Gymnetis pantherina Blanchard, 1837

Orozco, Jesus & Pardo-Locarno, Luis Carlos, 2004, Description of immature stages of three species of American Cetoniinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae), Zootaxa 769, pp. 1-14 : 6-9

Gymnetis pantherina Blanchard, 1837

Gymnetis pantherina is a species with high variability in their elytra patterns and body color but easy to separate from the other species in the genus. The marks on the body are variable in size, distribution and margin, but they are always black. The upper color of the body varies from brown yellowish to gray greenish and the black marks are present with or without fine yellow margins ( Fig. 3 ); the sternum ranges from shinny black in females to opaque gray, cream or yellowish in males. This is not an easy species to rear as the collected adults took 8–12 weeks before ovipositing and the larvae were highly cannibalistic. G. pantherina is the most common species in the entomological collections of Colombia since it is frequently found in urban landscapes in the Andean region without using any traps.

THIRD INSTAR LARVA. This description is based on larvae reared from adults collected in disturbed tropical dry forest. Locality data: COLOMBIA: Norte de Santander, Ocaña, Vereda La Pradera; 30­IV­03, 1100 m; Orozco, J. & Perez M. Leg. Vegetation mainly composed by Piper aduncum L. ( Piperaceae ), Tecoma sp. ( Bignoniaceae ), Spondias purpurea L. ( Anacardiaceae ), Calliandra sp. ( Mimosaceae ), Psidium guajava L. ( Myrtaceae ), and Mangifera indica L. ( Anacardiaceae ). First record to Norte de Santander: Ocaña (1100m), La Playa (1200m), Abrego (1320m) and Santander: Bucaramanga (960m), Girón (750m), Los Santos (1510m). The individuals from Norte de Santander are larger than the Santander ones ( Fig. 3 ). Antioquia, Boyacá, Casanare, Cundinamarca, Meta, Norte de Santander, Quindío, Santander, Tolima, and Valle del Cauca are the departments with known distribution in Colombia.

Head: ( Fig. 4 a) Maximum width of head capsule 3.4–3.9 mm. Cranium: Smooth, sometimes rugose in the frons; color yellowish brown. Frons with a median longitudinal depression, a single posterior frontal seta, and a single anterior angle seta. One small anterior frontal seta and a exterior frontal seta are sometimes observed. Dorsoepicranium with one large and 8–12 small setae in a line diverging from mediobasal portion of head and one lateral line of 4–5 short setae at each side. Tentorial pits evident. Ocelli absent. Clypeus: Shape subtrapezoidal, with one posterior clypeal seta and two exterior clypeal setae. Preclypeus weakly sclerotized, without setae. Labrum: Anterior border trilobed, clithra present. Epipharynx: ( Fig. 4 b) Plegmata absent. Corypha with 4–5 long stout setae. Haptomeral region with cone­like process with a curved row of 8–14 heli; 10–13 long and medium size setae irregularly placed behind row. Acanthoparia with 5–9 setae that vary in size from small to medium. Chaetoparia with 28–41 setae on each side with a row of 8–12 long setae delimiting the central area of epipharynx. Dexiotorma long and pternotorma small and rounded. Laetorma short and pternotorma small and rounded. Nesia with sensorial cone. Haptolachus without sensillae below the cone. Mandibles: Right mandible ( Fig. 4 c) with one scissorial tooth anterior to scissorial notch and two scissorial teeth posterior to notch, the first well defined the last weakly evident or absent. Stridulatory area elongate, narrow at the base and wide at the apex, length over four times its width. Molar area trilobed. Lateral edge with 5–6 setae. Dorsal surface in apical half with two setae. Brustia formed by 10–14 setae. Left mandible ( Fig. 4 d) with one scissorial tooth anterior to scissorial notch and two well­defined scissorial teeth posterior to notch. Molar area trilobed, first lobe larger, lateral edge with five setae, dorsal surface in apical half with two seta. Basomedian angle with brustia consisting of 7–13 setae. Maxilla: ( Fig 4 e) Mala with large uncus at apex and one subterminal uncus. Stridulatory area with a row of 4–5 curved acute teeth and a distal truncate process. Labium: ( Fig. 4 e) Hypopharyngeal scleroma asymmetrical, right side more prominent and sclerotized. Antennae: First antennomere longer than the two following segments together. Surface of last antennomere with two dorsal and 3–5 ventral sensory spots.

