117 



Discussion 



Analysis of wing articulation and wing base characters indicates that this subfamily is 

 paraphyletic since it does not display any autapomorphic wing articulation and wing base 

 characters but does share two apomorphic character states of the wing articulation and 

 wing base with Trichiinae (excluding Osmoderma) (Browne 1993). It is likely that these 

 taxa together form Cetoniinae (Browne 1993). 



Cetoniines were once placed in Rutelinae (Leng 1920) but are now most commonly 

 considered to be the sister group of Rutelinae and/or Dynastinae (Ritcher 1969a,b; 

 Meinecke 1975; Howden 1982; Caveney 1986; d'Hotman & Scholtz 1990a; Nel & Scholtz 

 1990; Scholtz 1990). Krikken (1984) considers Trichiinae + Valginae to be the sister group 

 of Cetoniinae, and Rutelinae and/or Dynastinae the sister group of Trichiinae + Valginae 

 + Cetoniinae. 



Cetoniinae share 22 apomorphic character states of the wing articulation and wing base 

 with Orphninae, Melolonthinae. Rutelinae, Dynastinae, Oncerinae, Chasmatopterinae, 

 Acoma, Hopliinae, Trichiinae and Valginae (Browne 1993). 



Trichiinae 



Introduction 



The Trichiinae are a medium-sized group with cosmopolitan distribution. Adults of several 

 species have been collected on flowers while others feed on sap that flows from bark. 

 Larvae feed on decaying plant material (Ritcher 1966). 



Hind Wing Articulation Description 



First Axillary (Fig. 192) 



Head - Dorsal surface strongly reduced posteriorly; extremely broad; clavate; convex. 

 Antero-dorsal margin oriented strikingly postero-distad; very broad; weakly deplanate. 

 Antero -proximal margin with ventral enlargement reduced. Postero-proximal margin 

 enlargement strong but very narrow. FSc2 base moderately enlarged; deeply concave. Apex 

 oriented postero-distad; rounded but narrowly so. Anterior surface narrow; long; not 

 waisted medially. FScl absent. Ventral projection extremely long and narrow; enlarged 

 mesally; base to terminus; straight to weakly curved anteriad. Dorsal surface base to 

 terminus convex. - Ventral surface convex. Apex convex; wider than base; flare reduced; 

 truncate. Concavity strongly shifted dorso-mesad past the base of the ventral projection 

 onto the anterior surface of the head, and not extended apicad; surrounded by three ridges 

 of equal length; the apical ridge is weakly reduced. Distal embayment oriented ventro- 

 mesad. FSc2 oriented distad and weakly dorsad; deltoid; convex; broad; long. Dorsal 

 surface not enlarged dorsally; convex; not twisted. Ventral surface convex. Base proximally 

 with a convexity. Apex aciculate. Head and neck dorsal surface extended anteriad. 

 Neck strikingly broad; long; weakly oriented antero-distad; articulation with 2Ax extends 

 along the distal margin of the neck and tail; continuous with tail. Proximal margin sinuate; 

 curved ventrad. Distal margin concave. Distal embayment broadly but shallowly concave. 



