Review of Mausoleopsis amabilis (Schaum, 1844) (Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), with Description of a New Species and a New Subspecies

Abstract

The extremely variable and widespread cetoniine species Mausoleopsis amabilis (Schaum, 1844) is reviewed here using analyses of over 1500 specimens and observations across its entire distribution range. As a result, M. a. heterospila (Gerstaecker, 1867) is reinstated as a valid subspecies and a new subspecies, M. a. interrupta ssp. nov., is also erected, in order to account for the geographically distinct populations occurring across East Africa and the eastern lowlands of southern Africa, respectively. Mausoleopsis a. ruteri Antoine, 1989 is confirmed as a valid subspecies for the West African populations, while M. lerui Antoine, 2004 is synonymised with M. a. heterospila, as it appears to represent an extreme variation of that subspecies. On the other hand, a new species, M. gariepena sp. nov., is described from the Gariep Desert and surrounding arid areas of South Africa and Namibia and compared to its sister species, M. amabilis s. l. The new species appears to be an arid habitat specialist, adapted to survive in the driest part of the subcontinent.