A morphological analysis of the subtribe Pegylina Lacroix, 1989 (Scarabaeidae : Melolonthinae: Melolonthini) reconstitutes its generic composition

Abstract

Phylogenetic analysis using six outgroup and 26 ingroup taxa and 18 external adult morphological characters resulted in a paraphyletic Pegylina as composed by Lacroix (1989). To maintain the Pegylina as a monophyletic subtribe, the genus Stenopegylis Arrow, 1943 is removed from the Pegylina and placed in the Melolonthini sensu lato, pending further cladistic analyses of the Afrotropical melolonthines. Following the analyses presented here, eight character areas (antennomere number, labrum form, protarsal claw shape, protibial spur, pronotum, mesosternum and mesosternal process, body shape and sexual dimorphism) are discussed with reference to differentiating Hypopholis Erichson, 1847 syn. nov. from Pegylis Erichson, 1847. Consequently, the former is synonymized with the latter, resulting in the following new combinations: Pegylis sommeri (Burmeister, 1855) comb. nov.; P. uelensis (Burgeon, 1946) comb. nov. and P. vittata (Fåhraeus in Boheman, 1857) comb. nov. An appended checklist for the subtribe Pegylina as presently composed includes 37 species in two genera, Eupegylis Duvivier, 1892 (1 sp.) and Pegylis Erichson, 1847 (36 spp.). During outgroup selection for this analysis it became aparent that the monotypicWernerophylla nigra Lacroix, 2001 syn. nov. is conspecific with Stenopegylis cylindrica Arrow, 1943 and consequently this synonymy is implemented here.