Blaesia Burmeister, 1842

Ratcliffe, Brett, 2010, A review of the Blaesiina (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae, Gymnetini), ZooKeys 34 (34), pp. 105-128 : 108-109

Blaesia Burmeister, 1842

Blaesia Burmeister 1842: 615 . Type species: Blaesia atra Burmeister, 1842 , by monotypy.

Description. Scarabaeidae , Cetoniinae , Gymnetini . Form: Rhomboidal, robust, sides slightly tapering toward apex of elytra, dorsum nearly flat. Color on dorsum black to dark reddish brown, venter shiny black. Surface of head, pronotum, elytra, and pygidium with or without distinct setae. Head: Shape subrectangular, longer than wide. Clypeus with apex broadly rounded, surface slightly longitudinally tumid at middle. Antenna 10-segmented, club subequal in length to segments 1–7. Eyes small. Pronotum: Shape subtrapezoidal, widest near base, gradually convergent to anterior angles, basomedian lobe strongly produced, lobe covering all but tip of scutellum. Elytra: Widest at base, posthumeral emargination distinct. Pygidium: Surface punctate and/or with transverse strigulae. Legs: Protibia tridentate in both sexes, teeth subequally spaced. Metatrochanter with long, acute spur, spur with apex projecting almost perpendicular to posterior margin of metafemur in both sexes ( Fig. 2). Metafemur greatly enlarged, broad. Metatibia in male with apex extended into long, thick, acute spine and with 1 long, articulated spur; metatibia at apex in female with short, subtriangular extension and with 2 long, articulated apical spurs. Venter: Mesometasternal process short, flat, apex rounded, nearly obsolete.

Diagnosis. Species of Blaesia can be easily recognized by the presence of the enlarged metafemora in both sexes. In addition, males have the apex of the metatibia elongated into stout, acute spine and with only one articulated spur, both of which are unique characters in the Gymnetini .

Distribution. Species of Blaesia are known from Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and southern Brazil.

Figureļ. Blaesia atra , habitus drawing of male.