Search

The pelidnotine scarabs (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini) are a speciose, paraphyletic assemblage of beetles that includes spectacular metallic species (“jewel scarabs”) as well as species that are ecologically important as herbivores, pollinators, and bioindicators. These beetles suffer from a complicated nomenclatural history, due primarily to 20th century taxonomic and nomenclatural errors. We review the taxonomic history of the pelidnotine scarabs, present a provisional key to genera with overviews of all genera, and synthesize a catalog of all taxa with synonyms, distributional data, type specimen information, and 107 images of exemplar species. As a result of our research, the pelidnotine leaf chafers (a paraphyletic group) include 27 (26 extant and 1 extinct) genera and 420 valid species and subspecies (419 extant and 1 extinct). Our research makes biodiversity research on this group tractable and accessible, thus setting the stage for future studies that address evolutionary and ecological trends. Based on our research, 1 new species is described, 1 new generic synonym and 12 new species synonyms are proposed, 11 new lectotypes and 1 new neotype are designated, many new or revised nomenclatural combinations, and many unavailable names are presented. The following taxonomic changes are made: New generic synonym: The genus Heteropelidnota Ohaus, 1912 is a new junior synonym of Pelidnota MacLeay, 1819. New species synonyms: Plusiotis adelaida pavonacea Casey, 1915 is a syn. n. of Chrysina adelaida (Hope, 1841); Odontognathus gounellei Ohaus, 1908 is a revised synonym of Pelidnota ebenina (Blanchard, 1842); Pelidnota francoisgenieri Moore & Jameson, 2013 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota genieri Soula, 2009 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota lutea (Olivier, 1758) is a revised synonym of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota (Pelidnota) texensis Casey, 1915 is a revised synonym of Pelidnota punct

The pelidnotine scarabs (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini) are a speciose, paraphyletic assemblage of beetles that includes spectacular metallic species (“jewel scarabs”) as well as species that are ecologically important as herbivores, pollinators, and bioindicators. These beetles suffer from a complicated nomenclatural history, due primarily to 20th century taxonomic and nomenclatural errors. We review the taxonomic history of the pelidnotine scarabs, present a provisional key to genera with overviews of all genera, and synthesize a catalog of all taxa with synonyms, distributional data, type specimen information, and 107 images of exemplar species. As a result of our research, the pelidnotine leaf chafers (a paraphyletic group) include 27 (26 extant and 1 extinct) genera and 420 valid species and subspecies (419 extant and 1 extinct). Our research makes biodiversity research on this group tractable and accessible, thus setting the stage for future studies that address evolutionary and ecological trends. Based on our research, 1 new species is described, 1 new generic synonym and 12 new species synonyms are proposed, 11 new lectotypes and 1 new neotype are designated, many new or revised nomenclatural combinations, and many unavailable names are presented. The following taxonomic changes are made: New generic synonym: The genus Heteropelidnota Ohaus, 1912 is a new junior synonym of Pelidnota MacLeay, 1819. New species synonyms: Plusiotis adelaida pavonacea Casey, 1915 is a syn. n. of Chrysina adelaida (Hope, 1841); Odontognathus gounellei Ohaus, 1908 is a revised synonym of Pelidnota ebenina (Blanchard, 1842); Pelidnota francoisgenieri Moore & Jameson, 2013 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota genieri Soula, 2009 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota lutea (Olivier, 1758) is a revised synonym of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota (Pelidnota) texensis Casey, 1915 is a revised synonym of Pelidnota punct

