Euphoria iridescens Schaum, 1841

Orozco, Jesús, 2012, Monographic Revision of the American Genus Euphoria Burmeister, 1842 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 11) 66, pp. 1-182 : 65-66

Euphoria iridescens Schaum, 1841

(Appendix 4: Fig. 31 )

Cetonia iridescens Schaum 1841: 45 . Original combination. Holotype at MHNG, examined.

Description (n = 32). Length 14.5–16.0 mm; width 8.4–9.4 mm. Color: Dorsal surface yellowish brown with greenish reflections, shiny. Pronotum frequently with 2 longitudinal, irregular, dark green, dark brown, or black vittae; vittae frequently divided basally, appearing as 4 vittae, occasionally covering most of surface. Elytra with black, dark brown, or dark green markings variably covering surface. Ventral surface, including legs, light brown to black. Pygidium frequently with 2 whitish, longitudinal, cretaceous markings. Melanistic forms observed. Head: Frons frequently slightly raised at middle, densely punctate; punctures deep, moderate in size, frequently confluent, moderately densely to densely setose; setae long to moderate, whitish to yellowish. Clypeal surface as on frons, sides moderately to strongly arcuate, moderately to strongly raised in males, weakly raised in females; apex truncate in dorsal view, strongly reflexed in males, not reflexed in females. Antennal club slightly shorter than stem in males, much shorter in females. Pronotum: Surface sparsely to moderately densely punctate; punctures lunulate, small to moderate, sparsely to moderately densely setose; setae short to moderate, yellowish. Sides near base subparallel to moderately convergent. Base in front of scutellum strongly emarginate. Scutellum impunctate. Elytra: Surface moderately densely punctate, striae bearing 3 rows of small, lunulate punctures and/or short grooves, sparsely to moderately densely setose; setae short to moderate, yellowish. Costae evident to weak. Apex and posterior half of sides weakly rugose. Pygidium: Surface subconcentrically striate; striae discontinuous, weakly to moderately setose, setae minute to short. Legs: Protibiae slender in males, robust in females, apical and medial teeth strongly proximal, basal tooth frequently obsolete in males. Mesotibial carina weakly developed. Metatibiae not apically expanded in males, weakly expanded in females; metatarsi as long as or longer than metatibiae in males, shorter in females. Venter: Mesometasternal process extending anteriorly well beyond mesocoxae, weakly constricted at middle, apex variably rounded, glabrous. Metasternum rugose, setose laterally, glabrous and impunctate at middle, median sulcus weakly impressed. Sternites sparsely setose medially, moderately setose laterally, setae moderate in length. Abdomen in lateral view flat in males, weakly convex in females. Male genitalia: Parameres as in Fig. 31c .

Diagnosis. This species is separated from other species in the group by the arcuate sides of the clypeus, antennal club as long as or shorter than the stem in both sexes, glabrous mesosternal lobe of the mesometasternal process, strongly proximal apical and medial protibial teeth, and form of the parameres. The length of the antennal club in the males varies intraspecifically in a unique way in the genus, from being as long as the stem to much shorter. Of the 32 specimens examined, only one completely melanistic specimen was observed.

Taxonomic History. Schaum (1841) described E. iridescens based on a specimen from Guatemala. Burmeister (1842) transferred the species to his newly created genus Erirhipis and placed it in “Group 1” together with E. geminata and E. vestita . Casey (1915) treated Erirhipis as a subgenus of Euphoria not including E. iridescens . Casey (1915) commented on the possibility of this species forming a completely new subgenus together with E. mystica but did not proceed that way due to the lack of material. Lastly, Hardy (2001) included the species in his “ herbacea group” ( Table 4 ).

Natural History. Specimens have been collected in banana traps up to 2,200 m elevation. Adults have been observed feeding on the sap of Cassia grandis L. ( Fabaceae ) ( Solís 2004).

Temporal Distribution. April (1), May (1), August (1), October (8), December (3) ( Fig. 31e ). Solís (2004) reported that adults are present yearround in Costa Rica.

Geographic Distribution. Known from Guerrero, Mexico to Costa Rica ( Fig. 31f ).

Specimens Examined (32). Ty p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype female at MHNG labeled “Schaum/ TYPE// iridescens/ Schaum/ Guatemala // Coll. Melly ” and my holotype label. Other material: COSTA RICA (8): GUANACASTE: Playas del Coco (1), Parque Nacional Santa Rosa (4) Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja (1); PUNTARENAS: Santa Elena (1); SAN JOSÉ: San José (1). GUATEMALA (3): GUATEMALA: Santa Elena Barrillas (1), no data (1); NO DATA: (1). HONDURAS (6): COMAYAGUA: El Taladro (1); CORTÉS: Omoa (1); FRANCISCO MORAZÁN: Tegucigalpa (1); LA PAZ: La Paz (3). MEXICO (12): CHIAPAS: La Trinitaria (3), Parque Nacional Cañon del Sumidero (2), Tuxtla Gutiérrez (2); GUERRERO: Ixcateopán (1); MORELOS: Cuernavaca (1); PUEBLA: Yucunduchi (1); NO DATA: “Mexico” (2). NICARAGUA (2): CARAZO: San Marcos (1); GRANADA: Granada (1).

Figures

Fig. 31. Euphoria iridescens. a) Habitus, b) Head, c) Parameres, d) Color variation, e) Temporal distribution, f) Geographic distribution in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.