Canthon (Peltecanthon) splendidus Schmidt 1922
Creators: name: Nunes, Luis Gabriel de O. A.
name: Nunes, Rafael V.
name: Vaz-De, Fernando Z.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Scarabaeidae
Canthon
Canthon splendidus

description: Canthon (Peltecanthon) splendidus Schmidt, 1922
Figs 5–6
Canthon splendidus Schmidt, 1922: 68, 81, 93.
Canthon splendidus – Balthasar 1939: 209 (key) — Halffter & Martínez 1977: 76 (as junior synonym of Canthon auricollis).
Canthon (Peltecanthon) splendidus – Vaz-de-Mello & Cupello 2018a: 46; 2018b: 67–68, figs 101–102.
Diagnosis
Canthon splendidus can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: elytra and pronotum with different colouration, with pronotum bright with golden or red reflections, and elytra blue-green (Fig. 5A). In the legs the metafemora with no groove at base (Fig. 5B). Hypomere with a strong excavation in the anterior region, with a thick transverse carina between the anterior and posterior portion projecting to near the lateral margin and never only up to the median region (Fig. 5C). Propygidium with a moderate carina near pygidium border (Fig. 5D). In lateral view In lateral view (Fig. 6A) parameres flattened; a strongly sinuous apex, never slightly sinuous or truncated, with a deep excavation near the upper angle; rounded upper angle; lower angle much less than 90°. In dorsal view (Fig. 6B): membranous portion separates the parameres, wider in the central region and narrower at the base and apex. Internal sac (Fig. 6 C–D) with peripheral fronto-lateral sclerite (FLP) involving the axial sclerite (A), where the two structures form a complex with a central duct, wider at the base, with a subtle tapering in the median region and sharp apex; subaxial sclerite (SA) absent; peripheral medial sclerite (MP) lateral to FLP + A, tapered region with the sharper part passing within a semiduct formed by MP; superior right peripheral sclerite (SRP) circular and with lateral prolongation.
Material examined
Lectotype BRAZIL • ♂, lectotype of Canthon splendidus Schmidt, 1922 (designated by Vaz-de-Mello & Cupello 2018b: 68); 1 (white label) “ Canthon splendidus A. Schmidt n. sp. ” / 2 (green label) “Esp. Santo” / 3 (green label) “Coll C Felsche, Kauf 20, 1918” / 4 (red label, black border) “LECTOTYPE Canthon splendidus Schmidt, des. F. Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014 (SMTD)”.
Paralectotypes BRAZIL: 1 ♂; 1 (green label) “Esp. Santo” / 2 (green label) “Coll C Felsche, Kauf 20, 1918” / 3 (red label) “ splendidus ” / 4 (yellow label, black border) “PARALECTOTYPE Canthon splendidus Schmidt, des. F. Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014 (SMTD)” • 3 ♂♂; 1 (green label) “Esp. Santo” / 2 (green label) “Coll C Felsche, Kauf 20, 1918” / 3 (yellow label, black border) “PARALECTOTYPE Canthon splendidus Schmidt, des. F. Z. Vaz-de-Mello, 2014 (SMTD)”.
Other material (18 specs)
BRAZIL – Minas Gerais • 1 ♂; Barão de Cocais, Mina Gongo Soco; 43º33′54″ W, 19º57′15″ S; Oct. 2011; A. F. Murta leg.; floresta; “fezes”; CEMT • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collecting data as for preceding; 43º33′54″ W, 19º57′9″ S; Sep. 2011; CEMT • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collecting data as for preceding; 43º33′39″ W, 19º57′9″ S; Nov. 2011; CEMT • 1 ♂; Barão de Cocais, Vale Mineração, 43º33′51″ W, 19º57′17″ S; 860 m a.s.l.; 4 Nov. 2011; R.N. Mota leg.; forest, rain season; human dung; CEMT • 1 ♂; same collecting data as for preceding; 43º40′16″ W, 20º03′9″ S; 1481 m a.s.l.; 10 Oct. 2010; R.N. Mota leg.; forest/rock field, dry season; human dung; CEMT • 3 ♂♂; Mariana, Mina Timbopeba; 43º29′59″ W, 20º14′59″ S; Oct. 2011; A. F. Murta leg.; floresta; “fezes”; CEMT • 1 ♂; same collecting data as for preceding; 43º29′46″ W, 20º17′7″ S; Oct. 2011; CEMT. – Espírito Santo • 1 ♀; Vargem Alta; 15 Sep. 1995; J.C.N. Louzada leg.; CEMT • 1 ♂; same collecting data as for preceding; Louzada and Louzada leg.; mata, F#4; CEMT • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collecting data as for preceding; 680 m a.s.l.; J.C.N. Louzada leg.; CEMT • 1 ♂; Marechal Floriano; Jan. 2003; L. Dias leg.; CEMT. – Rio de Janeiro • 1 ♂; Itatiaia, PARNA de Itatiaia; 44º38′10″ W, 22º25′20″ S; 1650 m a.s.l.; 23–26 Dec. 2011; C. Araújo and R. Andrade leg.; CEMT.
