Ctenophilothis chobauti (Théry, 1900)

(Figs. 17, 43, 46, 78, 85, 114, 266–281)

Xenonychus chobauti Théry, 1900: 32 .

Styphrus chobauti: BICKHARDT (1910): 107.

Philothis chobauti: PEYERIMHOFF (1936): 220, Figs. 2, 225; MAZUR (1984): 109.

Ctenophilothis chobauti: KRYZHANOVSKIJ (1987): 25, Fig. 1; OLEXA (1990): 146, 153, Figs. 6, 9, 10, 22, 27, 52, 53; MAZUR (1997): 268; MAZUR (2004): 91.

Type locality. Algeria, Touggourt.

Material examined. ALGERIA: Sahara, Béni Abbès, 20.x.1980, 2 ♁♁ 1 ♀, A. Olexa lgt .; Iglu, 12.iv.1988, 1 ♁ 1 ♀, A. Olexa lgt .; Béni Abbès, 11.iv.1988, 1 spec., A. Olexa lgt. (TLAN) .

Note. The type specimen(s) of this species were not found in the collection of Théry, housed at MNHN. According to Mrs. Azadeh Taghavian (MNHN), it is possible that a part of Théry’s collection is housed elsewehere. Therefore, a neotype for this species is not designated herein, since it is possible that the type specimen(s) may be found in the future.

Redescription. Body length: PEL: 2.00– 2.375 mm; APW: 0.825 –0.875 mm; PPW: 1.575–1.95 mm; EL: 1.375 –1.625 mm; EW: 1.825 –2.125 mm.

Body (Figs. 266–267) roundly oval, moderately convex from above, underside very convex, cuticle castaneous, feebly shining; legs and mouthparts reddish-brown, antennal flagellum yellow.

Antennal scape (Fig. 268) thickened, with numerous long setae; 8 th antennomere (Fig. 268) cupuliform, in some specimens surrounding antennal club up to one-third its length; club (Fig. 268) moderately sized, sub-conical, without visible articulation, with sparse short sensilla; ventral surface glabrous; sensory structures of antennal club (Fig. 17) in form of stipe-shaped vesicle situated under a large circular sensory area on internal distal margin of the ventral side of antennal club, supplemented by another large sensory area opposite to first one.

Mouthparts. Mandibles (Fig. 85) smooth, thin, evenly curved, mandibular apex acutely pointed, sub-apical tooth on left mandible extremely small, almost absent; labrum (Fig. 46) deeply incised under clypeus, with shallow median depression, smooth; epipharynx completely hidden under labral fold (Figs. 43, 78); labral pits and setae arising from them absent; terminal labial palpomere thickened, its width about half its length; mentum sub-trapezoid, with a shallow median emargination (Fig. 114); anterior and lateral margins with two rows of long setae; several setae present also on disc of mentum; cardo of maxilla on lateral margin with few long setae; stipes triangular, with four-five well sclerotized long setae; terminal maxillary palpomere thickened, its width longer than half its length, about three times as long as penultimate; sensory region of maxillary palpus curiously shaped, cap-like.

Clypeus (Fig. 269) rectangular, rounded laterally, smooth; frontal stria absent; supraorbital stria fine, slightly carinate; postorbital stria interrupted medially; frontal disc broad, rounded, smooth (in some specimens with very fine frontal furrow); eyes flattened, invisible from above.

Pronotal sides (Fig. 266) slightly narrowing anteriorly, anterior angles obtuse; marginal stria laterally carinate, on posterior tenth somewhat distanced from lateral margin, broadly interrupted behind head; surface along lateral margins fringed with short setae; disc moderately convex, with undulate or angular transverse wrinkles, area along anterior margin behind head smooth; pronotal hypomeron with long amber setae; scutellum almost invisible in some specimens.

