Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) impressipyga (Frey, 1975)

Vallejo, Luís Fernando & Wolff, Martha, 2013, The genus Phyllophaga Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) in the Colombian Andean Mountains, Zootaxa 3722 (2), pp. 101-142 : 110-112

4. Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) impressipyga (Frey, 1975)

Redescription. A large species (19–22 mm), with a chestnut-brown reddish body, and pruinose, dull grayish elytra. The light, longitudinal furrow close to the pygidial plate and the shape of the parameres are distinctive. The pronotum ( Fig. 13 ) is wider than it is long, the clypeus is deeply bilobed, with raised margins and minute punctures on it as well as on the vertex. Antennae ( Fig. 14 ) have 10 antennomeres; the antennal club is as long as the preceding six antennomeres. The protibia ( Fig. 15 ) is elongate and flat with two large and one small tooth; the difference between the spurs is notable, with the internal spur much smaller than the external one, with a medial carinae. Tarsal claws are cleft, with a tooth on the basal half ( Fig. 16 ). The pygidial plate ( Figs. 17–18 ) has a wide preapical depression. The genital capsule ( Figs. 19–21 ) is wide at its base, sub-square; the parameres are characteristically long, with pointed apices and widely separated by a straight bridge; the aedeagus is a membranous tube whose interior is externally projected to end in a series of minute spines, extending from the distal third to the apex.

Comments. The species was described using 15 pairs obtained in Venezuela and Colombia. The holotype is labeled “ Kolumbien, Hagua". According to Frey’s (1975) key this species is superficially similar to P. pachypyga Burmeister, P. nigrofusca Moser, and P. rorulenta Burmeister described from Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru, respectively, but the metatibial spur is fused with the tibial margin, allowing this species to be separated from the first two of the above group, also, the form of the distal end of the parameres is different to that in the latter.

The locality, “Hagua” is not mentioned in the Diccionario Geográfico de Colombia (Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi 1996) however, it may refer to “Valle de Dagua”, located on the road from Cali (capital of the Department of Valle del Cauca) to the port of Buenaventura on the Colombian Pacific coast. It is possible that the holotype was collected in the Municipality of Dagua, from where it was sent to Bogota, to the Apolinar-María collection.

Geographic record. Departamento de Cundinamarca: Municipio de Villeta (1,100 m) 11 March 1977, 2 males.

New geographic record. Departamento de Caldas: Municipio de Norcasia, Reserva Natural Rio-Manso, Bosque Seco, con transición a húmedo (180 m), 19 July 2009, Fernando Vallejo, 22 males, 17 females.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 21. Phyllophaga impressipyga diagnostic structures, pronotum, dorsal view (13), right antenna, lateral view (14), right metatibia, lateral view (15), left anterior claw, lateral view (16), abdomen apex, posterior view (17), frontal view (18) male genital capsule, lateral view (19), frontal view (20), dorsal view (21). Scale: 1 mm.