Gymnetron hispidum Brullé

Gymnetron hispidum Brullé, 1832: 247; Desbrochers 1893: 27; Reitter 1908: 38; 1916: 230; Hustache 1931: 416, 427; Hoffmann 1958: 1284, 1304. Smreczyński, 1976: 34. Lohse & Tischler, 1983: 269.

This species was described under the number "457" in Brullé’s catalogue of species collected in Morea (Greece), but its type specimens were evidently never studied by another author after their description. The salient features of the original Latin diagnosis are " Niger, pube sericeo hirtus; rostro medio sulcato; thorace lateribus solum hispidum ." and the dimensions given are 6 mm for the length and 3 mm for the width. Brisout (1862) did not cite G. hispidum in his monograph on Mecinini, whereas Desbrochers (1893) wrote in his revision of the tribe " La description de Brullé, malgré une légère contradiction, qui n'est probablement qu'une erreur d'impression, ne laisse aucun doute, sur la réunion à cette espèce, du G. p i l o s u m Gyll. parue six ans plus tard.". All subsequent authors (Reitter 1908, Hustache 1931, Hoffmann 1958, Smreczyńki 1976, Lohse & Tischler 1983) accepted this synonymy proposed by Desbrochers. In the general collection of the MNHN there is a male syntype of G. hispidum that corresponds very well with Brullé’s original description and is labelled "Museum Paris, Morée, 4187-33 [typewritten grey rectangular label] / Brullé, Morée [handwritten white round label] / 457 [handwritten white rectangular label]". It is here designated as the lectotype of Gymnetron hispidum Brullé, 1832 (des. Caldara). It actually belongs to R. tetra (Fabricius, 1792), which possesses long, yellowish, seta-like scales and a rostrum with a median sulcus.