Philonthus bonariensis Bernhauer, 1909

Maus, Mariana Chani-Posse De, 2009, Revision of some types of Philonthus Stephens and Gabrius Stephens from southern South America (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), with nomenclatural notes, Zootaxa 2034, pp. 31-42 : 38-39

Philonthus bonariensis Bernhauer, 1909

( Figs. 7–9; Figs. 9 –15 in Chani-Posse 2004)

Philonthus bonariensis Bernhauer, 1909: 245 ; Bernhauer & Schubert, 1914: 330 (catalog); Bruch, 1915: 444 (catalog); Blackwelder, 1944: 132 (list); Coiffait & Sáiz, 1968: 355 (misidentified as Philonthus hepaticus ); Frank, 1982: 38 (list); Herman, 2001: 2762 (catalog); Chani-Posse, 2004: 222 (characters), 230 (list).

Philonthus catamarcanus Bernhauer, 1916: 36 ; Scheerpeltz, 1933: 1335 (catalog); Blackwelder, 1944: 132 (list); Herman, 2001: 2772 (catalog); Chani-Posse, 2004: 230 (list), syn. nov.

Philonthus weiseri Bernhauer, 1921: 169 ; Scheerpeltz, 1933: 1368 (catalog); Blackwelder, 1944: 135 (list); Herman, 2001: 3003 (catalog); Chani-Posse, 2004: 232 (list), syn. nov.

Type material. Lectotype of Philonthus bonariensis (here designated; Figs. 7 a–b), 3, with labels: “Buenos Aires / XII.98. III.99 / Silvestri”, “ bonariensis Brh n. sp / det. Bernhauer”, “ bonariensis Brnh / Typus ”, “Chicago NHMus. / M. Bernhauer Collection”, “ Lectotype Philonthus bonariensis Bernhauer, 1909 / Des. Chani-Posse de Maus 2008” ( FMNH).

Lectotype of Philonthus weiseri ( Figs. 8 a–b), 3, with labels: “Rep. Argentina / Jujuy / C. Bruch”, “Cueva Iturbe / 3700 m 10.XI. 919 / lg. Weiser”, “ weiseri Bernh / Typus ”, “Chicago NHMus. / M. Bernhauer Collection”, “ Lectotype Philonthus weiseri Bernhauer, 1921 / Des. Chani-Posse de Maus 2008” ( FMNH). Paralectotypes: 3, Ƥ, with labels: “Rep. Argentina / Jujuy / C. Bruch”, “Cueva Iturbe / 3700 m 10.XI. 919 / lg. Weiser”, “ weiseri Bernh / Coypus”, “Chicago NHMus. / M. Bernhauer Collection”, “ Paralectotype Philonthus weiseri Bernhauer, 1921 / Des. Chani-Posse de Maus 2008” ( FMNH).

Lectotype of Philonthus catamarcanus (here designated; Figs. 9 a–b), Ƥ, with labels: “Rep. Argentina / Prov. Catamarca / 19.11.1912 / C. Bruch”, “ catamarcanus Bernh. / Typus ”, “Chicago NHMus. / Bernhauer Collection”, “ Lectotype Philonthus catamarcanus Bernhauer, 1916 / Des. Chani-Posse de Maus 2008” (FMNH). Paralectotype: Ƥ, with labels: “San Luis / 190”, “C. Bruch”, “ catamarcanus det. Bernh. / Cotypus”, “Chicago NHMus. / M. Bernhauer Collection”, “ Paralectotype Philonthus catamarcanus Bernhauer, 1916 / Des. Chani-Posse de Maus 2008” (FMNH).

Diagnosis. Philonthus bonariensis may be identified by the antennal segments 4 and 5 elongate, the last segment of labial palpi 2 times as long as the second, the abdominal tergum 10 with 5 to 6 apical setae in both sexes, the median lobe with a small tooth on the face adjacent to paramere, and the paramere elongate with 6 peg setae forming two short lateral rows at apex. For further details and illustrations see Chani-Posse (2004).

Notes. I designate the lectotype of P. bonariensis rather than assume that the examined type is the holotype, since in the original description Bernhauer (1909) gave no information about the number of specimens examined. Therefore, it is possible that this name was based on more than one specimen ( ICZN 1999, Recommendation 73F). The lectotype agrees with the original description by Bernhauer (1909).

In the original description of P. w e i s e r i there is no indication about how many specimens were included in the type series. All three specimens listed above agree with the description by Bernhauer (1921). The specimen in better conditions is hereby designated as lectotype.

In the original description of P. catamarcanus there is no indication about how many specimens were examined. Both specimens listed above agree with the description by Bernhauer (1916) who gave two different type localities for this species.

The specimen in better conditions is hereby designated as lectotype.

Comments. The types of P. bonariensis , P. w e i s e r i and P. catamarcanus ( Figs. 7 a–b, 8 a–b, 9 a–b) are all similar in external characters, and identical in characters of the male and female genitalia. All these names are here considered to be synonyms. The body size and the elytral color pattern vary in examined specimens but this variation is continuous. The elytral color pattern may range from piceous to piceous-brunneous with suture and apical margin of each elytron paler, as stated by Chani-Posse (2004) in her redescription of P. bonariensis , to one-colored elytra, brunneous to testaceo-brunneous.