Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) tesorito Vallejo & Wolff

Vallejo, Luís Fernando & Wolff, Martha, 2013, The genus Phyllophaga Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) in the Colombian Andean Mountains, Zootaxa 3722 (2), pp. 101-142 : 129-132

25. Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) tesorito Vallejo & Wolff , new species

Type material. Holotype male labeled “ Colombia, departamento de Caldas, Municipio de Manizales, Granja Tesorito , Valle de Maltería, Universidad de Caldas 2,280 m, March 14, de 2006, en hojas de Tibouchina lepidota Bonpland (sietecueros). Luis Fernando Vallejo E”. Single adult male.

Holotype deposited at Colección del Laboratorio de Entomología, Universidad de Caldas-LEUC, Manizales. Colombia.

Male holotype description. Length 24.4 mm, width 11.2 mm. Elongate body, dorsal surface is glabrous and bright; and reddish chestnut-brown in color. Pronotum ( Fig. 101 ) is extended, wider than long, with surface densely covered with small punctures; lateral margins are crenulate, and have long, fine setae. The clypeus is straight, concave, with rounded, raised margins, surface is densely punctate in the center; and roughly punctate on vertex. Antennae ( Fig. 102 ) have 10 antennomeres, with compact, long antennal clubs. Tarsal claws ( Fig. 103 ) are cleft, with a short ventral tooth close to the unguinal base. Protibiae are flat, with three teeth, the first two pronounced, the third one smaller; with easily observed tibial spurs. Metatibiaa have transversal, oblique carinae, better defined in the dorsolateral region, exhibiting two sharp spurs, the inner shorter than the outer, and both fused with tibia. The pygidial plate ( Figs. 105–106 ) is slightly convex with abundant erect, short setae and minute denticles in the mid section of the fifth abdominal sternite. The male genital capsule ( Figs. 107–109 ) is short, cylindrical, curved; parameres are short and wide, with short, rounded lateroventral projections directed towards the base. The aedeagus is long and cylindrical, projected from a pair of solid sclerites, ending in a membranous structure, covered in minute teeth, with hook at distal extreme.

Etymology. From the Tesorito Farm, Property of Universidad de Caldas, Maltería valley, where the holotype was collected

Comments. The species is similar to P. martinezi , but is different in the form of its tarsal claws, vestiture of pronotum, and in the shape of the base of the phallus. The specimen was collected on foliage of Tibouchina lepidota (Bonpland) (Melastomataceae) (locally known as sietecueros) on the Tesorito Farm, property of Universidad de Caldas at an altitude of 2,280 m, in a cold, humid climate. It is expected that this species will be found in similar locations across the Andean mountain ranges.

Figures

FIGURES 101 – 109. Phyllophaga tesorito adult male. Pronotum, dorsal view (101), left antenna (102), left protarsal claw (103) left metatibia (104), abdomen apex appearance, ventral view (105), frontal view (106), male genital capsule, dorsal view (107), lateral view (108), ventral view (109). Scale: 1 mm.