100 



Second Basal Plate (Fig. 162) 



MA-BMA Junction absent. - MP-BMP Junction: MP broadly continuous with BMP; arises 

 from below the BMP-BCuA brace. - Crimp Patterns absent. - BMP-CuA Brace absent. 

 - BMP-BCuA Brace present but modified; discontinuous with BMP; entire and greatly 

 strengthened: extends posteriad; moderately enlarged; equally broad along the entire 

 length; convex; distinct from BMP. Terminus fused to the disto-medial section of BCuA. 

 Point of fusion continuous. 



Medial Basivenalia reduced proximally. BMA broadly scaphoid; completely fused to BMP. 

 Proximal surface convex. Medial and distal surfaces planate. Anterior margin weakly 

 concave. Proximal arch moderately long; planate and straight; oriented proximad; strongly 

 curved ventrad. Apex terminates below BR proximal arch apex. Distal arch indistinct; 

 fused to the proximal section of BMP. BMP junction with BMA discontinuous and very 

 broad; fused to brace; markedly convex; separated from both IBP and BCu by membrane. 

 Proximal section broadly deltoid; planate; slopes ventro-distad. Distal section 

 indistinguishable from BMP-BCuA brace; long; broad; rectangular; strongly convex. 



Cubital Basivenalia broadly fused. Posterior margin of BCuA fused with the anterior 

 margin of BCuP. Suture line present. BCuA very narrow and long; convex; oriented distad; 

 lies posteriad of BMP; strongly sclerotized; very weakly distinguishable from CuA. 

 Anterior margin with a broad shallow concavity. Distal margin continuous with CuA. 

 BCuP weakly deltoid; convex; oriented postero-distad; moderately sclerotized. Distal 

 embayment absent. - Cubitus Anterior fused to BCuA. Junction very weakly distinct. 



Basalare (Fig. 163) 



Head - HP lobe large; continuous with neck. Apex broadly truncate. Dorsal surface weakly 

 elevated from neck; not polished. BScP lobe claviform; weakly projects posteriad from 

 neck. Dorsal surface rectangular; weakly convex; polished; depressed from neck; slopes 

 ventrad. Ventral surface polished. - Posterior Subcostal Basivenale weakly rectangular; 

 polished. 



Discussion 



Hopliinae is one of the more transformed scarab subfamilies closely related to 

 Melolonthinae (d'Hotman & Scholtz 1990a,b). Hopliines are sometimes considered to be 

 rutelines (Scholtz & Holm 1985), "Qucennes" (Leng 1920) but are more often treated as 

 a melolonthine tribe (Blackwelder 1944; Ritcher 1969ab; Howden & Hardy 1971; Hardy 

 1977). Caveney (1986) found that the structure of the eye is similar to that of 

 Macrodactylus. 



Although Hopliinae do not display any autapomorphic character states of the wing 

 articulation and wing base, they do share two apomorphic character states of the wing 

 articulation and wing base with Melolonthinae, Hopliinae, Oncerinae, Chasmatopterinae 

 and Acoma. The lack of autapomorphic character states of the wing articulation and wing 

 base in hopliines does not warrant subfamilial status and it is more likely that it is a 

 Melolonthinae tribe, Hopliini, as it was previously treated by Scholtz (1990). 



