Lichnia Erichson, 1835

Hawkins, Shauna Joy, 2006, A revision of the Chilean tribe Lichniini Burmeister, 1844 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), Zootaxa 1266 (1), pp. 1-63 : 17-19

Genus Lichnia Erichson, 1835

( Figs. 1, 3a–b , 4a–b , 5b , 6b , 7a , 9a–b , 10 )

Lichnia Erichson 1835:269 (valid name).

Dasychaeta Erichson 1847:104 . New synonymy.

Catalog

Lichnia: Erichson 1835: 268–270 (original description); Laporte 1840: 155 (catalog); Burmeister 1844: 8–9 (redescription); Blanchard 1845: 210 (catalog); Curtis 1845: 456 (catalog, note on mouthparts); Erichson 1848: 718 (key, taxonomic notes); Blanchard 1850: 52 (catalog, new species description); Solier 1851: 122–124 (redescription and diagnosis); Lacordaire 1856: 159 (taxonomic note), 161 (key), 162 (redescription); Redtenbacher 1868: 61 (catalog); Harold 1869: 1094 (catalog); Philippi 1887: 685 (catalog); Germain 1911: 68 (catalog); Arrow 1912: 6 (catalog); Chapin 1938: 80 (catalog); Gutiérrez 1943: 146–153 (subgenera designations and new species descriptions); Blackwelder 1944: 216 (checklist); Machatschke 1959: 528–533, 540–542 (comparative notes and figures), 539 (distribution map); Medvedev 1960: 191 (taxonomic notes); Ritcher 1969: 875, 876, 878 (comments on spiracles); Iablokoff­Khnzorian 1977: 174, 175 (taxonomic notes); Nel & Scholtz 1990: 11 (note on distribution); Browne & Scholtz 1996: 30 (note on distribution and taxonomic placement); Scholtz 1990: 1052 (notes on morphology); Carlson 2001 (online taxonomic information); Hawkins 2004 (online catalog).

Dasychaeta: Erichson 1847: 104 (original description); Erichson 1848: 718 (key, taxonomic notes); Lacordaire 1856: 159 (taxonomic note), 161 (key), 162 (comparison with Lichnia ); Harold 1869: 1093 (catalog); Chapin 1938: 80 (catalog); Gutiérrez 1943: 146, 147 (taxonomic notes); Blackwelder 1944: 216 (checklist); Machatschke 1959: 528, 529, 540–542, 544 (comparative notes and figures), 539 (distribution map); Medvedev 1960: 191 (taxonomic notes); Ritcher 1969: 876 (taxonomic note); Carlson 2001 (online taxonomic information); Hawkins 2004 (online catalog).

Type species Lichnia limbata Erichson, 1835 by monotypy.

Etymology

The origin of the name Lichnia is unknown, but it possibly comes from the Greek lichnos, which means dainty ( Brown 1956). The gender is feminine.

Description

Male. Length 4.0–8.0 mm; width 2.5–5.0 mm. Color: Head, pronotum, venter, and legs black; elytral disc testaceous, margin dark brown to black. Head: Head strongly deflexed. Frons slightly concave. Surface setosely punctate; punctures and setae variable. Labrum clearly visible in dorsal view, exposed part 2/3 as long as clypeus. Mandibles protruding anteriorly beyond labrum; apices rounded ( Fig. 6b ), strongly reflexed. Maxilla with galea 1/3 to 3/4 body length ( Figs. 5b , 7b ), setose; setae curved, short, dense, forming row, pale yellow to light tan. Maxillary palpi with short, black setae at apex of all segments except last, 4­segmented: segment 1 small, 1/2 length of 2; 2–3 cylindrical, subequal in length to each other; 4 fusiform. Labium deeply grooved longitudinally. Labial palpi with short, black setae at apex of all segments except last, 3­segmented: segments 1–2 conical, 3 fusiform. Eye divided completely into dorsal and ventral sections by canthus; canthus densely setose, setae variable. Antenna 9­segmented. Pronotum: Surface setosely punctate, punctures and setae variable. Disc with weak, median, longitudinal groove. Lateral margins with poorly developed bead, weakly rounded. Posterior margin strongly projected posteriorly at middle. Elytron: Length short, not covering pygidium. Surface depressed posteriorly, setosely punctate, punctures and setae variable. Propygidium: Surface exposed, covered with long, dense, white setae; setae overlaying basal 1/4 of pygidium, apices forming straight row. Pygidium: Surface slightly convex, setosely punctate, punctures and setae variable. Lateral and apical margin with bead. Apex rounded. Venter: Abdomen with 7 exposed segments; segments setosely punctate; punctures and setae variable. Pleural membrane with 8 spiracles. Legs: Surface setosely punctate, punctures and setae variable. Protibia slender, with 3 outer teeth and 1 inner, apical tooth ( Fig. 3a ). Protibial spur small, 3/4 length of first tarsal segment. Metafemur broadly expanded. Mesotibia and metatibia expanded apically. Meso­ and metatarsomere 1 longer than 2–4, 2–4 subequal to each other, 5 subequal to 2–4. Tarsal claws simple. Unguitractor plate with sides parallel, with 2 apical setae. Parameres: Figs. 9a–b .

