Nanotermitodius peckorum Howden, 2003

Skelley, Paul E., Smith, Andrew B. T. & Mora-Aguilar, Eder F., 2022, A review of the flightless genus Nanotermitodius Howden, 2003 (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini), Zootaxa 5200 (4), pp. 355-364 : 361-362

Nanotermitodius peckorum Howden, 2003

Figures 4–6 , 16

Nanotermitodius peckorum Howden, 2003: 396 .

Type material examined ( 2). Holotype male and allotype female ( CMNC): “ MEXICO: Oaxaca, 1220m, 26 km E. Valle Nacional , 25.VI.1983, S. & J. Peck, Mont. trop. for. litter Ber. Km 71, 83-50”.

Additional material examined (14): MEXICO: Oaxaca: Hwy. 175, 22mi. S. Valle Nacional , 5800’, 3-VI-1983, CW. & L. O’Brien & GB. Marshall, Berlese sifted cloud forest litter (1♂, 1♀ FSCA) ; 18.7 mi S Valle Nacional , 5200’, 17-VIII-1973, A. Newton, Berlese litter cloud forest (2♂♂, 2♀♀ FSCA; 1♂, 1♀ IEXA; 1♂, 5♀♀ MCZC) ; 18.7 mi S Valle Nacional , 5200’, 11-18-VIII-1973, A. Newton, leaf litter forest floor (1♀ MCZC) .

Diagnosis. Nanotermitodius peckorum ( Figs. 4–6 ) differs from N. andersoni in smaller body size (length 2.5–2.6 mm), pronotal lateral margin deeply sinuate, short elytra (1.5 times length of pronotum), which converge posteriorly having more sinuate costae, flight wings vestigial, and other characters including those in key.

Distribution. Known only in wet slope of Sierra de Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico, commonly known as “La Chinantla”, an elevation of 1220–1750 m ( Fig. 16 ).

Comments. There appears to be an error in the label data of the type series. The marker “km 71” along the highway 157 Tuxtepec-Oaxaca is 26 km south southwest of Valle Nacional, not east. This area matches the elevation (1220 m) and vegetation (montane tropical forest) as stated on the label. To the east of Valle Nacional the territory is below 800 m and has different lower elevation plant communities. The locality Puerto Antonio is located at km 71–72, we suspect this may be the actual type locality. This error in labeling is supported by data associated with additional specimens that have been recently studied.

Discussion. Sierra de Juárez is considered one of the most diverse regions of the state and present one of the two highest number of endemic species of arthropods ( González-Pérez et al. 2004). In “La Chinantla”, cloud forest exhibit three variations, in lower elevations is represented by species of Lauraceae , Ilex L. (Aquifoliacee), Podocarpus , Alchornea Sw. (Euphorbiaceae) and with Oreomunnea mexicana (Standley) Leroy (Juglandaceae) (1400–1600 m), O. mexicana is the dominant element between 1600–1800 m of elevation, and cloud forests in higher elevations (1800–2050 m), where O. mexicana and several species of the genus Quercus (Fagaceae) are present as dominant trees ( Rzedowski & Palacios-Chávez 1977). Particularly, cloud forests with O. mexicana as the dominant element are considered relict and paleoendemic vegetation established in areas that presumably served as Pleistocene refugia of flora and fauna in Mexico ( Rzedowski 1991).

Figures

FIGURE 16. Map of collecting sites for Nanotermitodius andersoni (white circles), estimated locality of misidentified N. andersoni (gray circles) and N. peckorum (black circles).

FIGURES 1–6. Nanotermitodius species, habitus images. 1–3, Nanotermitodius andersoni, holotype male (CMNC). 4–6, Nanotermitodius peckorum, male, from “22 mi. S. of Valle Nacional” (FSCA), habitus images. 1, 4, Dorsal. 2, 5, Ventral. 3, 6, Lateral. Scale line = 1.0 mm.