Neogutierrezia Martinez , 1953

Moore, Matthew R., Jameson, Mary L., Garner, Beulah H., Audibert, Cedric, Smith, Andrew B. T. & Seidel, Matthias, 2017, Synopsis of the pelidnotine scarabs (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae, Rutelini) and annotated catalog of the species and subspecies, ZooKeys 666, pp. 1-349 : 1

Neogutierrezia Martinez, 1953 Fig. 44

Type species.

Neogutierrezia mirabilis Martínez, 1953.

Species.

10 species; length 6-9 mm.

Similar to Peruquime , the genus Neogutierrezia is a difficult-to-place taxon with affinities to both Melolonthinae and Rutelinae . Molecular and morphological phylogenetic analyses provided strong evidence that the genus is closely related to members of the Rutelinae , thus Neogutierrezia was transferred from Melolonthinae to Rutelinae ( Ocampo et al. 2010). The recent discovery of Peruquime and comparison with Neogutierrezia and Eremophygus establishes an association with pelidnotine chafers, thus our rationale for including the genus herein.

The genus Neogutierrezia is endemic to the Monte biogeographic province in Argentina (Mendoza, Río Negro, Neuquén, Chubut), a shrub steppe region and that coincides with the distribution of Larrea spp., Bulnesia spp., and Plectocarpha spp. (all Zygophyllaceae ) ( Ocampo et al. 2010). The genus is hypothesized to be a relictual ruteline group that evolved and adapted in situ to the extreme arid conditions of the desert sand dunes ( Ocampo et al. 2010).

The genus is diagnosed by the following characters: antennal club longer than stem, and club 3- or 4-segmented (3-segmented in Peruquime ); labrum kidney-shaped; pygidial apex "recumbent towards metacoxae" in males; parameres with dorsal and ventral plates fused. Other characters include: frontoclypeal suture complete or obsolete at middle; pronotal apical bead obsolete at middle, complete laterally and basally; and all claws simple.

Species are associated with sandy habitats (sea shores, dunes), and females of one species ( N. araucana Martínez) are known to be flightless, probably living underground and only coming to the surface to mate ( Martínez 1973). Adults have been collected at light (UV and kerosene lamp) and with un-baited pitfall traps. An identification key to species is available ( Ocampo et al. 2010). Larvae are not known.

Figures

Figure 44. Neogutierrezia bicolor Ocampo & Ruiz-Manzanos paratype from IAZA. A Dorsal habitus. Photograph courtesy of Federico Ocampo, Pergamino, Argentina.