Saprositellus kenodontus Skelley, 2007

Skelley, Paul E., 2007, New South American taxa of Odontolochini Stebnicka and Howden (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Insecta Mundi 2007 (22), pp. 1-15 : 13

Saprositellus kenodontus Skelley , new species

( Figure 21 , 24-25 )

Type material. Holotype female, label data: “ GUYANA: Region 8, Iwokrama Forest, 26 km SW Kurupukari, Iwokrama Mt., 400m, 4 o 20’2"N, 58 o 47’18"W, 23-25 MAY 2001, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, GUY1BF01 032, ex: flight intercept trap / [bar code] SMO570320, KUNHM-ENT / [red paper] HOLOTYPE Saprositellus kenodontus P. E. Skelley 2007 " [ SEMC].

Diagnosis. Saprositellus kenodontus is most similar to Saprositellus peruanus Stebnicka (2003) in having somewhat flattened elytral intervals, elytra widened at apical third, and pronotum widest near posterior angles. Saprositellus kenodontus differs notably in having finer pronotal punctures and pronotal lateral margin evenly rounded, lacking denticles.

Description. Female body length 3.5 mm, width 1.7 mm; elongate, widest at apical elytral 1/3 ( Fig. 24 ); surface dulled, dark reddish brown, nearly black. Head weakly convex, surface coarsely punctate across entire surface, punctures smaller near clypeal margin, glossy area immediately behind clypeal margin weakly granulate; clypeal anterior margin narrow, with 3-4 small denticles each side of median emargination. Pronotum widest at base, somewhat trapezoidal in dorsal view; in lateral view, lateral edge with fine margin evenly curved to posterior angle, lacking denticles; basal pronotal edge evenly convex, very finely margined near middle, with transverse row of small punctures; pronotal surface evenly, coarsely punctate, separated by 1 diameter, becoming smaller near anterior margin. Scutellum small, elongate, narrow, triangular. Elytral surface not strongly dulled, intervals evenly convex, finely, irregularly punctate; striae deep, punctures large, separated by 1 diameter. Prosternum broad, flat behind procoxa. Meso- and metasternal juncture straight, flat. Mesosternum with row of coarse punctures on each side near mesocoxae, anterior half with scattered coarse punctures, medial surface of posterior half lacking punctures (other than lateral row). Metasternum with coarse punctures scattered across surface ( Fig. 25 ), separated by 0.5-2 diameters. Abdominal sternites 1-5 with scattered moderate punctures, basal fluting reduced, indistinct; punctures on medial surface of sternites 2-4 separated by 3-4 diameters, punctures on sternite 6 separated by 1-2 diameters. Profemur ventral surface coarsely, densely punctate. Protibia with 3 distinct teeth on apical 1/3; protibial spur prominent. Meso- and metafemur with complete posterior marginal line; surface coarsely punctate, less distinct than on profemur; posterior margin of metafemur very weakly lobed at middle. Meso- and metatibia narrow, gradually widened to apex, with prominent lateral apical accessory spine and 2 distinct spurs; apical fringe of setae short, indistinct. Meso- and metatarsi elongate, not as long as tibia; basal tarsomere as long as large tibial spur, 2 times longer than second tarsomere. Male unknown.

Etymology. The species name is based on the Greek word “ kenodontis ” meaning toothless, bare, in reference to the smooth lateral pronotal margin, lacking teeth.

Figures

Figure 20-23. Saprositellus spp., head to elytral bases. 20) Saprositellus peruanus Stebnicka, holotype. 21) Saprositellus kenodontus, n. sp. 22) Saprositellus denticulatus Balthasar. 23) Saprositellus ariquemes Stebnicka.

Figure 24-25. Saprositellus kenodontus, n. sp. 24) Dorsal habitus. 25) Ventral habitus.