Ataenius vazdemelloi Minkina, Gama, and Skelley, 2024

Minkina, Łukasz, Gama, Emanuel R. R. & Skelley, Paul E., 2024, Two New Species of the Genus Ataenius Schmidt, 1810 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 78 (2), pp. 255-264 : 259-264

Ataenius vazdemelloi Minkina, Gama, and Skelley , new species zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FFD03E72-4211-470B-AF71-3E2BA4AB9504 ( Figs. 13 , 19, 23–26 )

Type Locality. Brazil, Roraima, Serra da Moça .

Type Material. HolotYpe (♂, CEMT): “ Brasil: Roraima | Serra da Moça | Prim For vii.1997 | F. Z. Vaz-de-Mello ” . ParatYpe (1♀, ISZP) : same data as holotYpe . ParatYpe (1♂, IAvH-E):“ Colombia, Tolima ,

Armero GuaYabal, | CURDN - Universidad del Tolima, | Establo, Matriz Bosq. Seco, Cultivos | Maíz, Arroz, Algodón, 05°00’6.24”N | 74°54’15.47”W, 280 m, T. Luz UV, 20- | 21.v.2017, Bacca T. | Instituto Humboldt | Colombia | IAvH-E-268011 [white printed label with QR code]”. ParatYpes (3♀, IAvH-E): “ Colombia, Tolima, Armero GuaYabal, | CURDN - Universidad del Tolima, | Establo , Matriz Bosq. Seco , Cultivos | Maíz , Arroz , Algodón , 05°00’6.24”N | 74°54’15.47”W, 280 m, T. Luz UV, 17- | 18.v.2018, Bacca T.” || “Instituto Humboldt | Colombia | IAvH-E-XXXXXX [white printed label with QR code numbers IAvH-E- 268012 to 268014 ]” . ParatYpe (1♀, CMNC): “ Colombia, Tolima, Armero GuaYabal, | CURDN - Universidad del Tolima, | Establo , Matriz Bosq. Seco , Cultivos | Maíz , Arroz , Algodón , 05°00’6.24”N | 74°54’15.47”W, 280 m, T. Luz UV, 19- | 20.iv.2018, Bacca T.” . ParatYpe (1♀, FSCA): “ Colombia, Tolima, Armero GuaYabal, | CURDN - Universidad del Tolima, | Establo , Matriz Bosq. Seco , Cultivos | Maíz , Arroz , Algodón , 05°00’6.24”N | 74°54’15.47”W, 280 m, T. Luz UV, 03- | 04.v.2018, Bacca T.” . ParatYpe (1♀, CEBUC):“ Colombia, Tolima, Armero GuaYabal, | CURDN – Universidad del Tolima, | Establo , Matriz Bosq. Seco , Cultivos | Maíz , Arroz , Algodón , 05°00’6.24”N | 74°54’15.47”W, 280 m, T. Luz UV, 03- | 04.v.2018, Bacca T.” . ParatYpe (1♀, MENT-UT): “ Colombia, Tolima, Armero GuaYabal, | CURDN - Universidad del Tolima, | Bosq. Seco , 04°59’55.54”N | 74°54’19.45”W, 303 m, Pitfall | #2T 5m 15, 9-14.x.2016, Ariza G., | Cañón J.” [white printed label] .

Description of the Holotype. Dorsum ( Fig. 24 ). Length: 4.1 mm. Dorsal surface dark brown; antennae and mouthparts pale brown. Body moderatesized for Ataenius , elongate, distinctly, regularly convex; dorsallY entirelY, distinctlY macrosetate, macrosetae erect, verY long, moderatelY thick, with acute apex (broken off in places).

Head ( Fig. 13 ) distinctlY convex, moderatelY shinY, surface mostlY covered bY microreticulation; transverselY trapezoidal; clYpeus anteriorlY moderately sinuate, sinuation triangular, on sides weakly upturned as distinct tooth, latter verY weaklY rounded, not notched before genae, which are distinctlY, quite regularly rounded and distinctly exceeding eyes. FrontoclYpeal suture absent. Punctures on clYpeus large, irregular in size, verY dense, frequentlY punctures touch others; most punctures bearing macrosetae.

EpipharYnx ( Fig. 23 ) transverse, with sides rounded, anterior margin truncate, with distinctly produced corypha bearing two short, thick celtes at apex.Acanthopariae, acropariae, prophobae without chaetae. Chaetopariae, adelochaetae, chaetopedia with dense belts of thick, long chaetae. Epitorma rounded, shortened, not reaching base of epipharYnx. Tormae thin, quite long.

Pronotum distinctlY convex, distinctlY transverse, as wide as base of elytra, widest at midlength, moderatelY shinY, with verY distinct microreticulation. Anterior angles rounded, sides regularlY, verY widelY rounded; hind angles widelY rounded. Anterior margin not bordered. Sides and basal margin verY indistinctlY bordered. Sides and basal margin with regularlY distributed, quite dense macrosetation. Punctures large, irregularly distributed, dense, frequentlY confluent, less dense on disc; most punctures bearing macrosetae.

Scutellar shield small, triangular, matte, with verY distinct microreticulation, with few small punctures bearing macrosetae.

