Frankenbergerius armatus (Boheman)

Frolov, A. V. & Scholtz, C. H., 2005, Revision of the southern African genus Frankenbergerius Balthasar with description of new taxa (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Journal of Natural History 39 (25), pp. 2355-2377 : 2368-2369

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222930500101829

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6427878E-FF92-FFC0-FE6C-FB7FFCCA069D

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Frankenbergerius armatus (Boheman)
status

 

Frankenbergerius armatus (Boheman) View in CoL

( Figures 14–27 View Figures 13–22 View Figures 23–27 )

Epirhinus armatus Boheman 1857, p 200 View in CoL .

Coptorhina armata (Boheman) : Harold 1872, p 205; Péringuey 1901, p 288, 294; Janssens 1939, p 32, 36.

Frankenbergerius armatus (Boheman) View in CoL : Ferreira 1972, p 362.

Coptorhina granulifera Harold 1871, p 112 ; synonymy by Harold 1872, p 205. Frankenbergerius mirabilis Balthasar 1938, p 212 View in CoL ; synonymy by Paulian 1939, p 37 (as Coptorhina View in CoL ).

Diagnosis

This species is most similar to F. forcipatus but can be separated by its smaller size, by having elytral intervals 2–4 with more distinct tubercles and by the parameres narrower in lateral view ( Figures 23, 24 View Figures 23–27 ).

Polymorphism

In the examined material, there are two distinct forms of males: one with clypeal horns curved upwards and slightly backwards ( Figures 14, 22 View Figures 13–22 ) with somewhat truncate apices, and another form with acute horns curved upwards but not backwards ( Figures 17, 21 View Figures 13–22 ). An additional, although minor difference, is the less tuberculate elytra in the first form ( Figures 25, 26 View Figures 23–27 ). The form with truncate apices of clypeal horns was collected in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces and the other one in Mpumalanga and Northern Province ( Figure 27 View Figures 23–27 ) .

The distinctness of the form with acute clypeal horns from ‘‘typical’’ F. armatus was apparently recognized by M. Ferreira; one such specimen in the TMSA bears the label ‘‘ Type „ Pseudocoptorhina armata var. tuberculata nov. M.G. Ferreira 1954 ’’. However, the name was not published.

Because of the allopatric distribution and distinct morphological differences between males with well-developed horns we treat these two forms as subspecies. The absence of noticeable differences in paramere shape and ambiguous differences in elytral sculpture (characters that are normally distinctive for other Frankenbergerius species ) prevent us from assigning them specific rank. However, if further research shows reproductive isolation or sympatric distribution, their rank should be reconsidered.

Remark

Harold (1871, p 112) described C. granulifera from Port Natal [Durban]. Later he transferred E. armatus to Coptorhina and wrote that C. granulifera belongs to this species ( Harold 1872, p 205). We did not have the opportunity to examine the type of C. granulifera , however, the collection locality suggests that it is the nominotypical subspecies of F. armatus , to which the type of C. granulifera belongs.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Scarabaeidae

Genus

Frankenbergerius

Loc

Frankenbergerius armatus (Boheman)

Frolov, A. V. & Scholtz, C. H. 2005
2005
Loc

Frankenbergerius armatus (Boheman)

Ferreira M 1972: 362
1972
Loc

Coptorhina armata

Janssens A 1939: 32
Peringuey L 1901: 288
Harold E von 1872: 205
1872
Loc

Coptorhina granulifera

Paulian R 1939: 37
Balthasar V 1938: 212
Harold E von 1872: 205
Harold E von 1871: 112
1871
Loc

Epirhinus armatus

Boheman CH 1857: 200
1857
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