Pseudorphnus carinatus Frolov, 2011

Frolov, Andrey V., Montreuil, Olivier & Akhmetova, Lilia A., 2016, Review of the Madagascan Orphninae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) with a revision of the genus Triodontus Westwood, Zootaxa 4207 (1), pp. 1-93 : 13-15

Pseudorphnus carinatus Frolov, 2011

( Figs. 5 A–G)

Pseudorphnus carinatus Frolov, 2011: 65 .

Type material examined. Holotype ( Figs. 5 A–F), male, “ MADAGASCAR: Province d'Antsiranana, Ampasindava, Foret d'Ambianivy , 3.9 km 181 S Ambaliha, elev. 600 m, 4–9 March 2001 / 13 47′55″S, 48 9′42″E coll. Fisher, Griswold et al. California Acad. of Sciences , pitfall trap in rainforest, collection code: BLF3250 / CASENT 8013699 / Holotypus Pseudorphnus carinatus Frolov det. 2010” . Paratype: single male with the same locality label as the holotype .

Differential diagnosis. From other Pseudorphnus species, the males of P. carinatus can be separated by the characteristic shape of the frontoclypeal ridge. It is similar to P. olsoufieffi in the body size, sculpture of pronotum, and elytra, and in the shape of prothoracic ridges, but the males of P. olsoufieffi have a rather large, conical tubercle situated in the center of the frontoclypeus. The two species also differ in the sculpture of frontoclypeus (smooth in P. carinatus and rugose in P. olsoufieffi ) and in the shape of the parameres (having more acute apices somewhat depressed laterally in P. olsoufieffi .

Description. Male: body elongate, oval, strongly shiny ( Figs. 5 A–B). Color blackish brown, elytra and underside of body slightly lighter.

Frontoclypeus slightly convex anteriorly, obtuse laterally, anterior margin setose and crenulate in dorsal view. Eyes relatively large (diameter larger than the distance between eye and gula in ventral view), incompletely divided by canthus into smaller dorsal and larger ventral parts. Frontoclypeus with a long (about 8/10 the width of frontoclypeus) transverse low ridge near anterior margin ( Figs. 5 E–F). Dorsal surface of head impunctate. Labrum bilobate, slightly sinuate in the middle and relatively feebly protruding past frontoclypeus. Length in the middle is 1/8 width (in dorsal view).

Pronotum 1.5 times wider than long, widest medially. Anterior margin with wide border, base with fine border. Lateral margins densely punctate, appearing crenulate in dorsal view. Disc of pronotum with deep excavation in the middle, with 2 slender longitudinal somewhat triangular ridges bordering the excavation ( Figs. 5 B, F). Surface of disc between the ridges smooth, without punctures. Sides of pronotum rugose posteriorly. Lateral margins with long, brown setae.

Scutellum triangular, narrowly rounded apically, about 1/8 length of elytra.

Elytra convex, with marked humeral humps. Maximum width approximately at the middle. Only sutural stria is distinct and reaching apex of elytron. Elytra covered with sparse narrow and somewhat curved punctures, each bearing a short, yellow seta. Epipleura with long, sparse, brown setae. Base of elytra bordered and densely punctate with punctures similar to those in striae but more rugose and irregular.

Protibiae of typical shape for Pseudorphnus . Lateral margin basad of outer teeth not crenulate. Apices with 3 robust, spur-like setae and a number of smaller setae. Protarsi well developed, about 4/5 length of protibiae. Claws 1/3 length of apical tarsomere. Apical protarsomere as long as protarsomeres 3 and 4 combined, as thick as other tarsomeres. Ventral surface of protibiae smooth with 2 rows of setae along sides and sparse, longer setae in the middle. Ventral surface of femora sparsely punctate, with 1 raised longitudinal line.

Mesothoracic and metathoracic legs similar in shape; metafemora and metatibiae about 1/8 longer than mesofemora and mesotibiae. Tibiae somewhat triangular, with 2 apical spurs, with inner margin only slightly concave and with 1 transverse keel. Longer tibial spur as long as 2 basal tarsomeres. Claws 1/3 length of apical tarsomere. Femora almost impunctate, with 2 rows of long setae.

Abdominal sternites irregularly punctate, pubescent; with dense, long setae. Sternite 8 medially as long as sternites 4–5 combined.

Pygidium transverse, irregularly punctate, hidden under elytra.

Aedeagus with short, acute apices ( Fig. 5 C).

Female. Unknown.

Variation. The two known specimens, the holotype and the paratype, are very similar to each other and differ only in the body size (length 10.5 and 11.0 mm).

Distribution and habitat. This species is known from a single locality in northern Madagascar ( Fig. 5 G) situated in the subhumid forest region.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Pseudorphnus carinatus. Habitus (A—dorsal, B—lateral view), aedeagus in lateral view and parameres in dorsal view (C), labels of holotype (D), head in dorsal view (E), head and pronotum in dorso-lateral view (F), distributional records (G).