Singilis plagiatus (Reiche & Saulcy, 1855)

Anichtchenko, Alexander, 2011, Review of subtribe Singilina Jeannel, 1949, of the Middle East and Central Asia (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini), ZooKeys 155, pp. 1-50 : 21-22

Singilis plagiatus (Reiche & Saulcy, 1855)

Coptodera plagiata Reiche and Saulcy 1855: 578.

Phloeozetus plagiatus plagiatus : Kabak 2003: 438.

Material examined.

Type: ♂, Syrie (MNHN). JORDAN: Petra, Taybeh, 21.V.1994, W.G. Ullrich (1♀, DWWC). LEBANON: Appl, Beirut, 1878 (2♂, NHMW); Libanon, O v. Saida, 9-16.V.1963 Kasy & Vartian; "Phloeozetaeus apicalis Jedl. det. Ing. Jedlička " (1♂, NHMW).

Diagnosis.

Among the species consisting of beetles with strongly transverse and very densely punctate pronotum, easily diagnosable by bicoloured elytra, with apical half black.

Redescription.

Length 5.5-6.2 mm. Head, pronotum and ventral segments ferrugineous, apical half of elytra piceous (Fig. 18).

Head very coarsely and deeply punctate on the sides and towards base, more sparsely on the frons, and very distinctly microsculptured. Punctures near eyes often confluent. Clypeus smooth, with distinctly microsculpture. Eyes large and bulging, with no short setae at the posterior margin. Second supraocular seta located just anterad the posterior margin of eye. Temples very short, smooth. Scape with several setae besides the very long subapical one; pedicel with a band of apical setae; antennomere III in apical half with several setae besides the usual apical ones. Antennae pubescent from the basal fourth of antennomere IV.

Pronotum transverse, 1.17 times as wide as head, 1.4-1.48 times as wide as long, widest just behind marginal setae. Anterior margin straight, anterior angles effaced or faintly marked, sides broadly and evenly rounded, sinuate towards posterior angles, which are acute. Punctation coarse and irregular, punctures (especially on disc) generally smaller and sparser than on head, sometimes confluent (especially on the sides of disc). Lateral explanate margin uniform near apex, rapidly widened, wide and flat towards base. Posterior pore right in front of angle. Basal grooves shallow. Pronotal base extended in a rounded median lobe. Furrow variable. Microsculpture less distinct than on head.

Elytra shinier than head and pronotum. Each interval with 1-2 rows of minute, inconspicuous setae. Microsculpture more delicate than on head and pronotum. Apices weakly obliquely sinuate, rounded at suture. Striae slightly punctate, deep at base and at shoulders, shallower on disc. Interval 7 not much more convex and narrow than interval 6. Intervals slightly convex at base, flat at apex.

Legs brownish yellow. Protarsomere V with 3 pairs of ventral setae, metatarsomere V with 4 pairs. Claws with 4 teeth. All abdominal sterna pubescent, pubescence as long as on tarsi.

Aedeagus - Fig. 41. Aedeagal median lobe slightly arcuate to apex, apex long. Internal sac with microtrichial patches composed of extremely small spicules.

Variation.

Varies in body size, density and size of pronotal punctures, and length of furrow.

Comments.

Type locality per original description is Beirut ( Reiche and Saulcy 1855: 578-579).

Distribution.

Jordan, Lebanon. (Iraq, Israel, and Saudi Arabia records need confirmation.)