Symmela Erichson 1835
Creators: name: Pacheco, Thaynara L.
name: Wipfler, Benedict
name: Monné, Marcela L.
name: Ahrens, Dirk
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Melolonthidae
Symmela

description: Identification key for the Symmela species (♂♂)
1. Pronotum with longitudinal median impression. Head and pronotum with iridescent copper shine (Figure 9 (a,b))............................................................................................................ 2
1’. Pronotum without longitudinal median impression. Head and pronotum without iridescent copper shine. ................................................................................................................... 5
2. Lateral margin of pronotum not serrated.................................................................................. 3
2’. Lateral margin of pronotum serrated (Figure 30 (g)) ............................................................ 4
3. Pronotum with two posterior transversal furrows on each side (Figure 9 (a,b)). Elytra without punctation between striae. Ventral metatarsal setae fine and short................ .................................................................................................................... S. flavimana (Gory, 1832)
3’. Pronotum without posterior transversal furrows. Elytra with punctation between striae. Ventral metatarsal setae robust and sparse, mainly in apical half of tarsomeres .................................................................................................................. S. instabilis Erichson, 1835
4. Spur of protibia curved interiorly (Figure 32 (c))...................... S. elegans Erichson, 1835
4’. Spur of protibia straight.......................................................................... S. martinezi sp. nov.
5. Metacoxa with long lateral bristles (Figure 20 (b)).................................................................. 6
5’. Metacoxa without long lateral bristles (Figure 18 (b)).......................................................... 9
6. Punctation of labroclypeus posteriorly sparse (Figure 31 (d))................................................. ........................................................................................................... S. nitidicollis Burmeister, 1855
6’. Punctation of labroclypeus posteriorly dense......................................................................... 7
7. Parameres hooked at apex (Figure 26 (d,e)). Anterior margin of labroclypeus not elevated (Figure 31 (j)); behind anterior margin without a rim of setae............................ .......................................................................................................................... S. tarsalis Moser, 1919
7’. Parameres not hooked at apex (Figure 18 (d)). Anterior margin of labroclypeus reflexed; behind anterior margin with a rim of setae (Figures 30 (k) and 31(b))....... 8
8. Parameres half as long as phallobase excluding basal apodeme (Figure 18 (f)). Subparameres separated medially (Figure 18 (e))....... ....... S. mutabilis Erichson, 1835
8’. Parameres almost subequal in length to phallobase excluding basal apodeme (Figure 11 (d)). Subparameres fused medially (Figure 11 (c)).... .... S. guerlini sp. nov.
9. Metatibia widest at middle (Figure 10 (a,b))........................................................................... 10
9’. Metatibial width at apex and middle subequal .................................................................. 11
10. Parameres stout, much wider at base (Figure 12 (d)).............. S. iannuzziae sp. nov.
10’. Parameres elongated, subparallel (dorsal view) (Figure 10 (d)).......................................... ......................................................................................................................... S. fuhrmanni sp. nov.
11. Labroclypeus rectangular (Figure 30 (e)) ............................................................................... 12
11’. Labroclypeus subtrapezoidal (Figure 30 (f)) ........................................................................ 13
12. Labroclypeus yellowish (Figure 30 (e)). First protarsomere as long as second (Figure 32 (b))........................................... ........................................... S. clypeata Erichson, 1835
12’. Labroclypeus blackish (Figure 30 (n)). First protarsomere subequal to second and third combined (Figure 32 (e)).......................................................... S. jatahyensis Frey, 1973
13. Anterior margin of labroclypeus not reflexed .................................................................... 14
13’. Anterior margin of labroclypeus reflexed (Figure 27 (b))............................................... 17
14. Punctation of basal labroclypeus sparse (Figure 30 (f)).... S. corumbana Moser, 1921
14’. Punctation of basal labroclypeus dense .............................................................................. 15
15. Pronotum not iridescent. Parameres dorso-ventrally flattened (Figure 19 (d,e)).......... ........................................................................................................................ S. nitida Erichson, 1835
15’. Pronotum iridescent. Parameres subtubular (Figure 2 (d,e)) ........................................ 16
16. First protarsomere weakly enlarged (see Figure 32 (a)).... S. brasiliensis Moser, 1919
16’. First protarsomere strongly enlarged (see Figure 32 (g)).... .... S. paschoali sp. nov.
17. Protibia with one tooth; if with two teeth, second tooth indistinct.......................... 18
17. Protibia with two distinct teeth (Figure 32 (a)) ................................................................... 21
18. Pronotum shiny. Elytra unicoloured, black .......................................................................... 19
18’. Pronotum dull. Elytra bicoloured............................................................................................ 20
19. Metatibia widest at middle (Figure 27 (b)). Paramere with lateral tooth (Figure 27 (c)) ................................................................................................................................ S. terezae sp. nov.
19’. Metatibia widest at apex. Paramere without lateral tooth.. S. unidentata sp. nov.
20. Parameres more stout (lateral and ventral view); their lateral margin strongly concave (dorsal view); dorsal face of parameres basally concave (Figure 22 (d,e))....... ....................................................................................................................... S. opaca Erichson, 1835 20’. Parameres more elongate (lateral and ventral view); their lateral margin almost straight (dorsal view); dorsal face of parameres basally plain or slightly convex (Figure 24 (c,d))........................................... ........................................... S. pseudopaca sp. nov.
21. Parameres elongate (Figure 1 (c,d)) ......................................................................................... 22
21’. Parameres stout (Figure 4 (c–e))............................................................................................... 24
22. Parameres dorso-ventrally flattened (Figure 16 (d,e)).......... S. longula Erichson, 1835
22’. Parameres tubular (Figure 1 (c,d))............................................................................................ 23
23. First protarsomere a little longer than second, not enlarged... ... S. beskei sp. nov.
23’. First protarsomere longer than second, third and fourth combined, enlarged.......... ............................................................................................................................ S. erichsoni sp. nov.
24. Parameres trifid, distinctly divided into a dorsal and ventral lobe (Figure 4 (c,e)) 25
24’. Parameres not trifid.................................................................................... S. reischei sp. nov.
25. Protarsomere 5 dorso-ventrally flattened. Ventral lobe of parameres very short....... .................................................................................................................................... S. clarki sp. nov.
25’. Protarsomere 5 circular in cross section. Ventral lobe of parameres as long as dorsal one......................................................................................................................................................... 26
26. Pronotum as wide as elytra at humerus, its lateral margins evenly weakly curved (Figure 3 (a)). Body yellowish brown. Parameres at apex wider (compared to body size, or length of phallobase)................................ ................................ S. capixaba sp. nov.
26. Pronotum distinctly narrower than the elytra at humerus, its lateral margins bent at middle (Figure 21 (a)). Body blackish. Parameres at apex narrower (compared to body size, or length of phallobase)............................................................ S. nunesorum sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Pacheco, Thaynara L., Wipfler, Benedict, Monné, Marcela L. & Ahrens, Dirk, 2022, The genus Symmela Erichson, 1835 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini): taxonomy and phylogenetic analysis, pp. 607-705 in Journal of Natural History 56 (9 - 12) on pages 696-698, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2022.2084649, http://zenodo.org/record/7012522