Hoplopyga boliviensis ( Moser, 1918 )

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 : 593

Hoplopyga boliviensis ( Moser, 1918)

( Figs. 18–23 )

Gymnetis (Hoplopyga) boliviensis Moser 1918:172 (original combination).

Lectotype male ( Ratcliffe 2004) at ZMHU, examined. Type locality: “ Bolivia (Rio Songo).”

Description. Length 15.1–16.9 mm; width across humeri 9.6–10.4 mm. Color of dorsum opaque, mottled, yellowish brown. Head with dark brown clouding either side of midline at base in both sexes. Pronotum with pitchy clouding on middle, a black M-shaped mark (sometimes obscured by clouding), large and moderately dense black spots, and a narrow, longitudinal, yellowish brown band on midline posteriorly. Elytra with pitchy clouding everywhere except from apical umbone to suture on each elytron, with black markings as follows: spot on humeral umbone, each elytron with 2 spots on mediodiscal area and J-shaped mark or reversed J-shaped mark on apical umbone. Ventral surface opaque, ground color as on dorsum. Metasternum with black, shiny spot at middle or oblique, black, shiny spot either side of midline on males, females with most of surface black, shiny. Mesometasternal process black, shiny at apex on males, entirely black, shiny on females. Males with last abdominal sternite black, shiny on anterior and posterior margins, sometimes with pitchy clouding on middle of each sternite. Females with abdominal sternites entirely black, shiny, with brownish yellow, opaque, posterolateral spots on each sternite or on lateral margins of each sternite. Setae tawny to testaceous. Head: Surface with minute to small, moderately dense, round and n-shaped punctures, punctures each with a minute or short, tawny seta (setae longest in punctures on frons between eyes). Clypeal apex weakly reflexed, weakly emarginate at middle, weakly angulate or rounded either side of emargination. Antennal club slightly longer than antennomeres 2–7 combined. Pronotum: Lateral margins obtusely angulate, appearing broadly rounded. Surface with small, moderately dense, round punctures at middle, punctures becoming large, dense, and n-shaped laterally, each puncture enclosed in a black spot. Lateral margins with fragmented, black bead not reaching apex or base. Elytra: Surface of each elytron with 2 distinctly elevated, discal costae, lateral costa on each elytron interrupted and depressed on mediodiscal area. Depressions between costae with n-shaped punctures; punctures large, dense, arranged longitudinally in striae, becoming smaller and extending to base near scutellum in 3–4 loosely organized columns. Each elytron with punctures reduced in size and density from apical umbone to suture. Apical declivity with large, dense, n-shaped punctures. Lateral margins densely punctate. Sutural costae each elevated into longitudinal keel on posterior half. Apices at suture strongly spinose. Pygidium: Surface distinctly convex in both sexes, with large, dense, concentric, transversely vermiform and elongate, n-shaped punctures. Surface almost entirely obscured by punctures in females. Venter: Metasternum with large, dense, transversely vermiform punctures either side of middle, punctures with short, tawny or testaceous setae. Mesometasternal process, in lateral view, subparallel to horizontal axis of body, moderately protuberant beyond mesocoxae; in ventral view ( Fig. 20 ), apex broadly rounded, base of process with dense, minute punctures, punctures each with a long, tawny seta in males or a short, tawny or testaceous seta in females. Abdominal sternites with large, dense, elongate, n-shaped punctures on lateral thirds on males and on opaque, lateral margins on females. Legs: Protibia distinctly tridentate in both sexes. Parameres: Shaft divergent between midpoint and apex ( Figs. 21–22 ). Lateral margins with broad bulge between midpoint and apex. Apices each with distinct, lateral spur.

Distribution. Hoplopyga boliviensis is found only in mountainous, western Bolivia ( Fig. 23 ).

Locality Records. 119 specimens from BCRC, CASC, MNHN, RMNH, SLTC, and ZMHU. Some data from Ratcliffe (2004). BOLIVIA (119): COCHABAMBA (2): Arani. LA PAZ (117): Coroico, Nor Yungas , Río Zongo .

Temporal Distribution. June (28), October (2).

Diagnosis. Hoplopyga boliviensis is distinguished from similar species such as H. foeda , H. peruana , and H. aequatorialis by its mottled dorsum and the punctures on the pronotum each enclosed in a large, black spot. It is also similar to H. liturata but is distinguished by the characters above, as well as by having the punctures between the medial, discal costa and the sutural costa on each elytron extending to the base near the scutellum, the head with short setae on the frons, and the base of the mesometasternal process with dense, minute punctures (usually bearing long setae). Hoplopyga liturata specimens never have the punctures between the elytral costae extending to the base of the elytra near the scutellum. In addition, H. liturata has minute setae from punctures on the head and never has dense, minute punctures at the base of the mesometasternal process.

Natural History. Specimens have been collected at 750 m above sea level (label data). Garcia et al. (2013) reportedly found adults and larvae of this species in tree trunks in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, but the figure provided does not appear to be this species. Rodrigues et al. (2013) reported this species from Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, but the figure provided is actually of a dark H. liturata as evidenced by the punctures on the elytra not extending to the base near the scutellum.

Figures

Figs. 18–23. Hoplopyga boliviensis. 18–19) Habitus; 20) Mesometasternal process, ventral view; 21–22) Parameres; 23) Distribution.