Meligethes (Meligethes) macrofemoratus Liu, Yang, Huang, Jelínek & Audisio, 2016

Liu, Meike, Huang, Min, Cline, Andrew Richard & Audisio, Paolo, 2018, New and poorly known Meligethes Stephens from China, with bionomical data on some species (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Meligethinae), Zootaxa 4392 (3), pp. 546-566 : 549

Meligethes (Meligethes) macrofemoratus Liu, Yang, Huang, Jelínek & Audisio, 2016

Examined material. China, HUbEI, SHENNONgJIA NATIONAL FOREST PARK, SHENNONg pEAK SCENIC AREA, 2800–2950 m A.S.L., 31.441944° 110.2925°, 16.vI.2017, M. LIU, M. HUANg & P. AUDISIO LgT, SpARSELY fORESTED AND bUSHY AREA, bEATINg fLOWERINg Rhododendron Sp. (Ericaceae) , 2 ♂, 8 ♀ ( NWAU, CAR-MZUR); 2400–2600 m A.S.L., 31.454444° 110.285278°, 16.vI.2017, M. LIU, M. HUANg & P. AUDISIO LgT, SpARSELY fORESTED AND bUSHY AREA, ON fLOWERINg SHRUbS Of Rosa sericea , 2 ♀ ( NWAU, CAR-MZUR).

Distribution. CENTRAL CHINA (NINgXIA, SHAANXI, HUbEI). THIS SpECIES WAS pREvIOUSLY KNOWN ONLY fROm A SERIES Of SpECImENS COLLECTED IN NORTHERN SHAANXI AND THE NEIgHbORINg NINgXIA HUI AUTONOmOUS REgION (LIU et al. 2016). MATERIAL fROm THE SAmE COLLECTINg EffORTS WERE THE bASIS fOR THE INCORRECT RECORDS Of Meligethes (M.) flavimanus (STEpHENS, 1830) fROm CENTRAL CHINA bY CHEN (2013) AND bY LIN et al. (2015). THE NEW DATA pRESENTED HEREIN CONSIDERAbLY EXTENDS THE KNOWN gEOgRApHIC RANgE SOUTHWARDS ( FIg. 5A ).

Host-plants. MOST SpECImENS AT HIgHER ALTITUDES (2800–2950 m) WERE COLLECTED IN THE AbOvE RECORDED LOCALITY IN HUbEI ON SHRUbS Of A LARgE, WHITE fLOWERINg Rhododendron Sp. ( ERICACEAE ), WHICH LIKELY REpRESENTS A LOCALLY pREfERRED ADULT fOOD-pLANT, WHICH IS UTILIZED UNTIL Rosa Spp. bEgIN fLOWERINg AT THIS ALTITUDE IN mIDDLE JUNE. AT LOWER ALTITUDES (2400–2600 m), A fEW fEmALE SpECImENS HAvE bEEN COLLECTED ON fLOWERINg SHRUbS Of R. sericea ( FIg. 3b ), IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER Meligethes SpECIES (E.g. M. (M.) semenovi KIREJTSHUK, 1979 , M. (M.) hammondi KIREJTSHUK, 1980, AND M. (M.) auropilosus LIU, YANg, HUANg, JELÍNEK & AUDISIO, 2016 ). NO DEfINITIvE INSECT HOSTpLANTS RELATIONSHIpS CAN bE ESTAbLISHED bASED ON AvAILAbLE DATA. Meligethes macrofemoratus AppEARS TO bE CONfINED TO mIDDLE-HIgH ALTITUDE HAbITATS (CA. 1600–3000 m) AT THE EDgE Of SEmI-fORESTED HAbITATS.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Actual and/or putative Rosaceae larval host plants of Meligethes (Meligethes) species: a, Rosa multiflora from Zhejiang (host plant of M. (M.) violaceus); b, Rosa sericea from Sichuan (host plant of M. (M.) elytralis and probably also of M. (M.) macrofemoratus); c, Rosa soulieana from Sichuan (host plant of M. (M.) binotatus); d, Rosa cymosa from Sichuan (likely host plant of M. (M.) transmissus); e, Rosa moyesii from Sichuan (likely host plant of M. (M.) semenovi); f, Rosa giraldii from Shaanxi (probably the host plant of M.(M.) aurifer).

FIGURE 5. Distribution maps of Meligethes (Meligethes) species; a (M. tryznai, M. elytralis, M. macrofemoratus, M. auropilosus); b (M. aurifer, M.aureolineatus, M.cinereoargenteus).