Parabyrsopolis moroni Nogueira, Ramírez-Ponce and Cunningham, 2020

Ramírez-Ponce, Andrés, Nogueira, Guillermo & Cunningham, Richard A., 2020, Redefinition of the genus Parabyrsopolis Ohaus and description of a new species from west-central Mexico (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini), Zootaxa 4803 (3), pp. 515-522 : 517-521

Parabyrsopolis moroni Nogueira, Ramírez-Ponce and Cunningham , new species

( Figs. 1A , 2A , 3A , 4 A–D, F–G, J, L, N)

Type series. Holotype male labeled ( CNIN): a) “ MEXICO, Jalisco, Sierra Huichola , Bolaños. 2256 m. 22-vii-2017. Trampa de luz. Nogueira, G. Col. ”, b) “ Parabyrsopolis moroni Nogueira, Ramírez-Ponce & Cunningham HOLO- TIPO ” (red label, typeface) . Paratypes (n = 65) labeled as holotype except a) “ 2294 m. 20-21-vii-2017 ” (21 ♂♂: ARPC, 6; BUAP-ICUAP, 1; BCRC, 1; CASC, 1; CMNC, 1; CUCBA, 1; DCC, 1; DCHC, 1; FSCA, 1; GALC, 1; HNM, 1; IEXA, 1; IMECBIO, 1; MHNP, 1; NHM, 1; USNM, 1); labeled as holotype except a) “ 2266 m. 17-19-vii- 2018 ” (44 ♂♂: CEMT, 1; GNGC, 27; LGMX, 1; MSPC, 1; MLJC, 1; RACC, 12; WBWC, 1). All paratypes with b) “ Parabyrsopolis moroni Nogueira, Ramírez-Ponce & Cunningham PARATIPO” (yellow label, typeface) .

Description. Holotype male. Size: Total body length: 24.34 mm. Humeral width: 12.21 mm. Body length/width ratio 1.99:1. Color: Clypeus, frons, pronotum, and scutellum dark reddish brown, slightly shiny; pronotum with a few metallic greenish-copper highlights on lateral borders; elytra shiny reddish brown ( Figs. 2A , 4A ); epipleura reddish brown with dark ridge; mesofemora and metafemora reddish brown; tibiae and tarsi dark reddish brown; abdominal sternites shiny reddish brown, with posterior half dark; anal plate with intense green metallic reflections on the posterior half; pygidium dark reddish brown with green metallic reflections ( Fig. 4O ). Head: Clypeus rounded, with thick anterior edge, slightly reflexed; clypeal disc almost flat, with deep, rough, and irregular punctation ( Figs. 1B , 3A ). Frontoclypeal suture dark, sinuate mesially. Frons slightly convex, rough, with sparser punctation than on clypeus ( Figs. 2A , 3A ). Pronotum: Surface with medial longitudinal groove complete; punctation regular, shallow, sparser in posterior central third, denser near anterior and lateral edges; anterior angles almost right, prominent; posterior angles obtuse, broadly rounded; posterior margin almost complete; both anterior and posterior margins with a deep mesial notch ( Fig. 3A ). Elytra: Disc with small, superficial and irregularly distributed punctures, with 2 or 3 longitudinal rows of punctures whose length does not exceed the apical calli ( Figs. 2A , 4A ); epipleura surface flat in cross section (not concave), lateral margins with continuous row of short setae in all its length. Pygidium: Con- vex; disc noticeably punctate; small and shallow setiferous punctures, with proximal area almost smooth; setae long, erect, with uniform distribution ( Fig. 4N ). Legs: Protibia: Proximal and medium teeth broad, weakly defined, rounded; distal denticle directed towards the front; all spaced equidistantly ( Figs. 3A , 4J ). Mesotibia: External lateral surface almost smooth, with sparse, large oval impressions and a strong oblique, discontinuous, recurved carina, with 8 short spines; apical edge with 16–17 short spinules; apical spurs rounded, inferior slightly longer than half length of superior ( Fig. 4B ). Metatibia: External lateral surface with large, wide, superficial and oval impressions; strong oblique straight carina with 10 short spines; ventral and lateral internal surface with long, scattered setae; corbel with 26–27 bristles; apical spurs with rounded apex, inferior short as almost half length of superior ( Fig. 4 C–D). Protarsus: Second and third tarsomere as long as wide; tarsomere 4 wider than long, as long as tarsomere 3; tarsomere 5 with dentiform basal process; internal claw cleft, noticeably thick, longer and wider than external claw; internal denticle thick, rounded, shorter than external; external denticle thin, acute ( Figs. 3A , 4L ). Mesotarsus: Second tarsomere as wide as long; tarsomere 4 wider than long, wider than tarsomere 3 (1.3:1.0); tarsomere 5 with basal dentiform process; external claw cleft, of equal length, but noticeably thicker than internal ( Fig. 4B ). Metatarsus: Second tarsomere as wide as long; tarsomere 4 wider than long, slightly shorter than tarsomere 3; tarsomere 5 with basal dentiform process; internal and external claws simple, external longer than internal, with apical notch on inner edge ( Fig. 4 C–D). Parameres: In dorsal view, apex widely rounded, with curved side edges; medial cleft extended to one quarter of the midline; dorsobasal end rounded ( Fig. 4F ), in ventral view strongly projected backwards and divergent at mid-line. In lateral view, parameres with abundant setiferous vestiture on distal half of ventral surface ( Fig. 4G ). Length of aedeagus from the apex of parameres to end of basal piece: 5.24 mm (proportion basal piece, tectum, parameres 0.72:0.72:1.0).

