Telaugis aenescens Burmeister, 1844

Hielkema, Auke J. & Hielkema, Meindert A., 2019, An annotated checklist of the Scarabaeoidea (Insecta: Coleoptera) of the Guianas, Insecta Mundi 732 (732), pp. 1-306 : 154

Telaugis aenescens Burmeister, 1844

Telaugis aenescens Burmeister 1844: 337

Note. Two presently recognized subspecies of Telaugis aenescens have been described, one of which occurs in the research area. The other one is T. aenescens subandina Soula, 1998 (recorded from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru).

Subspecies Telaugis aenescens aenescens Burmeister, 1844

Telaugis aenescens Burmeister 1844: 337 ( French Guiana - NEOTYPE)

Distribution. Guyana: Soula 2002b: 19. Suriname: Ohaus 1934: 150; Blackwelder 1944: 241; Machatschke 1972: 70; MHCN; NZCS; RMNH. French Guiana: Ohaus 1934: 150; Blackwelder 1944: 241; Soula 1998: 97 (designation NEOTYPE Telaugis aenescens ), 2010a: 58; RMNH. Brazil (NA): Ohaus 1934: 150 (NA); Blackwelder 1944: 241; Soula 1998: 97. Venezuela: Soula 2002b: 19. Other: Burmeister 1844: 337 (Mexico).

Note 1. Burmeister (1844: 337) gives the type locality of Telaugis aenescens as Mexico, but subsequently ( Burmeister 1855: 516) rectifies this by retracting the mention of Mexico and replacing it with Suriname.

Note 2. Soula (1998: 97) records Telaugis aenescens aenescens for French Guiana and Brazil and states that the species is “sans doute présente dans les trois Guyanes et au Venezuela,” but he provides no records or references regarding the presence of this species in Suriname, Guyana or Venezuela. Soula (2002b: 19) records the species for Guyana and Venezuela but not for French Guiana or Brazil. Because the occcurrence of this species in French Guiana and Brazil is corroborated by other authors and we are unaware of any other records from Guyana or Venezuela, we suspect that Soula’s records from the latter countries are erroneous. Given the proximity of these countries to the known area of distribution, we consider the possible occurrence of the species in Guyana and Venezuela in need of confirmation.