Onthophagus kokodanus hagenaltus, Krikken, Jan & Huijbregts, Johannes, 2012

Krikken, Jan & Huijbregts, Johannes, 2012, Taxonomy of new relatives of Onthophagus catenatus Lansberge, 1883 from New Guinea (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae), ZooKeys 251, pp. 49-67 : 61-62

Onthophagus kokodanus hagenaltus subsp. n. Figs 7-816, 2039-44

Type material.

5 males, 2 collection records. Holotype male (CMNC) from Papua New Guinea: 25 mi NE Mount Hagen, 6000 ft, 5.vii.1974, H.F. Howden.

Paratypes: Papua New Guinea: 25 mi NE Mount Hagen, 05/vii/1974, Howden, 6000ft, 3 spm., incl. holotype, in CMNC. Western Highlands: Mt. Hagen, 05-08/vii/1974, Peck, 6000ft, oak forest, 2 spm., in CMNC

Diagnosis.

The vertexal horns of this subspecies are more upright, even in major males, with angular tubercle on top of the interconnecting basal ridge. Dorsum black-brown, largely shining (particularly the elytra), with slight greenish metallic lustre. Elytral strial punctures all equally small, distinct, scatteredly crenulating finely punctate interstriae. Lateral border of pronotum distinctly rounded at about 0.4 of length behind anterolateral angle (not angular, in dorsal view, Fig. 40). Pronotum usually with blunt bisinuate rim behind depressed, medially more or less concave anterior declivity. Clypeofrontal ridge low, very slightly arcuate, ends on either side angularly connected to clypeogenal ridge. Most of dorsal side finely, sparsely punctate. Clypeal tip distinctly, broadly reflexed, apical border bisinuate. Dorsal eye parts broadly elliptic, separated by about three eye widths. Pygidium abundantly, finely, distinctly punctate. Body length usually 10-11 mm. Female unknown.

Apparently a close highland relative of the preceding subspecies.

Description

(holotype, male). Body length ca 11 mm. Habitus generally convex, robust. Colour of dorsal side black, generally shiny, with slight metallic lustre; ventral parts largely black, partly matt (microreticulate); legs black-brown, shiny. Dorsal side and pygidium virtually glabrous (apart from any inconspicuous micro-stubbles); ventral side and legs with numerous long, light-brown setae.

Clypeal border broadly, distinctly marginate, sides virtually straight from genae to bisinuate, reflexed, shortly lobiform apex; clypeal surface shiny, with sparse to abundant, minute punctation; clypeogenal transition at border obtusely angular, slightly elevated, on either side with straight ridge curving to end of virtually straight, distinct clypeofrontal ridge. Genal and frontal surface sparsely, minutely punctate; genal border evenly, widely rounded. Vertex between posterior end of eyes with pair of long, basally very broad horns, connected at base by angular ridge, with distinct anteromedian angle; horns slightly curved, directed upright behind eyes (not beyond, in axial view), evenly tapering to blunt tip, inner edge of horns evenly concave (in axial view); horn surface with convex anterior surface, minutely, sparsely punctate. Frontal disc limited by fine frontogenal ridge, on either side extending along eye. Dorsal eye parts widely elliptic, with ca 28 facet rows across widest point. Ratio of interocular distance to maximum (transverse) eye width ca 3.0.

Pronotum generally strongly convex, surface shining, with greenish lustre; disc posteriorly slightly convex (midline impression effaced), anterior surface broadly depressed, medially shallowly concave, up to posterior, strongly bisinuate, transverse protrusion coming from disc forward; anterior and lateral borders of pron otum marginate; anterior section of lateral border slightly concave; anterolateral angle rectangular, shortly rounded; posterior section of lateral border slightly sinuate, posterolateral angle rounded; base finely marginate, with very obtuse basomedian angle. Most of pronotal surface finely, sparsely punctate, anterior depression minutely, sparsely punctate, this punctation interspersed with vague micropunctation; lateral declivities more matt (microreticulate).

Elytra generally shiny, with greenish metallic lustre; scutellum indistinct in dorsal view, shape of base and apex unmodified; anterior half of epipleuron distinctly punctate-setose. Elytra broad, with 8 straight to slightly curved, fine, distinct striae; stria 7 slightly sinuate in front, extending onto shining humeral umbone; strial punctures distinct, small, widely separated (mostly 5-8 puncture diameters), distinctly crenulating interstrial edges. Interstrial surfaces virtually flat to very slightly convex (from disc to lateral declivity), with sparse to abundant, fine micropunctation.

Antennal club medium-brown, scapus unmodified. Mentum shallowly emarginate in front. Prothoracic sides with coxal-marginal ridge distinct, curving forward onto lateral border, much of surface annulate-punctate-setose, including large, seta-bearing hemi-punctures. Anterior lobe of metasternum slightly convex, abundantly punctate-setose, disc micropunctate; metasternal sides and adjacent parts matt, abundantly to densely annulate-punctate-setose. Abdominal ventrites matt, each laterally with row of seta-bearing annulate punctures. Pygidium black, weakly shiny (sericeous), with abundant, shallow, fine punctation, without macro-setae; surface slightly convex, base with transverse ridge, apex marginate.

Legs robust. Protibia with 3+1 larger external denticles (distal 3 longer, sub-acuminate), separated by some serration; proximal serration consisting of 7 smaller denticles; apico-external denticle oblique to tibial axis; apical edge slightly rounded, with down-curved spur (tip worn away); protibial underside with low longitudinal crest; protarsus unmodified. Profemur robust, underside finely punctate, and with numerous larger seta-bearing hemi-punctures. Meso- and metafemoral undersides also finely punctate, with fewer large seta-bearing hemi-punctures. Meso- and metatibiae strongly dilated distad to transversely subelliptic crest, which is fringed with fine fossorial spines; external side with ca 4 sets of distinct, spine-bearing fossorial protrusions. Tarsi generally slender, with well-developed sickle-shaped claws; meso- and metatarsomeres 1 straight, unmodified. Spurs on meso- and metatibiae elongate-acuminate. Relative length proportionsof metatibial spur to metatarsomeres 1-5: ca 12, 13, 6, 4, 3, 6.

Parameres narrow (dorsal view), tapering, curved downward (lateral view), Fig. 20.

Measurements in dorsal view: maximum width of head 3.2 mm, median length of pronotum 3.5 mm, maximum width 5.5 mm, sutural length of elytra 4.6 mm, maximum width of combined elytra 5.8 mm.

Variability and sexual dimorphism.

Female unknown; females probably have a transverse vertexal ridge, not the variably long horns of the males. Strongly varying: there is a minor male looking like a female, having a transverse vertexal ridge (Fig. 44), its aedeagus being similar to that of the holotype. Body length 9.5-11 mm.

Etymology.

Name refers to the highland nature of the type locality.