Female. Unknown.

Variation in paratypes. Body length 20.5–24.5 mm. Humeral width: 11.0– 12.5 mm. Pronotum and elytra are same color in some specimens, and abdominal sternites can be unicolored. Clypeal apex varies slightly in thickness and degree of elevation of the anterior edge; punctation of clypeus and frons can be denser and deeper. Medial longitudinal groove of the pronotum can be shallower. Some specimens show abrasion on protibial edges such that teeth and claws may be worn. Pygidium may have setae thicker and longer, and lateral edges of parameres with less pronounced curvature in some specimens.

Diagnosis. The new species is distinguished from the rest of the genus by the completely rounded clypeal shape (sinuate laterally and converging to truncate, rounded or feebly sinuate in the apex in the rest of species), anterior and posterior margins of pronotum with mesial notch (complete in the rest of the species), epipleural surface flat in cross section (surface concave in the rest of species), lateral margins of elytra with continuous row of dense and short setae (glabrous in the rest of the species), and the metatarsal claws simple (simple or cleft in the rest of the species).

Distribution. Mountains of the Sierra Huichola, in the municipality of Bolaños, Jalisco, with forests of pine, oak and oyamel, located between 2250–2300 m ( Fig. 5 ). The Sierra Huichola is considered a “Prioritary Land Region” for conservation, with high endemism, but has been significantly altered by extensive severe fragmentation of natural habitat ( Arriaga et al. 2000).

Etymology. It is our great honor to dedicate this new species to our friend, colleague, and teacher, Dr. Miguel Ángel Morón Ríos (deceased), in recognition of his great contribution in the study of the Mexican entomofauna and legacy of training a new generation of Mexican entomologists.

Taxonomic comments. This species possesses the diagnostic characters of the genus Parabyrsopolis as defined by Morón & Nogueira (2016), with the exception of the clypeal form widely rounded, characters that are similar to Viridimicus (sensu Jameson 1990) . Parabyrsopolis moroni differs from the species of Viridimicus by the characters previously presented in the diagnosis and key, and also, by the form of the clypeus completely rounded, not widest at middle (in Viridimicus “diverges slightly from the base and is widest at middle” or “is sinuate laterally and converging apically toward a parabolic apex” ( Jameson 1990)); the lateral margins of elytra with a dense setal row (in Viridimicus are glabrous), and by the reddish-brown coloration (males of Viridimicus have metallic green coloration; females are metallic green, dark brown, or black).

Parabyrsopolis moroni shares the greatest morphological similarity with P. wixaritae Moron & Nogueira but is differentiated in addition to the diagnostic characters, by the smaller size between 20.5–24.5 mm ( P. wixaritae is 27.8–34.9 mm), pronotum with strongly defined medial longitudinal groove complete (almost absent in P. wixaritae ), lateral margins of elytra with a dense setal row (absent in P. wixaritae ) and the anterior and posterior edge of the pronotum with mesial notch (lacking in P. wixaritae ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Variation in the clypeal outer edge. A, Viridimicus species; B, Parabyrsopolis species. The form of P. moroni is shown in black, to demonstrate the new variation inside the genus (modified from Jameson 1990).

FIGURE 2. Dorsal habitus. A, Parabyrsopolis moroni; B, P. wixaritae.

FIGURE 3. Head and pronotum of Parabyrsopolis species. A) Parabyrsopolis moroni; B) P. wixaritae.

FIGURE 4. Diagnostic morphological characters of Parabyrsopolis species. A, Parabyrsopolis moroni in lateral view; B, mesotarsi of P. moroni; C–D, metatarsi of P. moroni; E, metatarsi of P. wixaritae; F–G, parameres in dorsal and ventral view of P. moroni; H–I, parameres in dorsal and ventral view of P. wixaritae; J, protibia of P. moroni; K, protibia of P. wixaritae; L, protarsal claws of P. moroni; M, protarsal claws of P. wixaritae; N, pygidium of P. moroni; O, pygidium of P. wixaritae.

FIGURE 5. Habitat of Parabyrsopolis moroni in the Sierra Huichola, Jalisco, Mexico, dominant trees are Pinus, Quercus, and Abies.