Pygopleurus chrysonotus ( Brullé, 1832 )

Bollino, Maurizio, Uliana, Marco & Sabatinelli, Guido, 2019, The Pygopleurus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Glaphyridae) of mainland Greece: taxonomy, faunistics and ecological notes, Zootaxa 4674 (2), pp. 151-202 : 166-172

Pygopleurus chrysonotus ( Brullé, 1832)

( Figs. 33–44 , 56–61 , 128 , 136 )

Amphicoma chrysonota Brullé, 1832: 181 , Pl. XXXIX, fig. 6.

= Amphicoma (Pygopleurus) diffusa Petrovitz, 1958: 45 , new synonymy.

= Amphicoma (Pygopleurus) diffusa f. cuprea Petrovitz, 1958: 55 [infrasubspecific, unavailable].

Type series. In MNHN no type specimen of Amphicoma chrysonota Brullé, 1832 was found, thus the type material of the taxon should be considered lost. According to Article 75 of the ICZN (1999), and in order to clarify the taxonomic status of the nominal taxon, a Peloponnesian specimen fitting the original description of A. chrysonota is here designated as neotype.

Type locality. Greece, Elis, Oros Foloi , 3 km W Achladini, ~ 37° 43’N 21°45’E, m 650 (neotype). The original type locality is presently restricted to Greece, Peloponnese, Messenia .

Material examined. 616 ♂♂, 460 ♀♀, detailed in supplementary materials.

Type specimens examined. Neotype of Amphicoma chrysonota Brullé, 1832 (present designation): Male, Greece – Elis / Oros Foloi - 3 km W Achladini / ~ 37° 43’N 21°45’E / 3.V.2013 – m 650 / Legit & coll. Bollino // Amphicoma chrysonota Brullé, 1832 / NEOTYPE / Bollino, Uliana & Sabatinelli des. 2019. It will be deposited in MNHN. Holotype of Amphicoma diffusa Petrovitz, 1958 : Apfelb. 1906 / Üsküs [ Mazedonien, Skoplje] // Amphic. (Pygopl.) / diffusa / m. Petrovitz // f. viridis // TYPUS // coll. Petrovitz ( MHNG).

Verified distribution.

Serbia. Erenik [River]

Albania. Erseke; Lushnja (Berat); Tirana, Yzberish; Poliçan westlich Tomor ( Petrovitz 1969); Myzeqe ( Petrovitz 1969); Mamurash ( Petrovitz 1969); Elbasan ( Petrovitz 1969); Tirana ( Petrovitz 1969); Bicaj ( Petrovitz 1969).

Republic of Macedonia. Prilep: Mts. Babuna, Rakle (also cited by Rozner & Rozner 2009a). Radoviš: Radoviš ( Rozner & Rozner 2009a) Skopje: Katlanovo, Vardar-valley ( Rozner & Rozner 2009a); Skopska Crna Gora Mon. Sv. Jovan (also cited by Rozner & Rozner 2009a). Pelagonia region: Prespansko jezero, Pretor. Southeastern region: Dojran, lake Dojran; Valandovo. Unknown placement: Keretschol.

Bulgaria. Blagoevgrad, 1 km SЕ Borovichene ( Petrova et al. 2019); Rupite ( Petrova et al. 2019); Varna Kalimanci (to be verified, see Distribution).

Greece.

Western Macedonia. Kozani: 8 km E of Kozani. Florina: Pissoderi. Grevena : 3 km NE OF Kipuro

Central Macedonia. Thessaloniki: Nea Filadelfia (20 km N of Salonikki); Salonikki; Hortiadis. Imathia: 8 km N of Koustochori; 3 km W of Koustochori.

Epirus. Ioannina: near Ioanina; NW Ioannina, near Karies; near Elafotopos; 3 km West Elafotopos; 2 km N of Monodendri; near Exochi; Tymfi Mt., 16 km E of Skamneli; near Pigi; 2 km N of Pigi; near Klidonia. Thesprotia: Parapotamus. Preveza: near Preveza; Stefani; Paleokastro. Unknown placement in Epirus: Pindos, Lapada.

Thessaly. Trikala: Katara Pass; 3 km W of Panagia; between Panagia & Koridallos; Kalampaka-Kastania; Klokotos; Vlahava; Kastanea (Pindos). Larissa: Argisa; Kalamaki; Kastri, Piniada; Larissa; SW slopes Mt. Olympus; Sikourio (Mt. Ossa); NW of Megali Kerasia; 6 km E of Livadi; Paleopyrgos. Karditsa: Mitropolis; near Karditsa; Krio Vrisì; Hassia Mts., near Trygon. Magnesia: Volos; Volos, Aghios Onofrious; Goritsa (Volos).

