Available via license: CC BY-NC 3.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
SYSTEMATICS
A New Species of Ceraspis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae),
With a Key to the Colombian Species of the Genus
EDER F. MORA–AGUILAR,
1,2
LEONARDO DELGADO,
1
AND FERNANDO VALLEJO
3
Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 106(4): 424Ð428 (2013); DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/AN12149
ABSTRACT Ceraspis ajonjoli Mora-Aguilar, Delgado, and Vallejo, new species, from the Central
Andes Mountains in Colombia is described and illustrated. ModiÞcations of the FreyÕs key to species
of this genus are provided to include this new species. A new key to separate the species of Ceraspis
Lepeletier and Serville from Colombia is presented. The previously unknown male of Ceraspis ruehli
Brenske is described and their genitalia are illustrated.
KEY WORDS Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Ceraspis, new species, key
The Neotropical genus Ceraspis LePeletier and Ser-
ville currently contains 102 described species. Its dis-
tribution extends from Mexico to Argentina, with most
of the species (92) endemic to a single country. Ten
species are found in Mexico and Central America; 91
species occur in South America, mostly in Brazil (67),
and one is endemic to the Lesser Antilles (Frey 1962,
Delgado et al. 1987, Katovich 2008, Evans and Smith
2009). Thirteen species have been cited from Colom-
bia, of which Ceraspis innotata (Blanchard), Ceraspis
quadrimaculata (Blanchard), and Ceraspis squamu-
lifera (Moser) are shared with Ecuador, Venezuela,
and Peru´ , and 10 are endemic to Colombia: Ceraspis
bivittata Burmeister, Ceraspis costulata Frey, Ceraspis
immaculata Burmeister, Ceraspis lineata (Water-
house), Ceraspis macrophylla Moser, Ceraspis modesta
Burmeister, Ceraspis moseri Frey, Ceraspis quadrifo-
liata Moser, Ceraspis quadripustulata (Blanchard),
and Ceraspis ruficollis Frey (Evans and Smith 2009,
RestrepoÐGiraldo et al. 2003).
In this work, we add a new species of this genus
collected in 2009 from the central Andes Mountains of
Colombia, and we describe and illustrate the genitalia
of the previously unknown male of Ceraspis ruehli
Brenske. In addition, we include a key to the Colom-
bian species modiÞed from that of Frey (1962).
Materials and Methods
Morphological structures were studied and illus-
trated using a Zeiss Stemi SV-6 stereomicroscope and
a camera lucida. Measurements are given in millime-
ters. Length was measured from the apex of clypeus to
the apex of pygidium and width across the widest
portion of elytra. Terminology and morphological
characters are those used by Frey (1962), and the key
is adapted from the same work. We use the phyloge-
netic species concept, which deÞnes species as the
smallest aggregation of populations diagnosable by a
unique combination of character states (Wheeler and
Platnick 2000).
Abbreviations for institutions cited in this work are
as follows: Martin-Luther-Universita¨t, Wissenschafts-
bereich Zoologie, Halle, Germany (MLUH), Museo
del Instituto de Zoologõ´a Agrõ´cola de la Universidad
Central de Venezuela, Maracay, Venezuela (MIZA),
Coleccio´ n Entomolo´gica del Instituto de Ecologõ´a,
A. C., Xalapa, Me´ xico (IEXA), Museo Entomolo´gico
Francisco Luis Gallego de la Universidad Nacional de
Colombia, Medellõ´n, Colombia (CNIC), Coleccio´ n
del Laboratorio de Entomologõ´a de la Universidad de
Caldas, Manizales, Colombia (LEUC), L. Delgado pri-
vate collection, Mexico City (LLDC), and E. Mora
private collection, Xalapa, Me´xico (EMAC).
