Chrysina optima (H.W. Bates, 1888 )

Bayfield-Farrell, William P., Matsumoto, Keita & Barclay, Maxwell V. L., 2025, Catalogue of the specimens of the genus Chrysina Kirby, 1828 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, Zootaxa 5637 (3), pp. 401-449 : 431-432

Chrysina optima (H.W. Bates, 1888)

Original combination. Plusiotis optima H. W. Bates, 1888 ( Fig. 18 ).

Type material. Holotype [ Plusiotis optima H.W. Bates, 1888 ]: “Type [p, circular, red ring] // Sp. figured. [p] // [male genitalia] // Costa Rica. / Van Patten. [p] // B.C.A. Coll. II. (2) [p] // Plusiotis / optima / Bates [h] // NHMUK 014589497 [p]” . Additional material. 17 specimens. “Carriblanco? [sic!] [h] // ♂ [h] // Costa / Rica [h] // Nevinson Coll. / 1918-14. [p] // 1 [h] // NHMUK 014589498 [p]”; “Nevinson Coll. / 1918-14. [p] // [blank label possible genitalia missing] // Plusiotis / melior. Roth. [h] // 2 [h] // NHMUK 014589499 [p]”; “Nevinson Coll. / 1918-14. [p] // Plusiotis / clypealis. Roth.? [h] // 6 [h] // Chrysina optima / ( Bates, 1888) / det. W. Bayfield-F, 2021 [p] // NHMUK 014589500 [p]”; “Nevinson Coll. / 1918-14. [p] // melior. / Rothsch. [h] // 4 [h] // NHMUK 01459501 [p]”; “ COSTA RICA: / [yellow line] / 15m. S. of Cartago. / 5,000 ft. Dec 1948 / G. Gillett / B.M. 1950- 345. [h] // 5 [h] // NHMUK 014589502 [p]”; “ COSTA RICA: / [yellow line] / 15m. S. of Cartago. / 5,000 ft. Dec. 1948 / G. Gillett / B.M. 1950-345. [h] // 3 [h] // NHMUK 014589503 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 6 WP. / N08°49.520' W082°25.185' / 1557m.20.VII.2022.18:50–23:53. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550829 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 6 WP. / N08°49.520' W082°25.185' / 1557m.20.VII.2022.18:50–23:53. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550830 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 6 WP. / N08°49.520' W082°25.185' / 1557m.20.VII.2022.18:50–23:53. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550831 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 6 WP. / N08°49.520' W082°25.185' / 1557m.20.VII.2022.18:50–23:53. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550832 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 6 WP. / N08°49.520' W082°25.185' / 1557m.20.VII.2022.18:50–23:53. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550833 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 6 WP. / N08°49.520' W082°25.185' / 1557m.20.VII.2022.18:50–23:53. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550834 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 6 WP. / N08°49.520' W082°25.185' / 1557m.20.VII.2022.18:50– 23:53. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550835 [p]”; “ PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 11 WP. / N08°49.765' W082°25.604' / 1660m.26. VII.2022.18:58–00:01. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550836 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 11 WP. / N08°49.765' W082°25.604' / 1660m.26.VII.2022.18:58–00:01. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550837 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 12 WP. / N08°49.925' W082°25.505' / 1795m.27.VII.2022.19:05–24:11. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 [p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550838 [p]”; “[male genitalia] // PANAMA: Chiriqui, Boquete, / Sendero El Pianista. Site 12 WP. / N08°49.925' W082°25.505' / 1795m.27.VII.2022.19:05– 24:11. / Bayfield-Farrell, W. coll. Metal- / halide Hg lamp & UV light trap. [p] // Chrysina optima / (H.W. Bates, 1888) / det. Bayfield-Farrell, W. 2022 / GOLD MORPH [h & p] // BMNH {E} / 2022-201 / W. Bayfield-Farrell [p] // NHMUK 015550839 [p]”.

Distribution. COSTA RICA (4): Alajuela, Cartago, No Data. PANAMA (11): Chiriquí. NO DATA (3).

Remarks. The holotype of Plusiotis optima H.W. Bates, 1888 ( Fig. 18 ) is reported by Moore et al. (2017). The holotype represents the relatively pale red colour morph. For many years, a rumour suggested that the type specimen was discoloured by exposure to light while on display in the museum’s public galleries (e.g., M. Fitton personal communication to M.V.L.B., 2002); however, the specimen is the same colour on the underside which would have been shaded, a red colour morph of this species is known to exist, no evidence was found that this specimen was on display, and the coloration is not consistent with light damage, so this rumour is here discounted. The specimen with unique NHMUK number “015550839” represents a golden colour morph, All the other specimens are the most common colour, metallic silver.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Holotype of Chrysina optima (H.W. Bates, 1888), male. A) Dorsal habitus; B) labels. The specimen represents the uncommon red colour morph.