Psammoecus simoni Grouvelle, 1892

Karner, Michael, 2012, A revision of African Psammoecus (Coleoptera, Silvanidae) and descriptions of two new species from the collection of the Musée royal de l’Afrique centrale, European Journal of Taxonomy 17, pp. 1-31 : 24-26

Psammoecus simoni Grouvelle, 1892

( Fig. 11 )

Psammoecus simonis Grouvelle, 1892: 287 .

Psammoecus simoni – Grouvelle 1908c: 476.— Pal 1985.

Material examined

Lectotype

♂, by present designation: ‘ Antipolo | E. Simon’, ‘TYPE’ [red label], ‘MUSEUM PARIS | 1917 | Coll. GROUVELLE’ [yellow label], ‘ Psammoecus | Simoni | ty. A. Grouv’ [Grouvelle’s hand] ( MNHN).

Paralectotype

1 spm with identical data as lectotype ( MNHN).

Other material

5 spms ‘COLL: MUS. CONGO | Madagascar: Maroansetra | (à la lumière) II/ IV-1950 | J. Vadon’ ( MRAC). 1spm ‘COLL. MUS. TERVUREN | N.E. Madagascar: | Ambodivoangy 1959 | J. Vadon’ ( MRAC).

Differential diagnosis

Ps. simoni differs by its short oval habitus and the short, stout parameres that are fused with the basal piece from all other African Psammoecus . The wide-based pronotal teeth resemble Ps. luchti sp. nov., it differs by the elytral striae being considerably wider than interstices, elytra being shorter, darkened basis of elytra, parameres short, stout and fused with basal piece.

Redescription

BODY. Oval, total length 2.13-3.00 mm ( Fig. 11A ). Surface yellowish-brown, sometimes reddish-brown, elytra with brown or blackish-brown maculae: humeral swelling, a transverse band in the middle of the elytra, the elytral suture along the posterior two thirds and the elytral apex are dark. Base of antennae yellowish or reddish brown, 6 th to 10 th antennomere darkened, 11 th antennomere yellowish-white, some specimens with light apex of 10 th antennomere.

HEAD. Broad, temples narrowed immediately behind eyes; width 0.64-0.71 mm, length 0.33-0.44 mm, 1.67-1.73 times as wide as long. Eyes protuberant, rounded, 0.17-0.20 mm long, distance of inner margins 0.38-0.45 mm. Puncturation on vertex coarse, density of punctures variable, pubescence composed of long, semierect setae, directed anteriorly; microsculpture absent. Longitudinal impressions on vertex very shallow, attaining the middle of the eyes, sometimes shorter. Antennae as in Fig. 11B , 1.17-1.40 mm long, stout, antennomere proportions of lectotype as follows: 2.9: 1.3: 1.8: 1.5: 1.8: 1.6: 1.4: 1.0:1.2: 1.4: 2.8.

PRONOTUM. Broad; width 0.62-0.74 mm, length 0.48-0.56 mm, 1.22-1.35 times as wide as long. Surface smooth, without impressions. Anterior angles with distinct groups of small teeth; lateral margins with four distinct teeth; tooth I very small, tooth II a little larger, teeth III and IV largest. Posterior group of teeth consisting of a larger anterior tooth and a very small, almost obtuse posterior tooth. Puncturation coarser than on vertex, punctures sometimes adjoining. Pubescence as on vertex; microsculpture absent.

ELYTRA. Oval, short, length 1.35-1.70 mm, combined width 1.00- 1.23 mm, 1.27-1.43 times as long as their combined width. Rows of punctures on disc wider than interstices. Pubescence consists of long, semierect setae. Microsculpture absent.

PARAMERES. Short, stout, fused with basal piece; with distinct pattern of three large setae ( Fig. 11 C ).

Remarks

In his original description, Grouvelle (1892) spells the name ‘simonis’. However, on the labels that Grouvelle added to the syntypes as well as in a later paper ( Grouvelle, 1908c), he spells the name ‘simoni’. Pal (1985) also uses the latter spelling. Hence the present author considers ‘simonis’ to be a misprint and proposes to spell the name in accordance with Grouvelle (1908c) and Pal (1985).

Figures

Fig. 11. Psammoecus simoni Grouvelle, 1892, lectotype. A. Habitus. B. Right antenna. C. Parameres. Scale line A, B: 1 mm; C: 0.2 mm.