Cyclocephala discolor ( Herbst, 1790 )

Hielkema, Auke J. & Hielkema, Meindert A., 2019, An annotated checklist of the Scarabaeoidea (Insecta: Coleoptera) of the Guianas, Insecta Mundi 732 (732), pp. 1-306 : 167-168

Cyclocephala discolor ( Herbst, 1790)

Melolontha discolor Herbst 1790: 73

Note. Two presently recognized subspecies of Cyclocephala discolor have been described, one of which occurs in the research area. The other one is C. discolor andina Brèthes, 1904 (recorded from Argentina).

Subspecies Cyclocephala discolor discolor ( Herbst, 1790)

Melolontha discolor Herbst 1790: 73 ( Colombia - LECTOTYPE)

= Melolontha unciata Schönherr 1817: 189 (America)

Distribution. Guyana: Herbst 1790: 73 (as Melolontha discolor ); Erichson 1848: 562 (as C. uncinata [sic]); Moore et al. 2018b: 170. Suriname: Endrödi 1966a: 185; Moore et al. 2018b: 170. French Guiana: Endrödi 1966a: 185; Duranton 2011: 12 (?); Moore et al. 2018b: 170. “Guianas”: Arrow 1937b: 10; Blackwelder 1944: 251. Brazil: Endrödi 1966a: 185; Moore et al. 2018b: 170. Venezuela: Endrödi 1966a: 185; Moore et al. 2018b: 170. Other: Schönherr 1817: 189 (America - as Melolontha unciata ); Arrow 1937b: 10 (Colombia); Blackwelder 1944: 251 (Colombia); Endrödi 1966a: 185 (Bolivia, Colombia - designation LECTOTYPE Melolontha discolor , Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago), 1985a: 57, 134 (Bolivia–Mexico, Antilles); Ratcliffe 2003: 118 (Argentina–Mexico); Ponchel 2011 (not mentioned); Dupuis 2016b (not mentioned); Moore et al. 2018b: 170 (Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago).

Note 1. According to Ratcliffe and Cave (2015: 290), the record of Cyclocephala discolor from Haiti in Endrödi (1966a: 185, 1985a: 57) is incorrect, as this is a Central and South American species.

Note 2. Cyclocephala discolor is described from Guyana by Herbst (1790: 73), but to our knowledge has not since been reported from that country. The only instances it is mentioned for Suriname and French Guiana are in Endrödi (1966a: 185) and Moore et al. (2018b: 170), the latter of whom merely repeats the former. Duranton (2011: 12) considers its occurrence in French Guiana as dubious and the species is not mentioned in the checklists of Ponchel (2011) and Dupuis (2016b). We have not seen specimens from Suriname. The literature indicates that this species can be found throughout Central America and in the western half of South America. We regard its occurrence in the research area as doubtful and in need of confirmation.