Graphipterus valdanii Guerin-Meneville , 1859: 534, stat. rest.

Renan, Ittai, Assmann, Thorsten & Freidberg, Amnon, 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Graphipterusserrator (Forskal) group (Coleoptera, Carabidae): an increase from five to 15 valid species, ZooKeys 753, pp. 23-82 : 62-66

Graphipterus valdanii Guerin-Meneville, 1859: 534, stat. rest. Figs 3a, 17, 28a

Types.

Neotype. ♂ (White label, black handwritten): <Bou saada/ Oherthur R.>. (ae). Deposited in NHMB, General collection. (Red label, black typewritten): <Neotypus Graphipterus valdanii Guérin-Méneville, 1859/ des. I. Renan, 2018>.

Neoparatypes . NHMB (General collection): Baniou, Vibert L. (♂,♀); Bou saada, 1875, Oberthur R. (2♂); Bou saada, Oberthur R. (♂); Bou saada, Dr Martin (♂). (Negre collection): Algeria (♂); Bou Saada (♂); Bou Saada, Dr Martin (♀); BMNH: Bou-Saada, 1875, Oberthur R. (2♂). MRAC: Bou Saada, P. Basilewsky (♂); Bou saada, Dr Martin (♂). DEI: Bou Saada, O. Leonhard / Dr Martin (♂); ZMUC: Bou Saada, 28.4.1927 (♀); (uc) (♂);

Diagnosis.

Large species with 10-16 white round spots on elytra; anterior and posterior discal spots larger than other spots; four white marginal extensions, oval elytra, extension I triangular. Median lobe of aedeagus with bent tip.

Comparisons.

Graphipterus valdanii resembles G. serrator (see comparisons in G. serrator ) and G. heydeni (see comparisons in G. heydeni ).

Description.

BL male: 14.8-19.0 mm, average 17.1 ± 1.7 mm; BL female: 18.6-20.5 mm, average 18.6 ± 1.9 mm.

Head slender; HW/PW: 0.71; EYL: 1.4-1.8 mm; EYL/EL: 0.15. Mentum with mentum with two teeth as margin between them slightly convex in middle (Fig. 3c). Frontal ridge slightly developed. In male, apical white frons stripes slenderer than exposed frons (Fig. 4a).

Pronotum cordiform; PL/PW: 0.64; BPW/PW: 0.7; posteromedially concave and without white margin; white lateral margin as wide as antennomere I long.

Elytra oval, relatively elongated, humeri rounded; EL: 8.1-12 mm, average 10.6 mm; EW: 6.5-9.1 mm, average 8.0 mm; EL/EW: 1.3. Lateral cross section convex. Dense black scales, disc not seen between scales (Fig. 6a). White lateral margin as wide as half antennomere I long and with four extensions; extension I triangular with rounded angels, much wider than lateral margin, but shorter than extensionII; the latter one elongated, positioned at second third of elytra. Apical sinuation strongly sinuated, apex strongly protruded, forming almost a rectangular. White posterior margin evenly rounded, not becoming narrower towards the suture; gap at suture wider than lateral margin. Disc with (10-) 14 (-16) spots; anterior pair of spots rounded to slightly elongate, much smaller than extension I; anterior and posterior pair of spots round, larger than other spots; small additional spots located medially to extension II and laterally to posterior spots. Apical sinuation strongly developed, apex protruded, almost rectangular, only slightly rounded at most distant tip (Fig. 7a). Suture inconspicuous.

Legs long; MTIL: 4.9-7.0 mm, average 6.3 mm; El/MTIL: 1.7. Metatibial secondary spur dark. MTAL: 5.4-6.9 mm, average 6.0 mm; MTAL/MTIL: 0.72. Claws of hind legs brown at base.

Median lobe of aedeagus with bent tip (Fig. 9p).

Habitat.

Unknown.

Co-occurring species.

Graphipterus valdanii lives in sympatry with G. peletieri , G. luctuosus , G. rotundatus , and G. stagonopsis in Algeria.

Distribution.

The arid and semi-arid regions of north-east Algeria from Ghardaia, to Bou-Saada and Tebessa (Fig. 17).

Conservation.

Unknown.

Comments.

Guérin-Méneville described G. valdanii as a new species in 1859. Chaudoir (1870: 296), having seen the types that had been collected in Algeria and compared them with G. serrator from Egypt, contending that they differed in elytral shape and were a local variation of G. serrator .

The type of valdanii is lost. Our attempts to find any specimen from the typical series in several museums (incl. NHMB) was unsuccessful, as Guèrin's collection was sold and his material appears to be unavailable (Thierry Deuve pers. comm.). Chaudoir (1870) used G. valdanii , but Guérin-Méneville introduced the species as G. valdani (sic). Since then, Chaudoir’s spelling has appeared in most of the literature that deals with this species.