Calodactylus Blanchard, 1850

Katovich, Kerry, 2008, A generic-level phylogenetic review of the Macrodactylini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (23), pp. 1-78 : 25-27

Calodactylus Blanchard, 1850

( Figure 39-42 )

Calodactylus Blanchard, 1850: 91 . Type species Calodactylus tibialis Blanchard, 1850 , by monotypy.

Dioplia Burmeister, 1855: 70 . Type species Dioplia sulphurea Burmeister, 1855 , by subsequent designation ( Evans 2003: 234). Synonymy by Harold (1869a).

Taxonomic Notes

The following generic diagnosis is based on a dissected homeotype of the generic type species C. tibialis located at the MNHC, and identified with a Blanchard label. Type material of Dioplia sulphurea Burmeister (MLUH) was examined to confirm generic synonymy with Calodactylus .

Generic diagnosis

The genus is characterized by the elongate, narrow, ovate body; elongate prementum, medially grooved; metathoracic tarsi vase-shaped, meso- and metathoracic legs having simple pretarsal claws only; the elytra often with scale-like setae; ventromedial surface of the 5 th ventrite of males bearing a semicircular, recessed pocket.

Generic redescription

Measurements: Prothorax at widest point 3.8 mm, elytra at widest point 5.2 mm, length 12.0 mm.

Color and vestiture: Head and abdomen reddish-brown, vestiture consisting of short, yellow scale-like setae, femora reddish-brown, tibiae and tarsomeres reddish-brown.

Head: Clypeus coplanar with frons; frons angled at 30 o; labrum in frontal view narrowly ovate, weakly emarginate, labrum coplanar with clypeus; labium with prementum elongate, ventral surface with medial groove ( Fig. 41 ); mandibles in dorsal view subtriangular, scissorial area bluntly produced, medially emarginate, molar area well developed; maxillary palpi with apical palpus ovate, elongate, equal to 3X length of 2 nd segment; antennae with 9 antennomeres, antennomeres 7-9 forming the elongate club, equal to length of antennomeres 2-6 combined.

Prothorax: Pronotum oblong, transverse, widest medially, anterior angle obtuse, lateral margin convex, posterior angle obtuse, in dorsal view strongly rounded; prothoracic leg with coxa elongate; tibia dentate, distal 1/2 medially with a stout spur; pretarsus with claws divergent, equal in length, both claws narrowly split, upper lobe narrow, lower lobe broad on individual claw.

Mesothorax: Scutellum subtriangular; elytra ovate, elongate, widest medially, narrowing posteriorly, elytral epipleuron forming a rounded bead, margin with a slight membranous border, dorsal surface covered with dense, yellow scale-like setae; anterior umbone prominent, posterior umbone moderately produced; pretarsus similar to prothoracic pretarsus.

Metathorax: Coxa clearly separated; femur ovate, widest medially; tibia vase-shaped, widest medially, narrow in proximal 1/4 ( Fig. 42 ), posteroventral margin with a pair of long, stout spurs, spurs of equal length, arising from same level as tarsal articulation joint, posterior margin with a deep, U-shaped groove; tarsal claws similar to mesothoracic legs.

Abdomen: Ventrites 2-4 subequal in length, 5 th visible ventrite (= propygidium) equal in length to ventrites 3-4 combined, ventrite and sternite of 5 th abdominal segment lacking a complete suture, spiracle placed medially, sixth ventrite equal in length to 4 th and 5 th ventrites combined, ventromedial surface with a semicircular pocket, margins of which are raised, posterior margin sinuate; pygidium subtriangular, width equal to length, posterior margin rounded.

Diversity and Geographic Distribution

Calodactylus comprises 10 species from Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. No species level key is

available for this genus.

Figures

Figure 39-42. Calodactylus tibialis Blanchard (male). 39) Dorsal habitus. 40) Left lateral view. 41) Prementum, ligula and labial palpi, ventral view. 42) Metathoracic femur and tibia.