Phyllophaga (Phytalus) godwini Morón and Riley, 2005

Morón, Miguel-Angel & Riley, Edward G., 2005, Four New Species of Phyllophaga from Mexico and Central America (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 59 (3), pp. 391-399 : 392-394

Phyllophaga (Phytalus) godwini Morón and Riley , new species

( Figs. 1–7 )

Description. Holotype. Male. Body straw yellowish, pronotum and elytra slightly pruinose, with whitish-gray sheen; head, sternites, pygidium and legs shiny. Clypeus glabrous, 2.1 3 wider than long, borders strongly elevated, anterior margin briefly dentate at middle, disk surface widely concave, with many uniformly distributed, round punctures. Frontoclypeal suture weakly sinuate and clearly impressed. Frons 1.9 3 wider than long, nearly flat, rugosely punctate, with scarce, short, erect setae toward sides. Antenna 10-segmented, with three segmented club, lamellae 1.6 3 longer than length of preceding six segments combined; segment 4 slightly longer than 3; segments 6 and 7 wider than long, with flattened prominences on anterior sides. Frons 2.7 3 wider than dorsal diameter of eye. Eye canthus long and narrow, with 9–10 setae. Labrum bilobed, deeply notched, with scattered slender setae along borders. Mentum widely concave, impunctate, with scarce, slender setae at sides, anterior border briefly sinuate. Pronotum 1.6 3 wider than long and 2.5 3 wider than frons. Pronotal disk slightly dull, with shallow, round punctures irregularly separated by 1–4 diameters; lateral borders widely angulate, lateral marginal bead crenulate, with long, curved setae; basal bead indicated by punctures on middle third; anterior angles obtuse, slightly prominent; posterior angles obtuse, slightly prominent. Scutellum 1.8 3 wider than long, with 12 scattered punctures and anterior border widely sinuate. Elytron 2.4 3 longer than wide, slightly dull, densely and irregularly punctate, with scattered setae at external side; epipleural border progressively narrowed toward apex, with scarce, slender setae; humeral callus rounded, prominent; apical callus rounded. Metathoracic wings completely developed. Pterosternum with long, dense, yellowish setae. Visible abdominal sternites 2 to 4 slightly depressed at middle; 5 sternite widely concave, shiny, without setiferous punctures; anal plate short, convex, with a transverse row of 30 erect, slender setae. Propygidium shiny, with scattered punctures. Pygidium shiny, widely convex, with round shaped, shallow punctures, irregularly distributed; apical margin with 14 long, slender setae; basal margin effaced at middle.

Protibia slightly shorter than protarsus (0.8:1), with two large teeth and one basal small tooth on external border, preapical spur acute, straight, as long as 2nd protarsomere. Mesotibia with one oblique, well marked, setiferous carina on external side; upper apical spur stout, with rounded apex, 0.6 3 shorter than lower slender spur, with acute apex. Metatibia slightly shorter than metatarsus (0.7:1), with one oblique setiferous carina on external side; upper apical spur articulated, straight, sharply pointed, 1.5 3 longer than basal metatarsomere, and 1.4 3 longer than lower spur; lower apical spur articulated, apex acute. Tarsomeres semicylindrical, elongate, with enlarged apices, each with some setae apically and two lines of short setae along ventral side. Tarsal claws similar in fore and middle legs, deeply cleft, upper tooth slightly longer than lower tooth ( Fig. 1 ). Inner tarsal claw in hind legs with lower tooth strongly curved with small, apex acute ( Fig. 2 ). Genital capsule with long, narrowed parameres fused along ventral surface, dorsally fused at phallobase, apex truncate, narrowly notched medially ( Figs. 4–6 ). Aedeagus membranous. Tectum with wide, shallow depression. Length of genital capsule from apex of parameres to border of basal piece: 5.3 mm. Total body length: 16.8 mm. Humeral width: 7.0 mm.

Allotype. Female. Similar to the male except as follows: clypeus with border moderately elevated, disk nearly flattened, antennal club as long as preceding five segments combined. Visible abdominal sternites 2 to 5 convex, with scattered, shallow punctures; anal plate slightly longer than in male, convex, punctate, with an irregular, transverse row of 22 slender setae near apical border. Both apical spurs of metatibia widened, curved, with rounded apex. Tarsal claws widely cleft, with lower tooth slightly longer than upper tooth ( Fig. 3 ). Ventral genital plates well sclerotized, nearly symmetrical, elongate, with short setae at distal process; dorsal genital plates fused with ventral plates toward lateral sides, with acute apices directed mesad and setae on distal borders ( Fig. 7 ). Total body length: 17.2 mm. Humeral width: 7.6 mm.

Variation. Total body length: 16.3–17.6 mm, humeral width: 6.7–7.8 mm, some specimens are slightly more reddish or yellowish than the types, with more or less grayish or whitish reflections on the elytral surface. Upper spur of mesotibial apex sometimes 1.3 3 longer than lower spur.

Type Series. (Described from 34 males and 55 females). Holotype male; MEXICO: Jalisco, La Huerta, Chamela Biological Station , 28-VII-1996, BL/ UV light trap, W. Godwin ( IEXA) . Allotype, 21 male and 20 female paratypes with same data as holotype ( IEXA, IBUNAM, TAMU, MXAL) ; 11 paratypes with the following data: Jalisco: Estación Biológica Chamela , 19-VII-1984, C. Deloya and R. Terrón (6 males, 29 females) ( IEXA, UNSM, MXAL) ; Chamela , 29-VI-1986, R. Usela (male); same data except: 29-VII-1986 (male); 8-VII-1986, M. Sánchez (2 males) ( IEXA) ; 24-VI- 1990, F. A. Noguera (2 males, 2 females); 12-VII-1990 (2 females); 14-VII-1990 (female) ( IBUNAM) .

Type Locality. Reserva de la Biosfera Chamela-Cuixmala, state of Jalisco, México (19 8 29 9 –10 8 34 9 N, 104 8 58 9 –105 8 04 9 W) .

Biological Data. This species inhabits the tropical deciduous forest located at 200– 1,000 m altitude. Specimens were collected during June (5) and July (84). Other Phyllophaga species flying at the same time and place were: P. (Phytalus) sinaloana Saylor, P. (P.) pruinosa (Blanchard), P. (s. str.) disca Saylor , P. (s. str.) integriceps (Moser) , P. (incertae sedis) ilhuicaminai Morón, P. (s. str.) fulviventris (Moser) , P. (s. str.) lenis (Horn), P. (Chlaenobia) instabilis Blackwelder, P. (Ch.) reyesiana Morón, and P. (Ch.) sandersoniana Morón.

Remarks. Phyllophaga (Phytalus) godwini belongs to the species group ‘‘ macrocera ’’ (sensu Morón 1986). Externally the new species is similar to P. (Phytalus) batillifer (Bates) from localities in the states of Mexico, Morelos, Puebla and Guerrero, Mexico. The new species differs from P. batillifer in having the inner, hind tarsal claws of the male similar to the middle and fore claws, and the parameres are shorter with a downward curved apex.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to William Godwin, enthusiastic coleopterist who collected most of the large type series of this interesting new species.

Figures

Figs. 1–7. Phyllophaga godwini. 1) Inner protarsal claw, male; 2) inner metatarsal claw, male; 3) tarsal claw, female; 4) genital capsule, lateral view; 5) parameres, distal view; 6) tectum, phallobase and parameres, dorsal view; 7) female genital plates, ventral view. Scale lines: Figs. 1–3 ¼ 0.5 mm, Figs. 4–7 ¼ 1 mm.