Pygopleurus scutellatus ( Brullé, 1832 )

Bollino, Maurizio, Uliana, Marco & Sabatinelli, Guido, 2019, The Pygopleurus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Glaphyridae) of mainland Greece: taxonomy, faunistics and ecological notes, Zootaxa 4674 (2), pp. 151-202 : 172-176

Pygopleurus scutellatus ( Brullé, 1832) ( Figs. 45–55 , 62–67 )

Amphicoma scutellata Brullé, 1832: 181 , Pl. XXXIX, fig. 8.

Type series. The original type specimen(s) were not found by Baraud (1989: 360) in the MNHN, who designated a male neotype ( MHNG) .

Type locality. Peloponnese, Laconia, Sparta (of the neotype). The original type locality was “plaine de Modon, Gargaliano, Koubeh, etc. ”, in Messenia ( Greece, Peloponnese) .

Material examined. 410 ♂♂, 235 ♀♀, detailed in supplementary materials.

Type specimens examined. Neotype of Amphicoma scutellata : SPARTA / Laconia // white label: Peloponnes / lg. Petrovitz // coll. / Petrovitz // Amphicoma / scutellata / Brullé / NÉOTYPE / male / J.Baraud 1988 ( MHNG).

Verified distribution.

Greece.

Peloponnese. Argolis: pass between Tripoli and Argo; Akropolis of Mycenae; W of Achladokampos. Arcadia: Chranoi; near Dirrachi; 3 km S of Paparis; Kamara; near Kamara; Paradisia; near Paradisia; Peleta (Mt. Parnon); Skortsinos; Tripoli. Corinthia: Almiri; Corinth; Lafka (Stymphalia lake); Nemea (0.5 km E of Galatas). Laconia: 1 km S of Pikoulianika; 2 km SW of Polovitsa; 4 km S of Trapezonti; Agios Nikolaos (Mt. Taygetos); Arna (Mt. Taygetos); Gorani, Moni Golas; Kallithea; Melitini (Taygetos); Moni Zampitsa; Mystras; near Dafni; Paleopanagia; near Paleopanagia; Sparta; Pende Alonia Pass (Taygetos); Xyrocambi (Taygetos). Messenia: 2 km S of Dasochori; 3 km W of Messini; Est Eleohori; Haravgi, Polilimnio; Kazarma; Mt. Taygetos.

Western Greece. Elis: Kaiafa; 2 km NW Perivolia; near Figalia; Olimpia.

Diagnosis. Elytra unicolored with apex rounded. Long, raised black setation of elytra often present at least in the basal area, rarely all setae light-colored; setation evidently denser in the inner two-thirds of elytra, scarce or absent in the external third. Lateral setation of abdomen “checkered”, with alternate tufts of yellow and black hairs; ventral setation black, with the exception of a whitish medial patch

Paramera ( Figs 49 , 62–67 ) and everted endophallus ( Fig. 50 ) similar to those of P. chrysonotus , but both diagnostic.

Distribution ( Fig. 55 ). Pygopleurus scutellatus is endemic of Greece, restricted to Central and Southern Peloponnese. Baraud (1989) reports also its presence on the islands of Corfu and Crete, based on specimens in MNHN. Although we had the opportunity to examine these specimens belonging to the species scutellatus and collected by Rougeot at Tynitho (Crete), we temporarily disregard the records from Corfu and Crete, as they are completely unfitting with the ascertained range, and in sharp contrast to all the information available to us. In fact, due to our unsuccessful search for recently collected specimens, and unsuccessful field samplings carried out by well experienced colleagues and specialists (Lucbauer, personal communication to Maurizio Bollino; Keith, 2019, personal communication to Guido Sabatinelli), and considering that no specimens of Glaphyridae are preserved in the collections of the Natural History Museum of Crete (Heraklion, Crete) (Trichas Apostolos, personal communication to MB), we have to conclude that the presence of any member of the family Glaphyridae in Crete is to be regarded as highly doubtful.

Eco-ethological notes ( Fig. 55 ). The adults of this species are active for two months, between the beginning of April (8 th April, Korinthos and Olympia) and the beginning of June (4 th June, Arkadia, Kamara, 750 m). The alti- tudinal range is comprised from sea level (Korinthos, Olympia, Messini) to 1300–1600 m (Taygetos range), with records being more abundant between about 400 and 1100 m. The species is quite abundant, being often the more common Pygopleurus , and it is mostly found on Papaver , Onopordum and Cistus incanus , and occasionally on Ranunculus and white Sinapis .

Taxonomic remarks. This species is very similar in appearance to P. chrysonotus , from which can be distinguished by the form of paramera and everted endophallus.

Figures

FIGURE 55. Pygopleurus scutellatus (Brullé, 1832): geographical, altitudinal, and temporal distribution of records. Red curves showing the expected distribution if the species was uniformly present at all heights and all times (see Material and methods).

FIGURES 45–51. Pygopleurus scutellatus (Brullé, 1832), habitus (see also Figs. 52–54) and genitalia (see also Figs. 62–67). 45, male, common green form with strong purple shine on elytra (Laconia, Pikoulianika); 46, male, missing colored reflection on elytra (Argolis, Achladokampos); 47, female, common green form with strong purple shine on elytra (Messenia, Messini); 48, female (Corinthia, Galatas); 49, left paramere in lateral and dorsal view (Laconia, Mystras); 50, everted endophallus in left lateral view (Corinthia, Galatas); 51, left genital sclerites of female (Laconia, Polovitsa).

FIGURES 52–54. Pygopleurus scutellatus (Brullé, 1832), habitus (see also Figs. 45–48). 52, male, blue form, missing colored reflection on elytra (Laconia, Trapezonti); 53, male, unusual form with head and pronotum differently colored and teratologically irregular color of pronotum (Argolis, Micene); 54, female, dark purple form with abundant white hair on pronotum (Corinthia, Galatas).

FIGURES 56–67. Variability of paramera of Pygopleurus chrysonotus (Brullé, 1832) (56–61) and P. scutellatus (Brullé, 1832) (62–67). Left paramere in lateral and dorsal view. 56, Achaia; 57, Attika, Vravrona; 58, Central Macedonia, Koustochori; 59, Elis, Foloi; 60, Epirus, Mt. Tymfi; 61, Macedonia, Valandovo; 62, Argolis, Achladokampos; 63, Elis, Figalia; 64, Korinthia, Galatas; 65, Lakonia, Paleopanagia; 66, Messinia, Kazarma; 67, Messinia, Messini.