Monodius gravis Koch, 1956

Kaminski, Marcin Jan, 2014, A cladistically based reinterpretation of the taxonomy of two Afrotropical tenebrionid genera Ectateus Koch, 1956 and Selinus Mulsant & Rey, 1853 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Platynotina), ZooKeys 415, pp. 81-132 : 102-104

Monodius gravis Koch, 1956 Figs 14, 24, 26, 29, 30, 42, 52

Monodius gravis Koch, 1956: 184.

Selinus gravis (Koch, 1956). - Iwan 2002a: 101, 2002b: 302.

Studied material.

Female (MNHN): "Schantung, Tsingtau, Miss. Mus. Steyl", 3 males and 2 females (MNHN): “Muséum Paris, Bas Dahomey, Torricada E. Poisson 1902", “Novembre”, female (MNB): “Süd Togo zw. Haho u. Shioftuss Laadschaften Gamme u. Gaohe Smend S.", 2 females (MIIZ): "Museum Zool. Polonicum, Warszawa, 12/45", "Selinus n.sp. H. Gebien det. 1939", “Guinea”, male (MNHN): "Wydah R. P. Ménager”.

Redescription.

Habitus as in Fig. 52. Body length = 16.0-19.0 mm. Elytra wider and longer than pronotum (width ratio elytra / pronotum = 1.1-1.2; length ratio elytra / middle of pronotum = 2.2-2.4).

Dorsal side of head dull, with fine punctures (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 2 diameters of the puncture). Frontoclypeal suture fine. Clypeal emargination relatively deep (clypeal emargination width / depth ratio = 7.1-7.5). Mentum with median part wide. Submentum with short base. Maxillary palp not widened (width of maxillary palp / length of 3rd antennomere = 1.1-1.2). Length of antennae greater than pronotal length (ratio antenna / pronotum from tip of anterior pronotal angle to tip of posterior pronotal angle = 1.2-1.3). 3rd antennomere relatively long (length ratio of antennomere 3rd / 2nd = 2.8-2.9).

Pronotal disc transverse (middle of pronotum length / width ratio = 0.5-0.6), dull, with fine punctures (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 3 diameters of the puncture). Anterior pronotal angles sharp and strongly protruding toward the front. Lateral margins of pronotal disc rounded. Apophyseal and basal depressions on pronotal disc present; apophyseal depressions trapezoidal. Pronotal hypomera dull; without punctures.

Elytra oblong (elytra length / width ratio = 1.1-1.2). Elytral striae with fine punctures; impressed on the whole length. Elytral intervals shiny, non-convex, with fine punctures (the intervals between the punctures are smaller than the diameter of the puncture). Elytral base slightly sinusoidal. Elytral humeri rounded, not protruding laterad. Wings absent. Scutellum rounded.

Intercoxal process slightly protruding towards mesoventrite. Metaventrite reduced (length ratio cavity of hind coxa / metaventrite between the insertions of mid and hind coxae ca. 2). In both sexes abdominal process without tubercles; relatively narrow (process of 1st abdominal ventrite / process of metaventrite = 2.1-2.3). 5th abdominal ventrite without bordering; punctures fine (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 2 diameters of the puncture).

Male legs. Protarsi widened. Protibiae as in Fig. 30. Mesofemorae with a small denticle at the apex. Metafemorae with an hair fringe. Female legs. Protarsi slightly widened. Other leg parts simple.

Male genitalia. Parameres narrowing towards apex; length equal to the 0.3 of the rest of aedeagal tegmen (Fig. 14). Clavae straight (Fig. 14). Female genitalia. Paraproct equal to coxites. Bursa copulatrix with two sacs. Spermatheca with narrow ducts (Fig. 24).

Distribution.

This species has been collected in the following ecoregions of West Africa (Republic of Benin, Togolese Republic): Guinean forest-savanna mosaic (Fig. 42).