A catalog and distributional analysis of the Rutelinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of Ecuador

Abstract

Research on the Ecuadorian Rutelinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) was conducted to determine the diversity of the group in Ecuador and to examine distributional patterns. Results showed that the Rutelinae are distributed in all zoogeographical zones of the country except the Galápagos Islands. Species of Rutelinae occupy a wide variety of habitats ranging from sea level to the high Andes. Areas with the greatest diversity of species, in decreasing order, are the tropical habitats on both sides of the Andes, the subtropical, and the temperate zones. Ecuador has 298 species and 53 genera of Rutelinae. In sum, 36% of the species are endemic to Ecuador.Se realizó un estudio faunístico con el objetivo de conocer la biodiversidad de Rutelinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) en el Ecuador. Los resultados muestran que la subfamilia Rutelinae está distribuida en todos los pisos zoogeográficos del Ecuador excepto en Galápagos. Las especies de Rutelinae ocupan una amplia variedad de hábitats desde el nivel del mar hasta el piso alto andino. Las áreas con mayor diversidad de especies, en orden decreciente, son los pisos tropicales, subtropicales y temperado. Ecuador tiene 298 especies y 53 géneros de Rutelinae. El 36% de las especies son endémicas.

Checklist and identification key of Anomalini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae) of Costa Rica

“…The lack of taxonomical and faunistic studies in other Neotropical countries, however, makes it difficult to make comparisons with similar regions, or even to determine which species are endemic. For example, only 42 Anomalini species are registered for Panama (Ratcliffe 2002), and only 79 for Ecuador (which has a surface area five times that of Costa Rica) (Paucar-Cabrera 2005). It is safe to say that most of the Anomalini diversity in the Neotropical region is yet to be described.…”

“…For the Neotropics, only a few national checklists that include Anomalini are available, such as Ratcliffe’s (2002) for Panama and Paucar-Cabrera’s (2005) for Ecuador. Species-level keys are available only for local fauna (e.g., Neita et al 2006; Reyes Novelo and Morón 2005; Carrillo Ruiz and Morón 2003; Alcazar Ruiz et al 2003).…”

Avances en la taxonomía de los Anomalini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) de Costa Rica

“…Más que la biodiversidad real, este dato enfatiza la falta de inventarios faunísticos y estudios taxonómicos en otros países; por ejemplo, en Panamá se registraron sólo 42 especies de Anomalini, (Ratcliffe, 2002), y sólo 79 en Ecuador que tiene una superficie cinco veces mayor a la de Costa Rica (Paucar-Cabrera, 2005 : 6-11 Se puede decir con seguridad que estos números no reflejan la verdadera diversidad de estos países, y que la mayor parte de la diversidad de Anomalini en el Neotrópico esté todavía por descubrir.…”

A new cryptic species and review of the east-Andean leaf chafer genus Mesomerodon Ohaus, 1905 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae)

“…An erroneous record from Brazil (Ohaus 1905) was repeatedly cited by subsequent authors (Blackwelder 1944, Ohaus 1934, 1952, Machatschke 1972, Krajcik 2008, Soula 2008, Moore et al 2017) (see Mesomerodon spinipenne type material). We record the genus from elevations between 150 to 762 m. A record of the genus occurring at 2800 m (Paucar-Cabrera 2005) is beyond the limits of the genus, and we consider it erroneous. A locality record of M. gilletti from Loja (Ecuador) (Fig.…”

“…The ranges of two species of Mesomerodon overlap in aseasonal Ecuador in a region known for the highest levels of mammal and plant species diversity (Hoorn et al 2010). Rutelinae biodiversity in Ecuador is the highest recorded in South America, with 53 genera and 298 species (Paucar-Cabrera 2005). Of these, 92 species of Rutelinae (or 36%) are endemic to the country (Paucar-Cabrera 2005).…”