Astroscara flavoradiata ( Moser, 1918 )

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2014, A Review of the Neotropical GeneraAstroscaraSchürhoff, 1937, ChiriquibiaBates, 1889, HadrostictaKraatz, 1892, JansoniaSchürhoff, 1937, MacrocraniusSchürhoff, 1935, andTiaroceraBurmeister, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 68 (3), pp. 363-376 : 365-366

Astroscara flavoradiata ( Moser, 1918) ( Figs. 1–5 )

Gymnetis flavoradiata Moser 1918: 170 (original combination). Lectotype male, lectoallotype female, and paralectotype female ( Ratcliffe 2004) at ZMHU, examined. One additional syntype (putative paralectotype but not designated by me; seen after my 2004 paper) in the Schürhoff collection at ZSMC. Type locality: “Brasilia (Espirito Santo).”

Description. Length 12.4–17.9 mm; width across humeri 6.8–10.0 mm. Color on dorsum velutinous black (except for apical half of clypeus and pygidum that are dull black) with ochre lines as follows: frons with 2 subparallel lines extending from vertex to near each antennal insertion; pronotum on each side with 4 lines radiating outwards from basal lobe; epimeron with line on anterior margin; elytra each with complex array of transverse and oblique lines ( Fig. 1 ); all lines may be variably reduced. Venter and legs black, shiny. Setae dark reddish brown to mostly black. Head: Surface lacking armature, with moderately large, dense (mostly confluent), setigerous punctures; setae minute and dense when not abraded away, piceous to black. Clypeus in dorsal view transversely subquadrate, sides broadly rounded, apex broadly and weakly arcuate, reflexed. Eyes large, interocular width equals 4.0–4.5 transverse eye diameters. Antenna with 10 antennomeres, club distinctly longer than antennomeres 2–7. Pronotum: Surface with moderately large, moderately dense, ocellate punctures either side of sparsely punctate midline. Sides with slender, short marginal bead at about center. Elytra: Surface with incomplete punctate striae; punctures moderately large, moderate in density, ocellate, shiny. Sutural and 2 poorly defined discal costae elevated (lateral costa may be obsolete), discal costae meeting at apical umbone. Apices at suture obtusely rounded. Pygidium: Surface densely, transversely strigose, with short, dense, black setae. In lateral view, profile normally convex. Venter: Metasternite densely rugopunctate either side of nearly impunctate center; punctures moderately large, setigerous; setae long, dense, black. Mesometasternal process, in lateral view, short, subparallel to ventral axis of body, apex narrowly rounded ( Fig. 2 ). Abdominal ventrites 1–5 on lateral thirds with moderately large, moderately dense, ocellate punctures; central third with small punctures moderate in density. Legs: Protibia weakly tridentate in both sexes. Parameres ( Figs. 4–5 ): In caudal view, form short, apices rounded, each with subapical tooth laterally; in lateral view, ventral surface near base with short, acute tooth.

Distribution. Astroscara flavoradiata is known from southern Brazil.

Locality Records. 11 specimens from BCRC, DEIC, MNHN, ZMHU, and ZSMC. BRAZIL (11). ESPIRITO SANTO (9): No data. PARANÁ (2): Caviuna .

Temporal Distribution. Unknown. All specimens were old and without data.

Diagnosis. Astroscara flavoradiata is characterized by its color pattern, clypeal shape, head dorsally with minute setae, short and narrowly rounded mesometasternal process that is subparallel to the ventral axis of the body ( Fig. 2 ), subparallel body shape that is noticeably dorsoventrally flattened, and form of the parameres. It resembles somewhat Gymnetis strigosa (Olivier, 1789) in color and pattern, but the form of the mesometasternal process is different between the two genera: subparallel to the ventral axis of the body in A. flavoradiata and projecting downwards away from the ventral axis of the body in G. strigosa .

Natural History. Nothing is known of the life history of this rare species.

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Astroscara flavoradiata. 1) Habitus; 2–3) Lateral and ventral views, respectively, of form of mesometasternal process; 4–5) Parameres.