Pachnoda cordata cordata (Drury, 1773)

Serrano, Artur R. M., 2022, The rose chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) of Guinea-Bissau: an annotated checklist and new records, Zootaxa 5104 (2), pp. 151-195 : 160

Pachnoda cordata cordata (Drury, 1773)

( Figs. 3e, f )

Distribution: ANG, GHA, GBI, GUI, MOZ, RCI, RSA, SLN, TOG.

Distribution in Guinea-Bissau (Administrative Regions): 1) BAF, CAC; 2) BIS, GAB, OIO, TOB.

Historic records:

— Bafatá (BAF), Suzana (=Susana) (CAC) ( Brivio 1958).

Material examined: Bissorã ( Estação Zootécnica ”) (OIO), 15-28.VI.1992, 1♂, 2 ♀, CT, A. Serrano leg., ASC ; Coli ( Quebo ) (11º 37´01.63´´ N, 14º 46´13.80´´ W, 48m alt.) (TOB), 29.VI-11.VII.1995, 1 ♀, CT, A. Serrano leg., ASC ; Susana (CAC), 18.X-3.XI.1997, 13♂, 4♀, CT, A. Lopes leg., ASC ; Bissau (11º 51´30.97´´ N, 15º 34´57.31´´ W, 11m alt.) (BIS), 24-26.VI.2006, 2♀, DO, A. Serrano leg., ASC ; Béli (11º 49´38.60´´ N, 13º 55´34.36´´ W, 76m alt.) (GAB), 3.VII.2009, 1♂, DO, A. Serrano leg., ASC .

Remarks. The species is polymorphic with six to eight known subspecies in Africa ( Krajcik 2008a; Beinhundner 2017b; Schoolmeesters 2019). The separation of some of these subspecific taxa based only in different chromatic patterns is weak, fact that is reinforced by the overlap of some forms in some regions/countries (see distribution data in Beinhundner 2017b). Thus, I fully agree with the recommendation by Holm & Marais (1992) that “new descriptions are very inadvisable before the existing relationships and clines are fully understood” in several Pachnoda species , including P. cordata . The species seems common in Guinea-Bissau. For instance some adult specimens were collected on the fruit of street vendors in the Bissau town. The Bissorã, Coli and Susana adult specimens were sampled by CT ( Fig. 2b ) and the Béli adult specimen was sampled on tree flowers together with Discopeltis concinna Schaum, 1844 and Oxythyrea guttifera (Afzelius, 1817) in savanna ( Fig. 2d ). Some ecological and captive breeding data on this species were provided by Malec (2015). Bouyer et al. (2007) analysed the potential value of P. cordata and of other fruit-feeding Cetoniinae [e.g. P. marginata (Drury, 1773) , P. tridentata (Olivier, 1789) ] as bioindicators of ecosystem health. Biodiversity information (abundance, habitat preference) was provided for GHA by Mudge et al. (2012) and Joly (2018). Some biological and ecological data were provided by Holm & Marais (1992). It is a new species record for BIS, GAB, OIO and TOB Administrative Regions of Guinea-Bissau.

Figures

FIGURE 2. a, butterfly trap baited with banana and pineapple, Béli - Petaqui, GAB; b, yellow chromotropic trap baited with banana, Coli (Quebo), TOB; c, light trapping, Balana river (Mampatá), TOB; d, herbaceous and shrubby savanna, Béli, GAB; e, open forest, Coli (Quebo), TOB; f, primary moist forest, Canamina (Jemberem), TOB; g, clearance by fire to shift agricultural plantation, Coli (Quebo), TOB; h, artisanal charcoal sale, Buba—Tunani, QUN.

FIGURE 3. Cetoniinae species of Guinea-Bissau. a, Gametoides sanguinolenta (dorsal view), male, Susana, CAC, ASC; b, Gametoides sanguinolenta (dorsal view), female, Bissorã, OIO, ASC; c and d, Pachnoda ardoini ardoini, male (dorsal view) and parameres (frontal view), respectively, Coli (Quebo), TOB, ASC; e and f), Pachnoda cordata cordata, male (dorsal view) and parameres (frontal view), respectively, Béli, GAB, ASC; g, Pachnoda marginata marginata (dorsal view), female, Susana, CAC, ASC; h, Phonotaenia aequinoctialis (dorsal view), female, Susana, CAC, ASC; i, Tephraea pulverulenta (dorsal view), male, Coli (Quebo), TOB, ASC.