S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 52. (Budapest, 1992)

Cyphogastra taitina Kerremans, 1919, Ann.Soc.Ent.Belg. 59:52 = ^Cyphogastra obsoleta Holynski, sp.n., ex Blair in coli. Cyphogastra similis Kerremans, 1919, Ann.Soc.Ent.Belg. 59:53 ^Cyphogastra bedoci Théry, 1926, Ann.Soc.Ent.Belg. 66:73 Cyphogastra longueti Théry, 1926, Ann.Soc.Ent.Belg. 66:68 The species of the subgenus Guamia Théry can be identified according to the following key (the identity of C. taitina Kerremans and C. similis Kerremans being not quite certain, I use in the key - as well as in the text - the names of unambiguous meaning: C. obsoleta Holynski and C. bedoci Théry: A(B) Abdominal plaque delimited behind by distinct step: elytra definitely caudate and/or suturai angle nearly right Cyphogastra Deyrolle s.str. B(A) Abdominal plaque not elevated above surface of 2. sternite; elytra not or very indistinctly caudate, suturai angle decidedly acute (Guamia Théry) 1 1(4) Elytra with only one - suturai - denticle at spex 2 2(3) Tarsi yellow; abdomen green or coppery, metallic throughout C. (G.) auripennis Saunders 3(2) Tarsi brown; apical part of abdomen yellow, non-metallic C.(G.) longueti Théry 4(1) Elytral apex with several sharp denticles 5 5(6) Elytra regularly rounded to apex, with no trace of lateral or dorsal preapical concavity (not caudate); elevated parts of pronotal disc, and suturai half of elytra, with very fine, hardly appreciable punctulation and oily sheen; pronotal foveae broad, regular, clearly delimited C.(G.) obsoleta sp.n. 6(5) Elytra slightly caudate: their lateral sides and upper profile concave, or at least straight, before apex; dorsal surface more coarsely sculptured, with brighter, metallic lustre; pronotal foveae narrow, irregular, poorly delimited medially C. (G.) bedoci Théry As I have already mentioned, Guamia Théry seems to represent the ancestral group for the nominative subgenus (they may be termed) "mother-" and "daughter-group" per analogiam to the Henningian "sister-groups"), i. e. the main characteristics of the common ancestor of all the Cyphogastra Deyrolle s.l. apparently remained within the spectrum of variability of the subgenus Guamia Théry. We can envisage this "proto-Cyphogastra" as medium-sized, metallic green beetle with coppery-red apical part of abdomen, red lateroposterior band of elytra, and yellow tarsi and antennae. It had a relatively shallow median sulcus of the pronotum and narrow, irregular lateroposterior foveae without distinctively sculptured bottom areas. Its elytra were regularly rounded to apex (not caudate), with definitely acute suturai angle and several sharp denticles on feebly defined, a little more abruptly convergent "apical margins"; elytral surface, showing no trace of longitudinal depressions, was covered with moderately strong (similar to that in the modern C. albertisi Gestro) semiregular punctulation. Abdominal plaque was present only in form of indefinite swelling of the median part of the first sternite. This ancestral species was probably rather widely distributed over the Melanesian-New Guineán area, where it evolved from something like the modern Paracupta Deyrolle of the P. flavofoveata Saunders-group. "

Proto-Cyphogastra" gave rise to two lineages: on New Guinea further development of abdominal plaque, deepening of the median sulcus of pronotum, darkening of tarsi and antennae, etc., led to the ancestor of the nominative subgenus, while the insular form