Selinus planus (Fabricius, 1792)

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 : 117-118

Selinus planus (Fabricius, 1792) Figs 1, 6, 39, 44, 60

Opatrum planum Fabricius, 1792: 118. - Herbst 1793: 215; Fabricius 1801: 90.

Selinus planus (Fabricius, 1792). - Mulsant and Rey 1853 a: 324; Gemminger and de Harold 1870: 1915; Péringuey 1892: 56; Gebien 1906: 211, 1910: 278, 1938: 297; Koch 1956: 251; Iwan 1990: 430, 2001b: 360, 2002a: 101, 2002b: 303; Iwan and Banaszkiewicz 2005: 605.

Studied material.

Paratype, female (MNHN): “Guinée, coll. R. Oberthür, ex coll. Deyrolle". Other material: 10 males and 9 females (MNHN): “Muséum Paris, Bas Dahomey, Torricada E. Poisson 1902", “Novembre”, 6 males and 5 females (MNHN): “Muséum Paris Dahomey env. De Porto-Novo, Waterlot 1910", 3 males (MNHN): “Muséum Paris coll. P. Ardoin 1978", "15/20.X.1967, Takoradi, Ghana, Cl. Besnard leg.", “♂”, female (MNHN): “Ashanti”, “Muséum Paris, (Coll. Ch. Alluaud), coll. L.Fairmaire 1906", 2 males and 3 females (MNB): "Togo Amedzowe", 2 males and female (MRAC): "Coll. Mus Tervuren, Togo: Missahoué 650 m., VI.1963, Mme Y. Schach", female (MNHN): "Under log, river bank", "Akuse, Gold Coast, 23-II-29", "Museum Paris", male (MNHN): “Abétifi, Côte d’Ivoire”, “Muséum Paris", 2 females (MRAC): "Coll. Mus. Tervuren, Ghana: Volta River, 12.VII.1964, G. Marlier", 2 males (MNHN): "Togo, Palime, Forêt de Klouto, 20-24-IV-74 S. Vit", female (MRAC): "Coll. Mus. Tervuren, Côte d’Ivoire: Eremankono, S. de Divo, J. Decelle VII-1962", male and female (MNHN): “Goldküste, Ostertag", 2 males (MNHN): “Addah.”, “Muséum Paris", male (MNHN): "Gold Coast", “Koumassi”, 3 males and female (MNHN): "Dahomey, Athieme, J. M. Renou 1898", female (BMNH): "Aburi, Gold Coast, W. H. Patterson., 1914-29", female (MNHN): “Talanzoa”, “Muséum Paris, Nimba ( Guinée), M. Lamotte II. VI. 42".

Redescription.

Habitus as in Fig. 60. Body length = 12.0-14.0 mm. Elytra wider and longer than pronotum (width ratio elytra / pronotum = 1.1-1.2; length ratio elytra / the middle of pronotum = 2.7-3.0).

Dorsal side of head dull, with punctures (the intervals between the punctures are smaller than the diameter of the puncture). Frontoclypeal suture fine. Clypeal emargination relatively deep (clypeal emargination width / depth ratio = 4.0-4.5). Mentum with median part wide. Submentum with short base. Maxillary palp not widened (width of maxillary palp / length of 3rd antennomere = 1.0-1.1). 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 = 2.8-3.0).

Pronotal disc transverse (middle of pronotum length / width ratio = 0.4-0.5); dull, with fine punctures (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 3 diameters of the puncture). Anterior pronotal angles sharp and slightly protruding towards apex. Lateral margins of pronotum narrowing towards apex. 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 (sometimes absent). Elytral intervals shiny, non-convex; with conspicuous punctures (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 3 diameters of the puncture). Elytral base slightly sinusoidal. Elytral humeri rounded, not protruding laterad. Wings absent. Scutellum triangular.

Intercoxal process 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 = 2.1-2.2). 5th abdominal ventrite with complete bordering; punctures fine (the intervals between the punctures are greater than the 2 diameters of the puncture).

Male legs. Protarsi slightly widened. Protibiae as in Fig. 39. Metafemorae with an hair fringe. Female legs. Protarsi slightly widened. Other leg parts simple.

Male genitalia. Parameres narrowing towards apex; length equal to the 0.2 of the rest of aedeagal tegmen. Clavae straight. Female genitalia. Paraproct longer than coxites. Spermatheca with narrow ducts.

Distribution.

This species has been collected in the following ecoregions of West Africa (Ivory Coast, Republic of Benin, Republic of Ghana, Republic of Guinea, Togolese Republic): Eastern Guinean forests, Guinean forest-savanna mosaic, West Sudanian savanna (Fig. 44).