Cotalpa

Young, Ronald M., 2002, A New Cotalpa Burmeister Taken On Post Oak In Eastern Texas With Notes And A Key To Species In The Genus (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 56 (4), pp. 473-479 : 477-478

Key to the Species of Cotalpa

1 Inner apex of elytra produced posteriorly into acuminate spine ( Fig. 4a, c ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2

1 9 Inner apex of elytra posteriorly truncate or rounded ( Fig. 4b ) (weakly acuminate in occasional C. consobrina ) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

2 Elytra translucent. Tarsi testaceous. Elytral spine present only in males, gracile, needle­like ( Fig. 4c ). Ventrally directed mandibular tooth triangular, visible externally ( Fig. 3a ). Parameres slightly asymmetrical ( Fig. 2b ). Typical length 17–18 mm, Yuma Co., Arizona --------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. ashleyae La Rue

2 9 Elytra opaque, golden yellow. Tarsi black. Elytral spine short, blunt ( Fig. 4a ), present in both sexes. Ventrally directed mandibular tooth strongly compressed laterally ( Fig. 3d ), not visible externally. Parameres symmetrical ( Fig. 2c ). Typical length 24–25 mm. Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. flavida Horn

3 Outer margin of mandible straight to weakly curved; ventrally directed mandibular tooth triangular, visible externally ( Fig. 3c ). Arizona to Sonora, Mexico ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. consobrina Horn

3 9 Outer margin of mandible broadly rounded ( Fig. 3b, e, f ). Ventrally directed ( Fig. 3f ). Mandibular tooth not visible externally ------------------------------ 4

4 Pronotal posterior corners nearly right angled, lateral margins parallel ( Fig. 5b ). Elytra somewhat dull. Abdominal sternites with metallic green or blue shine. Central Kansas (Sand Hills State Park) to Cimarron County, Oklahoma ( North Canadian River ) --------------------------- C. subcribata Wickham

4 9 Pronotal posterior corners obtuse, lateral margins widening ( Fig. 5a ). Elytral aspect shining. Color of abdominal sternites, distribution variable ---------------- 5

5 Pronotum, elytra opaque light testaceous to golden yellow. Tarsi brown to copper, occasionally with green highlights. Mesosternal process a blunt triangle. Outer edge of mandible broadly rounded, tooth quadrate ( Fig. 3e ), not visible externally. New England to Florida, west to eastern Texas, north to Saskatchewan (Great Sand Hills) ---------------------------------------- C. lanigera (L.)

5 9 Elytra light testaceous, translucent areas often appearing as longitudinal dark bands. Tarsi iridescent green to black. Mesosternal process a simple knob. Outer edge of mandible sharply rounded, tooth quadrate, not visible externally ( Fig. 3b ). Eastern Texas --------------------------------- C. conclamara n. sp.

Figures

Fig. 4. Inner elytral apex of Cotalpa. a) Acuminate, C. flavida; b) truncate, C. consobrina; c) gracile, needle­like, C. ashleyae.

Fig. 3. Left mandibles of Cotalpa species. a) C. ashleyae; b) C. conclamara; c) C. consobrina; d) C. flavida; e) C. lanigera; f) C. subcribata.

Fig. 2. Parameres of selected Cotalpa species. a) C. conclamara holotype; b) C. ashleyae (after LaRue 1986); c) C. flavida.

Fig. 5. Pronotal posterior angles and lateral margins. a) Obtuse, margins widening, C. lanigera and C. conclamara, holotype; b) right angled, margins parallel, C. subcribata.