Gracilaclopus crepuscularis Ocampo & Mondaca

Ocampo, Federico C. & Mondaca, José, 2012, Revision of the scarab subfamily Aclopinae Blanchard (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Argentina and Chile, Zootaxa 3409, pp. 1-29 : 11

Gracilaclopus crepuscularis Ocampo & Mondaca , new species

( Figs. 12–14 , 26 , 31 )

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from the other species of Gracilaclopus by the following combination of characters: labral shape subcircular, apex rounded, slightly reflexed lacking indentation or teeth; body bicolored; size> 6.0 mm; male genitalia as Fig. 26 .

Description. Holotype male. Length 6.01 mm, width 2.80 mm. Color: Head, pronotum black; elytra brown; legs, antennae, and mouthparts brown; ventral surface brown. Head ( Fig. 12 ): Eye canthus well developed; apex reflexed, with tooth; canthus bearing 3–5 setae, setae moderately long; frontocanthal carina not developed. Frons flat, surface sparsely punctate, glabrous. Clypeus transverse; surface densely punctate; lateral margins oblique; anterior margin straight, frontal area of anterior margin on same plane as clypeal disc; frontoclypeal suture obsolete. Labral shape subcircular; apex rounded, slightly reflexed; surface glabrous. Pronotum ( Fig. 13 ): Surface sparsely punctate, disc with two patches of few setae on each side; setae long, slender. Marginal bead present in all margins, reduced on posterior margin. Anterior angle acute; posterior angles broadly rounded. Scutellum: Triangular , apex rounded, surface punctate and setose at base, smooth at apex. Elytra ( Fig. 14 ): Surface punctate; punctures sparse, setose; setae moderately long. Legs ( Fig. 14 ): Protibiae with two teeth, protibial spur not developed. Mesotibiae and metatibiae with two transverse carinae. Mesotibial and metatibial apex with fringe of spine-like setae. Male genitalia ( Figs. 26 a–b): Parameres longer than phallobase, slightly curved, apex acute.

Remarks. Only males are known. Paratypes vary only slightly in length (6.0– 8.6 mm).

Type material. Holotype male at IAZA labeled: ARGENTINA: La Rioja / Anillaco (2 km N) RN 75 / 1310m / S28°47’17”, W66°55’01” / Jan-6-2002. F. C. Ocampo”; “ Gracilaclopus / crepuscularis / Ocampo & Mondaca / HOLOTYPE ” (red label). Paratypes (all male). Three paratypes labeled as holotype except for paratype label. One paratype at IMLA labeled: “TUCUNUCO / San Juan / Argentina / 29,30 enero- 1970 / Coll: E. Peña”. One paratype at IAZA (preserved in 95°etOH at -20°C) labeled: ARGENTINA: Mendoza / Dique El Carrizal, 823 m / S33°17’30” W68°44’32” / Jan-2-2002, F. C. Ocampo & K. Philips col.” All paratypes labeled: Gracilaclopus / crepuscularis / Ocampo & Mondaca / PARATYPE ” (yellow label).

Etymology. The species is named crepuscularis , or dusk, in reference to the time of the day when males were observed flying.

Distribution ( Fig. 31 ). ARGENTINA. La Rioja: Anillaco (2 km N on RN 75) (4). Mendoza: Dique El Carrizal (1). San Juan: Tucunuco (1).

Temporal distribution. January (6).

Figures

FIGURE 31. Distribution map of Gracilaclopus bidentulus, G. caceresi, G. c a n d e l a r i a e, and G. crepuscularis.

FIGURES 12 – 14. Gracilaclopus crepuscularis, male.

FIGURES 23 – 30. 23) Male genitalia of G. bidentulus, aedeagus lateral view; 24) G. c a c e re s i, aedeagus lateral view; 25) G. candelariae, aedeagus lateral view; 26 a – b) G. crepuscularis, aedeagus lateral and frontal views respectively; 27 a – c) G. electricus, a – b) aedeagus lateral and frontal views, c) ventral plate of the genital segment; 28) G. m o ro c h u s, aedeagus lateral view; 29) G. nigroscutatus, aedeagus lateral view; 30) G. parvulus, aedeagus lateral view.