Luispenaia atacamensis Mondaca, Pizarro-Araya

Mondaca, José, Pizarro-Araya, Jaime & Alfaro, Fermín M., 2019, Revision of the genus Luispenaia Martínez (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Tanyproctini), with description of three new species from the Atacama Desert, Chile, Zootaxa 4615 (3), pp. 549-562 : 552-554

Luispenaia atacamensis Mondaca, Pizarro-Araya , & Alfaro, new species

( Figs. 10 , 17–20 )

Type locality. Chile, Región de Atacama, Quebrada El Algarrobal .

Type material. Holotype male at MNNC labeled: a) “ CHILE REGIÓN ATACAMA / Qda. [Quebrada] El Algarrobal , 28°16” / 03.1’’S - 70°31’14.1’’O, 694 m / 31-X-2015, t. luz blanca / col. J. Pizarro-F. Alfaro ” b) “ Luispenaia / atacamensis sp. nov. / Mondaca, Pizarro-Araya & Alfaro / HOLOTYPE” (red label, typeset) . 64 male paratypes at 6 CMNC, 6 FMNH, 6 IADIZA, 14 JMEC, 11 LEULS, 9 MNNC, 6 DNMCH, and 6 UNSM labeled as holotype except: b) “ Luispenaia / atacamensis sp. nov. / Mondaca, Pizarro-Araya & Alfaro / PARATYPE ” (yellow label, typeset) . 77 male paratypes al JEBC labeled: a) “15-025 / CHILE, prov. Huasco, / Boquerón Chañar, Llano / Algarrobal, 30 oct 2015, / 28°16’0,7’’S 70°31’1,4’’W / 700 msnm, luz UV. Leg. J.E. / Barriga-Tuñon, J. Pizarro, F. / Alfaro, R. Botero, R. Muñoz ”, b) “ COLECCIÓN JEBC / Juan Enrique / Barriga-Tuñon / CHILE 0212981 / www.coleoptera-neotropical.org”, c) “ Luispenaia / atacamensis sp. nov. / Mondaca, Pizarro-Araya & Alfaro / PARATYPE ” (red label, typeset) . 1 male paratype at RHSC labeled: a) “ 23/ X / 2015 Entrada / mina Micifuz, S Inca de Oro , III Reg. / CHILE Leg. R. Honour S. ”, b) “ Luispenaia / atacamensis sp. nov. / Mondaca, Pizarro-Araya & Alfaro / PARATYPE ” (red label, typeset).

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from all other species in the genus Luispenaia by the following combination of characters: Body dorsally reddish brown, shiny on legs and elytra; head pronotum and scutellum black or dark brown ( Fig. 18 ). Clypeus distal and laterally rounded, reflexed upturned; lateral margin between clypeal base and ocular canthus projected externally as a lobule moderately projecting ( Fig. 10 ). Antennae with 9 antennomeres; antennal club with 6 antennomeres ( Fig. 17 ). Pronotum approximately subtrapezoidal, broadest in middle, laterally arcuate; surface with longitudinal midline impunctate ( Fig. 10 ).

Description of male holotype. Length 5.5 mm, wide 2.5. Body: Slightly convex, dorsally reddish brown shiny on legs and elytra, head, pronotum, and scutellum dark brown ( Fig. 18 ). Head: Clypeus distal and laterally rounded, reflexed upturned, laterally with a prolongation of the margins as external lobules moderately projecting ( Fig. 10 ); dorsal surface punctate and setose; punctures large; frontoclypeal suture well defined, frontal width equal to 5.6 times eye width, with surface densely punctate and setose, punctures large; eye canthus short and wide, straight externally. Antennae with 9 antennomeres; antennomere 1 robust, claviform; antennomere 2 submonoliform; antennomere 3 subcylindrical; antennal club with 6 antennomeres glabrous, antennomere 4 lamellate, shorter than antennomeres 5–9; antennomeres 5–9 subequal in length, slightly sinuous in dorsal view ( Fig. 17 ). Pronotum: Slightly convex, approximately subtrapezoidal, broadest in middle, laterally arcuate; surface moderately punctate and setose; setae recumbent, directed posteriorly; longitudinal midline impunctate, lateral margin with long, moderately dense, laterally directed setae ( Fig. 10 ). Scutellum as wide as long, triangular; sides broadly arcuate. Elytra: Slightly convex, surface moderately setose; setae recumbent, directed posteriorly, with striae poorly defined; lateral margin with long, moderately dense, laterally directed setae. Legs: All them moderately setose and shiny, setae light brown long. Protibiae tridentate, with teeth rounded distally. Genitalia: Parameres moderately long, wider at base (frontal view), laterally cuneiform, slightly curved ventrally, distally attenuated and rounded at apex; phallobase 1.13 times longer than parameres ( Figs. 19–20 ).

Female. Unknown.

Variation. Length 4.8–7.0 mm. Body dorsal color light brown to dark brown, pronotum dark brown to black. Not differing significantly from the holotype in external characters.

Etymology. Derived from Atacama, origin region of the new species located in northern Chile.

Distribution. Chile, Atacama Region (Huasco province) ( Fig. 8 ).

Material examined. 141 specimens were examined from JEBC, LEULS, RHSC .

Habitat and ecology. Luispenaia atacamensis has been collected in vegetation floors characterized by an interior Mediterranean desert scrub of Adesmia argentea Meyen and Bulnesia chilensis Gay ( Luebert & Pliscoff 2006) . These areas are represented by a very open thicket with tall bushes and the presence of tree species; among the bushes are A. argentea , Bulnesia chilensis , Balsamocarpon brevifolium Clos , Cordia decandra Hook. & Arn. , Heliotropium sinuatum (Miers) I.M. Johnst. , Pintoa chilensis Gay , and Proustia ilicifolia Hook. & Arn. Also common are low shrubs such as Caesalpinia angulate (Hook. & Arn.) Baill. , Encelia canescens Lam. , Pleurophora pungens D. Don , and the cacti, Cumulopuntia sphaerica (C.F. Först.) E.F. Anderson , and Trichocereus coquimbanus (Molina) Britton & Rose. The herbaceous plants are abundant during the rainy season as Cruckshanksia pumila Clos and Argylia radiate (L.) D. Don. In the ravines proper such trees include Prosopis chilensis (Molina) Stuntz , Geoffroea decorticans (Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.) Burkart , Acacia caven (Molina) Molina , and Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera ( Luebert & Pliscoff 2006) . Most specimens of L. atacamensis were captured during the spring (October) with a light trap installed in an area with the native vegetation described above ( Fig. 30B ). One specimen was found buried under stones.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Distribution of Luispenaia species in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile.

FIGURES 30. Type locality of Luispenaia species. A, Llanos de Challe National Park (Atacama Region, Chile), habitat of L. paradoxa; B, Boqueron Chañar (Atacama Region, Chile), habitat of L. atacamensis; C, Paposo Norte Natural Monument (Antofagasta Region, Chile), habitat of L. paposo; D, Quebrada Los Yales (Antofagasta Region, Chile), habitat of L. paulseni.

FIGURES 10–13. Head and pronotum of Luispenaia species. 10, Luispenaia atacamensis; 11, L. paposo; 12, L. paulseni; 13, L. paradoxa. Scale: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 14–17. Antennal club of Luispenaia species. 14, Luispenaia paradoxa Martínez; 15, L. paposo; 16, L. paulseni; 17, L. atacamensis. Scale: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 18–29. Luispenaia species. 18–20, Luispenaia atacamensis; 21–23, L. paposo; 24–26, L. paulseni; 27–29, L. paradoxa. Scale: 1 mm.