Ceraspis ajonjoli New Species
Type Material. HOLOTYPE Z: “Colombia: Tolima,
Fresno, 24 ÐIVÐ2009, Alt. 1,478 m, en Persea americana,
Agudelo-Arias col”. PARATYPES (5 Z,7씸) labeled:
“Colombia, Tolima, Fresno, 10 ÐXÐ2010, Alt. 1,450 m,
pasto, F. Vallejo col.” (1 Z), same data as anterior
except: Vereda La Mireya, 8ÐIXÐ2010, Alt. 1,460 m,
cafetal, luz negra, F. Vallejo col (3 Z,4씸), same data
as anterior except: Finca La Mireya, 14 ÐIVÐ2012, Alt.
1,360 m, cafetal, luz, F. Vallejo col (1 씸), “Colombia:
Caldas, Palestina, Santa´queda, 5ÐIIIÐ2011, pasto, luz
negra, F. Vallejo col” (1 Z), “Colombia, Caldas, Pen-
silvania, Vereda Los Medios, 23ÐIXÐ2011, Alt. 1,850 m,
luz negra, L. Giraldo y M. L. Aguilar cols” (1 씸),
“Colombia, Caldas, Manizales, Corporacio´ n Rafael
Pombo, 1ÐIVÐ2010, Alt. 2,150 m, luz negra, S. Saldar-
riaga y D. Valencia cols” (1 씸).
1
Red de Biodiversidad y Sistema´tica, Instituto de Ecologõ´a, A.C.,
Carretera Antigua a Coatepec No. 351, 91070 Xalapa, Veracruz,
Me´xico.
2
Corresponding author, e-mail: edynastes@gmail.com.
3
Departamento de Produccio´n Agropecuaria, Universidad de Cal-
das, A. A. 275 Manizales, Colombia.
0013-8746/13/0424Ð0428$04.00/0 䉷 2013 Entomological Society of America
The holotype and 1 씸 paratype are deposited in
CNIC. Six paratypes deposited in LEUC, and one
paratype in each one of the following collections:
MLUH, MIZA, IEXA, LLDC, and EMAC.
Etymology. The speciÞc epithet is derived from the
Spanish word “ajonjolõ´,” the common name of the
comestible seeds of Sesamum indicum (L.) (Pedali-
aceae), because of the resemblance to the form and
color of the scales of this species with these seeds.
Holotype Z. Length: 12.3 mm; width: 5.9 mm. Body
elongate; dorsum and venter reddish brown, margins
of clypeus and pronotum, and basal margin of elytra
black, legs red. Dorsal and ventral surfaces with oval,
whitish scales, sparser on venter (Fig. 1). Clypeus
trapezoidal, sides slightly sinuate, apex slightly emar-
ginate with angles obtuse, sides and apex reßexed,
surface slightly concave; clypeus, frons and vertex
with dense, appressed to decumbent scales. Antennae
9-segmented, club subequal in length to antennom-
eres 2Ð6 combined. Pronotum swollen, hexagonal,
slightly wider than long, anterior angles obtuse and
rounded, posterior angles acute, posterolateral sides
sinuate; pronotal base as wide as base of elytra, base
anterior to scutellum Þtting in the scutellar base; pro-
notal surface with appressed scales, denser and im-
bricate to the sides, with glabrous, smooth areas along
midline and two irregular areas on basal third. Scute-
llum heart-shaped, with two groups of dense, imbri-
cate scales either side of midline. Elytra longer than
wide (1.0: 0.7), with dense, appressed scales, imbricate
toward base and apex, scales smaller than those of
pronotal disc; each elytron with three glabrous, lon-
gitudinal stripes, two narrow on disc, extending from
base to about middle, and another broader on lateral
margin (Fig. 1). Prosternal process lacking. Abdomen
in lateral view concave; sternites 2Ð5 distinctly longer
at sides than at middle; sternites Þve and six subequal
in length and longer than any of sternites 1Ð 4, with
dense, long, golden setae in longitudinal central sixth;
last abdominal sternite with apical border scarcely
denticulate at middle, with membranous margin. Py-
gidium long, convex in lateral view, surface with ap-
pressed scales, except for a glabrous, preapical area,
apex with dense, yellowish setae. Femora and tibiae
with scales, seta-like, elongate scales, and setae; tarsi with
long, red and whitish setae. Protibiae bidentate with
basal tooth small, without inner spur; meso and metati-
biae with two short, apical spurs. Tarsi elongate, not
thickened; pro and mesotarsi subequal in length to
their respective tibiae (without claws); metatarsi dis-
tinctly longer than metatibiae, metatarsomeres 3Ð4
slightly longer than wide; all claws simple, unguit-
ractor plate distinctly produced beyond base of
claws, with three long, apical setae. Genitalia with
parameres asymmetrical, concave, broadly sepa-
rated, curved, with the inner side projected at the
base (Figs. 2 and 3).
