Chryasus densus (Casey) Prena, 2024

Prena, Jens, 2024, Consolidation of Aniops Casey, Psiona Casey, Preglyptobaris Bondar and Prospoliata Hustache with Chryasus Champion (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Baridinae) and descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 5492 (1), pp. 1-24 : 16-18

15. Chryasus densus (Casey) , new combination

(Figs. available at https://collections.nmnh.si.edu)

Psiona densa Casey (1922: 321 , description), Davis (2011: 153, character matrix).

Psiona opaca Casey (1922: 321 , description); new synonymy.

Diagnosis. Chryasus densus is an elongate, 2.4–2.8 mm long species with a coarsely, somewhat confluently punctate pronotum as in C. cavernosus , but lacks a deeply punctate pronotal collar.

Material examined. BRAZIL. Mato Grosso: Chapada dos Guimarães, 1882–1886, H.H. & A. Smith, syntypes of P. densa ( USNM 4), holotype of P. opaca (USNM) .

Notes. Psiona opaca is a small female of P. densa , not a distinct species. All five specimens known to me were collected by Herbert H. Smith and his wife while on contract with the Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. Smith violated the contract by illegally exporting more than 300,000 arthropod specimens to the United States and subsequently selling them to the Carnegie Museum and numerous private collectors ( Kunzler et al. 2011), among them Casey. Holland (1919) seems to have been under the impression that he and his museum had acquired Smith’s permitted share of duplicate specimens, which was the case for everything else but not for the arthropods. None of the latter material was ever returned and, without question, this issue has contributed to the present strict export policy by Brazilian authorities.