We clarify the taxonomy and nomenclature of several species-group names and the family-group name for the anticheirine scarabs (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini), a group that includes nearly 550 species and subspecies in 44 genera and subgenera. These clarifications are necessary due to taxonomic and nomenclatural inaccuracies in recent revisionary works. We provide a list of genera included in the anticheirine scarabs sensu Soula. Numerous nomenclatural changes are necessary due to invalid type designations or misspellings: the valid type species of Aequatoria Arrow is Chlorota associata Waterhouse; the valid type species of Chlorota Burmeister is Rutela terminata Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau and Audinet-Serville; the valid type species of Dorysthetus Blanchard is Macraspis chlorophana Burmeister; the valid type species of Anticheira Eschscholtz is Scarabaeus virens Drury. Changes to the type species of Anticheira result in new combinations: Anticheira virens virens (Drury), new combination, Anticheira virens bleuzeni (Soula), new combination and Anticheira virens jossi (Soula), new combination. Some anticheirine species names were not associated with species descriptions or type designations, making these names nomina nuda and unavailable: “Chlorota smithi”, “Macraspis cincta guatemalensis”, “Parachlorota equatoriana”, “Parachlorota pardoi”, “Pseudothyridium (Megathyridium) bousqueti”, “Theuremaripa rivae brasiliensis” and “Thyridium cupriventre blanchardi”. Dorysthaetus rufipennis Dejean is a nomen nudum and an unavailable name. We correct numerous misspellings from Soula’s five volumes on anticheirine scarabs and provide a list to avoid propagation of these errors by future researchers. Eighteen names are unavailable infrasubspecifi c names, and thirty-six of Soula’s names were misspelled. These names confuse and obscure ruteline systematics. Lastly, we provide a comprehensive list of infrasubspecific names in the anticheirine scarabs and we establish these as

We clarify the taxonomy and nomenclature of several species-group names and the family-group name for the anticheirine scarabs (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini), a group that includes nearly 550 species and subspecies in 44 genera and subgenera. These clarifications are necessary due to taxonomic and nomenclatural inaccuracies in recent revisionary works. We provide a list of genera included in the anticheirine scarabs sensu Soula. Numerous nomenclatural changes are necessary due to invalid type designations or misspellings: the valid type species of Aequatoria Arrow is Chlorota associata Waterhouse; the valid type species of Chlorota Burmeister is Rutela terminata Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau and Audinet-Serville; the valid type species of Dorysthetus Blanchard is Macraspis chlorophana Burmeister; the valid type species of Anticheira Eschscholtz is Scarabaeus virens Drury. Changes to the type species of Anticheira result in new combinations: Anticheira virens virens (Drury), new combination, Anticheira virens bleuzeni (Soula), new combination and Anticheira virens jossi (Soula), new combination. Some anticheirine species names were not associated with species descriptions or type designations, making these names nomina nuda and unavailable: “Chlorota smithi”, “Macraspis cincta guatemalensis”, “Parachlorota equatoriana”, “Parachlorota pardoi”, “Pseudothyridium (Megathyridium) bousqueti”, “Theuremaripa rivae brasiliensis” and “Thyridium cupriventre blanchardi”. Dorysthaetus rufipennis Dejean is a nomen nudum and an unavailable name. We correct numerous misspellings from Soula’s five volumes on anticheirine scarabs and provide a list to avoid propagation of these errors by future researchers. Eighteen names are unavailable infrasubspecific names, and thirty-six of Soula’s names were misspelled. These names confuse and obscure ruteline systematics. Lastly, we provide a comprehensive list of infrasubspecific names in the anticheirine scarabs and we establish these as, Clarificamos la taxonomía y nomenclatura de varios nombres de grupos de especies y del nombre del grupo familiar de los escarabajos anticheirinos (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini), un grupo que incluye cerca de 550 especies y subespecies en 44 géneros y subgéneros. Estas aclaraciones son necesarias principalmente debido a la falta de precisión taxonómica y a los errores de nomenclatura cometidos en trabajos recientes de revisión del grupo. Nosotros proveemos una lista de géneros incluidos en los escarabajos anticheirinos sensu Soula. Una serie de cambios son necesarios debido a designaciones inválidas de tipos o por faltas ortográfi cas: la especie tipo válida de Aequatoria Arrow es Chlorota associata Waterhouse; la especie tipo válida de Chlorota Burmeister es Rutela terminata Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau y Audinet-Serville; la especie tipo válida de Dorysthetus Blanchard es Macraspis chlorophana Burmeister; la especie tipo válida de Anticheira Eschscholtz es Scarabaeus virens Drury. Los cambios de las especies tipo de Anticheira resultan en nuevas combinaciones: Anticheira virens virens (Drury), nueva combinación, Anticheira virens bleuzeni (Soula), nueva combinación y Anticheira virens jossi (Soula) nueva combinación. Algunos nombres de especies de anticheirinos no fueron asociados con descripciones de especies o designaciones de tipo convirtiendo a estos nombres en nomina nuda y no disponibles: “Chlorota smithi”, “Macraspis cincta guatemalensis”, “Parachlorota equatoriana”, “Parachlorota pardoi”, “Pseudothyridium (Megathyridium) bousqueti”, “Theuremaripa rivae brasiliensis” y “Thyridium cupriventre blanchardi”. Dorysthaetus rufipennis Dejean es un nomen nudum y un nombre no disponible. Corregimos numerosas faltas ortográficas de los cinco volúmenes de escarabajos anticheirinos escritos por Soula y presentamos una lista para evitar la propagación de esos errores por futuros investigadores. Dieciocho nombres son nombres infrasubespecíficos no disponibles, y trei

