Xenopelidnota F. Bates, 1904

Moore, Matthew R., Jameson, Mary L., Garner, Beulah H., Audibert, Cedric, Smith, Andrew B. T. & Seidel, Matthias, 2017, Synopsis of the pelidnotine scarabs (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae, Rutelini) and annotated catalog of the species and subspecies, ZooKeys 666, pp. 1-349 : 1

Xenopelidnota F. Bates, 1904 Figs 106 , 107

Type species.

Plusiotis anomala Burmeister, 1844.

Species.

3 species and subspecies; length 19-27 mm.

Species in the genus Xenopelidnota resemble castaneous-colored Pelidnota , but the taxon is easily diagnosed by its dark-brown color and parabolic clypeus. The apices of the mandibles are quite variable (weakly bidentate, unidentate, rounded), perhaps due to wear and age. Additional characters that diagnose the genus are as follows: claws simple; male protarsal claw with inner tubercle; pronotum with bead complete apically, laterally and basally; elytral epipleuron shelf-like (not rounded); elytral apex with dense, short tawny setae; fifth meso- and metatarsomeres lacking internomedial tooth; apex of metatibia expanded, straight (lacking corbel or emarginations), and with many spinules; prosternal keel short (not produced to level of procoxae); and mesosternum not appreciably produced beyond mesometasternal suture.

Species in the genus are distributed in northern South America (Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, St. Vincent and the Grenadines). As typical of rutelines in this region, species are externally quite similar but male parameres possess a great deal of variability. Phylogenomic analyses of the Xenopelidnota lineage may reveal a greater understanding of the biogeography of the region. Larvae, natural history, and sister-group relationships of the group are not known.

Figures

Figure 106. Xenopelidnota anomala porioni Chalumeau male paratype from MNHN. A Dorsal habitus B Lateral habitus C Specimen labels and male genitalia D Male genitalia, lateral view E Male parameres, caudal view.

Figure 107. Pelidnota fuscoaenea Blanchard (valid name Xenopelidnota fuscoaenea [Blanchard]) female syntype from MNHN. A Dorsal habitus B Lateral habitus C Specimen labels.