Lechius abacoides ( Fairmaire, 1902 )

Iwan, Dariusz & Kamiński, Marcin Jan, 2012, Revision of the Malagasy genus Lechius Iwan, 1995 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pedinini), Zootaxa 3399, pp. 23-34 : 25-26

Lechius abacoides ( Fairmaire, 1902)

(Figs 3, 8, 11, 14, 20, 25, 29, 32)

Selinus abacoides Fairmaire 1902: 328 .— Gebien 1910: 277, 1938: 298.

Lechius abacoides ( Fairmaire 1902) . — Iwan 1995: 406 (comb.), 2001: 504, 2002a: 74, 2002b 274, 2010: 37; Schawaller 2010: 279; Kamiński and Raś 2012: 228.

Material studied. Lectotype, male ( MNHN): “ Madagascar, Sud, Andrahomana, Alluaud 1900”; “ Type Selinus abacoides ”, “Museum Paris 1906 Coll. Léon Fairmaire”. Other material: 3 males and 4 females, differing only by the “code label” ( CASC): “ MADAGASCAR: Toliara Prov. Parc National d`Ardohahela, Forêt d`Manantalinjo, 33.6 km 63º ENE Amboasary, 7.6 km 99º E Hazofotsy, 12 – 16 I 2002 ”, “ 24º 49`1``S 46º 36`36``E coll: Fisher, Griswold et al. California Acad. of Sciences, shifted litter – in spiny forest thicket, elev 150m, BLF4810” “CASENT 8029523”, “CASENT 8029522”, ”CASENT 8037176”, ”CASENT 8028488”, ”CASENT 8027615”, ”CASENT 8037179”, ”CASENT 8037177”. Female: “ MADAGASCAR: Toliara Prov., Forêt de Mahavelo, Isantoria River, elev 110m ”, 24º 45`30``S 46º 9`26``E, 28 Jan – 1 Feb 2002 ”, “coll: Fisher, Griswold et al. California Acad. of Sciences, shifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood) – spiny forest thicket, code: BLF5238”, “CASENT 8027610”. Female: “ MADAGASCAR: Toliara Prov. Parc Nat. d`Ardohahela, Forêt d`Ambohibory, 1.7 km 61º ENE Tsimelahy, 36.1 km 308º NW Tolagnaro, 16 – 20 I 2002 ”, “ 24º 55`48``S 46º 38`44``E, coll: Fisher, Griswold et al. California Acad. of Sciences, at light – in tropical dry forest thicket, elev 300m, code: BLF4919” “CASENT 8029830”. Male and female: “ MADAGASCAR, Fort Dauphin, 13.10 – 20.10 .1987, P. u. H. Schüle”. 2 males: “ MADAGASCAR, Ampoasary, 22.10.1987, P. u. H. Schüle”; female ( MNHN): “ Madagascar Sud. Andrahomana, Alluaud 1900”, “Muséum Paris, 1906, Coll. L. Fairmaire”. Female ( MNHN): “Manantantely, nr. Ft. Dauphin, Madagascar, VI-15-35 ”, “HKlrby Collector”, “Van Dyke collection”, “ Lechius abacoides (Fairmaire) , Det. D. Iwan. 1995 ”. Female ( MNHN): “ Selinus abacoides Fairmaire ”, “ Selinus abacoides Fairmaire, Dr Z. Kaszab det.”, “ Madagascar Sud. Andrahomana, Alluaud 1900”.

Redescription. Measurements. Body—length = 13.0 – 14.0 mm; width ratio elytra/pronotum ca.1.0; length ratio elytra/pronotum (pl) = 2.2 – 2.4. Clypeus—clypeal emargination width/depth ratio ca. 6.0. Antennae—length ratio antenna/pronotum (apl) ca. 0.9; ratio length of antenna/width of 3rd antennomere ca. 6.3; length ratio of antennomere 3rd/2nd ca. 3.0. Maxillary palp—ratio width of maxillary palp/length of 3rd antennomere ca. 1.0. Pronotum—pronotum length (pl)/width ratio ca. 0.6; length ratio pronotum (pl)/anterior pronotal angles (apl) ca. 0.9. Elytra—elytra length/width ratio ca. 1.3. Scutellum—width ratio anterior margin of elytra/scutellum at base = 5.1 – 5.2. Metaventrite—length ratio cavity of hind coxa/metaventrite between the insertions of mid and hind coxae ca. 2.6. Abdomen—width ratio process of I abdominal ventrite/process of metaventrite ca. 2.0. Legs—male protibia length/width ratio ca. 5.8; female protibia length/width ratio ca. 7.5; both sexes profemur length/width ratio = 4.0 – 4.1. Tarsi—length ratio metatarsomere 1st/2nd ca. 2.0.

Habitus as in Fig. 20 .

Head punctures sparse (3 – 4 diameters apart) with setae (Fig. 3). Anterior margin of clypeus with shallow median emargination. Mentum slightly narrowing towards apex; submentum with elongated base (Fig. 32).

Pronotal disc dull with scarcely visible punctures (5 – 6 diameters apart) ( Fig. 8 ). Lateral border of pronotum interrupted medially ( Fig. 8 ). Hypomeron flat (without longitudinal depression near the lateral border) ( Fig. 11 ).

Elytral rows with scarcely visible punctures; most noticeable at the elytral base ( Fig. 14 ). Interrows dull with scarcely visible punctures (5 – 6 diameters apart) ( Fig. 14 ). Elytral base strongly sinusoidal. Elytral humeri rounded. Scutellum triangular.

Intercoxal process of prosternum straight with complete bordering (same as in L. longiclavis sp. nov., Fig. 17 ). 5th abdominal ventrite bordered; with punctures 4 – 5 diameters apart.

Male protarsi widened. Male protibia similar as in L. longiclavis sp. nov. (Figs 6, 7) Meso- and metatibia of both sexes simple.

Apical part of aedeagal tegmen equal to 0.25 of the rest of tegmen. Parameres narrowing towards apex. Clavae short (Fig. 25).

Paraproct longer then coxites. First two sclerites wide and short; remaining sclerites narrow and long. Spermatheca as in Fig. 29.

Comments. Following sampling periods (a), habitat descriptions (b) and altitudes (c) were recorded from specimen labels: (a) 15 VI 1935, 13 – 20 X 1987, 12 – 16 I 2002, 16 – 20 I 2002, 28 I – 1 II 2002; (b) Spiny forest thicket (leaf mold, rotten wood), tropical dry forest thicket (at light); (c) 150m, 110m, 300m.

Distribution. Central and Southern Madagascar ( Fig. 19 ).

Figures

FIGURES 20 – 24. Body structure. L. abacoides (20), L. longiclavis sp. nov. (21), L. madagascariensis (22), L. aalbui sp. nov. (23), L. steineri (24).

FIGURES 8 – 16. Chosen body elements: L. abacoides (8, 11, 14), L. longiclavis sp. nov. (9, 13), L. aalbui sp. nov. (10, 16), L. steineri (12), L. madagascariensis (15). Pronotum and its puncturation (8 – 10), pronotal hypomeron (11,12), elytral humeri (13), puncturation of elytral disc (14 – 16).

FIGURES 17 – 19. Intercoxal process of prosternum of L. longiclavis sp. nov. (17). Male mesofemora of L. madagascariensis (18). Distribution of the species of Lechius (19).