Aegognathus arnaudi Cáceres, Ríos-Málaver, Grossi,, 2019

Ríos-Málaver, Juan Sebastián Dueñas Cáceres ı Cristóbal & Grossi, Paschoal Coelho, 2019, Taxonomic contribution on the Andean species of Aegognathus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) with two new species from Colombia and Peru, Journal of Natural History 53 (35), pp. 2145-2164 : 2151-2153

Aegognathus arnaudi Cáceres, Ríos-Málaver, Grossi, new species

( Figs. 2 A-D; 3B; 6A-D)

Holotype male labelled

Peru, Region de Junín, Satipo Province, Arpayo, −11.457 / -76.643, 1800 m, 26 – 28.ix. 2008, fermented bait in canopy, J.M. Zevallos et Aguilar colls. – 1 ♂ ( CERPE).

Paratypes

8♀ 163 all from Peru labelled: 1♀ same data as Holotype ( CERPE). 4♀ 43 same data as Holotype (MJPC) . 2♀ 4 ♂ labelled as Holotype except by ii.2008 ( CERPE). 53 labelled, San Martin de Pangoa, Arpayo, Satipo, 2000 mts, ii.2008 (RMKC) . 1♀ 13 labelled, Región de Junín, Satipo Province, Arpayo, 1800m, 26 – 28 ix. 2008, local collectors (LBC). 13 labelled, Selva Central, 2012, local collectors (LBC).

Diagnosis. Species very close to Aegognathus waterhousei , but differing in few characteristics. Body black with some bluish reflections present at elytra. Abdominal ventrites with a somewhat continuous carina along sides and lacking the setose tubercles present at the last abdominal ventrite in A. waterhousei . Big aedeagus when compared with other Aegognathus species, cross bar slightly lobed posteriorly with no acuminate projections.

Description Holotype ( Figure 2A ). Size: Total Length. 26 mm Total Width. 10 mm. Colour: On dorsal view entirely black, sometimes with some dark-red small areas; elytra with buish reflectionsı presenting yellowish tones due to the presence of setae. Ventrally mainly black, except for some small areas over the gena, gula, coxae, Femora and the posterior portion of metaventrite that are dark red. Head: Form transverse. Surface shagreened, apparently smooth with small yellowish setae mainly distributed over the anterior region, emarginate. Ocular canthus covering the eye by a third. Temporal process present, rounded, somewhat lamellated. Mandibles as long as the head and the first half of pronotum, strongly bent inwards, with three rounded basal teeth, a median acute to slightly rounded tooth that gets narrower distally, truncate to rounded apex. Pronotum: Surface apparently smooth, shagreened; anterior angles acuminate, emarginate posteriorly; border complete except for the median portion at the anterior margin, with a continuous band of transparent to somewhat white setae along anterior and posterior margins. Disc with a longitudinal groove, not easily distinguished in some individuals. Elytra: Surface punctate, punctures coarse, dense, with yellowish dendritic setae becoming more distinct posteriorly; epipleuron strongly and uniformly punctate, punctures moderate to large and somewhat dense, with yellowish small setae. Legs: Protibiae externally serrate, with several teeth increasing in size distally. Mesotibiae with one external median tooth. Metatibiae unarmed. Venter: Mentum trapezoidal, surface minutely punctate with yellowish to somewhat white apressed setae, also with a transversal groove near the labrum. Gena smooth, densely punctate with yellowish setae especially over prosternum, median and posterior region of mesoventrite, along sides of metaventrite and abdominal ventrites, especially along the last one. Prosternum with a band of yellowish setae at the anterior margin. Discrimen present as continuous suture, ending into a longitudinal groove at the posterior end. Abdominal ventrites with large punctures, moderately punctate, with a somewhat continuous setose carina along sides and a distinct transverse one at ventrite V ( Figure A3 (b)). Genitalia ( Figure A6 (a-c)): Aedeagus symmetric, longer when compared with other Aegognathus species, narrower basally, almost truncate at the anterior margin, somewhat concave posteriorly. Basal piece 2.0 times longer than the parameres, somewhat rectangular, wider close to the median lobe and a bit narrower over the anterior region; sinuous on lateral view. Median lobe almost cylindrical, on dorsal view with ‘ X ’ shaped cross bar, posterior portion of cross bar slightly lobed ( Figure A6 (b)). Parameres setose, internal margins slightly concave distally, on lateral view straight basally getting somewhat concave apically; on dorsal view somewhat sinuous. Internal sac almost as long as the basal piece and parameres together, with two strap-like sclerites that end at the beginning of the apical third, dark at apex, with a sinuous flame-like projection, with the gonopore at apex.

