Hoplia (Hoplia) asprumuntiana Patacchiola, Fabbriciani, Boschin & Biscaccianti, 2022

Fabbriciani, Fabrizio, Castiglione, Elvira, Bonsignore, Carmelo Peter, Grimaldi, Enrica Giuliano & Biscaccianti, Alessandro Bruno, 2022, A new Hoplia Illiger, 1803 from Calabria, southern Italy (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Hopliini), Zootaxa 5219 (4), pp. 365-374 : 367-372

Hoplia (Hoplia) asprumuntiana Patacchiola, Fabbriciani, Boschin & Biscaccianti , new species

( Figs. 1–7 , 13 )

Material examined. Holotype: ♂, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Ciminà, Piano Abbruschiato , 1039m, 38°15’28” N, 16°03’37” E, 24.V.2016, A.B. Biscaccianti, F. Manti, E. Castiglione leg. ( MSNG) . Paratypes: 5 ♂, 2 ♀, same collection data as for the holotype ; 3 ♂, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Samo, Croce di Dio Sia Lodato , 1397 m, 38°07’07” N, 15°57’48” E, 24.V.2016, A.B. Biscaccianti, F. Manti, E. Castiglione leg. ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Cittanova, Fonte Acqua Bianca , 1006 m, 38°18’06” N, 16°06’48” E, 24.V.2016, A.B. Biscaccianti, F. Manti, E. Castiglione leg. ; 2 ♂, 4 ♀, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Platì, Aria del Vento NW, Casello , 1038 m, 38°15’02” N, 16°01’55” E, 24.V.2016, A.B. Biscaccianti, F. Manti, E. Castiglione leg. ; 1♂, 1♀, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Oppido Mamertina , clearing on the side of the provincial road SP 2, 900 m, 38°15'48'' N 16°00'53'' E, 27.V.2022, P.L. Boschin leg. ; 15♂, 2♀, same collection data as for the preceding, D. Patacchiola leg. ; 4♂, 2♀, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Oppido Mamertina, near Crocifisso di Zervò , 1080 m, 38°15'13'' N 16°01'34'' E, 27.V.2022, P.L. Boschin leg. ; 23♂, 1♀, same collection data as for the preceding, D. Patacchiola leg. ; 10♂, 2♀, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Oppido Mamertina, clearing on the western side of the municipal road to Santa Cristina d'Aspromonte, 1150 m, 38°13'53'' N 16°00'37'' E, 27.V.2022, P.L. Boschin leg. ; 14♂, 4♀, same collection data as for the preceding, D. Patacchiola leg. ; 11♂, 6♀, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Oppido Mamertina, clearing on the eastern side of the municipal road to Santa Cristina d'Aspromonte, 1150 m, 38°13'40'' N 16°00'44'' E, 27.V.2022, P.L. Boschin leg. ; 11♂, 5♀, same collection data as for the preceding, D. Patacchiola leg. ; 10♂, same locality as for the preceding, 28.V.2022, P.L. Boschin leg. ; 6♂, 4♀, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Platì , howthorn bushes on the eastern side of the provincial road SP36, 1080 m, 38°15'02'' N 16°01'55'' E, 27.V.2022, P.L. Boschin leg. ; 6♂, same collection data as for the preceding, D. Patacchiola leg. ; 1♂, Italy, Calabria ( RC), Ciminà , clearing on the eastern side of the provincial road SP36, 950- 975 m, 38°15'30'' N 16°03'38'' E, 27.V.2022, P.L. Boschin leg. ; 7♂, same collection data as for the preceding, D. Patacchiola leg.

The holotype is deposited in MSNG , paratypes are preserved in the collection ABB, ABCB, AFC, DPC, FFC, IRS, MBC, MCST, MSNG, MSNVE, MUC, MZUF, MZUR, PLB , and VSC.

Diagnosis. A medium sized Hoplia (7.8–10.3 mm), with 9-segmented antennae, belonging to the subgenus Hoplia . Antennal scape strongly flattened dorso-ventrally, elongate, pedicellum distinctly longer than wide. Outer margin of protibia bidentate in both sexes, apical lobes of metatibia strongly protruding, metatarsus eccentrically inserted downwards on the tibia in female. Claws of pro- and mesotarsi bifid, those of metatarsi simple. Integument of head and pronotum piceous black, that of elytra testaceous in both sexes; legs dark brown to piceous black in males, light brown to reddish brown in females. Dorsal surface of the body covered with dense, oval, or elliptical scales, pale yellow tending to ochre in males, pale yellow to light cerulean green in females. Setae long, thin, and erect on pronotum, short, thick, and semi-recumbent on elytra in both sexes.

