Euphoria lurida (Fabricius, 1775)

Orozco, Jesús, 2012, Monographic Revision of the American Genus Euphoria Burmeister, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 11) 66, pp. 1-182 : 32-33

Euphoria lurida (F., 1775)

(Appendix 4: Fig. 12 )

Cetonia lurida Fabricius 1775: 49 . Original Combination.

Type not located.

Cetonia sordens Gmelin 1790: 1573 . Synonym.

Type not located.

Cetonia adspersa Weber 1801: 71 . Synonym.

Type not located.

Cetonia fasciolata Eschscholtz 1822: 25 . Synonym.

Type not located.

Cetonia bivittata Gory and Percheron 1833: 58 . Synonym.

Type not located.

Cetonia rufescens Gory and Percheron 1833: 58 . Synonym.

Holotype at MNHN, examined.

Description (n = 524). Length 10.2–13.0 mm; width 6.5–8.0 mm. Color: Surface shiny, light brown, dark brown, reddish brown or black. Pronotum with a whitish to yellowish, cretaceous band on lateral margin and a second band next to it, second band frequently reduced to a few markings. Elytra with small to moderate, reniform, vermiform, or irregular cretaceous markings, markings whitish to yellowish. Mesepimera, metasternum, metacoxae, and sides of abdominal sternites frequently with whitish to yellowish, cretaceous markings; markings variable in size, irregular in shape; markings of fifth abdominal sternite frequently slightly medial. Pygidium variably covered by tomentum, markings frequently extending from anterolateral angles. Head: Frons densely punctate; punctures moderate, round, deeply impressed, frequently coalescent, sparsely to densely setose; setae moderate to long, whitish to yellowish. Clypeus glabrous to densely setose; setae yellowish to whitish, short to long; moderately densely to densely punctate to punctatostrigate; punctures moderate in size, round, coalescent; subquadrate, rarely longer than wide, weakly to moderately reduced anteriorly; lateral declivity moderately to strongly developed, sides weakly raised, rarely moderately raised; apex flat to weakly reflexed, rarely strongly reflexed or raised into 2 denticles, truncate in dorsal view, vaguely to moderately sinuate, rarely strongly sinuate. Antennal club shorter than stem, subequal in size in both sexes. Pronotum: Surface moderately densely to densely punctate; punctures round to lunulate, moderate in size, denser and confluent towards apex and sides, sparsely to moderately densely setose; setae short to moderate, yellowish to whitish. Scutellum longer than wide, impunctate. Base in front of scutellum moderately to strongly emarginate. Elytra: Surface densely punctate, striae bearing 2–3 rows of grooves, lunulate punctures, and irregular punctures; punctures moderate in size; costae well defined. Posterior half of sutural costa raised in lateral view. Surface glabrous to sparsely setose; setae short, whitish to yellowish. Legs: Protibial teeth well developed, apical teeth oblique to transverse, teeth equidistant or apical and medial tooth closer to each than to basal tooth. Metatibial carina moderately developed. Metatibiae vaguely to weakly expanded apically, internal metatibial spur slightly longer in males. Venter: Mesometasternal process extended beyond mesocoxae, process glabrous on mesosternal lobe, apex rounded, flat, or slightly pointed. Mesepimera, metasternum, and metacoxae setose, setae as on legs. Metasternum rugose, setose laterally, glabrous, impunctate at middle. Median sulcus vaguely to weakly evident. Abdominal sternites sparsely punctate, punctures minute to small; weakly setose laterally, weakly to glabrous medially; setae long to moderate, whitish to yellowish, distributed along entire width of segment. Abdominal shape in lateral view subequal in both sexes. Pygidium: Surface subconcentrically striate; striae discontinuous, deeply to shallowly impressed. Surface glabrous to moderately densely setose; setae short to moderate, whitish to yellowish. Male genitalia: Parameres as in Fig. 12c .

Diagnosis. This species is separated form the other species in the group based on the clypeus weakly to moderately reduced anteriorly, clypeal apex flat to weakly reflexed, antennal club subequal in length in both sexes, pronotum moderately to densely punctate with two cretaceous bands on each side, mesotibial carina not strongly spinose, abdominal sternites sparsely punctate, and form of the male genitalia. A few specimens in the material examined exhibit clypeal denticles and enlarged protibiae. Although this kind of variation is rare and unique in the genus, I consider it to be part of the intraspecific variation.

Specimens from this group found in Colombia and Venezuela were previously considered to be E. lurida . After a careful examination of 840 specimens, including the types, of both this species and E. yucateca , I consider the Colombian and Venezuelan specimens as southern extensions of E. yucateca . Euphoria yucateca is separated from E. lurida based on the sparsely punctate pronotum and the pronotum with one cretaceous lateral band.

Taxonomic History. E u p h o r i a l u r i d a was described by Fabricius from specimens collected in “Brasilia”. Three more species from Brazil, all corresponding to E. lurida , were described in the next 50 years: Cetonia sordens by Gmelin (1790), Cetonia adspersa by Weber (1801), and Cetonia fasciolata by Eschscholtz (1822). Gory and Percheron (1833) recognized all four species as valid and described Cetonia rufescens , also from Brazil. Burmeister (1842) placed C. sordens , C. adspersa , C. fasciolata , and C. rufescens in synonymy with Euphoria lurida .

Cetonia bivittata Gory and Percheron was described based on specimens from Cayenne , French Guiana. To my knowledge, no additional specimens have been collected in this region. In addition, the type could not be located and is possibly lost. I consider this to be a mislabeled specimen of E. lurida not occurring in Cayenne, and concur with Hardy (2001) in placing it in synonymy.

