Trigonopeltastes geometricus Schaum, 1841

Smith, Andrew B. T., 2016, Five new species of Trigonopeltastes Burmeister and Schaum from Central America with new country records for other New World Trichiini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), ZooKeys 617, pp. 91-127 : 107-108

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Scarabaeidae

Trigonopeltastes geometricus Schaum, 1841

Trigonopeltastes nigrinus Bates, 1889: 379. Syn. n.

Trigonopeltastes carus Bates, 1889, 381. Syn n.

Remarks.

Bates (1889) originally described Trigonopeltastes nigrinus as a variety of Trigonopeltastes geometricus , and Howden (1968) later gave Trigonopeltastes nigrinus full species status. Howden (1968) and Howden and Joly (1998) gave diagnostic characters for each species involving the size, indentation of pronotal triangle, elytral coloration, and pygidial markings but commented that these were based on the examination of "very few specimens" and that further study was needed. In examining longer series of Trigonopeltastes geometricus , I have observed that the diagnostic characters used by Howden (1968) to separate Trigonopeltastes geometricus and Trigonopeltastes nigrinus break down with a number of individuals exhibiting a blend of the supposed diagnostic characters used. Bates (1889) originally described Trigonopeltastes carus as a distinct species, which Howden (1968) synonymized with Trigonopeltastes nigrinus . Specimens that fall under any of the three preceding names all share the diagnostic characters used in the key and have significant lateral portions of the pygidium covered with yellow, cretaceous markings. Since I could find no justification for maintaining Trigonopeltastes nigrinus as a separate species, I am here synonymizing this name and Trigonopeltastes carus under Trigonopeltastes geometricus . Further study involving molecular data is desirable to test the hypothesis that Trigonopeltastes geometricus is a single, variable species that is distributed from Mexico to Bolivia.

Distribution.

Trigonopeltastes geometricus and its synonyms were previously recorded from Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia ( Howden 1968, Cave 1983, Maes et al. 1997, Howden and Joly 1998). The specimens detailed below represent a new country record for Honduras.

"HOND. Olancho / LaMuralla Pq Nac / 24-27 May 1995 / JE Wappes" (1 female - CMNC).

" HONDURAS: Yoro / PN Pico Pijol, 1300 / N15°09.4' W87°37.6' / 11.V.02, beating / H.Douglas" (1 female - CMNC).

"HONDURAS Atlantida / Dept., ex. log / Lancetilla Bot. Garden / 4 July 1995 / DC Carlson/FT Hovore" (1 female - DCCC).