The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 
Vol.54 JANUARY 1978 No. 1 
Studies in the Coleoptera of Western Sand Dunes 
I. Five New Polyphylla Harris 
(Scarabaeidae) 
Alan R. Hardy and Fred G. Andrews 1 
Insect Taxonomy Laboratory, California Dept. Food and Agric., 
1220 “N” Street, Sacramento, 95814 
Recent investigations of sand dunes in the Western United States 
have uncovered many species of Coleoptera which are restricted to 
one or a few dune systems (see Hardy 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977; 
Hardy and Andrews 1974; Howden and Hardy 1971; Gordon 1974; 
Gordon and Cartwright 1977). The reasons for this interesting degree 
of endemism or reduced distribution will be discussed in detail else¬ 
where. One of the most commonly encountered groups adapted to 
sand niches is the family Scarabaeidae, with many subfamilies re¬ 
presented. Below are described five species of Polyphylla taken in the 
course of reasearch on sand dunes. One species previously de¬ 
scribed from this niche is Polyphylla devistiva Young. 
Polyphylla avittata Hardy, new species 
(Figs. 1,2,11) 
Holotype male: Length 22 mm, width 7.5 mm. Integumentary color of head piceous; 
thorax rufous; elytra rufo-testaceus; ventral surfaces (except abdomen), legs rufo-testa- 
ceous; abdomen rufo-piceous. Clypeal margin reflexed, outer apical angles well defined; 
reflexed margins with dense, close white scales (Fig. 11); few scales medially on clypeal 
disc, along fronto-clypeal suture, scattered over front. Clypeus, front with close to con¬ 
tiguous large punctures, punctures with single scale or suberect hair. Vertex impunctate, 
glabrous, shining. Prothorax with close to contiguous punctures, with scales or hairs as 
above. Scales denser on midline and medio-laterally; prothorax appearing trivittate. Elytra 
lacking well defined punctures of thorax and head, but sparsely to densely covered with 
scattered scales, giving appearance of random clumping, without vittae, scales slightly 
smaller than on prothorax. Pygidium uniformly with scales and short recumbent hairs. 
'The authors acknowledge the financial assistance of the Office of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, under contract No. 14-16-0008-966 for portions of the fieldwork. 
The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 54:1-8. January 1978 
