Synopsis of the cyclocephaline scarab beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae)

Abstract

The cyclocephaline scarabs (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) are a speciose tribe of beetles that include species that are ecologically and economically important as pollinators and pests of agriculture and turf. We provide an overview and synopsis of the 14 genera of Cyclocephalini that includes information on: 1) the taxonomic and nomenclatural history of the group; 2) diagnosis and identification of immature life-stages; 3) economic importance in agroecosystems; 4) natural enemies of these beetles; 5) use as food by humans; 6) the importance of adults as pollination mutualists; 7) fossil cyclocephalines and the evolution of the group; 8) generic-level identification of adults. We provide an expanded identification key to genera of world Cyclocephalini and diagnoses for each genus. Character illustrations and generic-level distribution maps are provided along with discussions on the relationships of the tribe’s genera.

A crop pest species of Cyclocephala Dejean (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Dynastinae) misidentified for over twenty years in Southern Brazil

“…Currently, the diversity of melolontid larvae is thoroughly well known, and there is a vast number of different shapes that those setae can adopt. Hence, contrary to Moore et al (2018 b), the authors of this work consider that this character is present in C. signaticollis. Immature stages, as well as biological data of C. flavipennis remain unknown.…”

Novel Floral Scent Compounds from Night-Blooming Araceae Pollinated by Cyclocephaline Scarabs (Melolonthidae, Cyclocephalini)

“…Recent studies about the reproductive ecology of night-blooming Neotropical angiosperms have shown that VOCs derived from a number of different biosynthetic metabolic pathways are implicated with the attraction of cyclocephaline scarabs (Melolonthidae, Cyclocephalini), a diverse group of highly specialized anthophilous insects (Moore et al 2018 ). Among such compounds are cis -jasmone ( 5 ), 4-methyl-5-vinylthiazole (Maia et al 2012 ), ( S )-2-hydroxy-5-methylhexan-3-one (Maia et al 2013 ), 4-vinylanisole (Dötterl et al 2012 ), dihydro-β-ionone (Pereira et al 2014 ), methyl 2-methylbutyrate (Gottsberger et al 2012 ), and 2-alkyl-3-methoxypyrazines (Maia et al 2018 ).…”

Chemical ecology of Cyclocephala forsteri (Melolonthidae), a threat to macauba oil palm cultivars (Acrocomia aculeata, Arecaceae)

“…of Aspidolea are scarce, but floral associations are known at least for A. fuliginea (Burmeister, 1847) ( Oenocarpus bataua Mart., Arecaeae) and A. quadrata Endrödi, 1980 ( Montrichardia arborescens (L.) Schott, Araceae) (Moore & Jameson, ). Cyclocephala forsteri is naturally found across savannas and dry forests of South America, known from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Venezuela (Moore, Cave, & Branham, , ). Its documented preference for the inflorescences of A. aculeata over those of syntopically occurring palms at different sites might be associated to comparatively higher emissions of MA in relation to those of 2‐alkyl‐3‐methoxypyrazines (Maia et al, ).…”

“…& K. Krause (Araceae). Because night‐foraging cyclocephaline scarabs are highly phototatic (Moore, Cave, & Branham, ), the use a UV‐emitting light could also further increase the attractiveness of the trapping setup (van Grunsven et al, ; Shimoda & Honda, ), although perhaps at the cost of selectivity. The same could be true if an IR (or heating) source is used to emulate the characteristic thermogenic character of the host inflorescences (Ervik & Barfod, ).…”