Atholus philippinensis (Marseul, 1854)

dela Cruz, Ian Niel & Ohara, Masahiro, 2023, Revision of the genus Atholus Thomson, 1859 (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Histerinae) from the Philippines with additional records, ZooKeys 1158, pp. 1-26 : 1

Atholus philippinensis (Marseul, 1854)

Figs 1 , 7 , 8 , 35-37

Hister philippinensis Marseul, 1854: 547 [Malaisie ( îles Philippines)].

Hister philippensis (sic): Gemminger and Harold 1868: 771.

Hister (Atholus) philippinensis : Bickhardt 1910: 54 [catalogued]; 1913: 173 [Hoozan, Taihorin]; 1917: 194 [catalogued]; Miwa 1931: 57 [Hoozan, Taihorin]; Kamiya and Takagi 1938: 31.

Hister sectator Lewis, 1901: 375, synonymized by Bickhardt, 1917: 194.

Atholus sectator : Lewis 1906: 402.

Atholus philippinensis : Lewis 1906: 402; 1915: 55; Mazur 1984: 215; 1997: 132; 2011: 106 [catalogued]; Ôhara 1999 b: 32-36 [Taiwan].

Specimens examined.

3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀. Mindanao Island , Agusan del Norte, Butuan, Taligaman , 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ [IC-21-18], 08.56894°N, 125.38534°E 60 m a.s.l., 2021-VI-02 [AN-21-IDC-002], I.N. DELA CRUZ leg.

Diagnosis.

Atholus philippinensis (Marseul, 1854) (Fig. 1 ) is easily distinguished from other Philippine congeners by entire dorsal elytral striae 1-3 (fourth stria is incomplete), and dense punctation of propygidium and pygidium. Among Philippine species, it is the largest one in size, with its markedly wider elytra and posterior angles of pronotum. The number of denticles of the outer sublateral margin of protibia is four.

Additional description.

Female genitalia: anterior portion of valvifers (Figs 35 , 36 ) paddle-shaped; gonocoxite (Fig. 37 ) slightly elongate, almost twice as long as broad, shovel-like; inner and outer surfaces differentiated; inner face moderately separated from outer face by elevated lateral ridge; sclerotized setae on apical half of outer face short and somewhat dense; inner face with short and sparse setae; apex of gonocoxite with two teeth; gonostyli present, freely articulated; spermathecae multiple, consisting of four sacs; sacs gradually enlarged and elongate, not sclerotized.

Distribution.

Philippines; Malaysia; Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo, Java); Myanmar, Vietnam; India (Meghalaya); China (Hainan); Taiwan ( Mazur 2011).

Biology.

This species occurs in decaying banana stumps and are often found along with some species of Platylister ( Platysomatini , Histerinae , Histeridae ).

Remarks.

The protibial teeth of A. philippinensis (Marseul, 1854) are not as prominent as they are in other species. Moreover, in comparison to the description of Ôhara (1999 b), the number of denticles may vary, ranging from 9-11 on the outer margin, one on the inner apical angle, and four or five on the outer sublateral margin. This species was already re-described based on specimens of Taiwan and western Kalimantan, Indonesia ( Ôhara, 1999b), including the illustrations of male genitalia and spermatheca of female. Ôhara (1999 b) also provided a figure of the spermatheca; we add illustrations of the female gonocoxite and valvifers here (Figs 35-37 ).

Figures

Figures 1 - 6. Philippine Atholus, dorsal habitus 1 A. philippinensis (Marseul, 1854) [IC- 21 - 18] 2 A. coelestis (Marseul, 1857) [IC- 21 - 20] 3 A. torquatus (Marseul, 1854) [IC- 21 - 49] 4 A. pirithous (Marseul, 1873) [IC- 21 - 47] 5 A. nitidissimus Desbordes, 1925 [syntype image] 6 A. bakeri (Bickhardt, 1914) [syntype image, No. 1639]. Scale bar: 1.00 mm.

Figures 7, 8. Atholus philippinesis (Marseul, 1854) [IC- 21 - 18] 7 protibia, dorsal view 8 ditto, ventral view.

Figures 35 - 37. Atholus philippinensis (Marseul, 1854), female genitalia [IC- 21 - 18] 35 dorsal view 36 lateral view 37 dorsolateral view of gonocoxite. Scale bars: 0.20 mm.