Paratypes male (figure 2Bı C)

Size: Total length. 17 – 25.1 mm. Total width: 4 – 9 mm. As Holotype except for being smaller. Bluish reflections along elytra less distinct or absent in smaller specimens. Mandibles very similar except for the median tooth which is slightly reduced or absent in the smallest males. Transverse carina at ventrite V reduced or absent.

Paratypes female ( Figure 2D )

Size: Total length. 13.2 – 14.5 mm. Total width. 4 – 6 mm Colour: On dorsal view black with some bluish reflections mainly along elytra. Ventrally black with few dark-red regions. Head: Form smaller than male heads, length about a half, not including the mandibles; anterior angles distinct; surface strongly punctate; somewhat rectangular, emarginate; temporal process absent; mandibles reduced being as big as the first half of the head, with acuminate apex and a median laminar teeth, asymmetrical, broader than the one on right mandible with three distinct pits. Pronotum: Surface strongly punctate, bordered all around, lateral margins somewhat convergent and rounded anteriorly, posterior margin as wide as elytra. Elytra: Surface strongly punctate, with small yellowish erect setae, mainly along the posterior region. Legs: Armature as males except for presenting one median tooth at metatibiae. Venter: as males except for presenting more distinct punctures along the whole venter; gena with a group of strong punctures; discrimen present as a continuous suture at the metaventrite. Abdominal ventrites with coarse and dense to moderate punctures, uniformly distributed, with yellowish appressed setae. Genitalia ( Figure A6 (d)): Gonostyli symmetric, slightly prolonged laterally, irregular along the posterior margin, with some distinct setae. Accessory gland, oval, slightly smaller than the gonocoxites. Bursa copulatrix uniformly broad, cylindrical. Spermatheca narrow, C-shaped with sclerotised apex. Spermathecal gland absent. Supra anal projection subtriangular, with somewhat acuminate end.

Epithet

The specific epithet is a tribute to Mr Patrick Arnaud who has contributed to the taxonomic knowledge of Scarabaeoidea, with a special focus on to the Andean Lucanidae during the last decade.

Distribution. Central Cordillera of Peru, Páramo province ( Morrone 2015)

Remarks. This is the seventh species of this genus described for Peru, and it was previously misidentified as Aegognathus waterhousei , but after some careful examination, details showed it to be a different species, which, according to the collection data, seems to be sympatric. The first feature that came to our attention is a conical tubercle on each side of the last ventrite present in A. waterhousei , and lacking in the new species ( Figure A3 (a,b)), which only presents the lateral and transverse carina, with tufts of setae, a feature shared by only these two species. Also, male genitalia are different between these two species, even if both present a strongly sclerotised, slender aedeagus, longer when compared with other Aegognathus species. In the new species the apex of internal sac is less pigmented, and the pigmentation extension shorter than in A. waterhousei . In addition, it lacks the acuminate projections at the posterior margin of cross bar struts.

Figures

Figure A2. Aegognathus arnaudi n.sp. dorsal view. (a) Holotype male. (b) Paratype medium size male. (c) Paratype minor male. (d) Paratype female. Scale bar 5 mm.

Figure A3. Detail of abdominal ventrite V. (a) Aegognathus waterhousei. (b) Aegognathus arnaudi n.sp. Scale bar 5 mm.

Figure A6. A. arnaudi n.sp. Genitalia. (a) Male genitalia ventral view. (b) Cross bar struts dorsal view. (c) Male genitalia lateral view. (d) Female genitalia ventral view. Scale bar 1 mm.