Description of the holotype. Habitus as in Figs. 1–3 .

Morphology. TBL: 8.1 mm; MBW: 4.2 mm. Clypeus vaguely trapezoidal in shape, moderately transversal (W/L: 1.42), with dense transversal wrinkles, anterior angles rounded, edges slightly raised, distal margin barely concave in dorsal view; frontoclypeal suture indistinct, confused with the transverse wrinkles. Pronotum transverse (W/L: 1.7), weakly and regularly convex in lateral view, disc distinctly convex in cross section, strongly sloped on the sides, then flattened towards the lateral margins; sides irregularly arcuate in dorsal view, as follow: almost parallel sided with lateral margin slightly crenate in the basal half, strongly converging forwards, feebly concave with lateral margin simple in the anterior half, the two halves parted by a broadly rounded angle; anterolateral angles acute and strongly projected forwards, posterolateral angles obtuse and blunt, posterior margin regularly arcuate in the middle, feebly sinuate near posterolateral angles. Scutellum ogival in shape, barely longer than wide (W/L: 0.97), depressed in the basal half. Elytra relatively slender (W/L: 0.88), with maximum width near the mid-length, gently narrowing both anteriorly and posteriorly, nearly flat on disc in lateral view, with almost shiny integument; each elytron with humeral callus and preapical umbone poorly developed. Propygidium sparsely and deeply punctured, integument coarsely shagreened and microsculptured, giving a dull appearance, transversely wrinkled in the distal third. Pygidium slightly convex in cross section with rounded apex. Ventral side of the body with shiny integument. Metasternum distinctly convex, coarsely and superficially punctured, apex of posterior metasternal process slightly emarginated. Antennae 9-segmented, antennal scape long, flattened dorso-ventrally, with long, erect setae on the dorsal side, pedicellum distinctly longer than wide, transversally crowned with long, erect setae on the dorsal side, antennomeres 3–5 strongly elongate, subcylindrical, antennal club rounded and compact. Legs with shiny integument; outer margin of protibia bidentate, with apical tooth sharp and diagonally inclined, basal tooth smaller and blunt; tarsomeres 1–4 of all tarsi compressed laterally, subconical in lateral view, with spiniform, yellowish brown bristles on ventral side. Both claws of pro- and mesotarsi bifid, the outer claw less than half the length of the inner, claw of metatarsus not bifid, without a shallow medial furrow along the internal surface. Aedeagus as in Figs. 5–6 .

Color of integument. Head, pronotum, scutellum, propygidium, pygidium, ventral surface of the body, antennae, and legs piceous black, apex of antennomeres 2–4 lighter, elytra testaceous.

Scales. On head, sparse on frons and vertex, scarce and isolated on clypeus, elliptical, pastel green, cyan, yellow, and nacreous intermixed. On pronotal disc dense, not imbricate, oval to elliptical, pale yellow with ochre hues; dichromatism is present along the pronotal margins, with scales slightly overlapping and raised, elliptical, pastel green to cerulean, always with bright tones. On scutellum dense, oval, slightly raised, ochre. On elytra uniform ( Fig. 7 ), very similar to those of pronotal disc, both in shape and color; dichromatism almost completely absent, except for a narrow strip of cerulean with pearly glare scales along the suture and periscutellar area; scales on preapical area of each elytron slightly overlapping. On distal edge of propygidium and on pygidium dense, not imbricate, greenish yellow with pearly glare. On ventral side overall dense, elliptical to lanceolate, cerulean on hypomeron, procoxae, and mesosternum; oval to elliptical, nacreous to cerulean elsewhere on pterothorax; oval to elliptical, imbricate, bright greenish, golden yellow, and cerulean on abdominal ventrites. On femora and proximal part of tibiae sparse, lanceolate, bright yellow and greenish.

Setae. On head light yellow of medium length, thick, erect; denser on frons, epistomal canthi, and vertex; sparser on clypeus. On the sides and anterior edge of pronotum light yellow, long, the length is 0.15–0.20 x the length of pronotum, erect, slightly bent backwards; pronotal disc with similar but shorter setae; lateral margins of pronotum ciliate, with short and thickened setae and some longer and thinner ones interspersed. Scutellum with sparse yellow setae, short, thick, and recumbent, about twice the length of a scale. Elytral setae yellow, vaguely seriate, semirecumbent, slightly oriented outwards and backwards, 1.5–2.5 x the lenght of a scale. On pygidium scattered, semirecumbent, 2.0–3.0 x the length of a scale, thin, at the apex mixed with setae about twice as long, erect. Ventral side, except abdomen, with long, hair-like silvery setae, absent along the metasternal longitudinal suture; abdominal ventrites with shorter, inclined silvery setae. Protibiae with short, thick, inclined yellowish bristles, meso- and metatibiae with double setation: short, thick, and recumbent setae mixed to longer, thinner, and semi-erect ones; apex of mesotibiae crowned by darker, short, and spiniform bristles.