Elytral humeri not prominent, epipleura setose (Fig. 273); marginal epipleural stria complete, thin; marginal elytral stria well impressed, carinate, abbreviated on elytral apex; humeral elytral stria vaguely impressed, at times indistinguishable; inner subhumeral almost complete, parallel to first dorsal elytral; outer subhumeral stria vaguely impressed on basal fifth; first and second dorsal striae well impressed; first reaching elytral apex, apically bent inwardly, at times somewhat continued along apical margin; second dorsal elytral stria abbreviated on basal fourth, apically bent inwardly, almost complete; basal elytral stria present, vaguely connected with first dorsal elytral and sutural striae; sutural elytral stria well impressed, apically connected with apical elytral stria, on basal half somewhat distanced from elytral suture; elytral disc obscurely variolate, area between sutural stria and elytral suture, and area between elytral base and basal elytral stria smooth; elytral flanks smooth; wrinkles along elytral apex confluent.

Propygidium completely exposed, almost twice as long as broad, obscurely variolate; pygidium very convex, about as long as broad, obscurely variolate medially, laterally and apically smooth.

Anterior margin of prosternum (Fig. 271) obtuse-angulate; marginal prosternal stria well impressed and complete; prosternal process densely setose, abruptly and strongly sloping down anteriorly behind striate triangular prosternal apophysis; lateral prosternal striae absent.

Anterior margin of mesoventrite (Fig. 272) somewhat curved outwardly; discal marginal mesoventral stria absent anteriorly, laterally carinate; mesoventral disc smooth; meso-metaventral suture well impressed, straight; meso-metaventral sutural stria somewhat distanced from suture, undulate and carinate; intercoxal disc of metaventrite (Fig. 272) smooth; lateral metaventral stria curved outwardly, shortened; post-mesocoxal stria absent; lateral disc of metaventrite (Fig. 273) concave, with shallow punctures separated several times their diameter, punctures with long amber setae; metepisternum + fused metepimeron (Fig. 273) densely setose, punctation almost unrecognizable beneath setae.

Intercoxal disc of the first abdominal sternite laterally with a thin incomplete stria; disc smooth, in postero-lateral corners with several short setae; dorsal and lateral discs of all visible abdominal sternites setose. All femora on outer and inner margins with long amber setae, profemur with setae on entire surface.

Protibia curved ventrad (Fig. 274), dilated and somewhat thickened, outer margin with sparse row of long movable denticles, apically with two low teeth topped with stout denticle; outer row of setae very dense, setae very long; anterior protibial stria indistinguishable; protarsus absent; posterior surface of protibia (Fig. 274) smooth; outer part of posterior surface separated from median part by thin stria; median part separated from inner part of posterior surface by complete posterior protibial stria; apical margin ventrally with several stout denticles; inner margin with dense row of long lamelliform setae; protibial spur minute.

Mesotibia slightly dilated and thickened, outer margin with two dense rows of long denticles abutting each other, denticles grow in size apically; outer row of setae dense, setae strongly sclerotized, long; median row of setae sparse, setae several times shorter; posterior mesotibial stria present only on basal third, next obliterated; anterior surface of mesotibia smooth; anterior mesotibial stria shortened apically; apical margin with dense row of thick denticles growing in size towards tarsal insertion; mesotibial spur the longest; tarsus thickened, short, telescope-like, diameter of each tarsomere diminishing apically; each tarsomere with two strongly sclerotized lamelliform setae, one dorsally, one ventrally; claws of meso- and metatarsi thin, long and straight, several times the length of last tarsomere; metatibia generally very similar to mesotibia, but even more dilated.

Male genitalia. Eighth sternite (Figs. 275–276) longitudinally separated medially, apically with row of sparse short setae; eighth tergite and eighth sternite fused laterally (Fig. 276). Morphology of 9 th tergite (Figs. 278–279) typical for the subfamily; spiculum gastrale (Fig. 278) expanded on both ends. Basal piece of aedeagus (Figs. 280–281) short, ratio of its length: length of parameres 1: 3.25; parameres fused along their basal half; aedeagus apically curved ventrad (Fig. 281).