Amithao incertus (Gory and Percheron, 1833)

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2013, A Revision Of The Neotropical Genus Amithao Thomson, 1878 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 67 (3), pp. 265-292 : 280-281

Amithao incertus (Gory and Percheron, 1833) ( Figs. 34–38 )

Gymmnetis incerta Gory and Percheron 1833: 73 (original combination). Type not found. Type locality: “ Saint-Domingue.”

Description. Length 10.3–12.5 mm; width across humeri 6.0– 7.4 mm. Color dark reddish brown to black, opaque (almost velutinous in pristine specimens), with cretaceous marks as follows: head with 2 small, oval spots between eyes and larger, elongate spot on clypeus either side of middle; pronotum with band on lateral margins mesad of bead and with moderate to large spots on basal half of disc; epimeron with band on posterior margin; elytra with large spot behind humerus and large, transverse spot behind middle (both on lateral margins), and with large, transverse band behind apical umbone extending to suture, and with sparse, small cretaceous spots on disc; pygidium with large spot on each lateral margin; metasternum and metepisternum each with large spot; metacoxa with small band on dorsal surface and on posterolateral corner; meso- and metafemora each with small spot on posterior margin near apex; abdominal ventrites 1–4 each with spot on posterolateral corner and with small spots on anterior margin either side of middle on abdominal ventrites 2–5; ventral surface shiny. All cretaceous markings may be variably reduced. Head: Lateral margins elevated. Frons and clypeus concave either side of weak, median, longitudinal tumescence. Surface densely punctate; punctures small (slightly larger in females), glabrous. Clypeus with apex bilobed, each lobe broadly rounded ( Fig. 34 ), weakly reflexed. Eyes moderate in size, interocular width equals 4.0 transverse eye diameters. Antenna with 10 antennomeres, club distinctly longer than antennomeres 2–7 in both sexes. Pronotum: Surface with punctures

35) Ventral view.

sparse, moderate in size, punctures becoming slightly larger near base and lateral margins. Lateral margin with thick bead. Elytra: Surface punctate, with discal costae obsolete; punctures moderate to large, moderately dense, some with long, tawny setae. Apices at suture rounded. Pygidium: Surface in both sexes with large, dense punctures; punctures with long, tawny setae in pristine specimens. In lateral view, profile nearly flat to weakly convex. Venter: Setae long, tawny. Mesometasternal process bluntly rounded, weakly protuberant in lateral view ( Fig. 36 ). Abdominal ventrites nearly smooth in central third, lateral thirds with sparse, mostly large punctures. Legs: Protibia slender and weakly tridentate in both sexes. Parameres ( Figs. 37–38 ): Form short, subrectangular, apices bluntly rounded. In lateral view, phallobase about 3 times longer than parameres.

Distribution. Amithao incertus occurs in the Dominican Republic and possibly Haiti.

Locality Records. 29 specimens from BCRC, CMNH, FSCA, HAHC, TAMU, WBWC. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (29): LA ALTAGRACIA (2): Parque Nacional de Este. SAMANA (1): Santa Bárbara de Samaná. SAN PEDRO DE MACORÍS (24): Juan Dolio , San Pedro de Macorís (12 km W). SANTO DOMINGO (1): Boca Chica. SAN PEDRO (1): Juan Dolio .

Temporal Distribution. February (1), May (27), July (1).

Diagnosis. Amithao incertus is distinguished from other species of Amithao by its small size (less than 17 mm); mesometasternal process bluntly rounded and weakly protuberant in lateral view ( Fig. 36 ); simple parameres with apices touching each other ( Fig. 37 ); basal piece almost three times longer than the paramaeres ( Fig. 38 ); and occurrence in the Dominican Republic.

Natural History. Nothing is known of the life history of this attractive little cetoniine.

Figures

Figs. 34–35. Amithao incertus. 34) Dorsal view;

Figs. 36–38. Amithao incertus. 36) Form of mesometasternal process, lateral view; 37) Parameres, dorsal view; 38) Parameres, lateral view.