Female. Habitus as in Fig. 4 . Only main differences from males are described.

Morphology. Head as in male, except the anterior edge of clypeus which is straight. Pronotum shorter and more transverse (W/L: 1.8), sides almost regularly narrowed from base to apex in dorsal view, anterolateral angles less protruding and more blunt than in male, posterior edge less markedly sinuate than in male. Elytra more convex in lateral view, humeral callus and preapical umbone on each elytron less developed. Metasternum more convex medially. Antennal segments 1–4 shorter. Lateral teeth of protibiae more developed, the apical tooth is longer, sharpened, and slightly curved outwards; apex of metatibiae diagonally truncated outwards. Metatarsus eccentrically inserted downwards on the tibia; all tarsi, including claws, shorter and thinner than in male, all tarsal segments distinctly longer than wide.

Color of integument. Antennae light brown with darker antennal club; legs, including tarsi, reddish to rusty brown. The rest of the body as in male.

Scales. Overall lighter than in male. On pronotum and elytra greenish yellow to light ochre with nacreous glare, but sides, basal margin of pronotum, sometimes a median longitudinal band on it, and basal, apical, and sutural margins of elytra with light green to bright cerulean scales. On pygidium with more accentuated nacreous glare than in male. On ventral side elliptical, denser but not overlapping, nacreous to cerulean with faint yellowish hues.

Setae. On clypeus mostly directed forwards. On pronotum slightly shorter than in male, 0.12–0.15 x the length of pronotum, semi-erect, sparser on the disc, thickened on the sides. On scutellum slightly shorter and thickened. On pygidium thinner. On legs longer, thickened, becoming spiniform towards the apex in meso- and metatibiae, yellowish to brownish.

Variability. The size (measured as TBL) ranges between 7.8 and 9.4 mm in males, and between 8.2 and 10.3 mm in females. The pronotal scales of a few males can be distinctly cyan-green in color, rather than pale yellow with ochre hues, giving the dorsal surface a dichromatic effect between pronotum and elytra. Few females have the scales tending to deep ochre, but no dichromatic effect between pronotum and elytra has been observed. Overall, both sexes are morphologically poorly variable.

Etymology. The new species is named after “Asprumunti”, meaning “Aspromonte”, the southern Calabrian dialectal name of the mountain massif where the species occurs. Adjective in the nominative case.

Ecology. All the specimens of the new species were found feeding or mating on flowering Crataegus monogyna Jacq. , in the late morning and early afternoon (between 12.00 and 15.00); the specimens collected in the site of Fonte Acqua Bianca (Cittanova municipality) were still active in the late afternoon. The habitat of Hoplia asprumuntiana new species seems represented by clearings in beech forests ( Fig. 12 ) referred to as Anemono apenninae-Fagetum and Galio hirsuti-Fagetum associations ( Brullo et al. 2001), at altitudes of about 1000 m a.s.l. Only in the site of Croce di Dio Sia Lodato (Samo municipality), the habitat of the new species is represented by small clearings in old-growth oak forest dominated by Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. subsp. austrotyrrhenica Brullo, Guarino & Siracusa , with Fagus sylvatica L. and Pinus nigra Arnold subsp. calabrica (Land.) E. Murray interspersed, referred to as Aristolochio luteae-Quercetum austrotyrrhenicae association ( Brullo et al.1999, 2001), at altitudes between 1300 and 1500 m a.s.l.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Habitus and aedeagus of Hoplia asprumuntiana new species: 1, holotype, dorsal view; 2, ditto, ventral view; 3, ditto, lateral view; 4, female (Ciminà, Piano Abbruschiato), dorsal view; 5, holotype, aedeagus, dorsal view; 6, ditto, lateral view.

FIGURES 7–10. Details of scale vestiture on elytral disc of males of Hoplia: 7, H. asprumuntiana new species (holotype); 8, H. meridiana (paratype, Marina di Ginosa); 9, H. minuta (Montignoso, Lago di Porta); 10, H. maremmana (Capalbio).

FIGURES 12–13. Hoplia asprumuntiana new species in nature: 12, habitat (Oppido Mamertina, clearing on the eastern side of the municipal road to Santa Cristina d'Aspromonte); 13, couple on Crataegus monogyna (Ciminà, Piano Abbruschiato).