Hemiphileurus rugulosus Endrödi 1978:91

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2001, New Species Of Hemiphileurus Kolbe (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) From Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, And Brazil, The Coleopterists Bulletin 55 (4), pp. 433-443 : 438-440

Hemiphileurus rugulosus Endrödi 1978:91 .

Endrödi described this species based on 43 specimens, most of which were from Venezuela ; two specimens were from Colombia . Endrödi’s (1985) key to the species of Hemiphileurus generally works for identifying this species, but when one attempts to confirm the identification by comparing the parameres of the specimen with the illustration in the book, considerable doubt sets in because the two don’t appear to be the same. The reason for this is the oversimplified illustration which, unfortunately, is typical for so many of the drawings by Endrödi. When compared with specimens identified by Endrödi, the illustration is simply not accurate.

To help alleviate this confusion, I am providing new illustrations (Figs. 11– 12) of the male genitalia of H. rugulosus specimens collected at Rancho Grande (near Maracay), Venezuela as well as Endrödi’s original drawing (Fig. 13).

Hemiphileurus quadridentatus Ratcliffe , new species ( Figs. 14–15 )

Type Material. Holotype labeled ‘‘ GUATEMALA: Izabal, SE Morales nr. Negro Norte , IV­1997,; 1,000 m, 158229670N 888419680W, col. José Monzon. ’’ Allotype with same data. Six male and three female paratypes with same data . Holotype and allotype deposited at the University of Nebraska State Museum (Lincoln, NE) . Paratypes deposited in the collections of the University of Nebraska State Museum, U.S. National Museum (Washington, D.C. but currently at the University of Nebraska for off­site enhancement), Universidad del Valle (Guatemala City, Guatemala), and the B.C. Ratcliffe collection .

Holotype. Male. Length 21.1 mm; width 9.7. Color black. Head: Surface of frons and base of clypeus coarsely rugose, apex of clypeus with sparse, moderately­sized punctures. Frons near its apex with 2 low, rounded tubercles; center of frons with large, moderately deep, oval fovea. Clypeus triangular, apex acute and strongly reflexed, carinae from apex to each tubercle absent. Interocular width equals 3.1 transverse eye diameters. Antenna with 10 segments, club subequal in length to segments 2–7. Mandibles arcuate on external edge, apices acute. Pronotum: Surface with disc either side of middle moderately punctate, punctures mostly large and weakly ocellate; punctures along anterior margin a little smaller, becoming rugopunctate, punctures on lateral margins moderate in size. Median, longitudinal furrow deep, with large and dense punctures, furrow extending from near base to near apex. A faint (nearly obsolete) tubercle present just behind apex either side of median furrow. All margins completely beaded. Elytra: Surface with 6 distinct, punctate striae between suture and humeral umbone; punctures moderate to large, oval to elongate, strongly ocellate, separated from one another in each row by about 1 puncture length. Intervals convex, impunctate. Pygidium: Surface moderately densely punctate; punctures moderate to mostly large, ocellate, setigerous; setae moderate to mostly long, reddish brown. In lateral view, surface regularly convex. Legs: Foretibia quadridentate, teeth subequally spaced from one another. Median transverse carina on meso­ and metatibiae terminating with strong, acute spine. Apex of posterior tibia with strong, acute spine on upper angle and with 5 short spinules below spine. Apex of first tarsomere on posterior tarsus with strong, acute spine dorsally. Venter: Prosternal process broadly rounded, short, apex truncate and weakly concave. Last sternite rugopunctate in narrow band along base, elsewhere virtually impunctate. Parameres: Figures 14–15 .

Allotype. Female. Length 21.9 mm; width 9.4 mm. As holotype except in the following respects: Head: Clypeus with a small, weak carina extending from apex to base of

Figs. 16–17. Parameres of H. warneri Ratcliffe , n. sp.

Fig. 18. Prosternal process, lateral oblique view, of H. warneri Ratcliffe , n. sp.

Figs. 19–20. Parameres of H. illatus (LeConte) .

each frontal tubercle. Elytra: Punctures of striae mostly round to oval, only a few elongate. Venter: Last sternite with basal 1/3 rugopunctate, with sparse micropunctures elsewhere.

Variation. Males (5). Length 19.5–21.8 mm; width 8.6–9.3 mm. The male paratypes do not differ appreciably from the holotype. One specimen has fewer punctures on the pronotum and less setae on the pygidium .

Females (3). Length 18.5–23.3 mm; width 8.5–10.3 mm. The female paratypes do not differ from the allotype except except for the presence of faint clypeal carinae, and the pygidium is weakly convex with smaller punctures in one specimen.

Etymology. This species is descriptively named for the four teeth present on the foretibia.

Remarks. Hemiphileurus quadridentatus will key only to couplets 45/46, the last in Endrödi’s (1985) key. Here one finds the only other continental species with quadridentate foretibiae: H. microps (Burmeister) and H. illatus (LeConte) , both from Mesoamerica. A third continental species with quadridentate foretibiae, H. warneri , is described in this paper. The diagnostic male parameres must be examined for reliable identification because of overlapping external character states between the four species.

The only other species with quadridentate foretibiae, out of 43 (currently) in the genus, are H. dispar (Kolbe) and H. parvus Dupuis and Dechambre , from Hispaniola and Cuba respectively.

The specimens of H. quadridentatus were taken at lights along with several specimens of H. microps ; nothing is known of their biology. Although the type locality near Negro Norte is only 1,000 m in elevation, it is a cloud forest because of the high amount of moisture received from the Caribbean (. 4,000 mm of rain/year). According to J. Monzon (pers. comm., September 2000), this forest is the northernmost limit for many Central and South American Cerambycidae as well as the metallic species of Central American Plusiotis ( Scarabaeidae : Rutelinae ) and other beetles. This is one of the most biologically rich forests in Guatemala and should be considered in any conservation programs there.

Figures

Figs. 14–15. Parameres of H. quadridentatus Ratcliffe, n. sp.