Passalus (Pertinax) sulcifrons ( Kuwert, 1898 )

Jiménez-Ferbans, Larry, Reyes-Castillo, Pedro & Bevilaqua, Marcus, 2022, The Brachypterous Species of Passalus (Pertinax) (Coleoptera: Passalidae), with the Description of a New Species from Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, Neotropical Entomology 51 (5), pp. 722-741 : 734-737

Passalus (Pertinax) sulcifrons ( Kuwert, 1898)

( Figs. 11 and 12 )

Material examined: sex. female. Ecuador. Pichincha — Reserva Geobotánica Pululahua . ii.1999 / Col. María de los Angeles Simbaña R. Colecta manual en los senderos de la Reserva // Pertinax sulcifrons Kuw. 1898 / S. Boucher det. [20]14 ( CEMT) 1 ex.

Diagnosis: Frons wide, entirely covered by thick punctures; mediofrontal + laterofrontal tubercles small, but larger than inner tubercles, from which they are separated; mesosternal scars absent or inconspicuous; posterior corner of the mesepisternum and mesepimere finely pubescent; setigerous punctuations in the anterior region and in the metasternal fossae, with pubescence composed of sparse and slightly short setae in the anterior region.

Redescription.

Habitus ( Fig. 11 ): total length 43.0– 49.5 mm, brachypterous, body convex.

Head ( Figs. 12a,b ): labrum with anterior border slightly concave. Clypeus hidden below the frons, anterior angles small, positioned below the mediofrontal + laterofrontal tubercles. Frons wide, entirely covered by thick punctures, without secondary mediofrontal tubercles. Mediofrontal + laterofrontal tubercles small, conspicuous, with obtuse apexes and projected forward. Inner tubercles small, smaller than the mediofrontal + laterofrontal tubercles, from which they are separated. Anterior frontal ridges weak, just close to internal tubercles, disappearing before reaching mediofrontal + laterofrontal tubercles. Posterior frontal ridges strong, low, starting at obtuse angle at the base of the central tubercle. Cephalic mamelon absent. Central tubercle conical, flattened, low posteriorly, with only the apex evident, but not free. Lateroposterior tubercles small, conspicuous, with acute and very evident apex; distant from the central tubercle and not joined to it by a keel. Laterofrontal areas shallow with a smooth surface or containing few fine punctures. Lateropostfrontal areas deep, glabrous, and sparsely punctuated. Anterior head angles well-developed, with obtuse vertices, smaller than mediofrontal+ laterofrontal tubercles. Canthus ocular wide, with straight anterior angles, not reaching halfway to the eye. Hypostomal process broad, glabrous and slightly distant from mentum. Medial basal mentum slightly dilated, not punctuated, with protruded anterior region and notched. Mentum with big lateral fossae, oval, shallow, and some setae on the outer surface. Antennal club trilamellate, with short, thick, and straight lamellae. Mandibles with incisor lobe with three well-formed teeth at the apex. Maxilla with lacinia bidentate at the apex. Ligula tridentate with medium tooth slightly larger and with the same width as the other two lateral teeth.

Thorax ( Figs. 11 and 12 c-e): pronotum rounded, same wide than elytra. Anterior edge slightly concave. Anterior angles obtuse. Marginal groove narrow, occupying ¾ of the anterior margin of the pronotum, containing thick punctures. Lateral fossae large, well-marked, deep, with about 3 punctures. Prosternum with thin and slightly dense pubescence in the lateroposterior region, consisting of long setae and dense pubescence (short setae), mainly in the posterior region, practically not visible in the dorsal view. Prosternellum rhomboidal, with acute base. Mesosternum smooth and glabrous, with lateral areas tegument opaque. Mesosternal scars absent or inconspicuous. Posterior corner of the mesepisternum and mesepimere finely pubescent. Anterolateral part of metasternum and lateral fossa glabrous or finely pubescent. Setigerous punctuations in the anterior region and in the metasternal fossae, with pubescence composed of sparse and slightly short setae in the anterior region close to the mesocoxae and in the metasternal fossae. Metasternal disc short and flat, no punctuated. Metasternal punctuations absent. Metasternal lateral fossae large, dilated at the apex, almost the same width as the mesotibiae.

Elytra ( Fig. 11 ): humeri and epipleura glabrous. Striae narrower than interstriae, without punctuation on the dorsal striae and with shallow and inconspicuous punctuation on the lateral striae.

Abdomen ( Fig. 11c ): last sternite with marginal groove incomplete and well-marked.

Legs ( Fig. 11 ): profemur with ventral anterior marginal sulcus weakly marked and complete; posterior ventral edge with tuft of setae close to the apex. Protibiae not dilated. Mesotibiae and metatibiae without spines on the outer surface.

Aedeagus elongated. Basal piece slightly narrower and longer than the parameres, distinctly separated from the parameres. Median lobe narrower than the parameres; in ventral view with two sclerotized plaques covering almost the entire ventral region. Parameres in ventral view, medially separated; concave anterior margin; in lateral view with slightly rounded projections, not reaching half the length of the median lobe; in dorsal view unjoined projections.

Comments: Boucher (1990) revalidates this species, indicating it is brachypterous. Likewise, this author indicates the species is endemic to the Andes, from around 2000 m a.s.l.

Figures

Fig.11 Passalus (Pertinax) sulcifrons: (a) dorsal habitus; (b) ventral habitus; (c) lateral habitus

Fig.12 Passalus (Pertinax) sul- cifrons: (a) head; (b) mentum; (c) head and pronotum in dorso- lateral view; (d) mesosternum; (e) metasternum