 1 spec.; R.N. La Planada. 1800 m a.s.l.; Apr. 1994; F. Escobar leg.; IAvH • 7 specs; Taminango, Vda. Algodonal ; 628 m a.s.l.; 1º40′6″ N, 77º17′15″ W; Oct. 2013; J. Salazar and J. Castillo leg.; IAvH. – Quindío • 1 spec.; Córdoba, La Tribuna ; 4º25′40″ N, 75º40′22″ W; Jul. 1999; J. Molina and J. Elejalde leg.; ECC. – Risaralda • 1 spec.; La Celia , Vda. La Secreta ; 1720 m a.s.l.; 5º1′1.3″ N, 76º1′13.6″ W; Jul. 2008; Cultid ACM leg.; IAVH. – Santander • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Encino, Sector La Gorda, Fca. San Agustín ; 2000 m a.s.l.; 6º7′12″ N, 73º1′59″ W; Pastizal ; trampa de caída con excrement humano; 29 Nov.–1 Dec. 2009; J. Arias leg.; CEMT • 1 ♀; Santandercito ; May 1960; CEMT • 1 spec.; El Encino, Vda. Las Minas, Fca. Los Nogales ; 2280 m a.s.l.; 6º6′28″ N, 73º3′7.6″ W; Dec. 2014; A. Lopera and R. Sarmiento; ECC • 1 spec.; Virolin, SFF Guanenta Alto rio Fonce ; 2450 m a.s.l.; 2 Feb. 1998; J. Martínez leg.; IAvH. – Tolima • 1 ♂; Ambalema ; Nevinson leg.; BMNH 1918-14 • 7 specs; Armero, Guayabal, Loma Santo Tomás ; 300 m a.s.l.; 4º55′70″ N, 49º52′ W; Nov. 1995; F. Escobar leg.; IAvH • 6 specs; Armero, Guayabal Mendez Had. Bremen; 300 m a.s.l.; 5º5′31″ N, 74º45′81″ W; excr. humano; Nov. 1995; F. Escobar leg.; IAvH • 1 spec.; Mariquita, Bosque Municipal ; 650 m a.s.l.; 28 Sep. 2003; V. Fuentes leg.; ECC • 1 spec.; R.N. La Victoria; 700 m a.s.l.; 4º14′45.9″ N, 74º35′37.9″ W; Apr. 2015; A. Lopera leg.; ECC. – Valle del Cauca • 1 spec.; Buga, La Magdalena ; 1600 m a.s.l.; Mar. 1991 spec.; C. Medina leg.; ECC • 1 spec.; Cali ; 1000 m a.s.l.; Oct. 1990; Jorge Aldana leg.; ECC • 1 spec.; Calima ; 900 m a.s.l.; Nov. 1993; R. Bravo leg.; ECC • 1 ♀; 19 mi. S of Cartago; 960 m a.s.l.; 18 Mar. 55; E.I. Schlinger and E.S. Ross leg.; CEMT • 1 spec.; Dagua, Chicoral ; 1900 m a.s.l.; Jun. 1990; C. Medina and F. Escobar leg.; ECC • 1 ♂; Pance, Farallones; Luz.Mar ; Apr. 1988; L.C. Reyes leg.; CEMT • 2 ♂♂; Pance, Farallones; Luz ; 25 Dec.–2 Jan. 1991; L.C. Pardo leg.; CEMT • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Buenvª [possibly Buenaventura ]; Rosenberg. Fry leg.; BMNH 1905-100 • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Cauca Valley ; Colombia; BMNH .

Redescription

Male

MEASUREMENTS. Length: 17.9 mm. Setae on body surface sparse or absent.

HEAD. Anterior third surface rugose, not extending posteriorly to base of cephalic carina. Clypeus with central weak emargination separating two short rounded clypeal teeth ( Fig. 5A, D ). Cephalic carina higher than wide, antero-posteriorly flattened, looking like triangular-shaped plate in frontal view. Anterior surface of cephalic carina smooth, with microscopic punctures. Median tubercle twice the high of lateral tubercles. Lateral tubercles acuminate apically ( Fig. 5D, G ). Ventral clypeal process greatly emarginate ( Fig. 2C )

PRONOTUM. Gibbous, imperceptibly emarginate at antero-medial portion. Wider than long, as wide as elytra; pronotal disc shiny, with fine indistinct punctures. Medial sulcus weakly impressed. Ocellate punctures along posterior and anterior margins ( Fig. 5A, D, G ), absent in lateral margins. Hypomeron with broad ocellate setigerous punctures separated by less than half the width of a puncture. Medial disc smooth, without punctures. External margin bearing multiple rows of disorganized long setae when seen in dorsal view (see Fig. 2E ).

ABDOMEN. Mesosternum covered by large ocellate setigerous punctures, setae as long as in mesosternum. Metepisternum smooth with some weakly marked punctures. Metasternum setigerous punctures restricted mainly to lateral areas. Antero-median portion with some feebly marked punctures next to apical margins of coxa. Lateral surface of metasternum with ocellate punctures separated by two or three times width of a puncture, some punctures with long setae. Metepisternum suture clearly visible. Ocellate punctures along anterior margin of each sternite, denser in lateral areas, without reaching the centre. Pygidium surface covered by fine punctures, basal margin with wide punctures that merge at the centre.

ELYTRA. Interstriae smooth (see Fig. 2I ) and shiny with fine randomly separated punctures. Striae well delimited, punctures separated by once or twice diameter of a puncture on elytral disc.

LEGS. Metacoxa glabrous. Fore calcar bifurcate.

PARAMERES AND LAMELLA COPULATRIX. As in Fig. 5C , E–F.

Morphological variation

Females ( Fig. 5B )

As males except for the following characters:

HEAD. Rounded, clypeal margin not emarginate or faintly emarginate. Surface almost completely rugose, denser on anterior portion. Fronto-clypeal carina quadridentate. Interocular space shiny and smooth.

PRONOTUM. Smooth, shiny. Hypomeron setae longer and denser than in males.

Remarks

Dichotomius belus is endemic to Colombia and is distributed throughout the dry zones of the Andes mountains and lowlands associated with the interior of the Tropical Dry Forests. Based on the original description, specimens used to describe the species were collected in Medellín, Ambalema and Ocaña.

Figures

Fig. 5. Dichotomius belus (Harold, 1880). A–B. Dorsal habitus. A. ♂. B. ♀. C. Lateral view of the aedeagus. D. Anterior view of the shape of the cephalic carina. E. Ventral view of the aedeagus. F–G. Lamella copulatrix. H. Lateral view, showing the pronotum and the cephalic carina flattened antero-posteriorly and curved anteriorly.

Fig. 2. General characters that help differentiate the species of the Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) agenor species group. A–D. Ventral clypeal process. A. Cordate as in D. agenor (Harold, 1869). B. Truncate as in D. sagittarius (Harold, 1869) stat. rev. C. Bifurcate as in D. belus (Harold, 1880). D. Cylindrical as in D. henripittieri sp. nov. E–F. Hypomeral characters. E. Medial disc smooth, lateral margin with multiple rows of setae as in D. amplicollis (Harold, 1869). F. Medial disc punctate, lateral margin with single row of setae as in D. tristis (Luederwaldt, 1923). G–H. Metasternum characters. G. Setigerous punctures from the medial and lateral edges joining throughout the margin of the mesocaxa as in D. enioi sp. nov. H. Setigerous punctures from the medial and lateral edges not joining throughout the margin of the mesocaxa as in D. centralis (Harold, 1869). I–J. Elytra interstriae. I. Smooth as in D. amplicollis. J. Shagreened as in D. agenor.