Physodactylus chassaini Rosa, 2014, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Rosa, Simone Policena
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Elateridae
Physodactylus
Physodactylus chassaini

description: Physodactylus chassaini sp. nov.   
 (Figs. 19 A-E, 35C)   
 Etymology: In homage to the entomologist Mr. Jacques Chassain, for his dedication to the Physodactylinae collection of the MNHN.   
 Description (male, Fig. 35C): Integument bright; dark brown to black, pronotum reddish-brown with irregular black areas along the borders, epipleurae usually lighter than elytra; pilosity brown. Total length 11.0-15.0 mm; elytral base 1.0-1.1x as wide as prothorax, elytra 3.0-3.25x longer than pronotum. Frons concave, frontal carina not produced; antenna (Fig. 19A) reaching the posterior third of pronotum; antennomere IV 1.14x wider than long, V-X 1.28-1.50x wider than long; XI oval 1.22x longer than wide. Pronotum (Fig. 19B) 1.16-1.31x wider than long, lateral sides nearly straight to rounded convergent from posterior angles to anterior margin; anteromedian margin weakly produced; posterior angles short, convex, parallel; lateral carina complete prominent nearly or entirely visible dorsally; disc with punctures heterogeneously distributed, 2-8 diameters apart, larger and denser on lateral (2-4 diameters apart) and anterior borders (0.5-1.0 diameters apart); prosternal process with a subapical tooth. Lamellae of pro- and mesotarsomeres I smaller than the others, present on metatarsomere I. Elytra tapering to apex from anterior third; striae with a single row of punctures; interstices convex and weakly rugose, scarcely punctate; apical striae with punctures a little larger than those of pronotal lateral border. Abdomen with ventrites 1-4 strongly concave laterally, ventrite 1 densely punctate with setae about 1/3 as long as those of ventrite 2, lateral border impuctate. Ventrites 2-4 densely punctate with long and semi-erect stout setae, lateral border sparsely punctate with a few fine setae. Pregenitalic segments and aedeagus covered with stout dark-brown setae. Sternite VIII with lateroposterior sclerotizations separate or contiguous medially; posterior margin straight, anterior sclerotization 0.4-0.6x the total width of sternite; sternite IX with apex rounded.   
 Aedeagus (Figs. 19D, E): Phallobase 0.47x the total length of aedeagus, 1.39x longer than wide, length ratio between lateroposterior and median parts 7.4; paramere with ventral surface nearly entirely sclerotized with anteromedian margin distinct, acute and produced anteriad; penis with basal strut 0.20x its total length, articulated to the parameres by a sclerotized short process; ventral sclerite tapering to apex.   
 Holotype: [BRASIL, MG: Águas Vermelhas, XII.1998, Vaz de Mello & Bello col.], male (MZUSP).   
 Paratypes: Same label as holotype, 33 exs. (MZUSP), 1 ex. (UFMT); [Brasil, Encruzilhada, 980 m. Bahia, XI.1974, M. Alvarenga], 4 exs. (CNC), 2 exs. (MZUSP); [Estr. Rio Bahia, km 965, Motel da Divisa 960 m, Encruzilhada, Bahia, Brasil XII.1980 – B. Silva], 1 ex. (MNRJ); [Coleção M. Alvarenga], [Encruzilhada, 980 m, Bahia, Brasil, XI.1972, M. Alvarenga], 1 ex. (DZUP).   
 Distribution: BRAZIL. Bahia: Encruzilhada; Minas Gerais: Águas Vermelhas.   
 Remarks: Physodactylus chassaini sp. nov. is similar to P. fischeri, P. asper sp. nov. and P. foveatostriatus in its color pattern, shape of prothorax, brown pilosity and shape of antenna. It differs from the two first species mainly by its elytral striae with a single row of punctures distinct to apex and interstices smoother with a few sparse punctures. Its abdominal pilosity pattern is most similar to that of P. asper sp. nov., but the setae of the later are smaller on ventrite 1 and finer on ventrites 2-4. Physodactylus chassaini sp. nov. is also similar to P. foveatostriatus in its elytral striae punctation, but it is distinguished by its smaller punctures of these striae, interstices more convex and by the abdominal pilosity pattern. All these species have aedeagus quite similar, with a few differences mainly on the length of the median part of the phallobase, shapes of the basal struts, ventral sclerite and dorsal articulation.
description: Published as part of Rosa, Simone Policena, 2014, Phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Physodactylinae (Coleoptera, Elateridae), pp. 217-292 in Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (São Paulo) (São Paulo) 54 (18) on pages 259-261, DOI: 10.1590/0031-1049.2014.54.18, http://zenodo.org/record/12641367