Attica. South Athens: Athens; Cape Sounion; Anavyssos; near Legrena; Vravrona, Brauron Sanctuary; near Rafina; Leonia; Geraneia; Kaisariani; Nea Peramos; Paiania; Voulijagmeni.

Central Greece. Beotia: Mt. Parnaso; Arachova; NW Arachova; Lüka Plateau; W of Livadia. Euboea: Chalkis; Ambélla (Chalkis); NW of Ritsona. Phtiothis: Lamia; Bralos; W of Bralos; Mt. Iris, road to Sklithro; Domokos; Stena Fourka, 1 km W of Palamas; Termopyles; River Enipeas, E of Farsala; River Asopos W of Thermopylae; Tragama. Phocis: Delphes; Mt. Parnaso; 10 km N of Amfissa; 2 km S of Amfissa; road Delfi-Arachova.

Western Greece. Aetolia -Acarnaia: Vassiliki; Mesolongion. Achaia: Aroania Ori (=Mt. Helmos); Kernitsa; Trapeza; Kalavryta; Mega Spileon (Kalavryta); Krastoni; neo Kobigadi [=Neo Kompigadi]; Patras. Elis: Keramidia; 1.5 km E of Keramidia; Mt. Foloi, 5 km NW of Koutsouroumpas; Mt. Foloi, 3 km W of Achladini; near Koutsouroumpas; 2 km W of Koutsouroumpas; 4 km N of Koutsouroumpas; Olympia.

Peloponnese. Arcadia: near Vourvoura; Vitina; Paradisia; Kandila; near Stemnitsa; Agias Petros; 3 km S of Alepochori. Corinthia: Corinth; Feneos Lake (behind dam); Stilia; Stymfalia lake; Mt. Killini. Argolis: Drepano-Adami; between Ag. Eleni and Ano Fanari; Tyrins. Messenia: Kalamata; Mt. Taygetos.

Ionian Islands. Corfu: Corfu, Lagune; Morzaraki; M.te Pantokrator. Cephalonia: Megalo Vuna.

South Aegean. Cyclades: Andros, Agios Petros; Andros, Kapparia; Andros dunes; Andros, near Paleopoli; Andros, Kapsala; Kea, Stavroudhaki.

Diagnosis. Elytra unicolored with apex rounded. Long, raised setation of elytra with black setae commonly present at least in the basal area, rarely all setae light-colored; setation evidently denser in the inner two-thirds of elytra, scarce or absent in the external third. Lateral setation of abdomen uniformly light yellow to orange (with rare exceptions of females with dark setation), ventral setation mostly light yellow to orange, rarely black.

Paramera ( Figs. 37 , 56–61 ) and everted endophallus ( Figs. 38 ) similar to those of P. scutellatus , but both diagnostic.

Description of the neotype ( Fig. 128 )

Male.

Body size: 13.75 mm from the margin of the clypeus to the apex of the elytra; 15.80 mm including the apex of the abdomen. Width across the humeri: 5.35 mm.

Color of integuments: head, pronotum and scutellum copper red with golden shining. Elytra dark brown, with a thin black edge along both outer and sutural edges. Propygidium and pygidium orange. Antennal articles 1 and 2 black, article 3 and 4 dark with a thin orangish brown outer edge, the rest of the antenna orangish brown. Legs metallic, with bronze shining.

Setation: head with dense, erect, soft, yellowish light brown hairs, with black hairs mixed with light hairs on the canthus. Antennal article 1 with dense black hairs, article 2 with few black hairs. Pronotum with black setae at anterior angles, yellowish light brown hairs mixed with some black setae along lateral edges, yellowish light brown hairs on dorso-lateral surfaces and black setae on discal area. Scutellum with yellowish to light brown hairs. Elytra with adpressed black hairs; erected black hairs on basal parasutural portion, yellowish hairs along remnant parasutural area; long erect stout black setae are present along the lateral, apical and inner apical third of the edge, more dense at apex. Abdomen with hairs of axillary sclerites black, those along the edges of sternites orangish yellow; pre-pygidium and pygidium covered by orangish-yellow adpressed hairs.

Ventrally, mouth parts, proepisternum, prosternum, fore- and meso-coxae, fore- and meso-femura densely covered by black hairs; mesepisternum, metasternum, meta-coxae, meta-femura and ventrites covered with yellowish hairs. Fore-tibiae with a row of black hairs along the dorsal midline. Mesothoracic and metathoracic legs with long yellowish hairs; spines light yellow; meso apical spurs dark brown, meta ones brown with lighter apex.

