Aplocnemus (Aplocnemus) cribrarius ( Brullé, 1832 ), GR

Liberti, Gianfranco, 2019, The Aplocnemus Stephens, 1830, of Greece (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Dasytidae). A contribution to their knowledge, Natural History Sciences 6 (1), pp. 3-26 : 16-17

Aplocnemus (Aplocnemus) cribrarius ( Brullé, 1832)

(Figs. 12, 34, 35)

Dasytes cribrarius Brullé, 1832: 151 , pl. 37 fig.2, loc. typ. Peloponnesus (?); Kiesenwetter, 1859: 174; Heyden et al., 1906: 308 [Haplocnemus]; Winkler, 1925: 546; Pic, 1937: 33; Peacock, 1987: 154 [ Aplocnemus ]; Mayor, 2007: 410.

Types - The types of this species have not been found at MNHNP. Brullé described his Dasytes cribrarius on specimen(s) from the collection Laporte de Castelnau, part of which is now at the Melbourne Museum, but no types have been found there either (S. Hinkley, Melbourne Museum, private communication February 8 th, 2010). For the time being, the types of this species should be considered lost. Also the typical locality might be doubtful because the Brullé species – when not collected by the “Expédition scientifique de la Morée” people – might come from elsewhere .

Brullé (1832) supplies a rather detailed description of Dasytes cribrarius , comparing it with the related, very similar D. caelatus : the descriptions are indeed similar and Kiesenwetter (1859: 174) even advanced the possible synonymy between them. On the other hand, in the catalogue of Heyden, Reitter & Wise (1906: 308) the name cribrarius is listed as a variety of Aplocnemus cylindricus , as well as in the Winkler (1925: 546) catalogue where this conjecture is accepted (here listed as aberration).

But these Authors could not know that, in the Peloponnese, actually two similar species can be found: the above reported A. (A.) caelatus and the species here discussed and deemed to be the true A. (A.) cribriarius Brullé. This species rather well corresponds to Brullé’s description, as detailed in Table 2 .

The only disagreement between Brullé description and actual species is in the tarsi colour (which is a rather variable character in genus Aplocnemus ) but the agreement of the other five characters can be considered reasonably good. After all, proposing this species as the true Dasytes cribrarius Brullé might be regarded as sufficiently safe, at least until the type (s) will, if ever, be found.

Description - This is the smallest species in the “ reitteri group”, whose common description is reported above, under “Systematics”. Entirely black without reflections; legs and antennae black although, in one specimen, legs are dark brown to blackish. Antennae thick and rather long; articles 4-8 triangular and slightly trasverse, convex at inner side but article 8 very feebly S-shaped in some specimens; articles 4, 5 shorter and narrower than 6-9; article 3 triangular elongate but of variable size: either nearly as wide as, or clearly narrower than, 4. Pronotum lateral sides granulose. Elytral apical angle rather well defined, obtuse (but a variable character). Penultimate sternite straight to slightly emarginated on rear border; last sternite median process underdeveloped or very short.

Dimensions in mm. TL: ♂♂ 4.3-4.9; ♀♀ 4.2-4.9.

♂♂. TL = 4.60±0.29, PL = 0.94±0.10, EL = 3.18±0.27, PW = 1.66±0.49, EW = 1.72±0.13.

♀♀. TL = 5.06±0.75, PL = 1.00±0.14, EL = 3.52±0.52, PW = 1.60±0.23, EW = 2.00±0.31.

Distribution and comments - An apparently rare species, only known from a few localities in southern and central Greece. Collected by grasssweeping.

Materials studied

Greece Fokida prov. : Amfissa (Saltini, 2014, CSl); Delphi (Frisch, 1987, ZMB). Viotia prov.: Sarandavli (Angelini, 2005, CAn, CLi). Ahaïa prov.: Diakoftò (Liberti, 1998, CLi); Kalanistra (Liberti, 1998, CLi & CCo).