Dactylophysus tibialis ( Candèze, 1859 )

Rosa, Simone Policena, 2014, Phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Physodactylinae (Coleoptera, Elateridae), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (São Paulo) 54 (18), pp. 217-292 : 251

Dactylophysus tibialis ( Candèze, 1859)

( Figs. 15 , 34O )

Heterocrepidius tibialis Candèze, 1859: 34 , 39. Dactylophysus tibialis ; Fleutiaux, 1892: 409, 410;

Schwarz, 1906: 311; Blackwelder, 1944: 292;

Golbach, 1994: 40. Dicrepidius proximus Dejean, 1833 (nomen nudum).

Redescription (male): Integument evenly brown or dark brown with elytra and antenna brown. Total length 12.0-13.0 mm; elytral base 1.x as wide as prothorax, elytra 3.0-3.3x longer than pronotum. Frons ( Fig. 15B ) concave, antenna reaching the posterior angle of pronotum at base. Pronotum ( Fig. 15C ) 1.2-1.3x wider than long, lateral margins parallel on posterior half then straight convergent to anterior margin, posterior angles parallel; anterior angle produced anteriad; hypomeron glabrous on posterior 1/5. Lamellae of pro- and mesotarsomeres I 1/3 short- er and 1/2 narrower than the others, metatarsomere I with a minuscule lamella. Elytra parallel on anterior 2/3-3/4 then tapering to apex; punctures of striae as larger as those of the interstices.

Aedeagus ( Figs. 15I, J ): Phallobase 0.41x the total length of aedeagus, 1.22x longer than wide, length ratio between lateroposterior and median parts 22; paramere with ventral surface laterally sclerotized, median border membranous; anteromedian margin acute and produced anteriad, penis with basal strut 0.29x its total length; ventral sclerite parallel sided, long; internal sac without microsclerotizations.

Holotype: [Elater Dicrepidius , proximus nihi, h. in Brasilia D. Lacordaire], [ mendax var. nubis ], [ M. tibialis ], [Coll. Janson. ex Dejean.], [Type], [SYN-, TYPE], [Type], [Syntype, Heterocrepidius tibialis Cand. 1859 , C.M.F. von Hayek, det. 1985], male (BMNH).

Material examined: BRAZIL. 2 males, 1 female ( MNHN) ; 1 female ( MNHN) .

Distribution: BRAZIL.

Remarks: Fleutiaux (1892) transferred Heterocrepidius tibialis to Dactylophysus based on a male probably identified by Chevrolat (in litt.). This specimen is very similar to the holotype of this species, with which shares the following combination of characters: antenna reaching the posterior angles of prothorax, prothorax with sides parallel on posterior half then convergent anteriorly, elytral interstices with punctures as large as those of the elytral striae.

The female specimen assigned to this species by Fleutiaux differs from the male in several characters. It has antennae shorter, smaller eyes, body convex and wings shorter, differences usually assigned as sexual dimorphism in elaterids. However, this female also differs in its mandible bidentate, antenna covered by longer and erect setae, general punctation smaller and sparser, pronotal hind angle wider and carinate, lateral pronotal carina weaker impressed anteriorly and not reaching the anterior margin, legs slender, tarsal lamellae absent and epipleura abruptly widened at apex (as in males of Heterocrepidius gilvellus ). Those significant differences and the uninformative labels of the female specimen do not corroborate the Fleutiaux’s assumption. Therefore, I conclude that this specimen is probably not the female of D. tibialis and that it remains unknown. There is no other female accurately assigned to Dactylophysus and Heterocrepidius species.

Figures

FIGURE 15: Dactylophysus tibialis. A, antenna; B, head (dorsal); C, pronotum; D, hypomeron; E, sternite VIII; F, tergite VIII; G, tergites IX and X; H, sternite IX; I, J, aedeagus (dorsal, ventral). Abbreviations: lbs: length of basal strut, lp: length of penis, lph: length of phallobase.

FIGURE 34: Habitus. A, Margogastrius schneideri (13.0 mm); B, Teslasena femoralis (9.0 mm); C, T. foucarti (9.5 mm); D, Idiotropia henoni (4.5 mm); E, Oligostethius capensis (10 mm); F,Toxognathus bakeri (6.0 mm); G, T. beauchenei (9.0 mm); H, T. coomani (6.5 mm); I, T. costulatus (11.0 mm); J, T. doherty (8.0 mm); K, T. fairmairei (7.5 mm); L, T. mouhoti (5.0 mm); M, Dactylophysus hirtus sp. nov. (10.5 mm); N, D. capixabensis nom. nov. (9.0 mm); O, D. tibialis (12.0 mm); P,Heterocrepidius mendax (9.0 mm); Q, Physodactylus asper sp. nov. (9.5 mm); R, P. besckei (11.0 mm). A, D = lectotypes; E-G, I, J, L, M, P, Q = holotypes.