Redescription
Male
MEASUREMENTS. Body length (except the head): 9.5 mm, pronotum width: 6.0 mm.
COLOUR. Dorsally, pronotum and elytra with distinct colouration elytra dark blue, pronotum green with bright red and yellow reflections (Fig. 5A).
HEAD. Green with bright yellow. Dorsal surface with small spots equally spaced. Two clypeal teeth triangular, with rounded apex, separated by a V-shaped emargination, with two dorsal tufts of setae and two ventral tufts. Clypeo-genal suture present (Fig. 5A).
PRONOTUM. Pronotal disc smooth, green with small bright red and yellow spots, equally spaced; Anterior angles acute (Fig. 5A).
ELYTRA. Striae narrow, always distinct; interstriae wide, flat.
HYPOMERON. Dark blue and black, chagrinated microsculpture; sparse setae present on anterior portion and anterolaterally; strong transverse carina along ⅔ of the whole length; anterior portion little excavated, with prominent teeth anterolaterally (Fig. 5C).
LEGS. Protibiae with three teeth; protibial spur flattened dorsoventrally, bifid, with medial and lateral bifurcation, triangular, different sizes, asymmetrical (Fig. 5E). Meso- and metafemora with ventral side lacking anterior and posterior margin; metafemora with a narrower and longer base, claviform; metafemoral ventral surface with spots at the base (Fig. 5B).
ABDOMEN. Ventrites with few setae, chagrinated, black and blue.
PYGIDIUM. As wide as long; blue with bright green and yellow; basal margin little expanded (Fig. 5D).
PARAMERES. Flattened laterally; on lateral view, apical portion with a long sinuosity; on dorsal view, central membranous portion enlarged in the centre (Fig. 6 A–B).
INTERNAL SAC. Fronto-lateral peripheral sclerite (FLP) involving axial sclerite (A), forming a central duct with spiniform apex; subaxial sclerite (SA) absent; medial peripheral sclerite (MP) semicircular, widely emarginated, with the internal margin with a lobe on the extremity (without central tooth); external margin sinuous with a lobe on the extremity, lobes separated by a U-shaped margin; apex of FLP + A involved by MP; superior right peripheral sclerite (SRP) circular with lateral prolongation in the dorsoventral direction (Fig. 6 C–D).
MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION. Body length (except the head) ranges from 9.5 mm to 12 mm; pronotum width from 6 to 7.5 mm. Pronotum with bright reflections, according to the viewing angle, between different intensities of green, red and yellow.
Female
LEGS. Protibial spur with medial and lateral bifurcation, triangular, equal in size, symmetrical (Fig. 5F).
Remarks
For a long time, this species was identified as Canthon auricollis Redtenbacher, 1868, but the examination of the type specimens of both nominal species allowed Vaz-de-Mello & Cupello (2018a) to conclude that, in fact, the latter name refers to a another species belonging to Canthon s. str., closely related to C. lividus Blanchard, 1846. It is an insect that can be considered very rare and can only be collected at altitudes usually over 1000 m. The predominance of pronotal sheen varies from golden yellow to red.
Distribution
High altitude in the Atlantic Forest along the coast of Brazil, in the states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro (Fig. 10).
description: Published as part of Nunes, Luis Gabriel de O. A., Nunes, Rafael V. & Vaz-De, Fernando Z., 2020, Taxonomic revision of the South American subgenus Canthon (Peltecanthon) Pereira, 1953 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Deltochilini), pp. 1-27 in European Journal of Taxonomy 594 on pages 13-15, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2020.594, http://zenodo.org/record/3659753