Paratypes (5 Z,7씸). Length of Z: 11.5Ð12.2 mm,
width: 5.5Ð5.6 mm; length of 씸: 12.6 Ð13.1 mm, width:
6.2Ð6.4 mm. In both sexes, color of the scales varies
from white to yellowish, light brown in worn speci-
mens. Vestiture of scales in males varies slightly in
density. Females differ from males in the following
respects: clypeus shorter, with apex straight, and mar-
gins rounded, less reßexed; antennal club shorter than
segments 2Ð 6 combined; pronotum less convex; elytra
with seven glabrous stripes extending from base to
apex; abdomen in lateral view slightly convex; abdom-
inal sternites 2Ð 4 slightly longer at sides than at mid-
dle, sternite 5 subequal in length from side to side; last
abdominal sternite with apex sinuate, without mem-
branous margin; pygidium shorter and wider, with
sparse scales; femora and tibiae shorter; protibia tri-
dentate, basal tooth inconspicuous, with inner preapi-
cal spur; all tarsi shorter than in the male.
Distribution. This species is known from the de-
partments of Tolima and Caldas in the central Andes
Mountains of Colombia at elevations of 1,360 Ð2,150 m,
with cloud forest and coffee plantations. The speci-
mens were attracted to ultraviolet lights.
Taxonomic Remarks. C. ajonjoli is distinguished
from the remaining species of the genus by the fol-
lowing combination of characters: dorsum with oval
scales, and without setae or seta-like scales (Fig. 7),
prosternum lacking ventral process. Shape of the male
genitalia will also help to its identiÞcation (Figs. 2 and
3). An important dimorphic character for this species
is that males have the elytra almost completely cov-
Fig. 1. Habitus of Ceraspis ajonjoli sp. nov., holotype.
Scale line 1 mm.
July 2013 MORAÐAGUILAR ET AL.: A NEW SPECIES OF Ceraspis 425
ered with scales, but in the females the scales are
arranged in a longitudinal pattern, showing distinct
glabrous stripes.
In the key to the species groups of Ceraspis of Frey
(1962), C. ajonjoli will key out to group 3 character-
ized by body shape broad and robust; dorsum com-
pletely or partially covered with broad scales, without
seta-like scales. We propose the following modiÞca-
tions in the key of this group (original key in German)
to include this new species, and include also to Ceras-
pis oaxacaensis Delgado, Ceraspis jaliscoensis Delgado
& Navarrete-Heredia, and Ceraspis velutina (Bates), a
species revalidated by Delgado et al. (1987) from
junior synonymy with C. pilatei (Harold):
8 (9) Elytral scales in longitudinal pattern . . . 8a
9 (8) Elytral scales without longitudinal pattern . . .
.......................... 10
8a (8b) Prosternum without ventral process ....
............. ajonjoli sp. nov. (씸)
8b (8a) Prosternum with ventral process ....8c
8c (8d) Pronotal scales decumbent, completely
covering the pronotum . velutina (Bates)
8d (8c) Pronotal scales appressed to the surface,
forming a longitudinal pattern .....8e
8e (8f) Pronotum and elytra red ...........
................ pilatei (Harold)
8f (8e) Pronotum and elytra black or reddish
brown .....................8g
8g (8f) Elytra with raised costae ...........
