Macraspis chrysis
Creators: name: Hielkema, Auke J.
name: Hielkema, Meindert A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Rutelidae
Macraspis
Macraspis chrysis

description: Macraspis chrysis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Scarabaeus chrysis Linnaeus 1758: 350
Note 1. Five presently recognized subspecies of Macraspis chrysis have been described, one of which occurs in the research area. The other four are M. chrysis isabelae Soula, 2006 (recorded from Venezuela), M. chrysis nordista Soula, 2006 (recorded from Mexico), M. chrysis sudista Soula, 2006 (recorded from Paraguay) and M. chrysis zumbadoi Soula, 2006 (recorded from Costa Rica).
Note 2. Rutela viridis Thunberg, 1822 (p. 309) has long been regarded as a synonym of what is now known as Macraspis chrysis (Linnaeus, 1758). According to Soula (2002a: 279), it is in fact a senior synonym of Macraspis mixta (Blanchard, 1850). Accordingly, it should now be named Macraspis viridis (Thunberg, 1822). According to Soula (1998: 51), this species is known from the Brazilian Atlantic Forests to Colombia. It does not occur in the Guianas.
Subspecies Macraspis chrysis chrysis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Scarabaeus chrysis Linnaeus 1758: 350 (South America - see note 1.)
= Cetonia lucida Olivier 1789: 75 (Guadeloupe)
Distribution. “Guianas”: Soula 1998: 53 (as M. chrysis [s. l.]), 2003: 52. Brazil: Soula 1998: 53 (as M. chrysis [s. l.]), 2003: 52. Venezuela: Ohaus 1934: 154 (as M. lucida); Blackwelder 1944: 242 (as M. lucida); Machatschke 1972: 72 (as M. lucida); Soula 1998: 53 (as M. chrysis [s. l.]), 2003: 52. Other: Linnaeus 1758: 350 (India - as Scarabaeus chrysis); Olivier 1789: 75 (Guadeloupe - as Cetonia lucida); Ohaus 1934: 154 (Colombia, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe?, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama - as M. lucida); Blackwelder 1944: 242 (Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama - as M. lucida); Machatschke 1972: 72 (Colombia, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama - as M. lucida); Soula 1998: 53 (Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay - as M. chrysis [s. l.]), 2003: 52 (Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Central America), 2005: 385 (Bolivia), 2010a (not mentioned).
Note 1. Linnaeus (1758: 350) gives the erroneous type locality India for Scarabaeus chrysis. This is subsequently corrected to South America in Linnaeus (1767: 551).
Note 2. Ohaus (1934: 153, 154), Blackwelder (1944: 241, 242) and Machatschke (1972: 70, 72) all list Maraspis chrysis and M. lucida as separate species. From Landin (1956a: 10) it may be concluded that their M. chrysis is what is now M. pseudochrysis, while their M. lucida is the true M. chrysis as described by Linnaeus. Their records are listed here accordingly. It is uncertain to which of these species De Geer (1774: 319), Erichson (1848: 562) and Bodkin (1919: 217) refer, and their records are not reproduced here.
Note 3. According to Soula (1998: 53), Macraspis chrysis is widespread from Mexico to Argentina. Soula (2006: 156, 157) describes four subspecies, but although he indicates the type localities of these subspecies, he does not mention to which area the nominotypical subspecies is restricted. Unfortunately, the origin of Linnaeus’ original material is uncertain, even though Soula (1998: 54) considers the Colombian population “la plus ‘classique’.” For now, we regard the specimens from countries or regions other than those specified under the newly designated subspecies as belonging to the nominal form. This includes the complete research area.
description: Published as part of Hielkema, Auke J. & Hielkema, Meindert A., 2019, An annotated checklist of the Scarabaeoidea (Insecta: Coleoptera) of the Guianas, pp. 1-306 in Insecta Mundi 732 (732) on page 141, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3678492