Phyllophaga
Creators: name: Vallejo, Luís Fernando
name: Wolff, Martha
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Melolonthidae
Phyllophaga

description: Key to the identification of male Phyllophaga species in Colombia
(modified from Morón and Vallejo 2007)
1. Tarsal claws cleft or bifid (Fig. 1)................................................ Phyllophaga (Phytalus) ..... 2
- Tarsal claws clearly dentate (Figs. 5–16)...................................... Phyllophaga (Phyllophaga) ..... 3
2. Inner spur on the metatibia shorter than the external spur, fused with tibia margin. Last sternites slightly concave, lacking projections. Parameres long, thick, with the apical third in an increasingly acute angle, and not fused apically. (Fig. 2)................................................................................... P. (Phytalus) luridipennis (Moser)
- Inner spur on the metatibia slightly shorter than the external spur, articulated with tibia margin. Last sternites with projections and abundant setae (Figs. 7–8). Parameres long, narrow, with the third apical angle fused apically. (Figs. 9–10)..................................................................................... P. (Phytalus) obsoleta (Blanchard)
3. Inner metatibial spur much shorter than external spur, fused with tibia margin................ .. P. rorulenta group..... 4
- Inner metatibial spur slightly shorter or as long as external spur, articulated with tibia margin.......................... 5
4. Pronotum dull chestnut-brown reddish; elytra dull yellowish chestnut-brown. Pygidial plate convex or with a slight preapical elongate depression. Paramere apex separated by a “v” shaped neckline. (Fig. 12).................. .. P. chiriquina (Bates)
- Pronotum dark reddish chestnut-brown; pruinose, elytra grayish red; pygidial plate with wide but slight preapical depression. Paramere apices widely separated by a basal straight bridge (Fig. 20)............................ .. P. impressipyga Frey
5. Ventral denticles on the tarsal claws located near unguinal base (Fig. 31).......................................... 6
- Ventral denticles on the tarsal claws located near the middle of the margin (Fig. 43)................................. 9
6. Surface of pronotum and elytra bright, almost smooth, reddish chestnut-brown. Tarsal claws with partial ventral and irregular dentate margin, and ventral denticles located close to unguinal base (Fig. 80). Parameres long, fused along their length, and very curved ventrally. (Fig. 81)............................................................ P. caviceps (Moser)
- Surface of pronotum and elytra rather pruinose, dull or with minute scattered setae. Tarsal claws with smooth ventral margin and ventral denticles located near unguinal base and crooked or reclined against it. (Fig. 26).... P. rugipennis group..... 7
7. Pronotum, elytra and pygidial plate without setae or microtrichia. Surface and legs shiny black. Parameres elongate, stout, slightly curved (Figs. 29–30). Body length 20–26 mm .......................................... P. densata (Moser)
- Pronotum, elytra, and pygidial plate with microtrichia and scarce or abundant setae. Body surface dark brown to reddish brown, frequently dull, pruinose; legs shiny black to dark brown................................................ 8
8. Pygidial plate with minute, scattered setae. Parameres with lateral-ventral, tooth-like, sharpened projections, clearly angular (Fig. 33)............................................................................ P. brevisetosa (Moser)
- Pygidial plate with abundant erect, short, or medium-sized setae. Parameres with no angular or sharpened lateral-ventral projections............................................................................................. 9
9. Pygidial plate roughly dotted. Parameres with lateral-ventral tooth-like projections, short, rounded. (Fig. 35)................................................................................................ P. pruinipennis (Moser)
- Pygidial plate dotted. Parameres without tooth-like projections, short and abundant setae............................ 10
10. Parameres with many, rounded lateral-ventral projections (Fig. 36)......................... P. pachypyga (Burmeister)
- Parameres with short, rounded, and moderately separated lateral-ventral projections (Fig. 40). Aedeagus with lateral pre-apical patches of spines....................................................................... P. lissopyge (Bates)
11. Anterior marginal of clypeus deeply notched or bilobed. Last abdominal sternite narrower than preceding. Aedeagus with strongly sclerotized support and large articulated spines. Parameres not fused ventrally........... P. schizorhina group...12
- Anterior border of clypeus briefly notched, straight or curved. Last abdominal sternite nearly as wide as preceding one. Aedeagus with diverse structures, hardly sclerotized. Parameres usually fused ventrally................................. 13
12. Ventral membrane of genital capsule without sclerotized plates (Figs. 48–49). Apex of aedeagus with weak sclerotized structures. Body length 21–24 mm ........................................................... P. schizorhina (Bates)
- Ventral membrane of genital capsule with sclerotized plates (Fig. 58–59). Apex of aedeagus with asymmetrical sclerotized hooks (Fig. 60). Body length 24–25 mm .................................................... P. onoreana Morón
13. Metatibiae with spiniform denticles on superior, inferior, and external margins. Antennae with nine antennomeres. Pronotum and elytra pruinose, dull, reddish chestnut-brown, glabrous. Body length 16.0–18.5 mm............ P. roscida (Burmeister)
- Metatibiae with one or two oblique transversal carinae more or less defined in dorsal-lateral region. Antennae with ten antennomeres. Bright or opaque, glabrous or setiferous dorsal surface............................................... 14
14. Posterior region of frons with very evident transversal projection. Dorsal surface glabrous, shiny, dark chestnut-brown. Parameres wide, depressed, independent in dorsal region and fused in ventral region. (Fig. 82) Body length approximately 29 mm ................................................................................... P. apolinari Saylor
- Posterior region of frons completely convex or with slight rugosity or discontinuity in texture. Dorsal surface setiferous, bright, or opaque. Parameres with different shapes and proportions than above.......................................... 15
15. Elytra glabrous or with scarce, scattered setae, especially noticeable at base; tegument area with pruinose, dull appearance. 16
- Elytra with abundant, dense, long, short or mixed setae; tegument with bright or opaque appearance................... 17
