Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) jeanmathieui Morón and Woodruff, 2014

Morón, Miguel-Ángel & Woodruff, Robert E., 2014, New Species of Phyllophaga Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from northeastern Mexico., Insecta Mundi 2014 (328), pp. 1-9 : 4-6

Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) jeanmathieui Morón and Woodruff , new species

( Figures 9-14 )

Description. Holotype male. Total body length: 20.0 mm. Humeral width: 8.4 mm. Head, pronotum, elytra, abdomen and legs shiny, dark to reddish brown. Clypeus with scattered erect short setae, 3.3 times wider than long, anterior border slightly elevated, anterior margin broadly notched, disk surface convex, coarsely rugo-punctuate. Frontoclypeal suture nearly straight, partially hidden by coarse punctures. Frons 2.2 times wider than long, convex, densely rugo-punctuate with sparse medium size erect setae on disk.

Antenna with 10 antennomeres and 3- lamellate club, lamellae 1.2 times longer than length of preceding 5 antennomeres combined; antennomeres 3 and 4 each with same length, antennomere 5 as long as preceding but slightly wider; antennomere 6 much shorter than 5 with rounded prominence on anterior side; antennomere 7 as short as preceding but anterior prominence slightly flattened. Frons 5 times wider than dorsal diameter of eye ( Fig. 9 ) Eye canthus long, narrowed, with 9 setae. Labrum bilobed, deeply notched, with setae along borders. Mentum concave, with scarce punctures and slender setae at sides, anterior border slightly notched.

Pronotum 1.6 times wider than long and 1.8 times wider than frons. Pronotal disk with many round punctures irregularly separated by 1-5 diameters, each puncture with minute seta; anterior bead complete, narrowed, with long, slender setae; lateral borders broadly angled, lateral marginal bead narrow, strongly crenulate, with slender, long setae; basal bead weakly impressed at sides, but indicated by regular row of punctures with long setae on middle third; anterior angles slightly obtuse, prominent; posterior angles broadly obtuse, weakly prominent ( Fig. 9 ).

Scutellum 1.6 times wider than long, glabrous, without punctures; anterior border broadly sinuate.

Elytron 2.8 times longer than wide, with punctures densely and irregularly distributed on disk, virtually glabrous, with whitish pruinosity on central part of first elytral interstria, and some scattered rows of short setae near lateral borders; epipleural border progressively narrowed toward apex, with some long setae near basal end; humeral callus rounded, prominent; apical callus rounded. Metathoracic wings completely developed.

Pterosternum with many yellowish, long setae. Visible abdominal sternites 2 to 5 with weak white pruinosity and scattered yellow setae at sides, sternites 2 to 4 broadly convex at middle, shiny, glabrous; sternite 5 with scattered punctures and short setae on posterior half, and transverse depression near posterior border; anal plate short, shallowly excavated, with narrow basal and distal margins and scattered erect setae on each side. Propygidium with whitish pruinosity, densely punctuate, with many minute setae. Pygidium shiny, broadly convex, with numerous rounded punctures, and short, erect setae, regularly distributed; apical margin with 10 slender setae; basal margin narrow, not distinct at middle.

Protibia slightly shorter than protarsus (0.9:1), with 2 large teeth and a basal small tooth on external border, preapical spur with rounded apex, straight, as long as 2nd protarsomere. Mesotibia with an oblique, well-marked, setiferous carina and small setiferous teeth on external side; lower apical spur with acute apex, shorter than upper spur (broken). Metatibia shorter than metatarsus (1:1.3), with an oblique transverse setiferous carina and small setiferous tooth on external side; upper apical spur articulated, slightly curved, apex rounded, nearly as long as basal metatarsomere, and 1.3 longer than lower spur; lower apical spur articulated, nearly straight, apex rounded. Protarsomeres 1-4 semicylindrical elongate with enlarged apex, with scattered ventral setae and crown of apical setae; tarsomeres 1-2 each with ventro-apical short tubercle. Meso- and metatarsomeres semicylindrical, elongate, with enlarged apex, crown of apical setae; mesotarsomeres with a row of scattered setae along ventral side; metatarsomeres with 2 rows of stout setae ventrally. Tarsal claws dentate, with ventral tooth long, acute, located near the middle of ventral border ( Fig. 10 ).

Genital capsule with short, distally widened parameres not fused dorsally or ventrally, each apex with small rounded tooth ( Fig. 11-14 ). Aedeagus with narrow sclerotized tube- like support with preapical slender spine on each side; inner sac membranous with microscopic granules ( Fig. 13-14 ). Tectum wide, uniformly convex. Length of genital capsule from apex of parameres to border of basal piece: 6.2 mm.

Female. Unknown.

Type Series. ( Described from 1 male). Holotype; MEXICO: Nuevo Leon, Sierra de Anahuac, Mesa de Chipinque , 21-VI-1969, trampa luz negra, J. Mathieu and M. W. Sanderson ( FSCA).

Type Locality. Mesa de Chipinque , Monterrey municipality, state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico (25°36' 49”N; 100° 18' 29” W) .

Biological Data. This species inhabits pine-oak forests located at 600 m of elevation near Monterrey city. The only known specimen was obtained during June, attracted by black light trap.

Remarks. Phyllophaga jeanmathieui is closely similar to the ungrouped species P. regiomontana Morón , but the body of P. regiomontana is more slender, has rows of long setae at each side of elytral suture, and scattered long setae near lateral and apical borders ( Morón 2001), also the shape of parameres is distinct, with acute apical spines directed externally.

Etymology. Respectfully, we named this new species for Jean M. Mathieu, enthusiastic Mexican collector of beetles who studied many interesting species of Phyllophaga in northern Mexico.

Figures

Figures 9-14. Phyllophaga jeanmathieui. 9) Head and pronotum. 10) Male fore tarsal claw. Parameres: 11) distal view. 12) ventral view. Complete genital capsule: 13) lateral view. 14) dorsal view. Scale lines: Fig. 9 = 2 mm, Fig.10 = 0.5 mm, Fig. 11-14 = 1 mm.