Allorrhina scabriuscula ( Swederus, 1787 )

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2015, A Revision of the Neotropical Genus Allorrhina Burmeister, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini), The Coleopterists Bulletin 69 (1), pp. 91-113 : 91-113

Allorrhina scabriuscula ( Swederus, 1787)

( Figs. 30–34 )

Cetonia scabriuscula Swederus 1787: 191 (original combination).

Type not found, not at the Swedish Museum of Natural History , Stockholm. Type locality: none given.

Gymnetis concolor Gory and Percheron 1833: 70 , 332 (synonym).

Type locality: “ Mexico ” (probably erroneous).

Description. Length 18.2–29.0 mm; width across humeri 11.2–18.3 mm. Color of dorsum shiny dark green, dark green with copper, copper (rarely), or black with weak metallic green reflections, lacking cretaceous marks. Pygidium, venter, and legs reddish brown, brown, dark green, or black with cretaceous marks as follows: metepimeron with central spot; metasternum with band on anterior and posterior margins; metepisternum extensively covered; abdominal ventrites 1–3 each with broad, transverse band, band not reaching midline. All cretaceous markings may be variably reduced or absent, especially in females. Setae of venter and legs tawny, reddish brown, or black. Head: Males with disc of clypeus concave, sparsely to moderately punctate; elevated lateral margins densely punctate to strigulose, gradually curving towards base of clypeal horn; apex with short, subquadrate horn projecting forward and obliquely upwards; occipital horn parallel-sided, dorso-ventrally flattened, apex narrowly rounded or broadly lanceolate, projecting forward to middle of clypeus ( Fig. 30 ); venter of horn with setae moderate in length and density, tawny. Females with frons and clypeus densely punctate to rugopunctate, punctures moderate size to moderately large; disc of clypeus nearly flat, apex broadly rounded; occipital horn absent, instead frons longitudinally tumid at center ( Fig. 31 ). Interocular width equals 3.5 (females) to 4.0 (males) transverse eye diameters. Antenna with 10 antennomeres, club slightly longer than antennomeres 2–7. Pronotum: Surface with small to moderately large, dense punctures, punctures becoming sparser and smaller on basal lobe, lateral margins rugopunctate to rugose. Sides weakly emarginate between middle and basal angle and with distinct, entire marginal bead. Elytra: Surface on humerus and basal half of disc and on central, longitudinal costa with small, sparse punctures. Remainder of surface (mesad and laterad of central costae) coarsely, transversely rugose. Apices at suture slightly produced. Pygidium: Surface densely, transversely rugose, with short, dense, tawny setae. In lateral view, profile weakly convex. Venter: Metasternum with dense, moderately large, setigerous punctures on anterior and posterior margins (when not obscured by cretaceous marks), center impunctate. Mesometasternal process, in lateral view, short, subparallel to ventral axis of body; in ventral view, apex broadly rounded, slightly flared laterally ( Fig. 32 ). Abdominal ventrites of males on lateral margins with moderately large, moderately dense punctures; center with small, sparse, punctures; abdominal ventrites of females similar or with larger punctures on center, especially in larger specimens. Legs: Protibia of males slender, usually with single apical tooth, occasionally feebly tridentate. Females with protibia broader, distinctly tridentate. Parameres: In caudal view, form subrectangular, apices rounded, each with sharp tooth projecting laterally ( Fig. 33 ); in lateral view, surface distinctly concave, concavity filled with short, densely matted, cream white setae ( Fig. 34 ). Basal piece twice as long as parameres.

Distribution. Allorrhina scabriuscula is known from northern South America.

Locality Records. 550 specimens from AMNH, BCRC, BMNH, CASC, CMNC, CNCI, CRAAG, FLSC, FMNH, FSCA, JDGC, MCZC, MIZA, MLUH, MNHN, RMNH, UAIC, UMSP, UNSM, USNM, WBWC, ZMHU, and ZSMC. COLOMBIA (19). MAGDALENA (1): Santa Marta. NORTE DE SANTANDER (1): La Garita. TOLIMA (1): Ibague. NO DATA (16). FRENCH GUIANA (4). Cayenne, Montagne de Kaw (D6-PK 39.5). SURINAME (1). NO DATA. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO (137). Ariapita Valley, Arima, Belmont, Botanical Garden, Caparo, Charlotteville, Cunaripo, Curepe, Maracas Bay , Morne Bleu, Port of Spain, Sangre Grande, St. Augustine (6 mi. E), St. Joseph , Tunapuna. NO DATA (39). VENEZUELA (342). AMAZONAS (1): San Fernando de Atabapo. ARAGUA (37): Cagua, Choroni, El Limón, La Victoria, Maracay, Puerto Colombia, Rancho Grande Biological Station . BARINAS (1): Pedraza. BOLÍVAR (40): Anacoco, Guri, Kilómetro Ochenta y Ocho, La Centella, La Paragua, Rio Guaniamo. CARABOBO (27): Cachinche, Guigue, Las Trincheras, Mozanga, Pierto Cabello, San Esteban, Tacarigua, Valencia. COJEDES (10): El Pao, La Yagua. FALCON (2): Guarica, Macuquita. LARA (1): Parque Nacional Yacambú. MIRANDA (61): Parque Nacional El Avila, Caracas, Colonia Naiguatá, El Valle, Los Cedros, Ocumare. MONAGAS (6): Jusepín. NUEVA ESPARTA (6): La Asunción, Salamanca. SUCRE (4): Pantoño (7 km N), Peninsula de Parca Macuyo , San Esteban, San Rafael. VARGAS (16): La Güaira. YARACUY (6): Yumare. ZULIA (17): La Soledad, Maracaibo, Puerto Escondido, San Francisco, San Julian. NO DATA (107). NO DATA (47).

Temporal Distribution. January (8), February (9), March (17), April (11), May (58), June (73), July (39), August (32), September (42), October (15), November (5), December (12).

Diagnosis. Allorrhina scabriuscula is unique among Allorrhina species because it is the only one that has both the pronotum and elytra shiny, almost metallic, as opposed to opaque. Also, it is the only species where the elytral surface mesad and laterad of the discal stria is coarsely and transversely rugose ( Figs. 30–31 ) and where the parameres have minute, dense, pale setae in the oval depression on the lateral edge of each paramere ( Fig. 34 ). The variation in body length (18.2–29.0 mm) is relatively great.

Natural History. This is a locally abundant species, and yet nothing is known of its life history. Specimens have been collected in banana and mango traps in French Guiana (Fabrice Lavalette, personal communication, September 2014) and at sap flows, rotting mango, guava tree, and on the trunk of a citrus tree (label data).

Figures

Figs. 30–31. Allorrhina scabriuscula, habitus. 30) Male; 31) Female.

Figs. 32–34. Allorrhina scabriuscula. 32) Mesometasternal process; 33–34) Parameres.