16. Head and pronotum dark reddish chestnut-brown; elytra yellowish chestnut-brown. Scutellum without long setae........ 18
- Head, pronotum, and elytra reddish chestnut-brown and chestnut-brown. Scutellum with long setae. Parameres short, with dentate lateral-ventral projections, fused, long apices, directed towards base of genital capsule (Fig. 62) Body length 19–20 mm ................................................................................. P. thoracica (Burmeister)
17. Scutellum less punctate than elytra. Parameres short, narrow, with curved or rounded lateral-ventral projections, short, fused apices, ventral-apically aligned (Figs. 89–90). Body length 16–18 mm ............................... P. yucana Saylor
- Scutellum dense and finely punctate, greater than elytra. Parameres short, with very short, curved, rounded lateral-ventral projections; apices fused, slightly ventral-apically projected (Fig. 91). Body length 16–17 mm ............. P. bicolor (Moser)
18. Base of elytra with longer, erect setae. Parameres short, with long, rounded lateral-ventral projections, widely separated from the fused apices, ventral-basally aligned (Fig. 61) Body length approximately 18 mm ................. P. ruficollis (Moser)
- Base of elytra without longer erect setae. Parameres short with different types of lateral-ventral projections.................................................................................................. P. setidorsis group...19
19. Upper margin of clypeus strongly curved (Fig. 70).......................................................... 20
- Upper margin of clypeus slightly sinuous. (Fig. 131)......................................................... 27
20. Body length 25–28 mm. Pronotum and elytra uniformly covered with abundant, short setae (Fig. 63)..... P. gigantea (Bates)
- Body length 15–21 mm. Pronotum and elytra with or without long, scattered, erect setae; pronotal vestiture usually less dense than on elytra........................................................................................ 21
21. Pronotum, uniformly, minutely punctate. Parameres short, wide, with sharp, straight lateral-ventral projections; thin sharp apical projection; aedeagus with wide, curved, sclerotized dorsal lamella. (Figs. 76–77) Body length, 20–21 mm ............................................................................................. P. menetriesii (Blanchard)
- Pronotum irregularly punctate........................................................................... 22
22. Anterior border of clypeus slightly curved. Parameres short, with lateral-ventral projections located near articulation at base of phallus with a short apical projection (Fig. 92). Body length, 20 mm ......................... P. longicornis (Blanchard)
- Anterior border of clypeus very curved................................................................... 23
23. Lateral border of pronotum smooth, non-crenulate. Pronotum without setae on mid line. Parameres short, with long, curved, sharpened lateral-ventral projections, and long, sharp apical projection (Fig. 78) Body length 16–17 mm ................................................................................................ P. fragilipennis (Blanchard)
- Lateral margin of pronotum finely crenulated.............................................................. 24
24. Pronotum with abundant setae all over surface. Antennal club as long as length of preceding six antennomeres combined. Tarsal claws with acute basal tooth shorter than apical tooth located near middle of ventral border....................... 25
- Pronotum without setae. Antennal club slightly longer than preceding six antennomeres combined (Fig. 102). Tarsal claws with truncate basal tooth shorter than apical tooth located toward basal dilatation of ventral border (Fig. 103). Body length approximately 24 mm .............................................................. P. tesorito Vallejo & Wolff
25. Pronotum with umbiliform punctures, wider towards the anterior border. Dorsal and ventral color dull dark chestnut-brown. Parameres short, wide, with very short lateral-ventral projections, rounded, directed towards base, and erect apical projection (Figs. 99–100). Body length approximately 16 mm .............................................. P. martinezi Frey
- Pronotum without umbiliform punctures, covered in small dots. Ventral and dorsal color dark chestnut-brown and light chestnut-brown, respectively................................................................................ 26
26. Pronotum and elytra dark chestnut-brown. Parameres short, wide, with short, sharp, wide lateral ventral projections, rounded and creased along mid line apical projection (Fig. 79). Body length 17–19 mm .................. P. densepunctata (Moser)
- Pronotum dark reddish chestnut-brown, elytra chestnut-brown to dark chestnut. Parameres short with long lateral-ventral projections, very narrow, slightly curved, and the apical projection divided in two short, sharpened, separate denticles (Figs. 114– 115). Body length, 18–21 mm ............................................................. P. apolinaria Saylor
27. Protarsal claws distinct from mesotarsal and metatarsal claws, lower tooth wider than upper tooth, located near to apex (Fig. 118). Parameres with an acute tooth on each inner border (Figs. 123–124). Body length 21–22 mm .................................................................................................. P.guanacasteca Morón & Solís
- Protarsal claws with same shape as mesotarsal and metatarsal claws. Parameres without tooth on inner border........... 28
28. First two metatarsomeres similar in length. Parameres short, fused in a ring shape with two denticles on mid-ventral line (Figs. 128–129). Body length approximately 20 mm ................................................. P. aguadita Saylor
- First two metatarsomeres diferent in length. Parameres elongate, ventrally fused with an almost straight sclerotized bridge, with short lateral-apical projections...................................................................... 29
29. Aedeagus with numerous long setae (Fig. 130). Body length approximately 18 mm ............. P. transversicollis (Moser)
- Aedeagus with lateral sclerotized plates, abundant micro-spines (Figs. 138–139). Body length approximately 20 mm ............................................................................................. .. P. schneblei Frey
description: Published as part of Vallejo, Luís Fernando & Wolff, Martha, 2013, The genus Phyllophaga Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) in the Colombian Andean Mountains, pp. 101-142 in Zootaxa 3722 (2) on pages 105-107, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3722.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/218998