Hoplopyga multipunctata ( 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 : 617-619

Hoplopyga multipunctata ( Gory and Percheron, 1833)

( Figs. 77–82 )

Gymnetis multipunctata Gory and Percheron 1833: 72 and 362 (original combination).

Lectotype male at MHNG, here designated, labeled “ Gory / TYPE” (Gory is handwritten on red label with black border)// BCR and JMS lectotype label. Lectoallotype female labeled “Gory/TYPE” (Gory is handwritten on red label with black border)// “multipuncta/ta G. P. B./Brasil” (handwritten green label with black border)// BCR and JMS lectoallotype label. Type locality: “ Brésil.” Probable additional syntype (not seen) at MACN (see Di Iorio 2013).

Holopyga multiguttata Schoch 1895b: 77 (synonym; see nomenclatural remarks below).

Type not found. Type locality: “ Brasilien.”

Description. Length 10.1–12.6 mm; width across humeri 6.7–7.5 mm. Color of head, pronotum, and elytra opaque orangish yellow to greenish yellow to greenish gray, with large, dense, reddish brown or black spots, each spot enclosing a puncture as follows: head with small, coalescing spots either side of middle on frons; pronotum with small to large, irregularly spaced or coalescing spots either side of narrow, orangish yellow or greenish yellow band on midline; each elytron with large, irregularly spaced spots usually coalescing at base and on apical umbone. Ground color of pronotum and elytra sometimes entirely obscured by reddish brown to black spots. Pygidium reddish brown, shiny. Ventral surface reddish brown, shiny. Setae tawny. Head: Clypeus with minute, sparse, round punctures. Frons with small, moderately dense, n-shaped punctures, each puncture embedded in a spot with a minute seta. Clypeal apex weakly reflexed, emarginate at middle, weakly angulate either side of emargination. Antennal club longer than antennomeres 2–7 combined. Pronotum: Lateral margins obtusely angulate. Surface with small, moderately dense, n-shaped punctures, each puncture embedded in a spot. Lateral margins with bead from apex to base. Elytra: Surface of each elytron with 2 complete, weakly elevated discal costae. Surface with large, moderately dense, shallow, n-shaped punctures, each puncture enclosed in a spot. Sutural costae each elevated into longitudinal keel on posterior half. Apices at suture distinctly spinose. Pygidium: Surface distinctly convex in both sexes, with large, dense, transversely elongate, vermiform punctures; punctures with short, dense setae. Venter: Metasternum with large, dense, transversely vermiform punctures either side of middle, punctures with long, dense setae. Mesometasternal process, in lateral view, subparallel to horizontal axis of body, moderately protuberant beyond mesocoxae, with long, dense setae on anterodorsal face; in ventral view ( Fig. 79 ), apex narrowly rounded, surface with short, sparse setae laterally at base. Abdominal sternites 1–5 impunctate at center, with large, dense, weakly n-shaped punctures on lateral thirds; last sternite with large, dense, transversely vermiform punctures bearing long, dense setae. Legs: Protibia tridentate in both sexes. Males frequently with apical tooth distinct and subsequent teeth reduced to slight swellings. Metacoxa on its interior edge with dense fringe of setae. Parameres: Shaft strongly divergent at midpoint ( Figs. 80–81 ). Apices each with distinct medial spur and longer, outward-curving lateral spur.

Distribution. Hoplopyga multipunctata is found in Argentina, southern Brazil, and Paraguay ( Fig. 82 ).

Locality Records. 140 specimens from AMNH, BCRC, BMNH, CMNC, CMNH, CNCI, DEIC, FMNH, MCZC, MHNG, MLUH, MNHN, MZSP, UFRJ, UMSP, USNM, and ZMHU. ARGENTINA (2): MISIONES (2): Dos de Mayo , San Vicente. BRAZIL (99): ESPÍRITO SANTO (3): No data. GOIÁS (1): No data. MATO GROSSO DO SUL (1): Maracaju. PARANA (4): Caviúna (Rolândia). RIO DE JANEIRO (15): Petrópolis, Serra dos Órgãos, No data. SANTA CATARINA (4): Corupá, Hansa Humboldt (Corupá), Nova Teutônia, No data. SÃO PAULO (3): No data. NO DATA (68). PARAGUAY (1): ITAPÚA (1): Hohenau. NO DATA (38).

Temporal Distribution. January (1), February (2), March (2), April (1), November (3), December (10).

Diagnosis. Hoplopyga multipunctata is distinguished by having coalescing spots at the base of the elytra and on the apical umbone of each elytron. In addition, H. multipunctata has the elytral apices at the suture distinctly spinose and a pygidium and venter that are entirely reddish brown. The form of the male parameres of H. multipunctata is also distinct ( Figs. 75–76 ) and will help to distinguish this species from any other.

Nomenclature. Holopyga [sic] multiguttata Schoch is listed as a synonym of H. multipunctata in the catalogs of Schenkling (1921), Blackwelder (1944), and Krajcik (1998). It appears that Schoch (1895b) attributed this species name to Gory and Percheron (1833) in an addendum to his cetoniine catalog ( Schoch 1895a) and redescribed the species in his own words. However, this species name does not appear anywhere in Gory and Percheron (1833). To further complicate matters, Schoch had already listed H. multipunctata as a good Holopyga [sic] species in his cetoniine catalog ( Schoch 1895a). It is possible that the inclusion of Holopyga [sic] multiguttata in the genus Hoplopyga was a lapsus by Schoch, and so we herein leave H. multiguttata as a valid synonym of H. multipunctata since Schoch described it.

Lectotypes of H. multipunctata were designated from the A. Melly collection at MHNG. Melly was known to have purchased material from Gory and Percheron, and these specimens match the original species description in Gory and Percheron (1833). We have designated the male specimen as the lectotype since the parameres of this species are useful for identification.

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

Figures

Figs. 77–82. Hoplopyga multipunctata. 77–78) Habitus; 79) Mesometasternal process, ventral view; 80–81) Parameres; 82) Distribution.

Figs. 73–76. Hoplopyga miniata, holotype (Photographs courtesy of A. Mantilleri, MNHN). 73) Dorsal view; 74) Ventral view; 75) Labels; 76) Distribution.