Morphology: clypeus subquadrangular, slightly narrowed basally, anterior angles rounded, with a slight median bulge. Integument of the clypeus and of the rest of the head covered by fine and dense piliferous punctuation; microreticulation clearly visible through the punctuation, especially on frons. Pronotum larger (4.30 mm) than long (3.4 mm), with anterior angles visible, rounded and obtuse; posterior angles rounded but well visible; pronotal surface with an alveolar appearance, densely covered by small notches, each one with a thick edge which separates it from adjoining notches; along an approximately 0.15–0.20 mm wide sagittal line the notches are progressively less marked, being substituted by a vermiculated surface towards the base. Scutellum triangular, about as long as wide, with a sculpturing similar to that of the pronotum in the central portion. Elytra slightly dehiscent at apex, more rounded at the external side than along the suture, apex regularly rounded; surface without depressions; piliferous punctuation fine, well visible. Claws of prothoracic legs long and moderately curved, protarsi short (combs of tarsomeres 1 to 5 respectively 13, 11, 9, 7, 4 toothed). Claws of mesothoracic and metathoracic legs similar to that of prothoracic legs, but a bit longer and slightly slender. Mesotarsi about 1.6 times longer (5.10 mm) than mesotibiae (3.25 mm).

Relevant variability of males. Pronotum and scutellum from green to copper red. Specimens from Central and Northern Greece have the hairs on head, pronotum, scutellum and along the edges of sternites light yellow, while specimens from Attica and Peloponnese have the same hairs orangish yellow. Specimens from Andros Island have the integument color in both sexes similar to those from Peloponnese, however all erect setae on elytra are yellow.

Description of females. Body size: 12.80–14.30 mm from the margin of the clypeus to the apex of the elytra; 13.50–16.00 mm including the apex of the abdomen. Width across the humeri: 4.80–5.60 mm.

Color: forebody green to copper red with golden shining. Androchrome, but for abdomen completely black.

Morphology: females differ from males in having clypeus with a longitudinal carina, abdomen and pygidium with soft yellowish hairs and mesotarsi shorter.

Distribution ( Fig. 44 ). The species is widely distributed in the whole mainland Greece, except its most north-eastern area (Eastern Macedonia and Thrace administrative region). It is also recorded for the Ionian Islands and for the Aegean islands of Andros and Kea. Northwards, it reaches Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo /Southern Serbia (first country record), and Bulgaria, where its first occurence was recently mentioned by Petrova et al. (2019). We have also examined one male and two females from Kalimanci (Varna), a population that requires confirmation as it would be very far from the rest of the verified distribution. Verification is necessary because, if we cannot exclude the occurrence of a relict and very decentralized population, we cannot even exclude the possibility of a mislabel- ling. The species was reported for several localities of Turkey by Rozner & Rozner (2009b, sub P. diffusus ) based on specimens preserved in DZCB. Actualy, MU identified the specimens as belonging to other species of Pygopleurus : P. despectus ( Petrovitz, 1958) , P. foina ( Reitter, 1890) , P. kareli ( Petrovitz, 1962) , P. mithridates ( Petrovitz, 1962) , and P. vulpes (Fabricius, 1781) . Pygopleurus chrysonotus is therefore excluded from the fauna of Turkey.

Eco-ethological notes ( Fig. 44 ). The period of activity of adults, based on 144 records, ranges from the beginning of April (2 nd April at Attika, Rafina, sea level and Kea Island (Cyclades); other records between 3 rd and 5 th April at Andros Island) to the middle of June (10 th June, Epirus, Pigi, 850 m). The altitudinal range spans from sea level to 1800 m on Mt. Parnassos (Viotia), on Mt. Helmos (Achaia), and at Pissoderi (Western Macedonia) without any altitudinal prevalence. The species is by far the most ubiquitous of the Greek Pygopleurus and is observed on a wide variety of flowers, including Papaver , Cistus , Potentilla , Ranunculus , Sinapis , Erodium, Tordylium, Verbascum , and Asteraceae (mostly white or yellow Tubuliflorae and Liguliflorae like Crepis , Hyoseris , and Picris , within others).

Taxonomic remarks. Amphicoma chrysonota was considered a synonym of P. anemoninus by Petrovitz (1958: 42), a position which was regarded as doubtful by Baraud (1989: 342, footnote), who states “L’espèce est énigmatique car l’exemplaire de la collection Brullé ne correspond pas à la description: le pronotum n’est pas vermiculé et l’apex élytral est tronqué. Cet exemplaire correspond à Pygopleиrus medius (Petrovitz) ” [= The species is enigmatic because the specimen of the Brullé collection does not match the description: the pronotum is not vermiculated, and the elytral apex is truncated. The specimen corresponds to Pygopleиrus medius (Petrovitz) ].

