Hoplopyga aequatorialis ( Moser, 1918 )

Shaughney, Jennifer Marie & Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2015, A Monographic Revision of the Genus Hoplopyga Thomson, 1880 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 69 (4), pp. 579-638 : 586-588

Hoplopyga aequatorialis ( Moser, 1918)

( Figs. 1–6 )

Gymnetis (Hoplopyga) aequatorialis Moser 1918: 171 (original combination).

Lectotype male ( Ratcliffe 2004) at ZMHU, examined. Type locality: “ Ecuador ( Santa Inéz )”.

Description. Length 16.8–18.5 mm; width across humeri 10.1–11.2 mm. Dorsal surface velutinous to opaque. Ground color of dorsum brownish yellow or entirely black. Head with fuscous clouding either side of midline at base. Pronotum with fuscous clouding on middle, black M-shaped mark (sometimes obscured by clouding), and narrow, brownish yellow band on posterior half of midline (band sometimes absent). Elytra with fuscous clouding at base mesad of mesepimeron and on raised costae, and with black markings as follows: spot on humeral umbone of each elytron, each elytron with 1–2 spots in mediodiscal area and J-shaped mark or reversed J-shaped mark on apical umbone. Ventral surface opaque, ground color as on dorsum. Metasternum with reddish brown, shiny spot at middle on males, females with middle third entirely reddish brown, shiny. Mesometasternal process reddish brown, shiny at apex on males, entirely reddish brown, shiny on females. Males with reddish brown clouding on middle of each sternite and last sternite reddish brown, shiny at middle, females with each sternite reddish brown, shiny on middle third. Setae tawny. Head: Surface with large, dense, round punctures, each puncture with a minute seta in fresh specimens. Clypeal apex moderately reflexed, emarginate at middle, weakly angulate either side of emargination. Antennae each with club slightly longer than antennomeres 2–7 combined. Pronotum: Lateral margins obtusely angulate, appearing broadly rounded. Surface with small, moderately dense, round punctures at middle, punctures becoming large, dense, and n-shaped laterally. Lateral margins with short, reddish brown bead not reaching apex or base. Elytra: Surface of each elytron with 2 distinctly elevated, discal costae, lateral costa on each elytron interrupted and depressed on mediodiscal area. Depressions between costae with n-shaped punctures; punctures large, dense, arranged longitudinally in striae, becoming smaller and extending to base near scutellum in 2 columns. Apical declivity with large, dense, n-shaped punctures. Lateral margins densely punctate. Sutural costae each elevated into longitudinal keel on posterior half. Apices at suture strongly spinose. Pygidium: Surface distinctly convex in both sexes, with large, dense, concentric, transversely vermiform punctures. Venter: Metasternum with large, elongate, transversely vermiform punctures either side of middle, punctures with short setae. Mesometasternal process, in lateral view, subparallel to horizontal axis of body, moderately protuberant beyond mesocoxae; in ventral view ( Fig. 2 ), apex broadly rounded, with minute, moderately dense punctures at base, punctures each with a minute or short seta or lacking setae. Abdominal sternites with large, dense, n-shaped and elongate punctures on lateral thirds on males or on lateral, opaque areas on females. Legs: Protibia tridentate in both sexes. Males with protibia narrow, second tooth often worn down. Parameres: Shaft divergent between midpoint and apex ( Figs. 3–4 ). Lateral margins gradually expanding outwards to apex. Apices each with distinct, lateral spur.

Distribution. Hoplopyga aequatorialis occurs in Ecuador and Peru ( Fig. 5 ).

Locality Records. 11 specimens from AMNH, BCRC, FMNH, and ZMHU. Some data from Ratcliffe (2004). ECUADOR (9): PASTAZA (9): Santa Inez. PERU (2): JUNÍN (2): Chanchamayo ( Fig. 6 ), Río Oxabamba .

Temporal Distribution. Unknown because most specimen labels were older and lacked extensive data.

Diagnosis. Hoplopyga aequatorialis is similar to H. liturata but can be separated by its larger size (16.8–18.5 mm), the presence of setae on the ventral face of the mesometasternal process (or the presence of punctures that would bear setae), and by having punctures that continue to the base of the elytra near the scutellum. Hoplopyga liturata never has setae or punctures at the base of the mesometasternal process, and the punctures on the elytra do not continue to the base near the scutellum. Hoplopyga aequatorialis is also similar to H. boliviensis but is easily distinguished by having punctures on the pronotum that are not each enclosed in a black spot. Hoplopyga aequatorialis is separated from H. foeda by the lack of conspicuous setae all over the body and by having a body that is more elongate. The male parameres ( Figs. 3–4 ) will also help separate this species from any other.

Nomenclature. Moser (1918) described Gymnetis aequatorialis as belonging to the subgenus Hoplopyga . Shortly thereafter, the species was listed as Hoplopyga aequatorialis in the Coleopterorum Catalogus ( Schenkling 1921). In his 1937 revision of the genus Gymnetis, Schürhoff wrote that the species Gymnetis sculptiventris Thomson, 1878 is a black form of H. aequatorialis . Subsequently, catalogs and checklists ( Blackwelder 1944; Schoolmeesters 2014) listed H. aequatorialis as a synonym of G. sculptiventris . However, we examined photographs of the female holotype of G. sculptiventris at MNHN, and it is clearly a different genus and species based upon the sculpturing and punctation on the elytra, a lack of spinose elytral apices at the suture, and the ventral punctation. Therefore, we consider H. aequatorialis to be distinct from G. sculptiventris .

Natural History. Nothing is known of the natural history of H. aequatorialis .

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Hoplopyga aequatorialis. 1) Habitus; 2) Mesometasternal process, ventral view; 3–4) Parameres; 5) Distribution.

Fig. 6. Hoplopyga aequatorialis habitat at Chanchamayo, Junin, Peru. Photograph by BCR.