Tomarus discrepans ( Escalona & Joly, 2006 )

López-García, Margarita M. & Deloya, Cuauhtémoc, 2022, Cladistic analysis reveals polyphyly of Tomarus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae): new classification and taxonomic revision, Zootaxa 5211 (1), pp. 1-119 : 59-60

Tomarus discrepans ( Escalona & Joly, 2006)

( Figs. 16E , 19E , 23B , 27E ; 45 )

Ligyrus discrepans Escalona & Joly, 2006: 125 . Original combination. Holotype male not examined, which according to the original description is at Museo del Instituto de Zoología Agrícola Francisco Fernández Yépez (Maracay, Venezuela), but it was not possible to get in contact with a curator. Type locality: Estación Experimental San Nicolás , Portuguesa, Venezuela.

Description. Habitus as in Fig. 27E . Length 21.0– 29.5 mm; humeral width 11.0– 14.7 mm. Color dark brown to black. Head: Frons and clypeus coarsely and densely rugose. Frontoclypeal region with 2 conical tubercles separated by about 2.5 tubercle diameters. Clypeus narrowed towards apex, base 3.0–3.5 times as wide as apex. Clypeal teeth triangular, separated by a tooth diameter. Mandible with 2 apical teeth and a lateral, narrowly rounded tooth. Mentum abruptly constricted at apical 3rd. Galea of maxilla with teeth 5 and 6 well developed. Interocular distance 3.5 times an eye width. Pronotum: Surface with small punctures, denser and deeper on anterior and posterior angles. Apical tubercle prominent, acute; slightly recurved. Subapical fovea deep, rounded, very wide (as wide as the interocular distance), equal in both sexes. Foveal surface transversely rugose. Scutellum: Surface with minute, sparse punctures. Elytra: Punctures on first interval as large as those on other intervals. Inner surface of apex with rounded, large tubercles forming 25–30 parallel lines. Abdomen: Apex of tergite IV with a triangular wide area with large, rounded tubercles forming 15–17 diagonal parallel lines. Pygidium with dense rugosity on basal 3rd, apex rounded. Venter: Apex of prosternal process flat, longitudinally oval to subrectangular. Metasternum with short, sparse setae. Legs: Protibia tridentate, with a basal small denticle. Apex of metatibia crenulate; with 21–25 spinules. Male genitalia: Spiculum gastrale without basal plates. Phallobase as long as parameres. Parameres with 1 dorsal tooth each side; tooth long, acute ( Figs. 16E , 19E ). Internal sac with copulatory lamella and short lamellar spiny belt; with a complex of 5 spine-like accessory lamellae, with dense granules at base ( Fig. 23B ).

Diagnosis. Tomarus discrepans is recognized by the following character combination: frontoclypeal tubercles conical; pronotal tubercle acute and prominent ( Fig. 27E ); pronotal fovea rounded (as wide as interocular distance); metasternum with short setae; protibia tridentate and with an additional basal denticle; apex of metatibia with 21–25 spinules; parameres with a long, acute tooth on each side, apical half strongly contracted, apices widely expanded ( Figs. 16E , 19E ).

Taxonomic remarks. Tomarus discrepans was described by Escalona & Joly (2006) to include specimens from Venezuela similar in external morphology to T. gyas but with the characteristic parameres of the male. The authors said that the species was also in Panama and Costa Rica based on the illustrations of the parameres presented for T. gyas in Ratcliffe (2003). Although in the present revision the presence of the species is confirmed in the countries from Mexico to Panama, T. gyas is also distributed in Costa Rica and Panama, and so examination of parameres is necessary for correct identification of both species.

Distribution. Venezuela, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico. It is probably found along the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

Locality records ( Fig. 45 ). 184 specimens examined from CNIN, EMAC, FSCA, IEXA, UNSM, and USNM.

