Review of the southern African genus Prolytta Kaszab, with a description of the first-instar larva, and bionomic and taxonomic remarks (Coleoptera : Meloidae)

Abstract

The taxonomy and bionomics of the southern African meloid genus Prolytta are reviewed. First-instar larvae of four species (P. coriacea, P. pallidipennis, P. lucida and P. semilineata) are described and keyed. The morphology of the specialised setae found in the larvae of this genus is discussed and compared with that of other blister beetles. Based on adult and larval morphology, two assemblages of species, the pallidipennis-group and the lucida-group, are recognised. Included are a key and catalogue of species, taxonomic remarks and several new faunistic records. Two new synonymies, Prolytta lucidicollis Kaszab, 1967 = Prolytta coriacea Kaszab, 1967 and Prolytta sumptuosa (Laporte de Castelnau, 1840) = Prolytta nitidula (Fabricius, 1775), are proposed.