Cyclocephala mateoi Paz & Ratcliffe 2022, new species

Cyclocephala mateoi Paz & Ratcliffe, new species

(Figs. 7–12, 20)

Type material: Holotype male and allotype female labeled: “ PERU, HU. Tingo Maria, / Campus UNAS / 9°18'44.7"S / 75°59'42.9"W / 693 m. ” and with our red holotype and allotype labels. Holotype and allotype deposited in MUSM.

Description. Holotype, male. (Fig. 7). Length 14.4 mm; width 6.6 mm. Color testaceous except for black frons and apices of tibial teeth. Head: Frons and clypeus with punctures moderate in size and density, glabrous. Clypeal apex subtruncate, slightly reflexed. Interocular width equals 3.0 transverse eye diameters. Antenna with 10 antennomeres, club subequal in length to antennomeres 2–7. Pronotum: Surface with small, sparse punctures. Base lacking marginal bead. Elytra: Surface weakly punctate-striate, punctures slightly larger than those of pronotum, glabrous. Pygidium: Disc with minute, sparse punctures; lateral angles with moderately large, dense punctures and partially rugose. In lateral view, surface convex. Legs: Protibia tridentate, basal tooth small, distant from middle tooth. Protarsomere 5 enlarged, slightly bent, venter concave; medial claw large, bent, apex split (Fig 11). Metatarsus slightly longer than metatibia. Venter: Prosternal process long, columnar, apex obliquely flattened into transversely oval disc with transverse, elevated “button” on anterior half. Parameres: In caudal view, form elongate, base subtriangular, shaft subparallel, lateral margins of each paramere slightly flared before rounded apex (Fig. 9). In lateral view, basal piece slightly longer than parameres (Fig. 10).

Allotype, female (Fig. 8). Length 16.3 mm; width across humeri 7.4 mm. As holotype except in the following respects: Elytra: Epipleuron (ventral view) expanded at level of abdominal sternites 1–2 and then abruptly constricted with a subacute tooth at level of abdominal sternite 3 (Fig. 12). In dorsal view, lateral margin slightly expanded above sternite 3. Pygidium: In lateral view, surface weakly convex. Legs: Protarsus simple, not enlarged.

Etymology. This new species is dedicated to Fernando Paz’s nephew, Mateo Causo Paz.

Distribution. 2 specimens examined (Fig. 20). PERU (2): HUÁNUCO (2): Campus of Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva, Tingo María.

Temporal distribution. No data.

Diagnosis: Cyclocephala mateoi is similar in gestalt to C. verticalis Burmeister, 1847. However, C. mateoi has a slightly more subtruncate clypeal apex while the clypeal apex of C. verticalis is more parabolic; the protibia has a small, basal tooth that is distant from the others in C. mateoi, but the protibal teeth in C. verticalis are all equally spaced; and the parameres are subtriangular at the base, subparallel, and flared before the apices (Fig. 9) while in C. verticalis the parameres are elongate-oval with a tuft of setae on the inner margin of each apex. The female epipleuron of C. mateoi is expanded at the level of abdominal sternites 1–2 and then abruptly constricted with a subacute tooth at the level of abdominal sternite 3 (Fig. 12), while the epipleuron of C. verticalis is simple and gradually tapering.

Natural history. Cyclocephala mateoi specimens were collected at an elevation of 693 m.