Some records from Escalona & Joly (2006). COSTA RICA (15). Cartago (2): Turrialba. Limón (4): Hamburg Farm ; Salvadora Farm ; Sixaola. San José (9): Estación La Selva ; Heredia ; Santa Tecla ; Tena. EL SALVADOR (7). La Libertad (2): San Andrés ; Santa Tecla. San Salvador (3): San Salvador. Santa Ana (1): Santa Ana. Usulután (1): Usulután. GUATEMALA (48). Alta Verapaz (6): Chulac ; La Tinta ; Panzos ; Senahú. El Progreso (1): El Jicaro. Izabal (35): Cerro Negro Norte ; Finca Firmeza ; Morales. Retalhuleu (1): Retalhuleu. San Marcos (1): Puente Talismán. Santa Rosa (1): Mal País. Suchitepéquez (3): Santa Bárbara ; Finca Parraxe ; Finca Moca, Volcán Atitlán. HONDURAS (62). Atlántida (31): La Ceiba ; Tela ; Parque Nacional Cuero y Salado ; Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. Comayagua (1): Siguatepeque. Copán (1): Lancetilla. Cortés (8): La Lima ; San Pedro Sula. El Paraiso (2): Capiré (8 km SE). Gracias a Dios (3): Reserva Río Plátano ; Wampusirpi. Olancho (10): Catamacas ; Montaña de Melacate. Yoro (6): Cuevitas ; Parque Nacional Pico Pijol. MEXICO (9). Chiapas (8): Boca de Chajul ; Las Guacamayas ; Ocosingo. Veracruz (1): El Plan. NICARAGUA (7). Granada (1): La Calera. Río San Juan (4): Bartola ; Río Papaturro. Zelaya (2): Bonanza ; Cerro Saslaya. PANAMA (28). Colón (3): Madden Dam. Panamá (24): Altos de Maje ; Barro Colorado ; La Chorrera ; Llano-Carti Road ; Panamá. VENEZUELA (6). Carabobo (1): Nirgua. Cojedes (1): San Carlos. Portuguesa (1): Estación Experimental San Nicolás , 56 km de Guanare. Táchira (1): Complejo Hidroeléctrico Leonardo Ruíz Pineda , Las Cuevas. Zulia (2): Perijá , El Tucuco ; Perijá , Kasmera , Río Yasa .

Natural history. Adults can be collected using lights at night. The species is found mainly in tropical dry to humid forests below 650 m and infrequently in montane forest at 1,200 –1,400 m ( Ratcliffe et al. 2013, as T. gyas ).

Figures

FIGURE 16. Parameres in frontal view. A) Tomarus adoceteus, B) T. amazonicus, C) T. bituberculatus, D) T. colombianus, E) T. discrepans, F) T. gyas, G) T. laevicollis, H) T. laticaudus, I) T. maimon, J) T. maracaiboensis, K) T. maternus, L) T. pilcopataensis, M) T. pullus, N) T. pumilus, O) T. roigjunenti, P) T. rostratus, Q) T. selanderi, R) T. subtropicus.

FIGURE 19. Parameres in lateral view. A) Tomarus adoceteus, B) T. amazonicus, C) T. bituberculatus, D) T. colombianus, E) T. discrepans, F) T. gyas, G) T. laevicollis, H) T. laticaudus, I) T. maimon.

FIGURE 23. Internal sac. A) Tomarus amazonicus, B) T. discrepans, C) T. laticaudus, D) T. maimon. Abbreviations: AL: Accessory lamellae, CL: Copulatory lamella, LSB: Lamellar spiny belt, Ra: Raspula, SD: Sclerotized diverticulum.

FIGURE 27. Habitus of the species of Tomarus: A) Tomarus adoceteus, B) T. amazonicus, C) T. bituberculatus, D) T. colombianus, E) T. discrepans, F) T. gyas, G) T. laevicollis, H) T. laticaudus, I) T. maimon. Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURE 45. Distributional records of Tomarus discrepans and T. selanderi.