Female. Females differ from males in the following respects: length 5.1–7.4 mm; width 3.0– 4.9 mm. Color: Head, pronotum, venter, and legs reddish brown to black; elytral disc testaceous to red, margin dark brown to black. Pronotum: Lateral margin strongly rounded. Elytron: Surface slightly convex, not depressed posteriorly. Propygidium: Surface setose; setae yellow to yellowish brown, covering 1/3 of pygidium, not dense, not forming straight row. Pygidium: Apex attenuate. Venter: Apex of terminal sternite of abdomen deeply emarginate. Legs: Metafemur slightly expanded. Protibia expanded ( Fig. 3b ). Metatibia with sides subparallel, not expanded apically.

Diagnosis

Species of Lichnia ( Fig. 1) are differentiated from species of Arctodium ( Fig. 2 ) by the elongated galea in Lichnia that is at least half the length of the entire body ( Figs. 5b , 7b ). The galea of Arctodium is also elongated but is less than half the body length ( Figs. 5a , 7a ). Also, the exposed apex of the mandible of Lichnia is smooth and rounded ( Fig. 6b ), whereas the exposed apex of the mandible of Arctodium is bidentate ( Fig. 6a ).

Distribution

Species in the genus Lichnia live in central Chile from Region IV (Coquimbo) to Region VII (Maule) ( Fig. 10 ). They are not found above 2000 meters in elevation and are most abundantly found on a variety of flowers in dry, sandy areas at lower elevations .

Remarks

Gutiérrez (1943) attempted to divide Lichnia into two subgenera ( Lichnia and Neolichnia) based on antennal length. However, he did not designate a type species for Neolichnia in the original publication, and it is therefore a nomen nudum according to Article 13 of the Code (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1999). Because each subgenus would now contain only one species, it is unnecessary to use subgeneric names. For an explanation of the synonymy of Dasychaeta Erichson with Lichnia Erichson see the remarks section for Lichnia limbata .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Arctodium vulpinum (Erichson) male.

FIGURES 3a–b. Dorsal view of foreleg of Lichnia limbata showing sexual dimorphism in male (a) and female (b).

FIGURES 4a–c. Dorsal view of antenna showing length of club. a) Lichnia limbata male; b) L. limbata female; c) Arctodium mahdii male.

FIGURES 5a–b. Dorsal view of maxilla showing length of galea. a) Arctodium discolor; b) Lichnia limbata.

FIGURES 6a–b. Dorsal view of labrum and mandibles showing form of the mandibles (a) dentate, Arctodium vulpinum or (b) rounded, Lichnia limbata.

FIGURES 7a–b. Lateral view of beetles showing length of galea. a) Arctodium vulpinum; b) Lichnia limbata.

FIGURES 9a–c. Caudal (i) and lateral (ii) views of parameres. a) Lichnia gallardoi; b) L. limbata; c) Arctodium discolor.

FIGURE 10. Map of central Chile showing distribution of Lichnia gallardoi and L. limbata.