Diplotaxis chiapasensis, Delgado & Toledo-Hernández, 2020

Delgado, Leonardo & Toledo-Hernandez, Victor Hugo, 2020, Three new species of Diplotaxis Kirby from Guatemala and Mexico (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae), with a key to the species of the trapezifera group, ZooKeys 993, pp. 35-46 : 35

Diplotaxis chiapasensis sp. nov. Figs 6-10

Material examined.

Holotype male, “México: Chiapas, Unión Juárez, Talquián, 7-X-2002, B. Gómez y Gómez col." (ECO-SC). Paratype female, same data as holotype (LLDC).

Diagnosis.

This new species is recognized by the following combination of characters: body dorsoventrally flattened; clypeus setose, rest of dorsum glabrous; dorsum with a metallic green cast; pronotum and elytra shiny, without microreticulation.

Description.

Holotype. Male (Figs 6-9 ). Length 8.14 mm; width 3.63 mm. Body elongate and dorsoventrally flattened. Clypeus, sides of pronotum and scutellum reddish-brown, frons and vertex black, most of pronotum and elytra dark brown, legs and venter reddish-brown; head, pronotum and elytra with metallic green cast.

Head. Clypeus subrectangular in shape, short, length equals 0.80 of that of frons and vertex combined, apex broadly sinuated, anterior angles rounded, clypeal surface with short, sparse setae; frons with anterior half gradually declivous to clypeus and slightly concave; punctuation of clypeus rugose, frons with punctures of medium size, moderately dense; transverse eye diameter 0.32 interocular width; antennae 10-segmented; labrum concave, flush with, and slightly longer than, reflexed underside of clypeus, surface with moderately dense punctures; mandibles slender in frontal view; mentum with anterior declivity marked by transverse, curved, setiferous ridge; last article of maxillary palps not impressed dorsally.

Pronotum. Hexagonal in shape, anterior angles acute, lateral margins obtusely angled, posterior angles obtuse; pronotal surface almost evenly flat, reticulated, with large, ocellate punctures; lateral and basal borders narrowly beaded.

Scutellum. Moderately punctate. Elytra. 1.6 times longer than width, surface moderately rugose and densely punctate, punctures larger than those on pronotum; striae indistinct; marginal lateral setae scarce and minute, only present on basal fourth.

Abdomen. Without lateral carina, propygidium without groove anterior to pygidium, ventrites 2-5 subequal in length, with sparse setae; pygidium 1.6 times wider than long, with confluent punctures and moderately dense setae.

Legs. Protibiae tridentate, basal tooth small and situated on apical 2/5 of protibia; protarsal claws slightly curved, subapically cleft, both rami equal in length; all tarsi longer than respective tibiae, mesotarsomere 1 as long as 2; metacoxal plates truncate and margined laterally; metafemora straight and slender; metatibial spurs slender and shorter than metatarsomere 1; metatarsomere 1 shorter than 2; meso- and metatarsal claws abruptly curved, with subapical ramus large.

Genitalia. Basal piece damaged, parameres joined on inner margin at basal fourth, narrowing distally to moderately widened apices (Figs 8-9 ).

Female. One female paratype (Fig. 10 ). Length 8.59 mm; width 3.90 mm. The female differs from the male in the following respects: clypeus slightly shorter; frons and vertex more convex; pronotum with anterior angles obtuse and lateral angles rounded; elytra 1.7 times longer than wide; abdomen almost flat; pygidium 1.7 times wider than long; tibiae broader and robust; metafemora slightly broader; and inner metatibial spur wider and longer than metatarsomere 1.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from Chiapas, the state of Mexico where this species was collected, combined with the Latin suffix - ensis, meaning belonging to.

Distribution.

Diplotaxis chiapasensis sp. nov. is only known from the type locality, situated on the Pacific side of the state of Chiapas, Mexico, near the border with Guatemala (15°05'6.9"N, 92°05'02.24"W) (Fig. 17 ). This locality is at 1660 m altitude, with cloud forests with different degrees of disturbance.

Taxonomic remarks.

Diplotaxis chiapasensis sp. nov. is similar to D. xalapensis . Both species belong to the trapezifera group because of the setose clypeus and the rest of the dorsum glabrous, but both species can be distinguished from the remaining species of this group by the dorsoventrally flattened body and the elytra dark brown. Diplotaxis chiapasensis sp. nov. is clearly separated from D. xalapensis by the shiny elytra (not matt or with sericeous surface).

Figures

Figure 17. Distribution of Diplotaxis species. Diplotaxis balam sp. nov. (black circle), D. chiapasensis sp. nov. (black triangle), D. complanatis sp. nov. (white circle), D. xalapensis Delgado and Capistran (white triangle).

Figures 6 - 10. Diplotaxis chiapasensis sp. nov. 6 male habitus, dorsal view 7 male habitus, lateral view 8 male genitalia, frontal view 9 male genitalia, lateral view 10 female habitus. Scale bars: 1 mm (6, 7, 10); 0.5 mm (8, 9).