Epichalcoplethis F. Bates 1904

Moore, Matthew R., Jameson, Mary L., Garner, Beulah H., Audibert, Cedric, Smith, Andrew B. T. & Seidel, Matthias, 2017, Synopsis of the pelidnotine scarabs (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae, Rutelini) and annotated catalog of the species and subspecies, ZooKeys 666, pp. 1-349 : 1

Epichalcoplethis F. Bates 1904 Figs 2A , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19

Type species.

Pelidnota velutipes Arrow, 1900.

Species.

16 species and subspecies; length 15-19 mm.

Previously considered a subgenus of Pelidnota , Epichalcoplethis was circumscribed by Soula (2006) as distinct from the monotypic genus Chalcoplethis and composed of 16 species and subspecies. Chalcoplethis kirbii shares many characters with species of Epichalcoplethis including form of the male genitalia, pronotal bead which is obsolete apicomedially, lack of spinules at apex of metatibia, well-developed prosternal process, and mesometasternal keel surpassing the mesocoxae. Sister-group relationships require examination.

Species in the genus Epichalcoplethis can be diagnosed, in part, based on the following characters: metatibia weakly compressed (strongly compressed in C. kirbii ) and apex lacking spinules; meso- and metatarsomere 5 lacking internomedial tooth; punctate-striate elytra; elytral epipleuron shelf-like (not rounded); pronotum with bead incomplete apically (complete laterally and basally); mandibles that are bidentate externally; prosternal process well-developed; and, mesometasternal keel surpassing the mesocoxae. Epichalcoplethis chamaeleon (Herbst) differs from other species in the genus based on the form of the male parameres, form of the metatibia in the male (not compressed laterally and apex with a well-developed corbel). For many years, this large and conspicuous species was misidentified as Pelidnota rostrata Burmeister.

Species in the genus are distributed from Guatemala and Belize, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and south to Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. In Grenada, E. velutipes is common in the temperate zone from April to May ( Chalumeau 1985). Although the larvae are not described for this species, Chalumeau (1985) noted that he obtained larvae from the decaying trunks of mango trees.

Figures

Figure 2. Characters of the mesofemora and metatibiae in pelidnotine genera. A Epichalcoplethis aciculata (F. Bates), metatibia somewhat flattened (dorsal view) B Pelidnota virescens, metatibia not flattened (dorsal view) C Mecopelidnota sp., metatibia at base with a semicircular notch D Pseudogeniates cordobaensis Moore et al., metatibia simple at base E Mesomerodon gilletti Soula male, acute production of posterior margin of mesotibia (ventral view).

Figure 15. Epichalcoplethis aciculata (F. Bates), male specimen. A Dorsal habitus B Lateral habitus C Male genitalia, lateral view D Male genitalia, dorsal view.

Figure 16. Epichalcoplethis gilletti Soula holotype male from BMNH. A Dorsal habitus B Lateral habitus C Specimen labels.

Figure 17. Epichalcoplethis santistebani Bouchard and Soula holotype male from CCECL. A Dorsal habitus B Male genitalia, dorsal view C Specimen labels.

Figure 18. Pelidnota sanctijacobi Ohaus (valid name Epichalcoplethis sanctijacobi [Ohaus]) type male from ZMHB. A Dorsal habitus B Lateral habitus C Specimen labels, mouthparts, and male genitalia D Male genitalia, lateral view E Male parameres, dorsal view.

Figure 19. Epichalcoplethis velutipes romeroi Soula holotype male and allotype female from CCECL. A Dorsal habitus, holotype B Specimens labels, holotype C Specimen labels, allotype D Male genitalia dorsal view, holotype E Dorsal habitus, allotype.