Hoplopyga miliaris ( Gory and Percheron, 1833 )

Shaughney, Jennifer Marie & Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2015, A Monographic Revision of the Genus Hoplopyga Thomson, 1880 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 69 (4), pp. 579-638 : 613-615

Hoplopyga miliaris ( Gory and Percheron, 1833)

( Figs. 67–72 )

Gymnetis miliaris Gory and Percheron 1833: 72 and 365 (original combination).

Holotype female at MNHN, labeled “miliaris G&P/Brasilia Type// Type//Ex- Musaeo Van Lansberge// Gymnetis miliaris G&P’, examined. Type locality: “ Brésil.”

Gymnetis fodina Gory and Percheron 1833: 72 and 363 (synonym).

Type not found. Type locality: “ La capitainerie des Mines, Brésil ”

Gymnetis suasa Gory and Percheron 1833: 73 and 374 (synonym).

Male holotype at MNHN, labeled “suasa G&P/Brasilia Type Brm//Type// Ex-Musaeo Van Lansberge// Gymnetis suasa G&P”, examined. Type locality: “ Brésil.”

Description. Length 11.1–13.0 mm; width across humeri 6.7–8.5 mm. Color of dorsum opaque (sometimes with shiny head and pygidium) orangish yellow or sulfur yellow with large, dense, reddish brown or black spots, each spot enclosing a puncture as follows: head with small, coalescing spots on frons; pronotum with large, irregularly spaced or coalescing spots either side of midline; elytra with large, irregularly spaced or coalescing spots. Ventral surface cream-colored, shiny, with weakly metallic, bluish green sheen. Metasternum with reddish brown spot on middle. Sternites 2–6 each with reddish brown spot at middle on anterior margin. Setae tawny. Head: Clypeus with minute, sparse, round punctures. Frons with small, moderately dense, n-shaped and round punctures, each puncture embedded in a spot with a minute seta. Clypeal apex strongly reflexed, distinctly emarginate at middle, strongly angulate either side of emargination. Antennal club slightly longer than antennomeres 2–7 combined. Pronotum: Lateral margins obtusely angulate, with posterolateral margins nearly subparallel. Surface with large, dense, n-shaped punctures, each puncture embedded in a spot. Lateral margins with bead from apex to base. Elytra: Surface of each elytron with indistinct costae, with large, moderately dense, horseshoeshaped punctures, each puncture embedded in a spot. Apices at suture subquadrate. Pygidium: Surface weakly to moderately convex, with cluster of large, dense, n-shaped punctures along anterior margin and either side of middle, punctures each with a short seta. Venter: Metasternum with large, irregularly spaced, n-shaped punctures either side of middle, each puncture with a long seta. Mesometasternal process, in lateral view, subparallel to horizontal axis of body, weakly protuberant beyond mesocoxae, with long, dense setae on anterodorsal face; in ventral view ( Fig. 69 ), apex broadly rounded, surface with short, sparse setae or long, dense setae from punctures at base. Abdominal sternites with large, sparse, n-shaped punctures either side of middle, punctures often arranged along anterior margin of each sternite; last sternite with numerous, minute punctures. Legs: Protibia strongly tridentate in both sexes. Parameres: Subrectangular, shaft not divergent ( Figs. 70–71 ). Lateral margins curving inward just before apices. Apices directed downward, each rounded and curving outward.

Distribution. Hoplopyga miliaris is found in Brazil and eastern Paraguay ( Fig. 72 ).

Locality Records. 295 specimens from BCRC, BMNH, CASC, CMNC, CMNH, CNCI, CUIC, DEIC, FMNH, MLUH, MNHN, MZSP, NMPC, UFRJ, USNM, and ZMHU. BRAZIL (282): GOIÁS (130): Jataí, Rio Verde, Trinidade. MATO GROSSO (78): Chapada dos Guimarães, Cuiabá, No data. MATO GROSSO DO SUL (2): Corumbá. MINAS GERAIS (28): Chapada Diamantina, Martinho, Pirapora, Poços de Caldas, No data. PARANÁ (2): No data. SÃO PAULO (34): Batatais, Bragança, São Paulo, No data. NO DATA (8). PARAGUAY (4): AMAMBAY (3): No data. NO DATA (1). NO DATA (9) .

Temporal Distribution. January (4), February (2), March (1), September (13), October (26), November (9), December (3).

Diagnosis. Hoplopyga miliaris is distinguished from similar species by the following: elytral apices at the suture are not produced into spines; presence of a cream-colored, weakly metallic venter; and surface of the pygidium with n-shaped punctures along the anterior margin and in two clusters either side of the middle. Hoplopyga miliaris is similar to H. miniata but has a yellow dorsum and a cream-colored venter rather than an orange dorsum and a reddish brown venter seen in H. miniata . Hoplopyga miliaris is also similar to H. pseudomiliaris but can be distinguished by a broadly rounded mesometasternal process and a pygidium with the punctures as described above. Hoplopyga pseudomiliaris has a narrowly rounded mesometasternal process and irregularly spaced punctures covering the pygidium. In addition, H. miliaris is found in Brazil and Paraguay, and H. pseudomiliaris is found in Guatemala. The form of the male parameres of H. miliaris is also unique ( Figs. 70–71 ).

Nomenclature. The male type of G. suasa is conspecific with G. miliaris . The original description of G. suasa suggested the head is missing, and Schaum (1844) noted that the type was damaged, but a head had been glued onto the specimen, which does not seem to match the pronotum and elytra in general sculpturing and luster. Burmeister (1842) noted that G. fodina did not appear to be a different species than G. miliaris , and Schaum (1844) synonymized G. suasa and G. fodina with G. miliaris . The type specimen of G. fodina is unknown to us, and we cannot definitively say whether this synonymy is incorrect. However, based upon the descriptions of the species and the plates provided in Gory and Percheron (1833), we believe both synonymies are correct.

Natural History. Nothing is known of the natural history of this species.

Figures

Figs. 67–72. Hoplopyga miliaris. 67–68) Habitus; 69) Mesometasternal process, ventral view; 70–71) Parameres; 72) Distribution.