Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
selected synonyms:
Phyllopertha Stephens 1830
Callistethus Blanchard 1851 [used for
marginata by Ratcliffe & Paulsen
(1)]
Pachystethus Blanchard 1851 [was used in much of the older NA literature for A. marginata, lucicola & oblivia]
Anomala (Paranomala) Casey, 1915
Paranomala Casey, 1915
(2) - widely used in GBIF and iNat, but mostly for spp. occurring in Mexico to S. America
(3)
Exomala Reitter 1903 [often seen used for A. orientalis]
revised in Ramírez-Ponce and Morón, 2009
(2)Explanation of Names
Latin anomala 'irregular, deviant'
Numbers
48 spp. in our area
(4), 180 in the New World; a huge group, with >1,000 described species worldwide (some of questionable validity)
(5)Identification
Some characteristics of the genus:
small to medium-sized, slightly oval-shaped, convex in cross-section
antennae with 9 segments
pronotum not pubescent (hairy)
elytra with shallow striations and punctures, rather translucent (membranous) along sides
Species identification
Mesosternum between mesocoxae concave to flat anteriorly, not elevated posteriorly to more than low umbo ......... top, most spp.
Mesocoxae separated by distinctly convex to prominently raised mesosternal process, sometimes porrect ...... bottom, includes spp. such as
A. marginata, lucicola & oblivia [These were placed in the genus
Pachystethus in much of the older American literature and
Callistethus was used in combination with
marginata in
(1)]
Range
Anomala (
sensu lato) Samouelle 1819 - world wide distribution -
Map (3)
Paranomala Casey, 1915 - e. US to s. Calif. / Mex. to Columbia -
Map (3) Remarks
Casey (1915) divided the genus
Anomala into 3 groups with subgenus status. He called the first
Paranomala and included most of the species studied in it. That name was synonymized by Machatschke (1957) with
Anomala.
(2)Print References
Casey, T.L. 1915. Memoirs on the Coleoptera. VI. New Era Printing Company, Lancaster, PA. 460 pp.
Machatschke, J. 1957. Coleoptera Lamellicornia, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae, Anomalini. Genera Insectorum, fasc. 199B: 1–219.
Ramírez-Ponce, A. and M.A. Morón. 2009. Relaciones filogenéticas del género Anomala Samouelle (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Rutelinae: Anomalini). Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 80: 357–394.
Samouelle, G. 1819. The entomologist's useful compendium or an introduction to the knowledge of British Insects. Thomas Boys, London. 496 pp.
