Results of phylogenetic analysis based on 34 morphological characters of 24 species of 11 genera of Hopliinae from Europe, Japan, South Africa, Madagascar, North and Central America, indicates that the genus Hoplia is a monophyletic group with species distributed in Europe, Japan and America. Based in this analysis the Asiatic genus Ectinohoplia is the closest relative of the genus Hoplia, and the South American genus Barybas (Melolonthinae: Macrodactylini) is the sister group of Hopliinae.

Las frutas constituyen un grupo de nutrientes indispensables para la salud y bienestar del individuo. Se evaluó la calidad microbiológica en frutas de concha comestible (fresas, guayabas y duraznos) expendidas en mercados populares de Valencia y San Diego, estado Carabobo, Venezuela. Se determinó el número de UFC/g de mesófilos aerobios (MA), coliformes totales y fecales (CT, CF) y Salmonella spp. según Normas COVENIN. La mayoría de los recuentos obtenidos de MA fueron elevados en la mayoría de las frutas. Los niveles de contaminación por estos microorganismos se encontraron entre 1,4x10(5) y 6,6x10(10) UFC/g. Los recuentos encontrados para CT generalmente resultaron inferiores a los obtenidos para los MA, y se encontraron en un rango de 2,6x10³ a 7,2 x 10(10) UFC/g. No se detectó la presencia de CF y de Salmonella spp., en las muestras evaluadas. De las frutas analizadas las fresas fueron las que presentaron el mayor grado de contaminación microbiológica tanto por MA como CT. La ausencia de CF y Salmonella spp. sugiere que las condiciones a las cuales fueron sometidas las frutas durante el período de pre y postcosecha, estuvieron aparentemente dentro los límites permisibles de calidad sanitaria.

Fruits constitute a group of indispensable nutrients for the health and wellbeing of individuals. We evaluated the microbiological quality of fruits with edible peels (strawberries, guavas and peaches) sold at popular markets in Valencia and San Diego, Carabobo State, Venezuela. We determined the number of CFU/g of mesophilic aerobics (MA), total and fecal coliforms (TC, FC) and Salmonella spp. according to COVENIN guidelines. Most of the MA counts obtained were high in most fruits. The contamination levels by these microorganisms were found to be between 1.4x10(5) and 6.6x10(10) CFU/g. The counts found for TC were generally lower than those for MA, and occurred in amounts of between 2.6x10³ and 7.2x10(10) CFU/g. The presence of FC and Salmonella spp. was not detected in the samples evaluated. Of the fruits studied, strawberries were the ones which showed the highest microbiological contamination degree both by MA and TC. The absence of TC and Salmonella spp. suggests that the conditions to which the fruits were submitted during the pre and post harvest period apparently were within the permissible limits of sanitary quality.