Bothynus rufipennis Duarte, Dupuis and Grossi, 2025

Bothynus rufipennis Duarte, Dupuis and Grossi sp. n.

( Figures 4 View Figure 4 (b), 9(k,l), 13(n), 14(n), 16(c), 17(i,j), 19(k), 21(c), 22)

Diagnosis

Bothynus rufipennis sp. n. appears related to B. sapukai sp. n. at first glance, but B. rufipennis can be distinguished by the following characters: Parameres with narrow apical lobes ( Figure 13 View Figure 13 (n)); anterior tubercle of the female pronotum strong and conical, combined with a deep and wide cavity ( Figure 7 View Figure 7 (i)); both sexes with elongate setae scattered on tergite 8 ( Figure 19 View Figure 19 (k)). Futhermore, B. rufipennis sp. n. is also larger ( 19–24 mm) than B. sapukai sp. n. ( 18–20 mm). Bothynus sapukai sp. n. instead exhibits the following characters: Apical lobes of parameres distinctly broader ( Figure 13 View Figure 13 (o)); female pronotum bearing a small anterior tubercle, associated with a shallow cavity ( Figure 16 View Figure 16 (d)); tergite 8, in both sexes, glabrous or with short and poorly apparent setae ( Figure 19 View Figure 19 (i)).

Holotype Male, dissected, labelled: ‘ ARGENTINA: Santiago del Estero, Chuna Pampa, 10 km de Lugones, Railway de Rosarario à Tucuman, E. R. Wagner 1909, décembre’ ( MNHN).

Paratypes One male ( MNHN) and one female ( FDPC), labelled: ‘ ARGENTINA: Santiago del Estero, Bords du Rio Salado, Env. d’Icaňo . Mistal Paso . E.R. Wagner Leg ., 12/1909-1910’. One female with same data as other paratypes, except for: ‘04/1909’ ( FDPC) .

Holotype description ( Figure 4 View Figure 4 (b))

Length: 19.4 mm. Width: 10.2 mm. Colour: Head, pronotum and underside dark reddish brown, elytra clear reddish brown. Head: Clypeus subtriangular; anterior margin truncate with 2 weak teeth widely separated; sides bearing a thin and straight edge; surface densely rugose, bearing long reddish setae on lateral margins. Frontoclypeal carina finely marked, straight, not reaching the lateral sides. Frons densely and transversely rugose; setae scarce, confined to posterolateral margins. Interocular width equals 5.4 transverse eye diameters. Ocular canthus rounded and crenulate, bearing a fringe of long, reddish setae. Mouthparts: Mandible bearing 3 teeth on outer margin; apical tooth subtriangular, diagonally truncated apically; medial tooth rounded apically, slightly smaller compared to apical one; basal tooth not individualised, fused to the median tooth to form a broad rounded lobe, smaller than previous ones. Maxilla with 3 small, triangular teeth on apex of galea. Labium subtriangular, slightly rounded laterally, concave at basis; surface strongly rugopunctate; margins bearing long, dense, reddish setae. Antennae: Club globular, subequal to antennomeres 2–7 combined. Prothorax: Anterior angles sharp, posterior angles rounded; posterior margin reborded except at the middle; cavity deep, wide and transverse, limited posteriorly and laterally by a rounded carina; presence of a high and acuminated tubercle in front and of a short emargination at the middle of posterior carina; surface transversally wrinkled in the cavity and towards anterior angles, strongly and densely punctate towards sides and back of discal region ( Figure 9 View Figure 9 (k,l)). Pterothorax: Scutellar plate subtriangular, rounded at apex; surface with irregular punctures, bearing a few long reddish setae at basis. Elytral punctures ocellate, irregular, forming superficial striae. Interstriae bearing similar punctures, nearly aligned; minute punctures scarce, irregularly spaced. Legs: Inner protarsal bend downward, deeply incised, with inner branch broader and longer than outer one. Protarsomere 5 bearing a ventrolateral, subapical process. Meso- and metatibia with a single median carina produced on outer side. Abdomen: Tergite 7 with a stridulatory area formed by fine and regular striae. Tergite 8 finely rugose on sides, becoming rugopunctate on discal region; setae scarce. Ventrite 4 densely setose and transversally rugose. Ventrite 5–8 transversally rugose in anterior half, sparsely punctate and more shining in posterior half, and with a row of long setae in the middle and some shorter and sparser setae behind. Aedeagus: Parameres, in caudal view, smooth, wide and rounded at basal half, strongly constricted lateroventrally towards apical half; apical lobes narrowly oval with inner margins convergent to apex ( Figure 13 View Figure 13 (n)). Parameres, in lateral view, with arched dorsal surface and rounded apex ( Figure 14 View Figure 14 (n)).

Variation in the paratypes

Males. Length: 20.2 mm. Width: 11.1 mm. Head: Interocular width equals 5.7 transverse eye diameters. For other characters, similar to holotype. Females ( Figure 16 View Figure 16 (c)). Length: 22.1– 23.8 mm. Width: 11.9–12.8 mm. Head: Interocular width equals 5.8 transverse eye diameters. Prothorax: Anterior tubercle of pronotum smaller; cavity smaller, shallow and transverse ( Figure 17 View Figure 17 ); posterior margin of cavity simply sinuated, not emarginated as in the males. Legs: Inner protarsal claw simple, similar to outer claw. Tarsomere 5 without lateroventral process. Abdomen: Tergite 8 and ventrite 8 longer than in males, entirely rugopunctate and densely covered with long setae ( Figure 19 View Figure 19 (k)). Sternites 4–8 densely covered with setae on discal region ( Figure 21 View Figure 21 (c)).

Distribution

Known from the north of Argentina ( Santiago del Estero) ( Figure 22 View Figure 22 ).

Etymology

The species name refers to the clear reddish-brown colour of all the specimens of the type series.