Blepharotoma nitida ( Mannerheim, 1829 ), 2024

Pacheco, Thaynara L. & Ahrens, Dirk, 2024, Omaloplia nitida Mannerheim, 1829 is a species of Blepharotoma Blanchard, 1850 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericoidinae), Zootaxa 5447 (2), pp. 298-300 : 298

Blepharotoma nitida ( Mannerheim, 1829) , new combination

Omaloplia nitida Mannerheim, 1829: 68 .

Astaena nitida : Harold 1869: 1127; Dalla Torre 1912: 78; Krajcik 2012: 47; Schoolmeesters 2023.

Type material examined. Lectotype ( Fig. 1 ) of Omaloplia nitida , ♀, here designated: “Brasilia Sarra da Lappa [sic] / Ménétr. / Syntype / http://id.luomus.fi/GAC.37962 Univ. of Helsinki LUOMUS, 2024 / Photographed 2024 LUOMUS Pekka Malinen / Lectotype ♀ Omaloplia nitida Mannerheim, 1829 det. Pacheco & Ahrens 2024” (deposited in the Finnish Museum of Natural History LUOMUS, Helsiniki, Finland).

Remarks. The lectotype is the only known extant specimen from the original type series. It is a female, which makes the species concept difficult to reconcile with any of the other species in the genus with a similar general appearance. It is likely a senior synonym of one or more of the other species of Blepharotoma , but this can only be resolved in the context of a complete taxonomic revision of the genus. The lectotype shares all characteristic features of Blepharotoma ( Fig. 1 ), last investigated by Smith (2008).

The lectotype was collected in one of the Langsdorff expeditions in Brazil, at the locality “Serra da Lapa” ( Mannerheim 1829; Papavero 1971), which is now probably “Serra do Cipó”, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. It was probably collected either from 16 October–4 December 1824 or 3 January 1825 ( Papavero 1971; Smith 2016).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Blepharotoma nitida (Mannerheim, 1829), new combination (lectotype). A, Habitus, dorsal view; B, habitus, lateral view; C, apex, metatibia, dorsomesal view; D, metatarsal claws; E, head, anterodorsal view; F, labels; G, head and prothorax, ventrolateral view; H, head and pronotum, dorsal view. Scale bar: A, B: 1 mm, C, D: 0.2 mm, E, G, H, 0.5 mm.