Psammoecus vittifer Blackburn, 1903

Karner, Michael, 2020, Taxonomic Studies on Australian Psammoecus Latreille (Coleoptera, Silvanidae, Brontinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 723, pp. 135-158 : 147-149

Psammoecus vittifer Blackburn, 1903

Fig. 5

Psammoecus vittifer Blackburn, 1903: 155 .

Psammoecus concolor Grouvelle, 1919: 8 . Syn. nov.

Psammoecus vittifer – Hetschko 1930: 84.

Diagnosis

The following combination of character states distinguishes this species: body elongate-oval ( Fig. 5A ), length 2.36–2.85 mm; eyes of moderate size ( Fig. 5B ), unevenly rounded with distinctly stronger curvature posteriorly; temples very short; frontal grooves short, slightly curved, reaching anterior third of eyes; antennae short, stout ( Fig. 5D ), antennomere 6 slightly darkened, antennomeres 7–10 dark brown; antennomere 11 whitish; punctation on vertex dense ( Fig. 5B ), punctures strongly elongate, slightly longer than eye facet diameter, microsculpture absent, pubescence moderate; pronotum widest at anterior third ( Fig. 5C ), lateral pronotal margins with five small, but distinct teeth; I and V larger than II–IV, anterior denticles small, spread over larger distance and reaching anterior 1⁄6 of lateral margins, posterior denticles very small; pronotal punctation dense, punctures distinctly widened, microsculpture absent, pubescence moderate, setae directed antero-medially; elytra widest at middle ( Fig. 5A ), with elongate brown maculae along anterior 2/3 of margins and sutural area darkened near apex, striae wider than interstices, pubescence moderate, microsculpture absent; male genitalia strongly sclerotised ( Fig. 5 E–H), median lobe slender, evenly narrowed towards apex, tip blunt in dorsal and lateral view, parameres long, wide, apex thin, flattened and widened, lateral margin near apex with two long setae. Left paramere of holotype of P. vittifer ( Fig. 5G ) permanently bent ventrally, probably a drying artifact.

Material examined

Types

AUSTRALIA • 1 ♂, holotype of Psammoecus vittifer Blackburn, 1903 ; “Type | H.T.” [round label with red border]; “Australia. | Blackburn Coll. | B.M.1910-236.”; “ Psammoechus [sic!] | vittiferus, Blackb.”; NHMUK.

INDONESIA • 1 ♂, lectotype (here designated) of Psammoecus concolor Grouvelle, 1919 ; Java; “Co- | type” [round label with yellow border]; “Java.”; “Bowring. | 63.47*”; “ Psammoecus | concolor Grouv. ” [not Grouvelle’s hand]; Bowring leg.; MNHN • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; NHMUK .

Of P. concolor, Grouvelle (1919: 8) mentions two type specimens from Java in the collection of the NHMUK. Only one syntype (♀) could be located in the NHMUK collection; a further syntype (♂) with identical data is stored in the MNHN collection, indicating that Grouvelle kept one specimen for his own collection. The MNHN specimen is hereby designated as lectotype.

Other material

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 3 specs; Cairns Region, Cairns ; Sep. 1949; ANIC • 3 specs; same locality; Nov. 1949; ANIC • 1 spec.; Cairns, Edge Hill ; 16°55′ S, 145°46′ E; 18 Apr.–14 May 1965; J.G. Brooks leg.; at indoor lights; ANIC • 4 specs; same locality; 11 Nov. 1967; J.G. Brooks leg.; ANIC • 1 spec.; same locality; 14 Oct. 1970; J.G. Brooks leg.; MKF • 1 spec.; Cassowary Coast Region, Cardstone ; 25 Nov. 1966; J.G. Brooks leg.; ANIC • 1 spec.; same locality; 26 Nov. 1966; J.G. Brooks leg.; ANIC • 1 spec.; same locality; 29 Nov. 1966; J.G. Brooks leg.; ANIC • 1 spec.; same locality; 15–16 Jan. 1967; K. Hyde leg.; MKF • 1 spec.; Cassowary Coast Region, W slopes of Seymour Range, near Innisfail, Dinner Creek Road ; 6 Nov. 1966; E. Britton leg.; rainforest, at light; ANIC • 1 spec.; Cassowary Coast Region, Palmerston National Park, Tully-Cairns Powerline ; 300 m a.s.l.; 6 Nov. 1966; E. Britton leg.; rainforest, at light; ANIC • 1 spec.; City of Townsville, Townsville ; 16–22 Mar. 1965; Balogh leg.; HNHM • 3 specs; Shire of Burdekin, Ayr ; 19°135′ S, 147°24′ E; 1 Sep. 1970; W.B. Muir leg.; ANIC • 2 specs; Shire of Douglas, Mossman ; 16°28′ S, 145°23′ E; 5 Dec. 1990; T. Gush leg.; at white light in laundromat; ANIC • 1 spec.; Shire of Douglas, Wonga, Pinnacle Village Holiday Park ; 0 m a.s.l.; 13 Jan. 1999; Podlussány leg.; HNHM • 1 spec.; Shire of Mareeba / Douglas Shire, Mount Lewis ; 1010 m a.s.l.; 20 Jun. 1971; Taylor Feehan leg.; ANIC • 1 spec.; Shire of Mareeba, Kuranda, Barron Falls ; 16°49′ S, 145°38′ E; 24 Nov. 1964; J.G. Brooks leg.; at light; ANIC .

THAILAND • 1 spec.; Isan , Khon-Kaen; 16°26′ N, 102°50′ E; 23 Feb. 1980; Saowakontha leg.; at light; HNHM • 1 spm; same data as for preceding; MKF .

PAPUA NEW GUINEA • 1 spec.; Central Province , Ighibirei, Kemp Welch River; Jul.–Aug. 1890; Loria leg.; MSNG .

Distribution

This species was found in Australia (Queensland), Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Thailand.

Remarks

Psammoecus vittifer is easily identified by its general habitus and the very distinct structure of the male genitalia. One specimen from Papua New Guinea in the MSNG collection is labelled as “ Psammoecus ocularis ty. Grouv.” in Grouvelle’s hand. This name was never published, hence P. ocularis is considered a manuscript name.

Figures

Fig. 5. Psammoecus vittifer Blackburn, 1903, ♂♂. A, D. Specimen from Queensland (HNHM). B–C, E–H. Holotype (NHMUK). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Pronotum. D. Right antenna. E. Aedeagus, ventral view. F. Aedeagus, lateral view. G. Parameres, ventral view. H. Median lobe, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 1.0 mm; B–F = 0.5 mm; G–H = 0.2 mm.