.............. oaxacaensis Delgado
8f (8g) Elytra without costae ......jaliscoensis
Delgado & NavarreteÐHeredia
10 (11) Anterior angles of pronotum acute and pro-
jected, lateral border concave, prono-
tum with scales and long setae, anterior
claws cleft .....bivulnerata (German)
11 (10) Anterior angles of pronotum not projected;
other characters variable ........11a
11a (11b) Pronotum and elytra without setae . . .
............ ajonjoli sp. nov. (Z)
11b (11a) Pronotum or elytra with setae ....12
12 (13) Pronotum and elytra with dense scales,
pronotum with long setae, scutellum and
elytra without bristles . . . amazonica Frey
13 (12) Pronotum and elytra with sparser scales,
pronotum without setae, scutellum and
elytra with bristles .....oblonga Moser
Ceraspis ruehli Brenske 1890
This species was described by Brenske (1890), but
according to Frey (1962) the description was based
only on females. The specimens cited by Frey (1962)
were collected in the western highlands of Ecuador.
During August 1990, two male specimens were col-
lected at Farallones de Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colom-
bia, which represent a new country record (deposited
in LLDC). Aside from the dimorphic characters, these
specimens agree with the general description of C.
ruehli, and do not require modiÞcation of FreyÕs key
(1962) for its identiÞcation.
Z. Length: 9.4Ð10.5 mm, width: 4.0Ð 4.6 mm. Body
slender; color bright, clypeus and legs reddish brown,
frons, pronotum, and elytra reddish to dark brown,
venter dark brown, margins of pronotum, basal margin
of elytra and scutellum black. Dorsum and venter with
seta-like, elongate scales, yellowish (Fig. 6). Clypeus
with apex emarginate and reßexed, sides rounded,
anterior angles obtuse and slightly projected; clypeal
surface slightly concave, head covered with erect and
decumbent setae. Antennae 9-segmented, club sub-
equal in length to segments 2Ð6 combined. Pronotum
hexagonal, slightly wider than long, fore and posterior
angles obtuse, posterolateral sides sinuate; surface
completely punctate, punctures umbilicate and setif-
erous; pronotum with an oval, small concavity at sides.
Fig. 2–5. Parameres of Ceraspis spp. 2. Lateral view in C. ajonjoli sp. nov. 3. Frontal view in C. ajonjoli. 4. Lateral view
in C. ruehli. 5. Frontal view in C. ruehli. Scale line 1 mm.
426 ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA Vol. 106, no. 4
Scutellum covered with erect setae, scutellar base
Þtting in the pronotal base. Elytra with appressed,
imbricate setae forming six stripes in a longitudinal
pattern, stripes 3Ð5 paired, stripes 1 and 6 joined at the
apex. Prosternum without process. Abdomen concave
in lateral view, abdominal sternites microreticulate,
setiferous, ßat at middle, sternites 2Ð4 somewhat lon-
ger at sides than at middle, sternite 5 with same length
from side to side, last abdominal sternite with apical
margin slightly denticulate, with membranous border,
and with dense, long, Þne setae. Pygidium longer than
wide, convex, microreticulate, covered completely
with appressed setae, denser on basal half, apex with
long, Þne setae. Protibiae tridentate with basal tooth
small, without inner spur. Tarsi longer than respective
tibiae (without claws). All claws cleft, unguitractor
plate distinctly produced beyond base of claws, with
two long, apical setae. Genitalia with parameres
slightly asymmetrical, convex, broadly separated,
elongate and strongly curved ventrally (Figs. 4 and 5).
Key to the Colombian Species of Ceraspis (adapted
from Frey 1962)
1 Elytra and pronotum only with setae and/or seta-
like, elongate scales (Fig. 6) ...........2
1⬘ Elytra and pronotum with wide, oval scales
(Fig. 7) ..............ajonjoli sp. nov.
2 Color black or black with spots or reddish lines.
Posterior claws entire ...............3
2⬘ Color different. Posterior claws entire or
cleft ........................10
3 Pronotal surface smooth ............4
3⬘ Pronotal surface with longitudinal, raised areas . .
