Luispenaia paradoxa Martínez, 1972

Mondaca, José, Pizarro-Araya, Jaime & Alfaro, Fermín M., 2019, Revision of the genus Luispenaia Martínez (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Tanyproctini), with description of three new species from the Atacama Desert, Chile, Zootaxa 4615 (3), pp. 549-562 : 552

Luispenaia paradoxa Martínez, 1972

( Figs. 9 , 13–14 , 27–29 )

Type locality. Chile, Atacama, Domeyko .

Type material. Holotype male ( Fig. 9 ) at FMNH labeled a) “DOMEYKO / Atacama / 15-Oct.1957 / Coll: L.E.Pena ” (typeset), b) “ HOLOTYPUS ” (typeset on red label), c) “ Luispenaia / paradoxa # male / gen. et sp. nov. / Det.: Martínez -71” (handwritten on white label), d) “ FMNH. 1986 / L. E. Pena Coll / Acc. # 17-422” (typeset).

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from all other species in the genus Luispenaia by the following combination of characters: Length 5.1–7.2 mm. Male (n = 28). Head and pronotum dark brown, elytra brown or light brown, venter and legs brown. Body surface shiny, sparse to moderately setose ( Figs. 9 , 27 ). Clypeus subquadrate or broadly rounded ( Fig. 13 ). Antennae with 9 antennomeres; antennomere 1 robust, claviform; antennomere 2 submoniliform; antennomere 3 subcylindrical; antennomere 4 subcylindrical; antennal club with 5 antennomeres glabrous, sinuous S-shaped in dorsal view ( Fig. 14 ). Pronotum slightly convex, approximately subtrapezoidal, wid- er at middle and narrow in the anterior half; surface moderately punctate and setose; punctures moderate to large, moderately dense on sides and sparse at middle; anterior margin concave, lateral and posterior margins rounded ( Fig. 13 ). Elytra elongate, laterally subparallel; dorsal surface shiny, with weak striae. Parameres moderately long, wider at base (frontal view), laterally cuneiform, slightly curved ventrally, distally attenuated and rounded at apex; phallobase 1.2 times longer than parameres ( Figs. 28–29 ).

Female. Unknown.

Distribution ( Fig. 8 ). Chile, Atacama (provinces of Chañaral, Copiapo, and Huasco) and Coquimbo regions (Elqui Province).

Material examined. CHILE. Atacama Region (27). Copiapó Province (21): Este de Chañarcillo , 22-I-1991, M. Guerrero (1 JMEC) ; Mina Tres Marías , 1000 m, 27.42ºS, 70.21ºW, 11-X-1990, UV light, Endrödi-Younga (20 DNMCH) . Huasco Province (6): Los Toyos , 7–12-X-2005, D. Muñoz (1 JMEC) ; 17 km norte de Vallenar , 23-X- 1983, L.E. Peña (2 FMNH) ; Quebrada El Salto , sur de Freirina, 28-X-1980, L.E. Peña (1 FMNH) ; Domeyko , 15-X- 1957, L.E. Peña (1 FMNH) ; Camino Domeyko-Vallenar, Km 645, 29-X-2014, J. Mondaca E. (1 JMEC) . Coquimbo Region (1). Elqui Province (1) : Coquimbo, XII-1993, J.G.G. (1 JMEC) .

Habitat and ecology. Luispenaia paradoxa has been collected in xerofitic environments during the spring with a light trap and on flowers of Adesmia sp. ( Fabaceae ). The examined material of this species comes from coastal and interior areas of the Atacama region, which present the vegetation floors corresponding to the Mediterranean coastal desert scrub of Oxalis gigantea Barnéoud and Heliotropium stenophyllum Hook. & Arn. and Mediterranean interior desert scrub of Adesmia argentea Meyen and Bulnesia chilensis Gay respectively ( Luebert & Pliscoff 2006).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Distribution of Luispenaia species in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile.

FIGURE 9. Male holotype of Luispenaia paradoxa Martínez. Scale: 1 mm.

FIGURES 10–13. Head and pronotum of Luispenaia species. 10, Luispenaia atacamensis; 11, L. paposo; 12, L. paulseni; 13, L. paradoxa. Scale: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 14–17. Antennal club of Luispenaia species. 14, Luispenaia paradoxa Martínez; 15, L. paposo; 16, L. paulseni; 17, L. atacamensis. Scale: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 18–29. Luispenaia species. 18–20, Luispenaia atacamensis; 21–23, L. paposo; 24–26, L. paulseni; 27–29, L. paradoxa. Scale: 1 mm.