The scarab genus Cnemida includes eight species (including C. gigantea Jameson n. sp. from Colombia and C. tristriata Jameson n. sp. from Surinam) that inhabit tropical moist and premontane forests of South America, Central America, and Mexico. Keys to adults, diagnostic characters, descriptions, and distributions are presented. The larva of C. intermedia Bates is described and integrated into a key to larvae of the tribe Rutelini. A cladistic analysis among the species of Cnemida is based on 35 morphological characters and uses members of the genera Pelidnota and Rutela as outgroups. Four equally parsimonious cladograms are discussed.

Affinities, diagnoses, and descriptions are provided for two new species of Plusiotis: P. spectabilis from an unknown locality in Central America and P. dianae from Veracruz state in Mexico. Plusiotis spectabilis is described from a single female and is the largest species in the genus (41 mm in length).

Affinities, diagnoses, and descriptions are provided for two new species of Plusiotis: P. spectabilis from an unknown locality in Central America and P. dianae from Veracruz state in Mexico. Plusiotis spectabilis is described from a single female and is the largest species in the genus (41 mm in length).

The scarab genus Cnemida includes eight species (including C. gigantea Jameson n. sp. from Colombia and C. tristriata Jameson n. sp. from Surinam) that inhabit tropical moist and premontane forests of South America, Central America, and Mexico. Keys to adults, diagnostic characters, descriptions, and distributions are presented. The larva of C. intermedia Bates is described and integrated into a key to larvae of the tribe Rutelini. A cladistic analysis among the species of Cnemida is based on 35 morphological characters and uses members of the genera Pelidnota and Rutela as outgroups. Four equally parsimonious cladograms are discussed.

The Southeast Asian scarab beetle genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) is associated with aroid flowers and possesses a unique, articulated maxillary tooth. We describe five new species of Peltonotus: P. animus and P. cybele from Sumatra, P. favonius from Vietnam, P. mushiyaus from Borneo, and P. tigerus from Thailand. The circumscription of P. karubei Muramoto is broadened to include new color variation, and the body size range for the genus is increased with Peltonotus mushiyaus, n. sp., now being the smallest member of the genus. We provide an amended key to species, distribution maps, diagnoses and accompanying comparative images, and discuss classification of the genus within the Scarabaeidae.

