Euselates (Euselates) magna J Thomson, 1880

Perissinotto, Renzo & Clennell, Lynette, 2021, Census of the fruit and flower chafers (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae) of the Macau SAR, China, ZooKeys 1026, pp. 17-43 : 17

Euselates (Euselates) magna J Thomson, 1880 Fig. 13

Euselates magna J. Thomson, 1880: 277

Distribution.

Known in the Palearctic Region from the Chinese provinces of Hainan, Hubei and the Hong Kong SAR ( Bezděk 2016). It is also widespread in the Oriental Region specifically in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand ( Sakai and Nagai 1998; Krajcik 2011).

Material examined.

1♀: Coloane , Hác-Sá, 14 May 2019, on flowers of Psychotria serpens , R Perissinotto (MACT) ; 1♂, 1♀: Coloane Village , 2 Jul 2019, dead on roadside, R Perissinotto & L Clennell (MACT) .

Other Macau records.

Coloane, Hác-Sá, 28 Apr 2019, on flowers of Lonicera japonica , R Perissinotto & L Clennell; ibidem 3 May 2019, on flowers of Psychotria serpens , R Perissinotto & L Clennell; ibidem 15 May 2020, R Perissinotto; St. Francis Xavier’s Parish [Coloane], 16 May 2020 10:35, L Clennell (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/56121519); ibidem 11 Jul 2020 9:45, Kisu Wong (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57338916); ibidem 11 Jul 2020 10:45, Kit Chang (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/52662946).

Remarks.

This species has been previously reported from nearby Hong Kong with its synonymic name of E. schoenfeldti Kraatz, 1893 ( Yiu 2010; Yiu and Yip 2011). In Macau it is occasionally seen between late April and August, but only in the largest patches of natural vegetation. Adults exhibit an approximate size in the range of 19-22 mm TL and 8-10 mm MW. They are very consistent in their colour pattern and are active during the hottest part of the day, but even under overcast conditions. They are typically flower feeders, having been observed on Litsea glutinosa , Lonicera japonica , Psychotria serpens and in Hong Kong also on Cleistocalyx operculatus ( Yiu 2010). On one occasion, a male specimen was found inside a fruit-baited trap containing a mixture of fermenting banana, pineapple, brown sugar, and red wine. The larvae are unknown, but most likely saproxylic, as on two occasions females were observed while entering crevices in decomposing tree trunks.

Figures

Figure 13. Euselates (Euselates) magna J Thomson, 1880: dorsal (left) and side (right) views of typical specimens observed at Coloane on 3 May 2019 and 15 May 2020, respectively (photographs: Lynette Clennell).