Trogellus (Trogellus) herrmanni, Paulsen, 2013

Paulsen, M. J., 2013, A new genus for the Neotropical species of Aesalus Fabricius, with descriptions of eight new species (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Aesalinae), Insecta Mundi 2013 (325), pp. 1-25 : 7-8

Trogellus (Trogellus) herrmanni Paulsen, new species.

Type Material. Holotype male ( INBIO) labeled: a) “Est. Pittier, Prov. Punta. COSTA / RICA / 1670m. 21–28 JUN 1995. M. / Moraga , / L_S_330900_577400 #5398”; b) INBIO barcode “ COSTA RICA INBIO / CRI002 / 238296”; c) on red paper “ Trogellus / herrmanni / [male symbol] / Paulsen, 2013 / HOLO- TYPE ” . Allotype female ( INBIO) labeled: a) “Est. Pittier, Prov. Punta. COSTA RICA / 1670m. 22–28 JUN 1995. A. Picado, / L_S_330900_577400 #5898”; b) INBIO barcode “ COSTA RICA INBIO / CRI002 / 238292”; c) on red paper “ Trogellus / herrmanni / [female symbol] / Paulsen, 2013 / ALLOTYPE ” .

Four male paratypes ( INBIO) labeled as holotype except barcode numbers 238293, 238297, 238298, and 238305. Two female paratypes ( INBIO) labeled as holotype except barcode numbers 238295, and 238300. Five male paratypes ( INBIO) labeled as allotype except barcode numbers 321927, 321929, 321940, 321941, and 321942. Five female paratypes ( INBIO) labeled as allotype except barcode numbers 321930, 321933, 321938, 321935, and 321937. One male, one female paratype ( USNM) labeled: a) “ PANAMA: Chiriqui / Bambito, 1770m; at Rio Chiriqui Viejo / 3 June 1983 / W. E. Steiner ”. One male paratype ( CNCI) labeled: a) “ PANAMA, Prov. Chiriqui / Cerro Punta, 8000 ft. / July 18–24, 1961 / J. M. Campbell ” ; b) “ H. Bomans det. 19[85] / [ Aesalus / neotropicalis / Bates]”. Three male, four female paratypes ( CMNC, MJPC) labeled: a) “ PANAMA Chiriqui / Prov. 2km N Sta. / Clara, 1300m, 8 o 51’ N, / 82 o 36’ W Hartmann’s / Finca 30–31.V.1977 / H. & A. Howden ”. One male paratype ( CMNC) labeled: a) “ PANAMA Chiriqui / Prov. 2km N Sta. / Clara, 1300m, 8 o 51’ N, / 82 o 36’ W Hartmann’s / Finca 24–25. [6.] V [I].1977 / H. & A. Howden ” ; One female paratype ( CMNC) labeled: a) “ PANAMA Chiriqui / Prov. 2km N Sta. / Clara, 1300m, 8 o 51’ N, / 82 o 36’ W Hartmann’s / Finca 24–25.V.1977 / H. & A. Howden ”. One male, one female paratype ( CMNC) labeled: a) “ PANAMA, Chiriqui / Prov. 2km W Cerro / Punta 1720m 8 o 51’ N / 82 o 36’ W 25–29. V.77 / H. & A. Howden ”. One male paratype ( CMNC) labeled: a) “ PANAMA, Chiriqui / Prov. 2km W Cerro / Punta 1720m 8 o 51’ N / 82 o 36’ W 19–23. V.77 / H. & A. Howden ”. All paratypes with paratype labels on yellow paper: “ Trogellus / herrmanni / [male or female symbol] / Paulsen, 2013/ PARATYPE ” .

Description. Holotype male. Length: 5.1 mm. Width: 2.5 mm. Head: Clypeus triangular with distinctly produced, tooth-like apex. Canthus elongate, length approximately 2× width. Mandibles with small but distinct external, median tooth at angulation. Pronotum: Surface posterolaterally densely punctate, lacking obvious tubercles; punctures mixed large and moderate in size, ocellate. Elytra: Surface with acute bristles ( Fig. 7 ), bristles relatively short (distinctly shorter than canthus). Legs: Protibia tridentate, external margin between teeth slightly concave. Mesotibia with 3 strong external teeth (proximal tooth smaller) and acute apex. Metatibia with 1 large median tooth ( Fig. 14 ) and strongly toothed apex (right metatibia also with second relatively large median tooth). Male genitalia: Parameres 1/4 as long as median lobe. Median lobe more or less symmetrical, robustly cylindrical for entire length, apex less sclerotized but not spatulate ( Fig. 18 ).

Description. Allotype female. Length: 5.6 mm. Width: 2.8 mm. Differs from male holotype in the following: Legs: Protibia tridentate, external margin between teeth slightly concave. Mesotibia with 3 strong external teeth. Metatibia with median tooth smaller and apex tumid.

Paratypes vary as follows: Length: 4.8–5.6 mm. Width: 2.5–3.1 mm. Mandibles with external median tooth more or less obsolete to distinctly present at angulation. Mesotibia generally with 3 strong external teeth and proximal tooth small to obsolete. Metatibia with second median tooth variably absent in males; females with external teeth weaker.

Distribution. COSTA RICA: Puntarenas (18): Estación Pittier. PANAMA: Chiriquí (15): Bambito, Cerro Punto, Santa Clara/Hartmann’s Finca.

Temporal Distribution. May (11), June (20), July (1).

Diagnosis/Remarks. This species is immediately recognizable due to its spiny, but relatively short, vestiture (see the remarks for the following species) and distinctive male genitalia. The Panama material from CMNC has non-validated holotype and paratype labels for a manuscript name that has not been made available and lack the putative author’s name. According to CMNC registrar Nancy Boase (pers. comm.), the previous loan was granted 16 years ago, and was recalled after approximately a dozen years without resulting in a publication. For this reason, and because the labels indicate that the name was applied to specimens of two distinct species, I am ignoring the extraneous labels. They are not recorded here to prevent confusion.

Etymology. This species is named for my friend and colleague Dr. Matthias Herrmann of Tübingen, Germany, in honor of his collecting prowess, love of beetles and books, and because he improves any trip by several orders of magnitude.

Figures

Figures 7-10. SEM microscopy of elytral surface and vestiture. 7) Trogellus herrmanni n. sp., acute bristles. 8) T. trogoides, blunt bristles with anterior tubercle, and branched scales. 9) T. trogoides, detail of blunt bristle. 10) T. herrmanni n. sp., detail of branched scales.

Figures 11-14. Leg characters of subgeneric importance. 11) Right protibia of Trogellus herrmanni n. sp. with large triangular teeth (dorsal view). 12) Right protibia of T. trogoides with small peg-like teeth (dorsal view). 13) Left metatibia of T. trogoides showing weak external teeth (ventral view). 14) Left metatibia of T. herrmanni n. sp. showing strong external tooth at middle (ventral view).

Figures 18–23. Male genitalia of Trogellus species, dorsal view. 18. T. herrmanni n. sp. 19) T. ticiticus n. sp. 20) T. neotropicalis. 21) T. chapinitus n. sp. 22) T. hawksi n. sp. 23) T. trogoides. The male genitalia of T. maesi n. sp. are unknown.