Hoplia (Hoplia) messapia Uliana, Liberto

Leo, Piero, 2017, On the taxonomy of the Italian endemic Hoplia dubia (Rossi, 1792), with the description of two new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), Zootaxa 4320 (2), pp. 201-224 : 210-211

Hoplia (Hoplia) messapia Uliana, Liberto , and Leo, new species

( Figs. 9–11 , 16–17 , 22–23 , 26 , 34–37 )

Specimens examined. A total of 401♂, 16♀ . Holotype: Italia, Puglia (LE), Vernole, R.N. Le Cesine, 40°21’N 18°19’E, 21.V.2011, leg. M.Bollino ♂, MSNVE) . Paratypes: see Table 4.

Integrative and comparative description. For variable characters, the condition of the holotype is between square brackets.

Male. Habitus as in Figs. 9, 11 , 34–37 .

Size. Larger than H. dubia , similar to H. meridian a. PBL: 6.1–7.6 mm [6.7], average 6.7 mm; TBL: 7.6–9.2 mm [7.7], average: 8.3 mm; MBW: 3.7–4.9 mm [4.3], average 4.2 mm.

Color. Elytra light brown [as in holotype] to brown, specimens with dark or black elytra not observed.

Scales ( Figs. 16–17 ). Shape: in general, scales squatter than in H. dubia and quite similar to H. meridiana , although larger. On the head, elliptical to narrowly lanceolate, not bristle-like. On pronotum, scutellum and elytra broadly elliptical or oval to almost round, usually with broadly rounded apex [as in holotype]. On pygidium, elliptical or drop shaped (with narrowly acute base) to lanceolate, tapering at the apex, on average slender than on pronotum. Color: on head, nacreous to pale green or cyan. Pronotum dichromatic, with color changing quite abruptly from the discal area to the edges. Discal area yellow to ochre or light brown. Marginal areas, at least near the angles and the lateral margins but sometimes along broad stripes (maximum extension broader than in H. meridiana ) [not in holotype], nacreous to cyan. An irregular row of similar scales is present along the basal margin of elytra, the rest of their surface and scutellum with scales similar to those on the pronotal disc. On propygidium, pygidium, ventral side, and legs, similar to the margins of pronotum. Arrangement: distinctly raised from the integument. On head present and sparse on frons and vertex. On pronotum, basal "whirls" observed in H. dubia , with marginal scales directed forward, are present in some specimens [as in holotype], absent in others (corresponding scales are directed towards the midline). On elytra, poorly spaced: in the discal area the transversal distance between two scales is roughly less than the width of one scale to nothing. The clothing therefore looks denser than in the other two species and masks a larger part of the integument.

Setae. In general, longer than H. meridiana and similar to H. dubia (except scutellum). Longest setae of pronotum about 0.3–0.4x the length of pronotum and 0.9–1.3x the width of scutellum ( Fig. 11 , 16 ). Length not uniform, decreasing towards the base, but less than in H. meridiana and only in the medial area, not at the sides of the base. In the medial basal third setae are shorter, measuring 0.5–0.6x the longest setae.

Scutellum with setae shorth and thick, bristle-like, evidently different from those along the base of the pronotum and of the elytra, which are longer and thinner ( Figs. 22–23 ). Their length is much shorter than half the length of the scutellum, and close to 2x the length of a scale, or less.

Elytral setae hair-like, sparsely mixed in length, long setae present: setae measuring about 1.5-6.0 times the length of a scale.

Morphology. Clypeus about 2.3–2.8 [2.5] times wider than long (average: 2.5). Sides of pronotum not regularly curved: straight to slightly concave [slightly concave] in the anterior half, slightly convex to slighty concave in the posterior half [straight], the two halves usually parted by a broadly rounded angle or a sinuation. Sutural region of elytra, compared to the rest of the surface, flat to moderately raised, which is the most common condition [as in holotype]. Pygidium W/L =1.35, as in H. meridiana .

Protibia, on average, slightly broader than H. dubia and more similar to H. meridiana . Average condition of teeth is intermediate between that of the other two species.

Protarsomere slender, similar to that of H. dubia ( Fig. 26 ).

Female. Habitus as in Fig 10 .

Color. Tarsi light brown. Specimens with lighter tibia or femora not observed.

Scales. Color not different from that of the male, including the pronotum.

Morphology. Elytra different from that of the male: sides more curved, narrowing in the distal part and therefore overall shape shifting from subquadrate to more-or-less oval. Overall difference from the condition of the male is variable, from scarcely perceivable to distinct. Pygidium more convex than in males, ratio W/L: 1.26.

Derivatio nominis. From the latin adjective "messapius", meaning "of Messapia", in reference to the ancient name of southern Apulia (nowadays Salento), where this species occurs.

Distribution. Hoplia messapia is scattered along the coasts of Salento (southern Apulia), on both the Adriatic and the Ionic sides ( Fig. 27 ).

Figures

FIGURE 27. Known distribution of the species of the Hoplia dubia species group.

FIGURES 9 – 11. Habitus of Hoplia messapia in dorsal and lateral view. 9, male (Cesine, Le Vernole); 10, female (Torre Mozza); 11, male (Cesine, Le Vernole).

FIGURES 12 – 17. Hoplia dubia species group. Details of scale vestiture of dorsal side (12, 14, 16) and pygidium (13, 15, 17), male specimens. 12 – 13, Hoplia dubia (Marina di Vecchiano); 14 – 15, H. meridiana (Policoro); 16 – 17, H. messapia (Cesine, Le Vernole).

FIGURES 18 – 23. Hoplia dubia species group. Details of scutellar area in oblique (18, 20, 22) and dorsal (19, 21, 23) view, male specimens. 18 – 19, Hoplia dubia (Marina di Vecchiano); 20 – 21, H. meridiana (Policoro); 22 – 23, H. messapia (Torre Mozza). Note the difference between scutellar setae (thin in H. dubia, thick in H. meridiana and H. messapia) and the differences on the relation between the setae of scutellum and periscutellar setae of elytra (reciprocally similar for length and thickness in H. dubia and H. meridiana, different in H. messapia as the scutellar setae are short and thick and the elytral setae long and thin).

FIGURES 24 – 26. Hoplia dubia species group. Comparison between the shape of protoracic tarsi (right leg, ventral view), length uniform. 24, Hoplia dubia (Marina di Vecchiano); 25, H. meridiana (R. N. O. Bosco Pantano di Policoro); 26, H. messapia (Cesine, Le Vernole). A stouter structure, with broader tarsomeres and claw, is evident in H. meridiana (courtesy of Daniele Baiocchi and Lara Gallina).

FIGURES 34 – 38. Hoplia messapia in nature from Vernole, Le Cesine. 34, male on a Tamarix inflorescence, 20. V. 2011 (courtesy of Maurizio Pavesi); 35 – 37, males clustering on the top of grasses and on dry Juncus infructescences, 21. V. 2011 (courtesy of Maurizio Bollino); 38, habitat of the species, 7. VI. 2003 (courtesy of Giuseppe De Matteis).