Rhopaea verreauxi (Cocksfoot Grub), Melolonthinae

Workbook

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Identification to subfamily Melolonthinae (Chafers)

- from Hangay, G. and Zbrorowski, P. “A Guide to Beetles of Australia”. CSIRO Publishing 2010

- CSIRO “The Insects of Australia” 2nd Ed. 1991 p. 628

Fig. 1

• Tarsal claws equal and fixed (contrast unequal and moveable claws of Rutelinae) - Fig. 1

• Mandibles completely concealed from above

• Externally visible sclerotised labrum - Figs. 1, 3

Fig. 2. arrow shows most posterior spiracle visible beneath elytra

• Only one pair of abdominal spiracles (most posterior) visible beneath edges of elytra - Fig. 2

• Tarsal claws often toothed - Fig. 6

• Head and pronotum in males simple i.e. lacking horns and other protrusions - Fig. 5a,b,c

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Identification to genus Rhopaea

- from Britton, E.B. (1978) “A revision of the Australian chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) vol 2. Tribe Melolonthini.” Aust. J. Zool. Suppl. Ser. 60, 1-50

Fig. 3

• anterior face of clypeus bears scattered punctures beneath the setae all over its surface - Fig. 3

• anterior edge of the clypeus as seen from above straight or convex in the middle, never broadly bilobed - Fig. 3

Fig. 4 antenna dissected from male, length of club = 2.8mm: normal range = 2.6-3.6mm

• antenna 10-segmented with a 5- to 8- lamellate club - Fig. 4

• lamellae much longer in male than in female (female range = 1.27-1.7mm)

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Fig. 5a

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Fig. 5b

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Fig. 5c

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Fig. 5d

• head, pronotum and elytra clothed in short, fine, semi erect setae, sometimes with sparse, long, erect, setae in addition - Fig. 5a,b,c

• never bearing scales

• pronotum without defined or raised anterior and posterior margins - Fig. 5b,c

Fig. 6 tarsus of right middle leg showing outer claw

• tarsal claws each with a strong tooth in the middle - Fig. 6

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Identification to species level Rhopaea verreauxi

- from Britton, E.B. (1978) “A revision of the Australian chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) vol 2. Tribe Melolonthini.” Aust. J. Zool. Suppl. Ser. 60, 1-50

• body length in above images = 21mm: normal range = 19-29mm

• colour: dark brown with anterior part of clypeus and lateral margins of pronotum reddish - Figs. 5a,b,c

• antennae, legs and ventral surface yellowish brown - Figs. 5a,b,c,d

• male antennal club 2.8mm long (maximum length female antennal club = 1.7mm)

• antennal segment 4 subconical without trace of a lamina, width across axis 0.6mm - Fig. 4

• antennal segment 3 elongate, cylindrical - Fig. 4

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Fig. 7a - postero-ventral view of aedaegus

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Fig. 7b - lateral view of aedaegus

• morphology of aedaegus (Fig. 7a,b) matches images in Britton (1978) - compare Figs. 147 (ventral view), 148 (dorsal view) and 149 (lateral view) below .

• distribution - NSW and southern Queensland, mainly within 50km of the coast.

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Individual shown here was collected on 18/12/18 at around 10pm

Text and images from Britton, E.B. (1978) “A revision of the Australian chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) vol 2. Tribe Melolonthini.” Aust. J. Zool. Suppl. Ser. 60, 1-50

List of Australian Rhopaea species

Rhopaea magnicornis, claws

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