Peltonotus tigerus Jameson and Wada, 2009

Jameson, Mary Liz & Wada, Kaoru, 2009, Five new species of Peltonotus Burmeister (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) from Southeast Asia, Insecta Mundi 2009 (102), pp. 1-16 : 12-14

Peltonotus tigerus Jameson and Wada , n. sp.

( Fig. 7 , 13 , 22 , 25 )

Type Material. Holotype female housed at QSBG with following label data and maxilla mounted beneath specimen: a) “ THAILAND: Phetchabun: Thung Salaeng Luang NP, Gang Wang Nam Yen , 706 m, 16 o 37.178’N 100 o 53.504’E, Malaise; 31.v-7.vi.2007; Pong-pitak Pranee & Sathit T2087 ” and b) our holotype label. Specimen lacking left foretarsus.

Description. Holotype female ( Fig. 7 ). Length 13.7 mm. Widest width 6.2 mm. Color ( Fig. 7 ): Head, pronotum, scutellum, pygidium, and venter black or castaneous. Elytra reddish-brown with weak irides- cent bloom. Head: Surface of frons with base impunctate (middle) to sparsely punctate (laterally), middle frons to apex moderately densely punctate; punctures simple, some multisetigerous; setae minute (1-12+ per puncture). Surface of clypeus moderately densely punctate, more dense laterally; punctures simple, some multisetigerous; setae minute (1-12+ per puncture) with a few short setae near margin (1 per puncture). Clypeus laterally weakly bowed, apex truncate, corners square, beaded; bead not weakly arcuate posteriorly. Labrum narrowly emarginate at middle. Mandible with external edge rounded, inner apex with teeth worn (apparently 1 tooth). Mentum with apical half rounded, notched at middle; palpomere 2 dorsoventrally flattened, about 2 times width of palpomere 1, setose; setae moderately dense, moderately long, rufous, weakly thickened, not curled. Maxilla ( Fig. 13 ): mala with dense lamellate setal brush; stipes with setae dense, long, flattened at apex, not curled at apex; palpomere 2 enlarged (but lacking internomedial bump). Antennal club subequal to segments 2-7. Pronotum: Basal bead lacking; apical bead complete, indicated with nearly contiguous punctures. Surface moderately densely punctate; punctures simple, lacking setae. Lateral margin lacking long setae. Elytron: Sutural length about 4.6 times length of scutellum. Surface with 5 poorly developed, punctate, longitudinal striae between suture and humerus; punctures ocellate, moderate in size, moderately dense, some unisetigerous on disc; setae minute. Intervals similarly sculptured. Epipleuron ( Fig. 22 ) in ventral view expanded, broadly incised at sternite 4; in dorsal view expansion well-developed. Propygidium: Surface shagreened and moderately densely punctate; punctures simple, unisetigerous; setae short, rufous. Pygidium: Surface from base to mid-disc shagreened and moderately densely punctate; punctures simple, lacking setae. Surface from mid-disc to apex moderately densely punctate; punctures simple, some unisetigerous; setae short, rufous. Venter: Prosternal keel elongate; apex projecting anteriorly at about 90 o with respect to ventral plane, extends to about 3/4 height of protrochanter, truncate. Legs: Protibia tridentate, teeth subequal in size; lateral margin with short, dense setae. Metatibial ventral spur produced to middle of metatarsomere 1, dorsal spur produced to middle of metatarsomere 1. Claws (all legs) subequal in size, 2/3 length of tarsomeres 5, weakly angled toward venter.

Diagnosis. Peltonotus tigerus is the only species in the genus that possesses reddish-brown elytra ( Fig. 7 ). Females of P. vittatus have reddish-brown elytra with dark vittae, and all remaining species in the genus possess black or castaneous elytra. We hypothesize that males of this species also will have reddishbrown elytra. Peltonotus tigerus is most similar to P. podocrassus Jameson and Wada , but it is separated based on the following characters: form of labial palpomere 2 two times wider than palpomere 1 (three times wider than palpomere 1 in P. podocrassus ); maxillary palpomere 2 enlarged, but lacking internomedial bump (with a weak internomedial bump in P. podocrassus ); pronotum lacking setae (with multisetigerous punctures laterally in P. podocrassus ), and; pygidium with punctures unisetigerous or lacking setae (with multisetigerous punctures in P. podocrassus ). Peltonotus tigerus is separated from other species of Peltonotus based on its reddish-brown elytra, rounded apex of the mentum, deeply emarginated labrum, maxilla with dense lamellate brush ( Fig. 13 ), and the metatibial spur that is subequal or slightly longer than metatarsomere 1 (the metatibial spur is usually subequal in length to metatarsomeres 1-2).

Etymology. Peltonotus tigerus is named after the acronym for the research project that yielded the holotype specimen (TIGER: Thailand Inventory Group for Entomological Research). Michael Sharkey (University of Kentucky) and Brian Brown (Los Angeles County Museum), coordinators for TIGER, are thanked for loaning us the holotype specimen. The name “ tigerus ” is a noun in apposition.

Distribution ( Fig. 25 ). Thailand.

Locality records (1 specimen) from QSBG. THAILAND. Phetchabun State (1): Thung Salaeng Luang National Park (Gang Wang Nam Yen, 706 m, 16 o 37.178’N 100 o 53.504’E).

Temporal Data. May-June (1).

Remarks. The holotype specimen was collected in a malaise trap at 706 m elevation in Thung Salaeng Luang National Park. The park region consists of a mixture of limestone, slate, and hard pan; numerous streams originate in the park (Sharkey, pers. comm., April 2009). Deciduous forest predominates with lowland scrub and tropical, broad-leaved evergreen in isolated areas.

In the key to species ( Jameson and Wada 2004), P. tigerus keys most closely to P. suehirogarus Jameson and Wada or P. podocrassus , but the different form of the incision on the elytral epipleuron and elytral coloration indicates these are distinct species.

Figures

Figure 25. Distribution of Peltonotus species in Southeast Asia and Sundaland.

Figure 1-7. Peltonotus species dorsal habitus. 1) P. animus (holotype, male). 2) P. cybele (holotype, female). 3) P. favonius (holotype male). 4) P. karubei (male paratype). 5) P. karubei (male) showing variation. 6) P. mushiyaus (holotype female). 7) P. tigerus (holotype female). Scale bar = 2 mm.

Figure 8-13. Maxilla (dorsal view) showing mala with or without lamellate setal brush (black arrow) and form. 8) P. animus (holotype). 9) P. cybele (holotype). 10) P. favonius (holotype). 11) P. karubei. 12) P. mushiyaus (holotype). 13) P. tigerus (holotype).

Figure 19-22. Female elytral epipleuron (gray, ventral view) with position of metacoxa. 19) P. cybele (holotype). 20) P. malayensis. 21) P. mushiyaus (holotype). 22) P. tigerus (holotype) shared with P. nethis (image identical to Fig. 58 in Jameson and Wada 2004). Epipleura all the same scale. Detail of right foreleg. 23) P. favonius (holotype male). 24) P. animus (holotype male).