We disregard the hypothesis by Petrovitz, as the description given by Brullé for Amphicoma chrysonota matches perfectly the morphology of Peloponnesian populations currently identified as P. diffusus Petrovitz, 1958 examined by us, including some from Messenia, which is the original type locality of the species. A perusal of the description highlights some characters that are not referable to P. anemoninus , nor to P. scutellatus . Both species, in fact, can be excluded as they never exhibit a golden pronotum nor golden pronotal hairs (both conditions described for A. chrysonota : “corselet ponctué, doré, revétu de poils jaunes”), and as their elytral hairs are black (rarely with light hairs scattered towards the apex in P. scutellatus ) rather than almost completely “yellow”, as referred for A. chrysonota (“Élytres […] revétues de poils noirs a la base et jaunes dans le reste de leur longueur”). In addition, no particular color is referred for the elytral suture of A. chrysonota , as happens with A. anemoninus (“suture et les bords d’un vert bronze”), and the species is said to have a later appearance in the field than P. anemoninus and P. scutellatus (“Cette espèce se trouve un peu plus tard que les deux précédentes [ anemoninus and scutellatus ]”) which is in accordance with our observations for the so-called Pygopleurus diffusus . Consequently, we consider P. chrysonotus ( Brullé, 1832) and P. diffusus ( Petrovitz, 1958) as belonging to the same taxon (new synonymy).

Although Pygopleurus diffusus seems the name most commonly used in recent literature, unfortunately it cannot be preserved, as not conforming to the provisions under Articles 23.9.1.1 and 23.9.1.2. of the ICZN (1999).

Although we examined a few specimens from Messenia, none of them was a male, prompting us to select a neotype from a different, although close, area.

Figures

FIGURE 44. Pygopleurus chrysonotus (Brullé, 1832): geographical, altitudinal, and temporal distribution of records. Red curves showing the expected distribution if the species was uniformly present at all heights and all times (see Material and methods).

FIGURES 33–39. Pygopleurus chrysonotus (Brullé, 1832), habitus (see also Figs. 40–42, 128) and genitalia (see also Figs. 43, 56–61). 33, male, common copper form (Euboea, Ritsona); 34, male, common copper form with unusually bright orange abdominal hair (Achaia, Kernitsa); 35, female, common red form (Beotia, Lüka Plateau); 36, female, with unusual black and white checkered abdominal hair (Euboea, Ritsona); 37, left paramere in lateral and dorsal view (Beotia, Mt. Parnassus); 38, everted endophallus in left lateral view (Beotia, Mt. Parnassus); 39, left genital sclerites of female (Thessaly, Panagia).

FIGURES 40–42. Pygopleurus chrysonotus (Brullé, 1832), habitus (see also Figs. 33–36, 128). 40, male, common green form (Trikala, between Panagia & Koridallos); 41, male, unusual form with head and pronotum differently colored (Achaia, Neo Kobigadi); 42, male, with unusually strong purple shine on elytra (Elis, Keramidia).

FIGURE 43. Pygopleurus chrysonotus (Brullé, 1832), variability of endophallus. a: Serbia; b: Mt. Tymfi; c: Elafotopos; d: Mt. Olympus; e: Volos; f: Filadelphia; g: Mt. Parnassus; h: Rafina; i: Kea I.; j: Andros I.; k: Karitea; l: Keramidia; m: Koutsouroumpas; n: Paradisia.

FIGURES 56–67. Variability of paramera of Pygopleurus chrysonotus (Brullé, 1832) (56–61) and P. scutellatus (Brullé, 1832) (62–67). Left paramere in lateral and dorsal view. 56, Achaia; 57, Attika, Vravrona; 58, Central Macedonia, Koustochori; 59, Elis, Foloi; 60, Epirus, Mt. Tymfi; 61, Macedonia, Valandovo; 62, Argolis, Achladokampos; 63, Elis, Figalia; 64, Korinthia, Galatas; 65, Lakonia, Paleopanagia; 66, Messinia, Kazarma; 67, Messinia, Messini.

FIGURES 128–130. Habitus of type specimens. 128, Pygopleurus chrysonotus (Brullé, 1832), neotype; 129, Pygopleurus bulgaricus (Nedelkov, 1905), neotype; 130, Pygopleurus viridisuturatus (Reitter, 1903), holotype.

FIGURES 131–136. Variability in the shape of elytra. Apex of right elytron. 131, Pygopleurus apicalis (Brullé, 1832), male; 132, Pygopleurus apicalis, female; 133, Pygopleurus hirsutus (Brullé, 1832), male; 134, Pygopleurus hirsutus, female; 135, Pygopleurus viridisuturatus (Reitter, 1903), female; 136, Pygopleurus chrysonotus (Brullé, 1832), male.