Anomalini

Paucar-Cabrera, Aura, 2005, A catalog and distributional analysis of the Rutelinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of Ecuador, Zootaxa 948 (1), pp. 1-92 : 58-59

Tribe Anomalini

( Figs 2 , 8 , 13; Tables 2, 7)

The tribe Anomalini includes the genus Anomala , one of the largest genera in the Animal Kingdom. The tribe includes approximately 1000 species worldwide ( Jameson et al. 2003). In Ecuador, the Anomalini includes 3 genera ( Anomala , Callistethus , and Strigoderma ) and 77 species (54 unnamed morphospecies) ( Table 2). The genus Anomala has the highest number of unnamed species, which is a result of the lack of taxonomic studies on the tribe. The size of the genus Anomala , in combination with high variability of characters, has led to 200 years of taxonomic neglect ( Jameson et al. 2003). The generic validity of Callistethus , especially of New World species, is debatable. Some authors who have worked on the New World taxa considered Callistethus a synonym of Anomala (Potts 1974, Blackwelder 1944, Bates 1888); in part this problem is due to the lack of research on anomalines as a whole; in part it is due to probable paraphyly of Callistethus and Anomala ( Jameson et al. 2003) .

Ecuadorian anomalines are found at altitudes ranging from sea level to 3159 m ( Fig. 8 ). The highest diversity of Anomalini occurs in the tropical northwest and tropical east zones, while the temperate and high Andes zones have the lowest diversity ( Table 2). The tribe includes 29 species that are restricted to the tropical areas (representing 37% of the Anomalini of Ecuador). Anomala testaceipennis Blanchard can be found in large numbers and is considered common. This is the only species within Anomalini that is distributed in all continental zoogeographic areas and is found at the highest elevation registered for the tribe (3159m) (see catalog and Table 2).

In Ecuador, Anomala includes 49 species, of which 10% (5 species) are endemic to Ecuador. The endemic species A. balzapambae Ohaus is restricted to one zoogeographical zone, the tropical southwest area. Anomala coerulea Ohaus occupies the tropical west area and the temperate zone ( Table 2). The genus Callistethus includes 10 species and five of them ( C. aequatorialis (Ohaus) , C. buchwaldianus (Ohaus) , C. naponensis (Ohaus) , C. puncticollis (Kirsch) and C. validus (Burmeister)) are endemic to Ecuador, being recorded from tropical east, temperate, subtropical, and temperate areas on both sides of the Andes ( Table 2). The genus Strigoderma includes five species endemic to Ecuador, and these are distributed in the tropical southwest and eastern subtropical and tropical areas.

The temporal distribution of Anomalini has not been exhaustively studied. However, based on label data, anomaline species have two peaks of abundance: one from May to June and the other from November to December ( Fig. 2 , Table 7). Adult activity increased in relation to rainfall, with a noticeable increase during November and December.

Figures

FIGURES 2–7. Histograms of temporal distribution of tribe species throughout a year: 2) Anomalini; 3) Anoplognathini; 4) Geniatini; 5) Rutelini; 6) Spodochlamyini. 7) Histogram of temporal distribution of Rutelinae species throughout a year.

FIGURES 8–9. Distribution of species of: 8) Anomalini; 9) Anoplognathini.