Descriptions of the larva and pupa of Gymnetis pudibunda Burmeister, 1866 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini), with notes on natural history and a key to the known larvae of New World Gymnetini

ABSTRACT

The third instar and pupa of both sexes of Gymnetis pudibunda Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini) are described and illustrated based on reared specimens from adults collected in forests within Parque Nacional Chaco, Capital Solari, Chaco, Argentina. Notes on the natural history of the species are included, and a key is provided to the known third instars of species of New World Gymnetini, which now includes 21 species in 10 genera. The morphological characters of taxonomic importance for diagnosing the immature stages of Gymnetis and studying their relationships with other gymnetines are discussed. Larval morphology improves the characterisation and diagnosis of species, thereby enhancing morphological character data sets that aid in carrying out more extensive and complete taxonomic reviews.

KEYWORDS:

• scarab beetle
• morphology
• immature stages
• taxonomy
• biology
• identification key

Acknowledgements

We thank Brett Ratcliffe for kindly sending a copy of his monographic revision of the genus Gymnetis. The first and second authors are grateful to the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas and Universidad Nacional del Nordeste for a grant awarded for postgraduate studies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Secretaria General de Ciencia y Técnica-Universidad Nacional del Nordeste [Project 20/F008]; and the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Técnica [PICT-2018-00558].