Natural History. Adults have been found on flowers of Baccharis sp. , Chrysanthemum sp. (Asteraceae) , and Dianthus sp. (Caryophyllaceae) , and on goat and cow feces, carrion, and decaying fruit. Adults have also been found feeding on economically important crops such as wheat, corn, orange, and coffee, but without causing considerable damage ( Costa Lima 1936, 1953). The species has been attracted to fruit traps in cerrado, rupestrian field, and dry meadow between 200–2,300 m elevation.

Cunha et al. (2007) reported adults boring into ears of corn. As with all members of the genus, E. lurida has membranous mandibles that make it impossible to bore the holes mentioned by Cunha et al (2007). The most likely scenario is that E. lurida is utilizing the borings of another insect (i. e., lepidopteran larvae) to feed on the liquid exudates of the maize ears.

Adults have been found in nests of Acromyrmex subterraneus (Forel) ( Hymenoptera : Formicidae ) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Eidmann 1938 cited in Navarrete-Heredia 2001). Micó et al. (2000) described the third instar from larvae found in dry cow dung in Brazil.

Temporal Distribution. January (39), February (59), March (52), April (11), May (6), June (2), August (3), September (14), October (31), November (40), December (65) ( Fig. 12f ).

Geographic Distribution. K n o w n f r o m Argentina , Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay ( Fig. 12g ).

Specimens Examined (524). Type material: Cetonia rufescens Gory and Percheron, 1833 ; holotype male at MNHN labeled “g & P Type// var. Rufescens, G&P./ Brasilia Type// Ex-Musaeo/ Van Lensberge” and my holotype label. Other m a t e r i a l: AR GENTINA (1 7 4): B U E N O S AIRES: Buenos Aires (1), Coronel Suárez (1), no data (1); CATAMARCA: Ampajango (2), Andagalá (1), Catamarca (1), Ramblones (2), no data (1); CÓRDOBA: Capilla del Monte (2), Chepes (1), Córdoba (8), Cosquín (2), Embalse (2), La Falda (4), Punilla (1), Salinas Grandes (5), Santa María (2); ENTRE RIOS: Concordia (5), Pronunciamiento (9), Salto Grande (2), no data (3); JUJUY. San Juancito (1), San Salvador de Jujuy (3), no data (1); LA RIOJA: Chepes (3), no data (1); MISIONES: Azara (1), Dos de Mayo (5), El Dorado (4), Loreto (2), Parque Nacional Iguazú (7), Posadas (1), Puerto Magdalena (1), San Javier (5), no data (2); SALTA: Campo Quijano (2), Coronel Moldes (1), El Naranjo (1), General Güemes (2), Rosario de Lerma (25); SANTA FÉ. Carcarañá (17), Reconquista (1), Santa Fé (3), “Saray” (1); SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO: La Banda (4), Río Salado (2), no data (4); TUCUMÁN: Las Cejas (1), San Pedro de Colalao (2), Tapia (1), Tucumán (13); NO DATA: “ Argentina ” (1). BOLIVIA (2): BENI: Santa Rosa (1), Santiago (1). BRAZIL (224): MATO GROSSO: Corumbá (2), Ipatinga (1); MINAS GERAIS: Belo Horizonte (2), Cordisburgo (3), Diamantina (1), Ipatinga (1), Lavras (1), Parque Nacional Serra do Cipó (2), Monte Verde (2), Viçosa (1), no data (1); PARÁ: Prainha (1); PARANÁ: Araucaria (2), Caviuna (2), Curitiba (6), Foz do Iguaçu (1), Irati (1), Pato Branco (5), Rolândia (3); RIO DE JANEIRO: Niteroi (1), Rio de Janeiro (5); RIO GRANDE DO SUL: Canabarro (4), Canela (1), Chapada (14), Cruz Alta (1), Brasilia (1), Passo Fundo (7), Pelotas (11), Porto Alegre (2), Santo Augusto (16), Três Cachoeiras (2), no data (17); SANTA CATARINA: Anita Garibaldi (3), Corupá (2), Joinville (1), Lança (1), Mafra (7), Nova Teutônia (17), Santa Cecilia (1), Santo Antônio do Pinhal (1), Rio Natal (3), Rio Negrinho (3), Rio Negunlio (1), Rio Vermelho (2), São Bento do Sul (2); SÃO PAULO: Batatais (2), Campinas (3), Campos do Jordão (1), Cipó (2), Guarulhos (1), Itu (1), Jundiaí (5), São Jose dos Campos (5), São Paulo (23), Serra da Cantareira (1), Tremembé (1), no data (6); NO DATA: “Brasil” (9). PARAGUAY (98): ALTO PARANÁ: No data (2); CAAGUAZÚ: Coronel Oviedo (2); CENTRAL: Asunción (1), no data (2); CORDILLERA: San Bernardino (5); GUAIRÁ: General Eugenio Garay (1), Paso Yobai (2), Villarica (2); ITAPÚA: Encarnación (2); PARAGUARÍ: Sapucaí (76); SAN PEDRO: Cororo (1); NO DATA: “Paraguay” (2). URUGUAY (25): CERRO LARGO: Plácido Rosas (1); LAVALLEJA: Cerro Campanero (1); MONTEVIDEO: Montevideo (9); PAYSANDÚ: Paysandú (10); RIO NEGRO: Menafra (3); NO DATA: “ Uruguay ” (1).

Figures

Fig. 12. Euphoria lurida. a) Habitus, b) Head, c) Parameres, d-e) Color variation, f) Temporal distribution, g) Geographic distribution in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.