Phalangogonia BURMEISTER 1844
Creators: name: Smith, Andrew B. T.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Rutelidae
Phalangogonia

description: KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PHALANGOGONIA
(modified from Smith 2003; Smith and Morón 2003)
1. Pygidial disc appearing smooth, without noticeable microsculpturing (some scattered punctures and setae present); mesometaventral process robust, declivous (sloping away) with respect to venter .................................. 2
1 ʹ. Pygidial disc shagreened, roughened, or granular; mesometaventral process weak to robust, apex parallel with respect to venter ............ 3
2. Male parameres with distinct dorsomedial keel, apices with strong tooth (Smith and Morón 2003: figs. 2E–F); Puebla, Oaxaca, and Veracruz, Mexico ............................... Phalangogonia lacordairei Bates, 1888
2 ʹ. Male parameres with poorly defined dorsomedial keel, apices with weak tooth (Smith and Morón 2003: figs. 2A–B); eastern Guatemala to northwestern Honduras ........ ........ Phalangogonia dispar Ohaus, 1925
3. Eyes small, almost flush with side of head in dorsal view (Fig. 4) ............................ 4
3 ʹ. Eyes bulbous, distinctly protruding from side of head in dorsal view (Fig. 15) ............ 6
4. Mesometaventral process a nub that barely protrudes past mesocoxae (Fig. 3) ............ ......... Phalangogonia azaharensis Smith, new species
4 ʹ. Mesometaventral process robust, extending to or surpassing base of procoxae .......... 5
5. Pronotum with sparse, scattered punctures; clypeus with surface mainly glabrous (sometimes with sparse, scattered setae); southern Mexico to Guatemala ................................ ..... Phalangogonia obesa Burmeister, 1844
5 ʹ. Pronotum with dense, sometimes confluent punctures; clypeus with surface uniformly setose; El Salvador ................................ ...... Phalangogonia punctata Franz, 1955
6. Mesometaventral process surpassing base of procoxae ........................................... 7
6 ʹ. Mesometaventral process not reaching base of procoxae (Fig. 9) ............................ 9
7. Dorsal color tan with prominent black markings on head, pronotum, and elytra; Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica ........................... ........ Phalangogonia hawksi Smith, 2003
7 ʹ. Dorsal surface with uniform coloration.... ...................................................... 8
8. Dorsal color mostly pale green; Oaxaca, Mexico ……… Phalangogonia jamesonae Smith and Moron, 2003
8 ʹ. Dorsal color tan or light to dark yellowish brown (sometimes creamy white when alive); Honduras to Panama .............................. ....... Phalangogonia sperata Sharp, 1878
9. Head dorsally glabrous; pygidium brown to black, granulate; length 18–24 mm; Quezaltenango, Guatemala ........................... .......... Phalangogonia parilis Bates, 1888
9 ʹ. Head dorsally setose; pygidium tan, not granulate but with obvious microsculpturing; length 23–31 mm ................................. 10
10. Eyes moderately bulbous (Fig. 15), apex of male parameres parallel with tapered tip; western Guatemala ............................. ........... Phalangogonia monzoni Smith, new species
10 ʹ. Eyes distinctly bulbous, apex of male parameres diamond shaped (lateral angles) with tapered tip; Oaxaca to Chiapas, Mexico ... ............ Phalangogonia ratcliffei Smith and Moron, 2003
description: Published as part of Smith, Andrew B. T., 2021, Two New Species of Phalangogonia Burmeister, 1844 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae), pp. 259-265 in The Coleopterists Bulletin 75 (1) on pages 264-265, DOI: 10.1649/0010-065X-75.1.259, http://zenodo.org/record/4837141