Mecynorhina

Mecynorhina (frequently misspelled as Mecynorrhina; the original spelling used a single "r" and the misspelling is not in prevailing usage, therefore not valid under the ICZN) are beetles from the subfamily Cetoniinae, tribe Goliathini. The genus was created by Frederick William Hope, in 1837.

Mecynorhina
Mecynorhina ugandensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Scarabaeidae
Subfamily:
Cetoniinae
Tribe:
Goliathini
Subtribe:
Coryphocerina
Genus:
Mecynorhina

Hope, 1837
Type species
Scarabaeus polyphemus
(Fabricius, 1781)
Synonyms[1]
  • Chelorrhina Burmeister, 1842
  • Mecynorrhina Schaum, 1848 (misspelling)

According to the last work of De Palma & Frantz, the type species of the genus is Scarabaeus polyphemus Fabricius, 1781.[2]

The genus is spread throughout the tropical African region.

Taxonomy

Former classification

Formerly there were three species in the genus Mecynorhina:

Some authors designated ugandensis as a subspecies of torquata.

Mecynorhina oberthuri was long thought to be the rarest species in its genus, however, Jean-Pierre Lequeux discovered that it is common in the forests of Tanzania. This species is now reared by many amateurs.

The most variable species is Mecynorhina ugandensis where rarely two specimens are of the same aspect. Many variations have been illustrated by Allard.[3]

Current classification

Following De Palma & Frantz (l.c.), the genus is now divided in five subgenera:

  • Mecynorhina Hope, 1837
  • Mecynorrhinella Marais & Holm, 1992
  • Chelorhinella De Palma & Frantz, 2010
    • Mecynorhina kraatzi (Moser, 1905)
    • Mecynorhina savagei Harris, 1844
  • Megalorhina Westwood, 1847
    • Mecynorhina harrisi (Westwood, 1847)
    • Mecynorhina mukengiana (Kolbe, 1884)
    • Mecynorhina taverniersi Allard, 1990
  • Amaurodes Westwood, 1844 (Synonym = Chelorrhina Burmeister, 1842)

References
  2. De Palma (M.) & Frantz (S.), 2010. Taxonomic revision of Megalorhina Westwood and subgeneric classification of Mecynorhina Hope, Natura Edizioni Scientifiche
  3. Allard (V.), 1986. Les Coléoptères du Monde, volume 7, Goliathini 3. Sciences Nat, Venette
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