Thorax: Thoracic spiracles with C­shaped respiratory plate ( Fig. 4 g), size 0.53 mm high and 0.42 mm wide. Dorsal area of thoracic segments with abundant setae. Legs: Tarsungulus cylindrical ( Fig. 4 f), rounded apically, possessing 9–13 setae.

Abdomen: Spiracles of abdominal segments I–VIII similar in size. Distance between the two lobes of respiratory plate of spiracles less than the dorsoventral diameter of the bulla. Dorsal surface of segment I–X with abundant long and short setae irregularly placed, longer towards posterior. Dorsum of segment VII with two annulets. Segments IX and X fused, covered with short and long setae. Spiracular area of abdominal segments I– VIII with 52–65 setae. Raster: ( Fig. 4 h) Palidia monostichous, open posteriorly and closed anteriorly, sometimes open anteriorly; each palidium consisting of a row of 18–23 medium size with flattened apex pali. Septula elongate, length seven times its width. Lower anal lip with many short and medium size setae proximally to the anal aperture and many long setae distally.

PUPA

Description based in 6 male pupa. Length 20.3–22.5 mm. Shape subovate, stout, exarate. Color cream­white yellowish without microtrichia in abdominal segments.

Head: Glabrous, bent downward, mouthparts separated. Frons with slight depressions and protuberances. Clypeus trapezoid slightly concave.

Thorax: Pronotum glabrous, convex, with well defined margins, subheptagonal in shape with two rounded protuberances at each side just in front of the pteroteca. Pteroteca free, compressed around the body, hind wing teca longer, reaching the abdominal sternite IV. Meso­metasternal process small, with rounded apex emerging between the pro and mesocoxa. Protibia with three protuberances well defined in most of the cases but sometimes weakly defined or absent, one apical spur. Meso and metatibia with two apical spurs.

Abdomen: Tergites II–VI with tergo­lateral tubercles surrounded by fine rugae, segment VII with tubercle vague or absent. Spiracle I ovate with sclerotized peritreme covered by the hind wing pteroteca and protected by a fleshy fold. Spiracles II–IV ovate, prominent. Spiracles V–VIII closed. Last tergite without urogomphi.

Gymnetis pantherina larvae differ from other Gymnetis larvae by the following combination of characters: Tentorial pits evident, dorsoepicranium with central row of 9–13 setae, surface of last antennomere with 3–5 ventral sensory spots, spiracles of abdominal segments similar in size, palidium with a row of 18–26 pali.

Key to the known third Instar larvae of Gymnetis MacLeay

1 Surface of last antennomere with four dorsal sensory spots. Each palidium consisting of a row of 13–14 pali. Tarsungulus of leg bearing six setae.......................................... .......................................................... G . (Paragymnetis) chalcipes (Gory & Percheron)

­ Surface of last antennomere with 2–3 dorsal sensory spots. Each palidium consisting of a row of 10–26 pali. Tarsungulus with 8–13 setae ................................................... 2

2 Tentorial pits absent. Spiracles of abdominal segments slightly increasing in size towards posterior segments ............................. Gymnetis hebraica difficilis Burmeister

­ Tentorial pits evident. Spiracles of abdominal segments similar in size ...................... 3

3 Dorsoepicranium with central row of 9–13 setae. Surface of last antennomere with 3– 5 ventral sensory spots ( Fig. 4 a). Each palidium with a row of 18–26 pali ( Fig. 4 h) .... ...................................................................................... Gymnetis pantherina Blanchard

­ Dorsoepicranium with central row of 5–7 setae. Surface of last antennomere with 2–3 ventral sensory spots. Palidium with 10–16 pali ......................................................... 4

4 First antennomere slightly shorter than the two following segments together. Palidium joined anteriorly .............................................. Gymnetis flavomarginata sallei Schaum

­ First antennomere longer than the two following segments together ( Fig. 2 a). Palidium open anteriorly ( Fig 2 h) ...................................................... Gymnetis holosericea Vo e t

Figures

FIGURE 2. Gymnetis holosericea, larva. a. head, b. epipharynx, c. labium­maxilla, d. right mandible, e. left mandible, f. tarsungulus, g. respiratory plate, h. raster. Scale lines = 0.5 mm, except fig. 2 a = 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Gymnetis pantherina. a – e Ocaña, Norte de Santander; f Bucaramanga, Santander. a – c; males; d – e, females. Scale line = 1 cm.

FIGURE 4. Gymnetis pantherina, larva. a. head, b. epipharynx, c. labium­maxilla, d. right mandible, e. left mandible, f. tarsungulus, g. respiratory plate, h. raster. Scale lines = 0.5 mm, except fig. 4 a = 1 mm.