Phyllophaga (Phytalus) obsoleta (Blanchard, 1851)

Vallejo, Luís Fernando & Wolff, Martha, 2013, The genus Phyllophaga Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) in the Colombian Andean Mountains, Zootaxa 3722 (2), pp. 101-142 : 108-109

2. Phyllophaga (Phytalus) obsoleta (Blanchard, 1851)

Redescription. Body length is variable, between 16.2–21.7 mm in males and between 15.5–21.0 mm in females. The body is elongate, and varies from chestnut-brown to brown in color; the dorsal surface is glabrous and shiny; color variations exist, including tones from reddish to dark chestnut-brown, depending on the geographical area (Vallejo et. al. 1998). Pronotum ( Fig. 3 ) is wider than it is long and slightly darker than the elytra. The head has minute punctures, especially on the vertex and the clypeus. The clypeus is short, trapezoidal with a concave anterior margin. Antennae ( Fig. 4 ) are composed of 10 antennomeres, with long, defined antennal clubs. Protibia ( Fig. 5 ) are flattened, slightly widened at their apical middle, shorter than the tarsomeres, with three dentate projections on the external margin, with a tibial spur. Tarsal claws ( Fig. 6 ) are bifid, with two teeth in the apex. The male genital capsule ( Figs. 9–10 ) has two symmetrical, short, rounded, slightly angular, laterally located The far aedeagus or internal sac has a sclerotized projection, extending beyond the general structure and sharpens into a thorn-like shape at the apex. Even though the female tarsal claws are not clearly as cleft as those of the males, they can be told apart from other sympatric species due to a rounded tubercle located very close to the apical margin of the pygidial plate (Morón 2006).

Comments. Frey (1975) states that P. oxypygus Burmeister, 1855 and P. longicornis Burmeister, 1855 described from "Columbien", are synonyms of P. obsoleta . As a result, the replacement name P. mecocerus Blackwelder, 1944 ) (for P. longicornis Burmeister, 1855 ) was also placed in synonymy (Morón and Vallejo 2007). This species is widely distributed from the south of the United States of America to Venezuela and Colombia: Department of Antioquia, municipalities of Rionegro, Marinilla, El Santuario, Guarne, El Carmen de Viboral, San Vicente, El Retiro, La Ceja, La Unión, Medellín, Caldas. Phyllophaga obsoleta is widely distributed in Colombia. It is known to be univoltine and has been registered as a pest to coffee, potato, corn, beans, pasture, and ornamental flower crops in the Colombian Andes (Vallejo et al. 1998), between altitudes of 1,000 to 2,600 m.

Vallejo et al. (1998) provide a description of the mature larvae, pupae, and adults, including a brief comment on the nutrition preferences of the species and an analysis of its spatial and temporal distribution in the west of the Department of Antioquia.

