Degallieridium lilliputanum, Vaz-De-Mello, 2008

Vaz-De-Mello, Fernando Z., 2008, Synopsis of the new subtribe Scatimina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Ateuchini), with descriptions of twelve new genera and review of Genieridium, new genus, Zootaxa 1955, pp. 1-75 : 21

3.1. Degallieridium lilliputanum new species

Type series: Holotype ♂: BRAZIL: Distrito Federal : Brasilia, 1100 m, XI-2001, N. Degallier ( MZSP ex- FVMC).

Paratypes: BRAZIL: Distrito Federal: Brasilia , 1100 m, XI-1999 (1 CMNC) ; N. Degallier, at light (3 CMNC, 2 FVMC); X-2000, N. Degallier (1 FVMC) ; Minas Gerais: Paracatu , XII-1996, S. Lourenço (2 FVMC) .

Description: Holotype ♂. Size, 1.9 mm. Color tan to light brown, dorsal setae claviform, pale yellow. Head as long as wide, gently and regularly curved from the rounded genal lateral angle to clypeal teeth. Clypeal teeth triangular, short, separated by wide V-shaped emargination with rounded bottom. Head covered by round simple punctures separated by 1.5 to two diameters; punctures variable in size, with smaller punctures concentrated in anterior half and larger ones on posterior half; larger punctures up to 1.5 times as large as smaller ones, some bearing a seta ( Fig. 47). Pronotum evenly covered by large oval setose punctures, separated by less than one to 1.5 diameters, some punctures bearing a seta. Posterior two-thirds of pronotal lateral margin bent ventrally and hidden from dorsal view; anterior third visible from above. Prosternum and mesosternum covered by oval, ocellated, glabrous punctures, separated by less than half their diameter; hypomeron with similar but slightly smaller and more rounded punctures, more sparse anteriorly. Mesometasternal suture rounded at midlength, more strongly arched than laterally, resulting in a broad rounded triangular metasternal lobe. Posterior two-thirds of anterior metasternal lobe with sides nearly parallel; slightly divergent; lobe and metasternal disc covered by simple punctures, with very sparse ocellate punctures posteriorly and laterally, similar to those of metasternal sides, where glabrous ocellated punctures are much smaller and sparser than in prosternum and mesosternum. Elytral mesal striae with regular punctures separated by about three diameters, each puncture as wide as 1.5 strial widths on disc; striae on posterior fourth much deeper and wider, with punctures nearly confluent. Interstrial setae wider and denser laterally than mesally. Length of apical tooth of protibia approximately three times that of basal tooth, and 1.5 times that of middle tooth; spur triangular, flattened dorsally. Length of mesofemora and metafemora about three times their maximum width. Metatarsi with basal tarsomere rectangular, length about 1.25 times that of second tarsomere. Abdominal sternites covered by punctures similar to those of lateral metasternal lobes. Pygidium about 1.5 times as wide as long, with very sparse simple punctures; basal punctures setiferous. Length of parameres slightly less than half that phallobase, with lateroapical angles directed ventrally ( Fig. 48). Internal sac with helicoidal pseudoflagellum occupying most of phallobase length, base of which strongly curved; length of secondary pseudoflagellum two thirds that of primary one.

Variation: Paratypes vary only in sexual features (females lack modifications in protarsi and claws, lack the mesoapical tooth of protibia, have smaller protibial teeth, more transverse pygidium, and abdominal sternites more convex and with longer disc) and slightly in size (1.8–2.0 mm).

Etymology: Reference to Lilliput, the island of small people, the Lilliputians, in Jonathan Swift’s 1726 novel, Gulliver’s Travels.

Distribution: Central Brazil (northwestern Minas Gerais and Distrito Federal), corresponding to the central part of the Cerrado province in the Chacoan subregion ( Fig. 103).