............... squamulifera (Moser)
4 Elytra oval .....................5
4⬘ Elytra elongate ..................6
5 Pronotum black. Clypeus of male projected and
slightly emarginated . . lineata (Waterhouse)
5⬘ Pronotum red. Clypeus of male rounded, short
and emarginated .........ruficollis Frey
6 Elytra black or only with base reddish . . . 7
6⬘ Elytra with four red spots ...........9
7 Lateral edge of pronotum serrated .........
............... immaculata Burmeister
7⬘ Lateral edge of pronotum smooth ......8
8 Elytra in males with four costae. Females with
scutellum completely roughened .........
...................... moseri Frey
8⬘ Elytra in males with three costae. Females with
margins of scutellum smooth .....innotata
(Blanchard)
9 Pronotum with dense punctures, some conßu-
ent, only midline smooth . . . quadripustulata
(Blanchard)
9⬘ Pronotum with sparse punctures, not conßuent,
midline, base and anterior margin smooth . . .
........... quadrimaculata (Blanchard)
10 Elytra with interrupted costae ....costulata
Frey
10⬘ Elytra with complete costae .........11
11 Setae on elytra never in rows ........12
11⬘ Setae on elytra forming rows .........13
12 Length of body equal to or longer than 12 mm.
................. bivittata Burmeister
12⬘ Length of body ⬍10mm ........modesta
Burmeister
13 Pronotal disc gabrous .............14
13⬘ Pronotum completely covered with appressed
seta-like, elongate scales ....ruehli Brenske
14 Antennal club with three antennomeres ....
................. macrophylla Moser
14⬘ Antennal club with four antennomeres .....
.................quadrifoliata Moser
Acknowledgments
We thank to Luis Carlos PardoÐLocarno (Centro para la
Investigacio´ n en Sistemas Sostenibles de Produccio´ n Agr-
opecuaria, Colombia) for donation of specimens and Misael
SalgadoÐMorales (Universidad de Caldas, Manizales, Colom-
bia) for technical assistance.
Fig. 6–7. Setiferous vestiture of Ceraspis spp. 6. Seta-like scales in C. ruehli. 7. Scales in C. ajonjoli. Scale line 1 mm.
July 2013 MORAÐAGUILAR ET AL.: A NEW SPECIES OF Ceraspis 427
References Cited
Brenske, E. 1890. Diagnosen neuer Melolonthiden aus Ec-
uador und Madagascar. Soc. Ent. 5: 34.
Delgado, L., C. Deloya, and M. A. Moro´ n. 1987. Descripcio´ n
del macho de Ceraspis velutina (Bates) y nuevos registros de
C. centralis (Sharp) para Me´xico (Coleoptera: Melolonthi-
dae; Macrodactylini). Folia Entomol. Mex. 71: 47Ð54.
Evans, A. V., and A.B.T. Smith. 2009. An electronic checklist
of the New World chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae:
Melolonthinae). Version 3. (http://museum.unl.edu/re-
search/entomology/SSSA/nwmelos.htm).
Frey, G. 1962. Revision der Gattung Ceraspis Serv., nebst
Beschreibung einer dazugeho¨ rigen neuen Gattung (Col.
Melolonth.) Entomol. Arb. Mus. Frey. 13: 1Ð66.
Katovich, K. 2008. A generic-level phylogenetic review of
the Macrodactylini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolon-
thinae). Insecta Mundi. 23: 1Ð78.
Restrepo–Giraldo, H., M. A. Moro´ n, F. Vallejo, L. C. Pardo–
Locarno, and A. Lo´ pez–A
´
vila. 2003. Cata´logo de Co-
leoptera Melolonthidae (Scarabaeidae Pleurosticti) de
Colombia. Folia Entomol. Mex. 42: 239Ð263.
Wheeler, Q. D., and N. I. Platnick. 2000. The phylogenetic
species concept (sensu Wheeler and Platnick), pp. 55Ð 69.
In Q. D. Wheeler and R. Meier (eds.), Species Concepts
and Phylogenetic Theory: A Debate. Columbia Univer-
sity Press, New York, NY.
Received 13 December 2012; accepted 26 April 2013.
428 ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA Vol. 106, no. 4