Geographic Records. Departamento de Antioquia: Municipio de Medellín (1,540 m) March, April-June 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 19 males, 14 females; municipio de Bello (1,500 m), April-June 1994, Fernando Vallejo, 17 males, 12 females; municipio de El Retiro (2,200 m) March–May 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 22 males, 17 females; municipio de La Ceja (2,150 m) March–June 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 11 males, 10 females; municipio de San Vicente (1,980 m) March–June 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 9 males, 4 females; municipio de Abejorral (2,000 m) March 2006, 6 males Fernando Vallejo, 4 females; municipio de Santa Bárbara (1,800 m) 26 April 2005 and 24 May 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 3 males, 4 females; municipio de Santa Rosa de Osos (2,600 m), 23 February and 15 May 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 17 males, 14 females; municipio de Entrerríos (2,300 m), 24 March 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 4 males, 2 females; municipio de Angostura (2,200 m) 7 June 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 7 males, 2 females, and municipio de Don Matías (1,900 m) 25, 26, and 27 March 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 5 males, 7 females. Departamento de Cundinamarca: Municipio de La Vega (2,000 m), 10 October 1993, 21 males, 15 females. Departamento de Tolima: Municipio de Ibagué (1,460 m), 20 June 1993, Fernando Vallejo, 6 males, 6 females; municipio de Fresno (1,650 m) June 2005; March 2008, Fernando Vallejo, 27 males, 14 females, and Municipio de Cajamarca (1,700 m) April 2005, Fernando Vallejo, 12 males, 9 females. Departamento de Caldas: Municipio de Manizales (2,200 m), January, February, and May 2003; February and June 2004; May and June 2005; February and June 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 34 males, 27 females; municipio de Aguadas (2,170 m), 16 February 2006, March-June 2006, February–June, 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 21 males, 18 females; municipio de Aguadas, vereda El Diamante (1,650 m) February–June 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 118 males, 94 females; municipio de Pácora (1,860 m) April-June 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 12 males, 10 females; municipio de Salamina (1780 m) April–June 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 8 males, 1 female; municipio de Aranzazu (1,880 m) April and May 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 11 males, 9 females; municipio de Neira (1,980 m) March–May 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 7 males, 3 females; municipio de Riosucio (1,800 m) March and April 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 23 males, 18 females, and municipio de Samaná (1,500 m) May and June 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 19 males, 12 females. Departamento de Risaralda: Municipio de Pereira (1,420 m) February–June 2003, 2006, 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 14 males, 11 females; municipio de Pereira, corregimiento de La Florida (1,660 m) April-June 2003, February-June 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 9 males, 11 females; municipio de Pereira, corregimiento de La Colonia (1,580 m) April-June 2006, 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 22 males, 19 females; municipio de Dosquebradas (1,410 m) February-June 2003, 2006, 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 27 males, 21 females; municipio de Santa Rosa de Cabal (1,600 m) April-June 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 20 males, 17 females; municipio de Quinchía (1,825) March-June 2006 and 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 18 males, 10 females; municipio de Santuario, vereda Planes de San Rafael (1,950 m) March, April, and May 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 15 males, 14 females; municipio de Santuario, Parque Nacional Natural Tatamá (2,000 m) March 2003, April and May 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 8 males, 1 female. Departamento de Quindío: Municipio de Salento (1,960 m) February-April, 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 5 males, 3 females; municipio de Calarcá (1,570 m) May and June 2007, Fernando Vallejo, 4 males, 4 females; municipio de Circasia (1,870 m) March 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 2 males, 1 female; and municipio de Filandia (1,900 m) March and April 2006, Fernando Vallejo, 3 males, 4 females. Departamento del Valle del Cauca: Municipio de Yotoco, veredas Puente-Tierra and Saladito (1,500 m) September 1991, Luis Carlos Pardo-Locarno, 4 males, 2 females; municipio del Darién, alrededores del Lago Clima, (1,500 m) October 1991, Luis Carlos Pardo-Locarno, 3 males, 3 females. Departamento del Cauca: Municipio de Santander de Quilichao (1,800 m) October 1998, Luis Carlos Pardo- Locarno, 2 males, 2 females; municipio de Caldono (1,670 m) November 1999, Luis Carlos Pardo-Locarno, 2 males, 2 females and municipio de Buenos Aires (1,640 m) October 1998, Luis Carlos Pardo-Locarno, 3 males, 2 females. Departamento del Chocó: Municipio de Condoto (140 m), en Anonácea, 14 March 2010, Cesar Yamid Mosquera, 5 males, 2 females. Departamento de Boyacá: Municipio de Tunja (2,600 m) August 2005, Fernando Vallejo, 2 males, 1 female. Departamento de Norte de Santander: municipio de Pamplona (2,400 m) April 2005; quebrada “La Tigra” (1,330 m) April 2005, Diego Carrero, 6 males, 3 females.

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 10. Phyllophaga obsoleta diagnostic structures. Dorsal view of pronotum (3), left antenna (4), pro, meso, and metalegs (5), right protarsal claw (6) dorsal view of abdomen apex (7), frontal view (8), lateral view of male genital capsule (9), transversal view (10). Scale: 1 mm.