Erymanthus variolatus Brême, 1844

Gerstmeier, Roland & Salvamoser, Max, 2014, Revision of the checkered beetle genus Erymanthus Spinola, 1841 (Coleoptera, Cleridae, Clerinae), Zootaxa 3755 (6), pp. 501-548 : 539-542

Erymanthus variolatus Brême, 1844

( Figs 35–36 , 41 D)

Brême 1844: 294, t7 f7; Desmarest in Chenu 1860: f 192.

Specimens examined: Lectotype (designated here): Senegal, Paralectotype, J. J. Menier det. 1981, Ex Musaeo J. Thomson, Muséum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthúr (MNHN).

Comment on type specimen: Brême’s statement “Ma collection et celle de M. Reiche” implies more than one type specimen. The only available specimen from Senegal (MNHN) is therefore considered a syntype (ICZN 1999: Article 73.2) and available for lectotype designation (ICZN 1999: Article 74.1). Should additional syntypes be discovered, they may be designated as paralectotypes. Menier’s designation was never formalised through publication.

Others: Haut-Uelé, Moto, 1923, L. Burgeon, Musée du Congo (MRAC). Sankuru, Kondue, Coll. Ed. Luja, Musée du Congo (MRAC). Haut-Uelé, Moto, 12.1925, L. Burgeon, Musée du Congo (MRAC). Congo Belge, Kondue, Donateur Ed. Luja 1869, Luxbg. XII.1907, 1927 ex Naturh. Mus. Luxemburg, S. Schenkling det. (RMNH). Côte d'Ivoire, Mont Tonkoui, v. 600m, 26.X.84, J.-M. Leroux coll., piège lumineux (MNHN). Haut Oubangui, Bessou (Mission), a Mont de Fort de Possei, Mission Chari-Tchad, D. J. Decorse 1904, P. Lesne vid. (MNHN). Congo, Kassai, Sankuru, e. Luja, det. Schenkling, Col - 0 3103 (SDEI). babun, wiber, Coll. Kraatz, Schenkling det., Col - 0 3105 (SDEI). S. Kamerun, Lolodorf, L. Conradt S., (ZMB). Tshuapa: Flandria, IX.1946 / VIII. 1947, Rev. P. Hulstaert, Coll. Mus. Congo, Muséum Paris, Coll. M. Pic (MNHN). Nimba ( Guinée), Lamotte, Amìet, Vanderplaetsen, XII.56 – V.57, Zie'la U.V., 30.–31. mars 57 (MNHN). S. O. Kamerun, Lolodorf, 8.II.–27.III. 95, L. Conradt S. (ZMB). S. O. Kamerun, Lolodorf, 19.II.–7.XI.95, L. Conradt S. (ZMB). R.C.I. Comoe, x.1998, lgt. Ph. Morretti, Jakub Rolčík Collection Prague (JRCP). RCI.4.73, Yopongon, Erymanthus flavonotatus Pic, J. Rolčík det. 2004, Jakub Rolčík Collection Prague (JRCP). 23.3.86, Ghana, Ashanti-Reg., Umg. Kumasi, leg. Hiermeier, Erymanthus sp., Collection Vladimír Beneš (JRCP). Cameroon centr., V.1996 (RGCM). Kpalime, Togo, lg. Werner, 3.86 (RGCM).

Diagnosis: Erymanthus variolatus can be confused with E. belzebuth , E. semirufus , E. flavonotatus and E maculaticeps . In E. flavonotatus the metafemora are dark from base towards middle. In E. maculaticeps the abdomen is dark brown to black, the tegminal struts are lanceolate and the tips of tegminal lobes pointed. In E. belzebuth the abdomen is dark brown to black. Erymanthus variolatus can be recognized by its dark markings basally and around the middle of the femora and the pale two ultimate abdominal segments.

Length: (15 specimens measured) 10–20mm (average 14.87mm).

Head: Brown with sometimes dark markings; frontal umbo with two rounded grooves; with flavous anteriorly directed pilosity; antennae brown, bordered black, antennomeres A9–A11 darker.

Pronotum: Pronotal length to width ratio 1.04:1 to 1.21:1 (average 1.11:1); brown with variable dark maculation, pronotal groove always dark; pronotal groove and gibbosities quite variable; with dense fine punctation; with dense flavous and dark pilosity.

Scutellum: Black; vested with white setae.

Elytra: Elytral length to width ratio 1.90:1 to 2.15:1 (average 2.06:1); light brown, two black spots on each side in the anterior half; circular punctation in the anterior half, always light brown (even in the dark spots); punctation not rasp-like; interstices half to twice as wide as diameter of punctation; very irregularly distributed; with isolated black and white pilosity; gibbosities A, B, C and D with white setal tuft, E with black setae.

Legs: Light brown, femora with dark markings around the middle and basally; tibiae dark, especially protibiae.

Lower surface: Dark brown to black, last two abdominal segments light brown, light spots laterally on each abdominal segment.

Male genitalia, pygidium, ventrite VI: Tips of tegminal lobes blunt, tegminal lobes one-seventh length of tegmen; tegminal struts broadened after one-fourth of length and tapering after two-thirds, last one-fifth of struts narrow with furcate tip; phallic tip blunt; posterior side of pygidium rounded; processes of ventrite VI rather pointed.

Distribution: Senegal, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Togo, Central African Republic, DR Congo. Seasonal occurrence: Collected from January to December.

Figures

FIGURE 35. Erymanthus variolatus: (A) Aedeagus ventral, (B) Phallus lateral, (C) Tegmen dorsal, (D) Spicular fork, (E) Pygidium, (F) Ventrite VI; (scale bars 1 mm).

FIGURE 36. Distribution of Erymanthus variolatus.

FIGURE 41. (A) Erymanthus semirufus ab., (B) Erymanthus testaceus, (C) Erymanthus transversopustulatus n. sp., (D) Erymanthus variolatus, (E) Erymanthus vesuvioides; (scale bars 5 mm).