Euphoria precaria Janson, 1881

Orozco, Jesus & Pardo-Locarno, Luis Carlos, 2004, Description of immature stages of three species of American Cetoniinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae), Zootaxa 769, pp. 1-14 : 10-13

Euphoria precaria Janson, 1881

Euphoria is a diverse genus of the tribe Cetoniini , with nearly 80 species distributed from Canada to Argentina, the majority of them occurring in Central America ( Blackwelder 1944, Hardy 1988). The larvae shows a high variety of feeding habits among the seven species that have been described ( Micó et al. 2000). Two species are found in Colombia, E. precaria and E. lurida and both of these larvae are now known.

The adults of E. precaria ( Fig. 5 ) are long lived showing little activity in captivity but the larvae have an interesting behavior when disturbed, ceasing all mobility and activity for a period of time. The distribution of this species in Colombia is poorly known; it has so far only been found in Cundinamarca and Santander.

THIRD INSTAR LARVA. This description is based on 12 larvae reared from adults collected in a secondary sub­Andean forest. Locality data: COLOMBIA: Santander, Los Santos, Vereda El Mico; 6­IV­03, 1530 m; Orozco, J. & Esparza A. Leg. The vegetation of the study zone is mainly composed of Ocotea calophylla Mez. (Lauraceae) , Clusia sp. ( Clusiaceae ), Siparuna sp. ( Monimiaceae ), Miconia dodecandra (Desr.)(Melastomataceae) , Miconia sp., Ochroma pyramidale Cav. (Bombacaceae) , Elleanthus sp. ( Orchidaceae ), and Palicourea sp. ( Rubiaceae ).

Head: ( Fig. 6 a) Maximum width of head capsule 3.4–3.9 mm. Cranium: Smooth; color yellowish brown. Frons without depression, with one posterior frontal seta and one anterior angle seta, sometimes a single exterior frontal seta is present. Dorsoepicranium with one large and 0–5 small setae in a line diverging from mediobasal portion of head. Tentorial pits evident. Ocelli present. Clypeus: Shape subtrapezoidal, with one posterior clypeal seta and one exterior clypeal seta. Preclypeus weakly sclerotized without setae. Labrum: Anterior border trilobed, clithra present. Epipharynx: ( Fig. 6 b) Plegmata absent. Corypha with four long stout setae. Haptomeral region with a curved row of 12–14 heli; 8–14 stout setae irregularly placed behind row. Acanthoparia with six short or medium size setae. Left chaetoparia with 22–27 setae, right chaetoparia with 36–45 setae. Dexiotorma long and pternotorma small and rounded. Laetorma short and pternotorma small and rounded. Nesia with sensorial cone. Mandibles: Right mandible ( Fig. 6 c) with one scissorial tooth anterior to scissorial notch and two scissorial teeth posterior to notch, last sometimes weakly developed. Stridulatory area elongate, length over four times its width. Molar area trilobed. Lateral edge with seven setae. Dorsal surface in apical half with two setae. Brustia with 4–6 setae. Left mandible ( Fig. 6 d) with one scissorial tooth anterior to scissorial notch, one posterior scissorial notch, and two scissorial notches in the premolar area. Molar area trilobed. Lateral edge with 3–5 setae. Dorsal surface in apical half with two setae. Basomedian angle with brustia consisting of 14 setae. Maxilla: ( Fig. 6 e) Mala with large uncus at apex and one subterminal (sometimes weakly) bifid uncus at base. Stridulatory area with row of four curved acute teeth and a distal, truncate process. Labium: ( Fig. 6 e) Hypopharyngeal scleroma asymmetrical, left side with 4–6 setae, right side more prominent and sclerotized and with eight setae. Antennae: First antennomere long as the two following antennomeres combined or slightly longer. Surface of last antennal segment with 2–3 dorsal and three ventral sensory spots.

Thorax: Thoracic spiracles with C­shaped respiratory plate, size 0.44 mm long and 0.43 mm wide ( Fig. 6 g). Dorsal area of thoracic segments with abundant setae. Legs: Tarsungulus cylindrical ( Fig. 6 f), rounded apically, possessing 8–11 setae.

