Paratillus carus ( NEWMAN , 1840)

Opitz, Weston, G, Paratillus & B, Tarsostenodes, 2016, Classification, natural history, and evolution of Tarsosteninae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea: Cleridae). Part IV. Taxonomy of the Tarsostenodes complex of Australia, New Caledonia, New Guinea, and Tasmania, Linzer biologische Beiträge 48 (1), pp. 587-636 : 600-601

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5417172
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1DAECF4D-BF16-4E97-AC0C-D2EF2CFEED57
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6492372
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/8C1387F2-034D-9C23-37D9-4646A02118B4
treatment provided by	Marcus
scientific name	Paratillus carus ( NEWMAN , 1840)
status

Treatment

Paratillus carus ( NEWMAN, 1840) ( Figs 2 View Figs 2-21 , 22 View Figs 22-40 , 45, 47, 49 View Figs 44-49 , 53 View Figs 51-54 )

Clerus carus NEWMAN, 1840: 15 . Lectotype. Gender not known. Herein designated. New Holland ( Australia), near Adelaide, Davis (BMNH). Newman did not indicate in his description whether his nominal species is based on more than one specimen. Therefore, I invoke Recommendation 73F of the ICZN (1999) and designate a lectotype for this nominal species. There is ample historical literature cited in CORPORAAL, 1950: 304. More recently, this species was mentioned by MCKEOWN, 1952: 371, GERSTMEIER 1998: 197, KOLIBÁČ, 2003: 50, and OPITZ, 2012: 33. Paralectotypes: Two. Australia, Adelaide (BMNH).

D i a g n o s i s Paratillus carus specimens may be distinguished from the superficially similar specimens of P. atali OPITZ , new species, by not showing a white setal tuft on the basal 1/4 th of the elytral sutural margin.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Size: Length 5.5 mm; width 1.8 mm. Form: As in Fig. 53 View Figs 51-54 . Integument: Forebody red, elytra basal 3/4 th dark brown, apical 1/4 th testaceous, disc with a white transverse fascia that reaches sutural margin, pterothorax and legs dark brown, abdomen red-brown. Head: Cranium coarsely punctate, frons much wider than width of eye ( Fig. 45 View Figs 44-49 ) (FW/EW-50/10); antennal funicular antennomeres subfiliform, 9 th and 10 th antennomeres triagonal, 11 th oval ( Fig. 2 View Figs 2-21 ). Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 49 View Figs 44-49 ) coarsely punctate at sides, sparsely punctate at middle, with glabrous streaks at center of disc, without lateral tubercle ( Fig. 22 View Figs 22-40 ) (PL/PW-87/70); elytral disc with prominent asetiferous punctation that extend just beyond white transverse fascia, elytral preapical region subglabrous, (EL/EW- 215/52). Abdomen: Male pygidium not incised at middle of anterior margin; phallobase slightly sclerotized ventrally, lobes very small, phallobasic rod bifid distally, phallobasic struts contiguous with phallobasic apodeme, phallic apex digitiform, phallic plates narrow, spicular apodemes fused at extremity ( Fig. 73 View Figs 71-82 ).

V a r i a t i o n: Size: Length 4.5-8.0 mm; width 1.0- 1.8 mm. The cranium and anterior margin of the pronotum may be black. The elytral disc may be predominantly red or black; if mostly black it shows a blue tinge.

N a t u r a l H i s t o r y: This species is known for its predatory habits on lignicolous insects, particularly on the larvae of powder-post beetles. For example, it is known to prey on Lyctus brunneus (STEPHAN) in California live oak. