Ammoecius lusitanicus ERICHSON, 1848

DellacaSa, M. & DellacaSa, G., 2002, Systematic Redefinition Of Taxa Belonging To The Genera Ahermodontus Báguena, 1930 And Ammoecius Mulsant, 1842, With Description Of The New Genus Vladimirellus (Coleoptera: Aphodiidae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 48 (4), pp. 269-316 : 304-305

Ammoecius lusitanicus ERICHSON, 1848

( Figs 57–60 , 83 )

Ammoecius lusitanicus ERICHSON, 1848: 908 ; HAROLD 1871: 13.

Aphodius (Ammoecius) lusitanicus : REITTER 1892: 184; d’ORBIGNY 1896: 206; SCHMIDT 1913: 125; SCHMIDT 1922:68; BALTHASAR 1964:81; BARAUD 1971:69; DELLACASA M.1988:156.

Type locality: Portugal .

Type depository: Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt Universität, Berlin .

Description – Length 4.5–5.0 mm. Oblong, moderately convex, shiny, glabrous ( Fig. 83 ). Blackish, elytra dark brownish; clypeal margin brown-reddish; legs brown-reddish with tarsi paler; antennal club testaceous. Head with epistoma strongly gibbous, finely, rather densely and subregularly punctured on disc; punctation somewhat larger and irregular laterally, subrugose in front of distinctanteriortransversecarina.Clypeuswidelysinuateatmiddle,obtuselyroundedatsides,thinly bordered, border feebly upturned anteriorly; genae angulose, shortly ciliate, distinctly protruding more than eyes; frontal suture finely impressed, somewhat gibbous at middle; frons finely, distinctly and subregularly punctured; epipharynx: Fig. 57 ; apex of corypha: Fig. 58 . Pronotum transverse, moderately convex, doubly punctured; large punctures sparser on disc, somewhat denser on sides, fine punctures subregularly sparse throughout; anterior margin finely bordered; sides almost rounded, thinly bordered; hind angles obtusely rounded; base faintly bisinuate, rather thinly bordered. Scutellum regularly triangular, somewhat sunken, basally almost imperceptibly punctured. Elytra moderately convex, slightly broadened posteriorly; epipleural carina almost faint at shoulder; striae rather deep, superficially punctured, faintly crenulate; interstices flat on disc, slightly convex on preapical declivity, almost imperceptibly punctured. Hind tibiae with superior apical spur longer thanfirsttarsalsegment;lattersomewhatshorterthanfollowingthreecombined.Male:pronotumrelatively more transverse, with large punctures sparser on disc; middle tibiae with inferior apical spur very short, stout, obliquely truncate apically; metasternal plate deeply excavate; aedeagus: Figs 59–60 . Female: pronotum relatively less transverse, with large punctures denser on disc; middle tibiae with inferior apical spur regularly elongate and acuminate apically; metasternal plate slightly concave.

Distribution: Portugal, Spain, Morocco?, Algeria?

Figures

Figs 53–64. Epipharynx (53, 57, 61), apex of corypha (lateral view) (54, 58, 62) and aedeagus (dorsal and lateral view) (55–56, 59–60, 63–64) of: 53–56 = Ammoecius rugifrons AUBÉ, 1850, 57–60 = A.

Figs 81–84. Habitus of: 81 = Ammoecius brevis ERICHSON, 1848 (male, length 4.0 mm, Italy: Piedmont, Ghislarengo), 82 = A. frigidus BRISOUT, 1866 (male, length 5.0 mm, Portugal: Castelo Branco, Covilhã, Beida Baixa), 83 = A. lusitanicus ERICHSON, 1848 (male, length 5.0 mm, Spain: Cadiz, Sierra de Aljibe), 84 = A. rugifrons AUBÉ, 1850 (male, length 4.5 mm, Algeria: Mechroha)