Abdomen: Spiracles of abdominal segments I–VII similar in size those of segment VIII smaller, distance between the two lobes of respiratory plate of spiracles much less than the dorsoventral diameter of the bulla. Segments IX and X fused, covered with short and long setae. Spiracular area of abdominal segments I–VIII with 10–14 short and medium size setae. Raster: ( Fig. 6 h) Palidia polystichous, palidium with 19–29 long pali. Septula diffuse, not well defined. Lower anal lip with 1–2 rows of short setae and one row of long setae.

PUPA

Description based on a male pupa. Length 15.3 mm. Shape subovate, stout, exarate. Color creamy­white to yellowish.

Head: Glabrous, bent downward, mouthparts separated. Frons with slight depressions and protuberances. Clypeus rounded.

Thorax: Pronotum glabrous, convex, subheptagonal in shape. Pteroteca free, compressed around the body, hind wing teca longer reaching the abdominal sternite IV. Mesometasternal process small, rounded at apex, between the pro and mesocoxa. Protibia with one protuberance weakly defined or absent and with one apical spur. Meso and metatibia with two spurs.

Abdomen: Tergites II–VI with tergo­lateral tubercles surrounded by fine rugae. Spiracle I–V with ring­like sclerotized peritreme. Spiracle I covered by the hind wing pteroteca and protected by a fleshy fold. Spiracles I–IV ovate, prominent, spiracle V partially closed, spiracles VI–VIII closed. Genital ampulla bilobed, last tergite without urogomphi.

The Euphoria precaria larvae differs from other known Euphoria larvae mainly by the polystichous palidia, a new couplet was added to the Micó et al. (2000) key to the known third instar larvae of the genus:

Key to the known third instar larvae of the genus Euphoria Burmeister

[Modified from Micó et al. (2000)]

1 Spiracles of the abdominal segments similar in size..................................................... 2

­ Spiracles of the abdominal segments I–VII similar in size, those of the abdominal seg­ ment VIII slightly smaller ............................................................................................ 5

2 Raster without palidia ................................................................................................... 3

­ Raster with palidia......................................................................................................... 4

3 Cranium with exterior frontal setae and anterior angle setae present ............................ .................................................................................................... Euphoria hirtipes Horn

­ Cranium with exterior frontal setae and anterior angle setae absent Euphoria inda (L.)

4 Lower anal lip with 25 long setae. Thoracic spiracles 0.50 mm long and 0.34 mm wide. Respiratory plate with maximum of 30 holes along any diameter ....................... ...................................................................................................... Euphoria fulgida (F.)

­ Lower anal lip with 60 short setae. Thoracic spiracles 0.26 mm long and 0.19 mm wide. Respiratory plate with maximum of 14 holes along any diameter ........................ ................................................................................................. Euphoria devulsa (Horn)

5 Palidia monostichous ................................................................................................... 6

­ Palidia polystichous ( Fig. 6 h) ............................................... Euphoria precaria Janson

6 Each palidium of raster with>12 pali. Palidia joined anteriorly, parallel or slightly diverging posteriorly .................................................................................................. 7

­ Each palidium of raster with <12 pali. Palidia parallel .... Euphoria herbacea (Olivier)

7 Each palidium of raster with 15–19 pali. Thoracic spiracles with distance between two lobes of respiratory plate much less than diameter of the plate at middle .................... ......................................................................................................... Euphoria lurida (F.)

­ Each palidium of raster with 12–16 pali. Thoracic spiracles with distance between two lobes of respiratory plate wider than diameter of the plate at middle ............................ ................................................................................................. Euphoria sepulcralis (F.)

Figures

FIGURE 5. Euphoria precaria, adults. a – d, males, e – i, females. Scale line = 1 cm.

FIGURE 6. Euphoria precaria, larva. a. head, b. epipharynx, c. labium­maxilla, d. right mandible, e. left mandible, f. tarsungulus, g. respiratory plate, h. raster. Scale lines = 0.5 mm, except fig. 6 a = 1 mm.