Philippistenia heterotarsalis ( Heller, 1923 ) Botero & Vives, 2021

Botero, Juan Pablo & Vives, Eduard, 2021, Philippistenia, a new Disteniini genus from the Philippines (Coleoptera: Disteniidae), Zootaxa 5047 (4), pp. 465-476 : 471-475

Philippistenia heterotarsalis ( Heller, 1923) comb. nov.

( Figs 47–70 )

Distenia heterotarsalis Heller 1923: 34 ; Villiers, 1958: 264; 1959: 66.

Distenia (Distenia) heterotarsalis ; Santos-Silva & Hovore, 2007a:21.

Distenia samarensis Villiers, 1959: 67 . Syn. nov.

Distenia (Distenia) samarensis ; Santos-Silva & Hovore, 2007a: 21.

Type material examined. Lectotype female ( Fig. 47 ) (present designation): “1920 / 3”, “ Mt. Makiling / Luzon , Baker ”, “heterotarsalis / Typus ”, “Staatl. Museum für / Tierkunde Dresden ” ( SNSD)

Paralectotype male ( Figs 48–51 ): “ Mt. Makiling / Luzon, Baker”, “ Distenia / heterotarsalis / Det. K. M. Hell- er”, “ Distenia / heterotarsalis / Hllr” ( USNM) .

Holotype of Distenia samarensis , male ( Figs. 54–56 ), PHILIPPINES, Visayas: Samar, J. Whitehead leg. ( MNHN). Examined through photographs.

Additional material examined. PHILIPPINES, Luzón: Central Luzon : Aurora (Sierra Madre), female III-2006 ,

local collector, ( PCEV); male, IV-2007, local collector ( PCEV) ; Valle del Cagayán ( Nueva Viscaya ), male, v.2010, local collector ( PCEV) ; Mindanao: Bukidnon ( Impasugón ), male, 9.v.2002, no collector indicated ( PCEV) ; Caraga (Agusan del Norte), female, 22.v.2009, E. Vives leg. ( PCEV) ; Misamis Oriental ( Gingoog ), female, 14.x.2001, E. Cabigas leg. ( PCEV) ; Visayas: Negros Oriental (Cuernos de Negro Mount [ Mount Talinis ]), male, no date indicated, Baker leg. ( USNM) . Mindanao and Visayas are new island group records .

Remarks: Heller (1923) described D. heterotarsalis based on syntypes (sex and number of specimens not informed) from Luzón, monte [mount] Makiling ( Philippines). The specimens were collected by Charles Fuller Baker. According to Horn & Kahle (1935), Baker’s collection of insects from the Philippines and Australia is currently deposited at the USNM. In fact, there is a specimen deposited at the USNM ( Figs 48–51 ) with a white label handwritten by Heller as D. heterotarsalis , and an additional handwritten red label ( Fig. 52 ). However, the handwriting on the red label is not that of Heller. Probably, this red label was posteriorly added by someone from the USNM who believed to be a type.

There is at least another syntype at the SNSD ( Fig. 47 ). This specimen has a red label with the name of the species handwritten by Heller, but also with “typus” printed ( Fig. 53 ). Apparently, this was the specimen that Heller intended to be the holotype. However, as he did not inform this in the original description, this species is also a syntype ( ICZN 1999: 72.4.7). Horn & Kahle (1935) indicated that Heller’s collection is currently at the SNSD, but according to them, only the Coleoptera from Central Europe and Canary Islands. However, there is no doubt that specimens of Coleoptera from elsewhere are also there.

In order to promote nomenclatural stability and facilitate further identifications of this species, a lectotype and paralectotype are herein designated.

Villiers (1959) described Distenia samarensis using a series of specimens, a male holotype and series of paratypes, but without specify the quantity neither the sex of them. In the original description, Villiers (1959) pointed out the similarity of its new species with D. heterotarsalis , but differentiated them by the humeri granulated and the femora reddish in the new species and the humeri not granulated and the femora dark brown with yellowish base in D. heterotarsalis . The examination of the type material of both names and of additional material let us to note that those differences appointed by Villiers (op. cit.) are, actually, intraspecific variations and there is not any morphological difference to justify maintaining them separated. Thus, we propose herein Distenia samarensis as junior synonym of D. heterotarsalis .

Philippistenia heterotarsalis can be differentiated by the other species of the genus by the antennomere III darker than other antennomeres, IV–XI slightly darker on apical half, base of elytra with fine and sparse punctures, and anterior third of elytra without dark area.

Figures

FIGURES 47–53. Philippistenia heterotarsalis (Heller, 1923). 47. Lectotype, female, dorsal view. 53. Labels of lectotype. 48–52. Paralectotype, male. 48. Dorsal view; 49. Ventral view; 50. Lateral view; 51. Frontal view; 52. Labels.

FIGURES 54–70. Philippistenia heterotarsalis (Heller, 1923). 54–57. Holotype of Distenia samarensis Villiers, 1959, male, copyright MNHN Paris. 54. Dorsal view; 55. Ventral view; 56. Lateral view; 57. Labels. 58–70. Male specimen. 58. Frontal view; 59. Dorsal view; 60. Ventral view; 61. Lateral view; 62. Tergite VIII; 63. Sternite VIII; 64. Ventral arc; 65–67. Median lobe. 65. Dorsal view; 66. Ventral view; 67. Lateral view. 68–70. Tegmen. 68. Dorsal view; 69. Ventral view; 70. Lateral view. Scale = 1 mm.