Biflabelotillus peyrierasi Menier, 1979

Pavel, Filip & Purchart, Luboš, 2024, Revision of Madagascan Cleridae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea). Part I. - The genus Biflabelotillus Pic, 1949 (Tillinae), Zootaxa 5519 (3), pp. 384-394 : 389

Biflabelotillus peyrierasi Menier, 1979

Figs 2, 5, 8, 11 , 21–32

Biflabellotillus [sic!] peyrierasi Menier, 1979: 75 (original description).

Type locality. Antanambe , Mananara Nord District, Analanjirofo Region .

Type material studied. HOLOTYPE, ♂ ( MNHN): [white, printed] Madagascar Est / distr. Mananara – N. / Antanambe // [red, printed] ♂ HOLOTYPE // [white, handwritten] Biflabelotillus peyrierasi ♂ / n.sp. Holotype / J.J. MENIER det. 1979.

Additional material examined. (1 ♂, 1 ♀ IJC): East Madagascar, Alaotra-Mangoro Region , Moramanga District, Moramanga env., 25.– 27.11.1995, Ivo Jeniš leg.

Remarks. The holotype was fixed by original designation by Menier (1979).

Differential diagnosis. B. peyrierasi can be distinguished from both B. foveolatus and B. bicolorus sp. nov. mainly by black parallel sided elytra and tuberculate elytral interstriae, whereas the elytra are brown in B. foveolatus and bicoloured in B. bicolorus sp. nov., subparallel, slightly widened with smooth elytral interstriae in both mentioned species ( Figs 14, 17 , 22, 24 , 28 , 34 ).

Redescription. Size of holotype 8.1 x 2.2 mm. Winged, black, with tarsi pale brown ( Figs 21–25 ).

Head. Head including eyes broader than pronotum (DV) in ratio 1:0.8 (HW = 1.7 mm). The space between eyes (frons) narrow (HW / FW = 2.8). Ultimate antennomere elongate-oval, 8.8x longer then broad ( Fig. 5 ).

Pronotum. Longer than wide in ratio 1:1.3 (PL = 1.8 mm, PW = 1.4 mm), cylindrical, apical two thirds of pronotum parallel sided and slightly trangled in apical third, basal third strongly trangled ( Fig. 8 ).

Elytra. Parallel, 2.3x longer than their width (EL = 5.1 mm, EW = 2.2 mm). Almost whole elytral surface covered with bituberculate foveae ( Fig. 21 ). Space between foveae smaller than diameter of foveae.

Scutellum. Heart shaped ( Fig. 26 ).

Remark. The species was described based on a single male. The female is unknown so far. Fortunately, we had the opportunity to examine the female of B. peyrierasi and found out that it fully agrees with the male holotype and Menier´s description except the following characters: antennae serrate ( Fig. 30 ) (biflabeloid in males), each elytron with pale-brown humeral spot (whole elytral surface black in males) ( Fig. 28 ).

Variability of size. Examined male: body length 7.5 mm, HW = 1.65 mm, HW / FW = 2.75, PL = 1.75 mm, PW = 1.2 mm, EL = 4.5 mm, EW = 2.1 mm. Examined female body length 8.0 mm, HW = 1.65, HW / FW = 1.94, PL = 1.9 mm, PW = 1.4 mm, EL = 5.4 mm, EW = 2.4 mm.

Distribution. Eastern Madagascar, known only from Moramanga and Maroantsetra Districts so far ( Fig. 38 ).

Figures

FIGURE 38. Distribution map of the genus Biflabelotillus. B. foveolatus—red triangle, B. peyrierasi—white circle, B. bicolorus sp. nov.—yellow rhombus.

FIGURE 1–12. Biflabelotillus foveolatus—1, 4, 7, 10; B. peyrierasi—2, 5, 8, 11; B. bicolorus sp. nov., holotype—3, 6, 9, 12. Fig. 1–3—right antenna, antennomers II-VI; 4–6—right antenna, antennomers IX–XI (red arrows indicate last antennomere); 7–9—head and pronotum, dorsal view; 10–12—head, front view.

FIGURE 13–20. Biflabelotillus foveolatus Pic, 1949—13–15 (lectotype), 16–20 (non-type). Fig. 13—labels of the lectotype; 14, 17—habitus, dorsal view; 15,16—habitus, lateral view; 18—habitus, ventral view; 19—scutellum; 20—bituberculate foveae (white arrows indicate the two tubercles on the top of the fovea).

FIGURE 21–27. Biflabelotillus peyrierasi Menier, 1979—21–23 (holotype), 24–27 (non-type, male). Fig. 21—labels of the holotype; 21, 24—habitus, dorsal view; 23, 25—habitus, lateral view; 26—scutellum; 27—bituberculate foveae (white arrows indicate the two tubercles on the top of the fovea).

FIGURE 28–32. Biflabelotillus peyrierasi Menier, 1979, female. Fig. 28—habitus, dorsal view; 29—habitus, ventral view; 30—antenna (red arrow indicates last antennomere); 31—scutellum; 32—bituberculate foveae (white arrows indicate the two tubercles on the top of the fovea).

FIGURE 33–37. Biflabelotillus bicolorus sp. nov., holotype. Fig. 33—habitus, lateral view; 34—habitus, dorsal view; 35— habitus, ventral view; 36—scutellum; 37—bituberculate foveae (white arrows indicate the two tubercles on the top of the fovea).