Microserica pusilla ( Thunberg, 1818 ), 2019

Microserica pusilla ( Thunberg, 1818) View in CoL comb. n.

( Fig. 1G–J View Fig )

Trichius pusillus Thunberg, 1818: 437 View in CoL .

Melolontha compressipes Wiedemann, 1823: 91 View in CoL , syn. n.

Microserica compressipes View in CoL : Brenske 1899: 186; Ahrens 2004: 53.

Microserica brenskei Reitter, 1896: 186 View in CoL , Ahrens 2004: 53, syn. n.

Microserica pulchella Brenske, 1899: 161 View in CoL , Ahrens 2004: 53, syn. n.

Microserica leopoldiana Balthasar, 1932: 113 View in CoL , Ahrens 2004: 53, syn. n.

Type material examined. Lectotype (here designated). ♀ “ Uppsala Univ. Zool. Mus. Thunbergsaml. nr. 4040 Hoplia pusilla Cap. TYP ” ( UUZM).

Remarks. This species was redescribed by Ahrens (2004). The here designated lectotype specimen was the only available syntype specimen. The lectotype is virtually identical in morphology and shape with female specimens of Microserica compressipes ( Wiedemann, 1823) , which was originally described form Java, and later recognized as a wider distributed species also occurring in Sumatra ( Ahrens 2004). Although the lectotype of M. pusilla is a female specimen, the shape and punctation of the labroclypeus and the shiny and sparsely punctate surface of the pygidium are very typical for this species, while in the entire Africa there is no species with these morphological characteristics. Thus, we consider the type locality (Cape of Good Hope; Thunberg 1818) erroneous, rather being from Indonesia than from southern Africa. The confusion between Cape and Java is not very unlikely, since these two ports on the East India route are the two main places where Thunberg collected on his trip abroad, staying in Cape for three years 1772–1775 and in Batavia for one month in 1775 (Mattias Forschage, pers. com.).

The lectotype is nearly entirely yellowish brown, without the lateral paired stains on the elytra, which often occur in females of M. compressipes . The entirely shiny and sparsely punctate pygidium is a key feature of all Microserica sensu stricto species, which occur only in the Oriental region.