Homeochlorota Soula, 2006

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

Homeochlorota Soula, 2006 Fig. 25

Type species.

Pseudochlorota chiriquina Ohaus, 1905.

Species.

1 species; length 18-20 mm.

The monotypic genus Homeochlorota is rarely encountered in collections and is narrowly distributed in Costa Rica and Panama. As the generic name implies, the genus shares similarities with the genus Chlorota (an anticheirine leaf chafer) including the form of the metatibia (with emargination at apex and with external apex posteriorly produced), form of the claws (widely toothed), and metamesosternal peg that is produced ventrally. In general appearance, it could be confused with Chlorota flavicollis Bates. Analyses should closely examine relationships with Chlorota and other anticheirine leaf chafers in combination with lasiocaline and pelidnotine chafers.

The ruteline genera Pseudochlorota and Lasiocala comprise the subtribe Lasiocalina ( Ohaus 1934b). Soula (2006) abandoned the subtribe because "it clearly is not monophyletic" (translated from French) ( Soula 2006: 144), then reinstituted it without reason ( Soula 2011). Soula (2006) observed that the species of Pseudochlorota possessed "some similarities" as well as many characters that separate them. On this basis, Soula (2006) transferred Pseudochlorota chiriquina into the genus Homeochlorota , creating this monotypic genus.

The taxon is characterized by the following features: pronotum with apical bead lacking or obsolete medially; mesosternum not appreciably produced beyond metamesosternal suture; metamesosternal peg produced ventrally; lateral edge of mandible with one reflexed tooth; labrum extends beyond apex of the clypeus; apical margin of the labrum arcuate and with a small tooth at the middle; frontoclypeal suture obsolete; metatibia with emargination at apex and with external apex posteriorly produced, and; larger claw on all legs widely cleft (shared with Lasiocala ). Natural history and larvae are not known, and sister-group relationships have not been examined.

Figures

Figure 25. Homeochlorota chiriquina (Ohaus) male from DBPC. A Dorsal habitus B Lateral habitus C Male genitalia, lateral view D Male parameres, dorsal view.