Chrysina clavellina Monzón, Blackaller, and Hawks, 2020

Monzón-Sierra, José, Blackaller-Bages, Julian Federico & Hawks, David C., 2020, Description of a new species of Chrysina Kirby (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) from the Sierra Azul, Oaxaca, Mexico, a new synonymy, and notes on Chrysina species found in the Sierra Azul, Insecta Mundi 2020 (803), pp. 1-7 : 2-4

Chrysina clavellina Monzón, Blackaller, and Hawks , new species

( Figures 1–4 , 10–15, 20 )

Type material. Holotype male (deposited at CNIN) labeled: a) “ MEXICO, Oaxaca, Zimatlán / de Álvarez, Santiago Clavellinas / cerca de cabañas, 2745 m alt. / 16.947776 -96.930873 / 9 viii 2018 J. Blackaller, D. Hawks / & J. Monzón coll.”; b) on red paper, “ HOLOTYPE / Chrysina clavellina / Monzón, Blackaller & Hawks, 2018” . Paratype female (deposited at CNIN) labeled: a) Same data as holotype except “Santa Inés del / Monte, cerca basurero, 2647 m / alt. 16.945440 -96.878508 / 8 viii 2018 J. Monzón, D. Hawks / & J. Blackaller coll.” ; b) on yellow paper, “ PARATYPE / Chrysina clavellina / Monzón, Blackaller & Hawks, 2018”.

Description, holotype male. Length 26.0 mm; width at elytral humeri 12.0 mm; maximum width (middle of elytra) 14.0 mm. Color of dorsum shiny yellowish green; anterior half of clypeus pinkish brown, ocular canthus golden brown with a few green reflections, antennal segments brown including scape; pronotal margins with lateral and posterior margins greenish gold; scutellum green with lateral margins reddish gold; elytra with external margins yellowish green, humerus and apical umbone greenish gold; pygidium green with lateral margins golden green. Color of venter yellowish green with golden and reddish reflections. Legs with tibiae reddish brown, coxa, trochanter and ventral surface metallic greenish gold; mesometasternal process dark gold.

Head. Form subquadrate in dorsal view. Clypeus ( Fig. 10 ) free margins semicircular in dorsal view, slightly reflexed and moderately convex in lateral view; surface coarsely rugopunctate. Frontal disc punctures sparse; interocular distance 2.0 times wider than antennal club length. Mentum ( Fig. 11 ) subquadrate; anterior depression wide and irregular; posterior depression narrow; surface setigerously punctate, punctures large and sparse; setae long, pale and very sparse.

Thorax. Pronotum at base 2.8 times as wide as interocular distance; sculpture similar to frons, punctures fine and scattered, becoming denser laterally; lateral margin completely beaded except effaced on anterior margin between inner border of eyes. Elytron with 9 distinct, punctate striae; punctures in striae moderate in size, deep; intervals moderately convex. Elytron 17.5 mm long and 2.9 times as long as pronotum; lateral margin with bead complete. Venter with mesometasternal process reduced, apex rounded ( Fig. 12 ); metasternum and femora densely setigerously punctate, setae dense, long and pale. Legs with protibiae clearly tridentate; dorsal and ventral surface of protibiae rugopunctate.

Abdomen. Pygidium punctate; apical margin with scattered pale setae; surface convex and slightly prominent towards the apex ( Fig. 13 ). Genitalia with parameres asymmetrical, apically constricted, fused except for very narrowly rounded bidentate apex; parameres convex, right with wide shoulder close to apex; length of genital capsule 8.5 mm ( Fig. 14, 15 ).

Female paratype. Length 27.0 mm; width at elytral humeri 12.5 mm; maximum width (middle of elytra) 14.0 mm. The female similar to the male ( Fig. 3–4 ) except: color of clypeus more iridescent; antennal club shorter; tarsi less robust, especially protarsi; fifth and apical sternite without depression. Genital plates sub-symmetrical; slightly produced with truncate apex with lateral projecting angles; setae long, pale and scattered ( Fig. 20 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet for this new species is a noun, based on the second name of the type locality of the holotype, Santiago Clavellinas. The term in Spanish is used to refer to several species of flowers. The English translation is carnation. The people from this region have been very friendly, open, and interested in knowing more about their insect fauna. We appreciate their valuable support of our efforts to survey this very interesting and isolated region of Oaxaca.

Diagnosis. Chrysina clavellina is a green species in the Adelaida Group (sensu Hawks 2001). Of the 20 described species in this group, only C. clavellina , C. arellanoi Monzón , C. hawksi Monzón and C. pehlkei (Ohaus) have the pronotal, elytral and scutellar coloration primarily solid green, and each elytron with a metallic golden humerus and apical callus. Only C. clavellina and C. arellanoi occur north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and can be readily distinguished from one another (and the remaining species) by both their male and female genitalia ( Fig. 14–17, 20, 21 ). Additionally, the meso- and metatibiae in C. clavellina are measurably more robust in both sexes. Chrysina arellanoi is known only from high elevations (2,450 to 2,650 meters above sea level) from the vicinity of San José del Pacifico, approximately 110 air kilometers to the southeast in the Sierra Madre del Sur, Oaxaca ( Monzón 2012; Hector Arellano, pers. comm.).

Distribution. Chrysina clavellina currently is known only from two specimens collected at high elevations (2,647 and 2,745 meters above sea level) in the pine-oak habitat of La Cumbre, Santiago Clavellinas and Santa Inés del Monte in the Sierra Azul in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Figures

Figures 1–9. Dorsal and ventral habitus of adult Chrysina specimens (1×). 1–2) C. clavellina Holotype male. 3–4) C. clavellina female. 5) C. lacordairei. 6) C. adelaida red morph. 7) C. adelaida green morph. 8) C. expansa. 9) C. adolphi.

Figures 10–13. Chrysina clavellina holotype male structures. 10) Clypeus. 11) Mentum. 12) Mesometasternal process. 13) Pygidium.

Figures 14–21. Chrysina spp. genital structures. 14–19) Male genital capsule dorsal (d) and ventral (v), 8× original size. 14) C. clavellina (d). 15) C. clavellina (v). 16) C. arellanoi (d). 17) C. arellanoi (v). 18) C. lacordairei (d). 19) C. adelaida. 20–21) Female inferior genital plates. 20) C. clavellina. 21) C. arellanoi.