Neoserica subgenus Autoserica Brenske, 1898, 1894

Ahrens, Dirk & Bezděk, Aleš, 2024, On the publication year of Sericini genera and species described by Brenske in “ Die Serica-Arten der Erde ” (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericinae), Zootaxa 5418 (5), pp. 442-470 : 442-470

Neoserica subgenus Autoserica Brenske, 1898 *

Autoserica Brenske, 1898 *: 356 (type species by subsequent designation: Serica piceorufa Fairmaire, 1888 ; Arrow 1927: 69);

Arrow 1946b: 266, Dalla Torre 1912: 20; Pope 1960: 547, 549.

Remarks. The type species of the subgenus Autoserica has been designated twice: once by Arrow (1927; Serica piceorufa Fairmaire, 1888 ), and a second time by Arrow (1946; Serica verticalis Fairmaire, 1888 ). The latter citation did not mention the former type designation ( Arrow 1927), and consequently has to be considered invalid. The senior valid designation was accepted subsequently ( Pope 1960; Ahrens 2004a; Ahrens & Fabrizi 2016; Fabrizi et al. 2021). Serica piceorufa Fairmaire, 1888 was one of the originally included species.

Examination of the type specimens of Serica piceorufa revealed that the species is related to the Neoserica uniformis group rather than with other “ Autoserica ” species. The exact identity of Serica piceorufa Fairmaire, 1888 is uncertain, as the only type specimen available for examination was a female. So far, no species of the Neoserica uniformis group has been recorded near Beijing (type locality of S. piceorufa ). However, the wide, trapezoidal labroclypeus with dull base and the transversely produced antennomere 7 of female are, apart from the short and wide metatibia, unique diagnostic features that Serica piceorufa shares with the Neoserica uniformis group. This is why we continue to apply the name Autoserica Brenske, 1898 to this lineage (as a subgenus, at least until the polyphyletic conundrum of Neoserica sensu lato species is resolved by a more robust molecular phylogeny).