Base of elYtra not bordered, not thickened; with small but distinct humeral denticles. Elytra elongate, convex, parallel sided. Interstriae weaklY convex, matte with verY distinct microreticulation; middle with line of longitudinal, narrow, not high, shiny tubercles without microreticulation, tubercles posteriorlY with macrosetae; margins weaklY crenate. Striae weakly shiny, with distinct, moderately coarse, moderatelY dense punctation; punctures weaklY crenulate on interstriae. Elytron with ten striae and ten intervals. Striae connected variablY before apex.

Pygidium with similar structure as abdominal ventrites, disc eroded.

Legs. Profemur matte, with distinct microreticulation, distinctly bordered anteriorly and basally, meso- and metafemora moderately shiny, with trace of microreticulation, bordered basally and on entire posterior margin, all femora coarsely and densely punctate, punctures variable in size and shape, some with macrosetae. Protibia distinctly tridentate laterallY, teeth distinct, not large; proximallY not serrulate, with dorsal side smooth; apical spur short, with acute apex, weaklY downwardlY curved toward apex. Metatibial superior apical spur somewhat shorter than metatarsomere 1, latter nearly as long as following four tarsomeres combined. Apex of meso- and metatibiae with weak accessory spine. Claws short, thin, moderately arcuate.

Macropterous.

Venter ( Fig. 25 ). Metaventral plate shinY, verY weaklY convex, with distinct, quite thin, deep longitudinal line in the middle; medial surface covered with large, dense punctures, some with relativelY short macrosetae. Abdominal ventrites weaklY shinY, with distinct microreticulation; basal margins narrowly fluted, except the last one which is distinctlY fluted; with distinct, large, dense punctation, variable in size; punctures matte, with distinct microreticulation, some bearing macrosetae.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 19 ). Parameres nearlY the same length as phallobase, somewhat forming an “over- turned Z”, with large medial membrane on lower part and small membrane on apical upper part.

Variation. Body length 4.03–4.69 mm (n = 10). Punctation of head and pronotum verY weaklY variable. Shape of tubercles on elYtral intervals weaklY variable. DensitY of macrosetae seems to depend on the age of individuals and their breaking off, thus the densitY of setae varies among specimens.

Sexual Dimorphism. Penultimate abdominal ventrite in male somewhat shorter.

Etymology. PatronYmic. Dedicated to Fernando ZagurY Vaz-de-Mello, collector of the tYpe series.

Affinity and Discussion. Ataenius vazdemelloi is an unusual member of the genus Ataenius . A combination of features such as the characteristic macrosetation and structure of elYtral intervals dis- tinguish this species from all other species of Ataenius . When using the key to species groups of New World Ataenius by Stebnicka (2007), the denselY punctate clYpeus without transverse wrinkles, body not encrusted by agrillaceous coating, elYtral intervals in the middle with longitudinal tubercles (granules), and metatibia apically with weak accessory spine (lack of typical accessory spine), would indicate A. vazdemelloi may be a member of the A. texanus-A. carinator species group. However, due to the coarse body punctation, macrosetation, clypeus denticulate on each side of triangular, median emargination, epipharynx with distinctly produced corypha, elytral interstriae with distinct microreticulation on sides (shagreen) with a longitudinal row of elevated tubercles, and a more-or-less characteristic shape of the aedeagus we consider A. vazdemelloi to be a member of the A. complicatus group.

In the A. complicatus species group are species with similar macrosetation, but A. vazdemelloi can be readily distinguished from all of these, as well from all other species in the group by the distinctly elongate, medial tubercles on the elytral interstriae. Other species in the A. complicatus species group have mediallY carinate interstriae with a lateral carina on each side broken into elongate tubercles. None has the medial carinae broken. If we overlook the erect macrosetae and mediallY tuberculate elYtral intervals, A. vazdemelloi will key to Ataenius beattyi Chapin, 1940 in the key to the A. complicatus species group by Stebnicka (2006).

Ataenius vazdemelloi shows interesting character states present in several of Stebnicka’s species groups. These similarities may not reflect relatedness, but rather evolutionarY drift or convergence. The true relationship to any species group will require a larger studY, which is outside the scope of this paper.

Figures

Figs. 10–13. Heads, dorso-anterior view. 10) Ataenius kudrnai, new species, ♂, holotYpe; 11) A. guriensis, ♂, para- tYpe; 12) A. punctipennis, ♂; 13) A. vazdemelloi, new species, ♂, holotYpe. Scale lines = 1.0 mm.

Figs. 14–23. Aedeagi and epipharynges. Aedeagus: 14) Ataenius kudrnai, new species, ♂, holotYpe, dorsal view; 15) Same, lateral view; 16) A. guriensis, ♂, paratYpe, dorsal view; 17) Same, lateral view; 18) A. punctipennis, ♂, lateral view; 19) A. vazdemelloi, new species, ♂, holotYpe, lateral view. EpipharYnx: 20) A. kudrnai, new species, ♂, holotYpe; 21) A. guriensis, ♂, paratYpe; 22) A. punctipennis, ♂; 23) A. vazdemelloi, new species, ♂, holotYpe. Scale lines: Figs. 14–19 = 0.5 mm; Figs. 20–23 = 0.2 mm.

Figs. 24–26. Ataenius vazdemelloi, new species, holotYpe, ♂. 24) Dorsal view; 25) Ventral view; 26) Lateral view. Scale lines = 1.0 mm.