Cyclocephala carlsoni Ratcliffe, 2008

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 1821, More New Species ofCyclocephalaDejean, 1821 from South America (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 62 (2), pp. 221-241 : 221-241

Cyclocephala carlsoni Ratcliffe , new species

( Figs. 5–7 )

Type Material. Holotype male, labeled ‘‘ GUYANE, Rue de Regina , 40 km S

Cayenne, 23 Sept. 1992, bl&mv, DCCarlson, FTHovore, PHSullivan collectors.’’ Allotype female labeled ‘‘GUYANE, Piste de Coralie , Pk 2, 27 Sept. 1992, BL & MN, DCCarlson, FTHovore, PHSullivan collectors.’’ One male and one female paratype labeled ‘‘ FRENCH GUIANA, PK 15/15 Piste de Belizon, IX-18-2004, R. Rojkoff. ’’

Holotype and allotype (property of David Carlson, Fair Oaks, CA) deposited at the University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE. Two paratypes deposited in the B. C. Ratcliffe collection (Lincoln NE) .

Holotype. Male. Length 10.0 mm; width across humeri 5.2 mm. Color testaceous except for black frons, 2 broad, longitudinal bands on pronotum, posterior borders of scutellum and elytral suture, 3 black spots on each elytron (post-humeral, post-scutellar, center of disc behind middle; and apices of femora, tibiae, and protibial teeth). Tarsi, pygidium, abdominal sternites light yellowish brown. Head: Surface of frons densely punctate, punctures small. Clypeus vaguely roughened or rugulopunctate; apex broadly truncate, feebly emarginate at middle, weakly reflexed. Frontoclypeal suture biarcuate, distinct. Interocular width equals 3.4 transverse eye diameters. Antenna 10-segmented, club subequal in length to segments 2–7. Pronotum: Surface moderately densely punctate, punctures small. Posterior angles broadly rounded. Base lacking marginal bead. Elytra: Surface weakly shagreened, punctate; punctures minute and moderately large mixed, paired punctate striae indistinct. Pygidium: Surface densely punctate; punctures minute, surface becoming rugulose in angles. In lateral view, surface evenly convex. Legs: Protibia tridentate, basal tooth small, slightly removed from other teeth. Protarsus strongly enlarged; tarsomeres 2–4 each slightly larger than preceding; 5th subequal in length to tarsomeres 2–4; median claw enlarged, strongly curved, apex widely split into broad and small rami. Posterior tibia short, stout, expanded towards apex; apex with fringe of short, stout spinules. Metatarsus subequal in length to metatibia. Venter: Prosternal process long, slender, columnar, apex a small, oval disc with raised, transversely oval ‘‘button’’ on anterior 2/3. Parameres: Figs. 6–7 .

Allotype. Female. Length 10.0 mm; width across humeri 5.4 mm. As holotype except in the following respects: Color and pattern similar except pronotum with small, black spot near lateral margin on each side and subapical swelling of elytral margin piceous. Head: Entire surface punctate to rugopunctate, punctures moderate in size. Interocular width equals 2.1 transverse eye diameters. Elytra: Epipleuron (in ventral view) attenuated at level of sternite 4. Elytral margin laterad of apical umbone swollen into weak knob. Pygidium: In lateral view, surface weakly convex. Legs: Protibia with teeth subequally spaced. Protarsus simple, not enlarged.

Variation. Males (1 paratype). Length 9.3 mm; width across humeri 5.2 mm. As holotype except in the following respects: Head and pronotum with punctures dense, moderately large. Clypeus rugulose. Elytra with discal spot absent.

Females (1 paratype). Length 10.3 mm; width across humeri 5.6 mm. Head with clypeus transversely rugose.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of David Carlson (Fair Oaks, CA), one of the collectors of this new species, who has loaned me numerous specimens for study over the years. This patronym is also crafted in grateful appreciation of his permission for allowing type specimens from his personal collection to be deposited in the collection of the University of Nebraska State Museum.

Distribution. Cyclocephala carlsoni is endemic to French Guiana, and all the specimens were taken from lowland rainforest.

Diagnosis. Cyclocephala carlsoni males will key as far as couplet 353 in Endrödi (1985), at which point no other choices apply. The female allotype will key as far 226 as couplet 261, where choices no longer fit. While this species has similar color and pattern to other species of Cyclocephala , it is the combination of these characters (and others mentioned in the description) with its small size that makes this species distinctive. I have examined the literature for all of the new species of Cyclocephala described since Endrödi (1985), particularly those from French Guiana by Roger-Paul Dechambre, and none of them correspond with the combination of character states of C. carlsoni .

Figures

Figs. 5–7. Cyclocephala carlsoni: 5) dorsal view of holotype; 6–7) parameres (caudal and lateral views).