Podolasia diabla Smith and Paulsen, 2017

Smith, Andrew B. T. & Paulsen, M. J., 2017, Two New Species of Podolasia Harold (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Podolasiini) from Coahuila, Mexico, The Coleopterists Bulletin 71 (3), pp. 532-536 : 532-534

Podolasia diabla Smith and Paulsen , new species

( Figs. 1–5 )

Type Material. Holotype male ( UNMC) labeled: a) “ Mexico: Coahuila: Cuatro / Cienegas Prot. Area / 16.V.2010 / 26.9717°N 102.1224°W / Colr. K.R. Wetherill ”; b) “Site A1 / ~6km W. Cuatrocienegas / lower bajada / general collecting”; c) on red paper, “HOLOTYPE / Podolasia diabla / Smith & Paulsen”.

Description. Male, length 4.1 mm, greatest width 1.7 mm. Color dorsally and ventrally light reddish brown with frons and pronotum slightly darker ( Figs. 1–2 ). Head subcircular with clypeal and genal margins nearly continuous. Clypeus ( Fig. 3 ) narrower than 2X length at middle, sides reflexed, more strongly so anteriorly, anterior margin rounded, not emarginate; posterior margin coplanar with frons, frontoclypeal suture visible laterally, absent medially; clypeal disc with scattered, moderate-size punctures; surface shiny with erect setae. Labrum not visible, presumably fused with clypeus. Genal margin arcuate, almost obsolete, curved, raised edge distinct. Frons lacking secondary transverse carina, with strong triangular horn above each eye ( Fig. 3 ); surface concave, shiny. Mouthparts reduced, except for labial and maxillary palpomeres. Antenna with 9 antennomeres.Pronotum strongly convex ( Figs.1–2 ), declivous anteriorly, widest at middle; marginal bead complete, thin laterally, crenate near obtuse anterior angles; just posterior to wide anterior margin with distinct, setose transverse groove extending to anterior angles; lateral margin with sparse, long setae, posterior margin with short setae; anterior angles slightly produced near eyes, obtuse; posterior angles obsolete; pronotal disc except near anterior and posterior angles with sparse, large punctures, punctures closer laterally than on disc, surface between punctures shiny. Scutellum as long as wide, longitudinally depressed, tip bluntly rounded. Elytron lacking impressed striae, 4 striae indicated by irregular rows of large punctures, some punctures with fine, semi-erect seta; intervals between rows of punctures with irregular, sparse punctures lacking setae; interval punctures mixed fine to large; surface shiny; apex of elytron rounded near suture. Pygidium relatively short and broad, surface with scattered punctures, each with a long seta; surface shiny, feebly reticulate basally. Abdomen with ventral sutures mostly effaced (connate), only apical and basal segments with defined sutures. Protibia with 2 teeth ( Figs. 1–2 ). Metafemur oval-elongate, approximately 2X long as wide. Metatibia elongate, distinctly 3X longer than wide ( Fig. 1 ); slanted carina extending less than 1/2 of outer face near apical third of tibia, outer surface without distinct tubercles. Tarsal claws simple. Each paramere of genitalia ( Fig. 5 ) sinuate with distinctive triangular expansion apically.Wings fully developed.

Female. Unknown.

Remarks. Podolasia diabla is the only species in the genus to possess horns on the head. Despite the small size of the only known specimen, the horns are well developed. Podolasia diabla keys to Podolasia pilosa Howden, 1954 in Howden (1997), but it is easily distinguished from both P. pilosa and Podolasia parapilosa Smith and Paulsen , new species by the head horns and the subcircular head with nearly continuous clypeal and genal margins.

Etymology. We name this species diabla , the feminine form of the Spanish word for “devil”, in regards to the small horns that are unique in the tribe and rarely found in the subfamily Melolonthinae . This name should be treated as a noun in apposition.

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Podolasia diabla, holotype. 1) Dorsal habitus; 2) Oblique habitus; 3) Apical view of the head showing the horns; 4) Abdomen; 5) Parameres.