The Brazilian scarab beetle genus Microchilus Blanchard (Rutelinae: Geniatini) is reviewed. Based on examination of type specimens, Microchilus beckeri Martínez is transferred to the genus Leucothyreus becoming L. beckeri (Martínez), new combination; Leucothyreus bucki Machatschke is a new junior synonym of L. beckeri (Martínez).Microchilus is limited to two species, M. beckeri (Martínez) and a new species,Microchilus rodmani Jameson, here described. Characters that circumscribe the genus, biology, and species distribution are discussed. A key to the species is provided.

The Southeast Asian scarab beetle genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) is associated with aroid flowers and possesses a unique, articulated maxillary tooth. We describe five new species of Peltonotus: P. animus and P. cybele from Sumatra, P. favonius from Vietnam, P. mushiyaus from Borneo, and P. tigerus from Thailand. The circumscription of P. karubei Muramoto is broadened to include new color variation, and the body size range for the genus is increased with Peltonotus mushiyaus, n. sp., now being the smallest member of the genus. We provide an amended key to species, distribution maps, diagnoses and accompanying comparative images, and discuss classification of the genus within the Scarabaeidae.

The Southeast Asian scarab beetle genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) is associated with aroid flowers and possesses a unique, articulated maxillary tooth. We describe five new species of Peltonotus: P. animus and P. cybele from Sumatra, P. favonius from Vietnam, P. mushiyaus from Borneo, and P. tigerus from Thailand. The circumscription of P. karubei Muramoto is broadened to include new color variation, and the body size range for the genus is increased with Peltonotus mushiyaus, n. sp., now being the smallest member of the genus. We provide an amended key to species, distribution maps, diagnoses and accompanying comparative images, and discuss classification of the genus within the Scarabaeidae.

The Brazilian scarab beetle genus Microchilus Blanchard (Rutelinae: Geniatini) is reviewed. Based on examination of type specimens, Microchilus beckeri Martínez is transferred to the genus Leucothyreus becoming L. beckeri (Martínez), new combination; Leucothyreus bucki Machatschke is a new junior synonym of L. beckeri (Martínez).Microchilus is limited to two species, M. beckeri (Martínez) and a new species,Microchilus rodmani Jameson, here described. Characters that circumscribe the genus, biology, and species distribution are discussed. A key to the species is provided.

The Brazilian scarab beetle genus Microchilus Blanchard (Rutelinae: Geniatini) is reviewed. Based on examination of type specimens, Microchilus beckeri Martínez is transferred to the genus Leucothyreus becoming L. beckeri (Martínez), new combination; Leucothyreus bucki Machatschke is a new junior synonym of L. beckeri (Martínez). Microchilus is limited to two species, M. beckeri (Martínez) and a new species, Microchilus rodmani Jameson, here described. Characters that circumscribe the genus, biology, and species distribution are discussed.

The scarab genus Cnemida includes eight species (including C. gigantea Jameson n. sp. from Colombia and C. tristriata Jameson n. sp. from Surinam) that inhabit tropical moist and premontane forests of South America, Central America, and Mexico. Keys to adults, diagnostic characters, descriptions, and distributions are presented. The larva of C. intermedia Bates is described and integrated into a key to larvae of the tribe Rutelini. A cladistic analysis among the species of Cnemida is based on 35 morphological characters and uses members of the genera Pelidnota and Rutela as outgroups. Four equally parsimonious cladograms are discussed.

Affinities, diagnoses, and descriptions are provided for two new species of Plusiotis: P. spectabilis from an unknown locality in Central America and P. dianae from Veracruz state in Mexico. Plusiotis spectabilis is described from a single female and is the largest species in the genus (41 mm in length).

The nineteenth century was a time of environmental contrasts: vast expanses of virgin wilderness were unexplored, and yet lands and the animals inhabiting them were in danger of extinction. As revealed by Sharp and Sullivan, Lewis Lindsay Dyche was a man who helped to shape the preservation of our natural heritage. If not for the perseverance and foresight of scientists such as Dyche, the only remnants of our wilderness would be those that stand lifeless in museums.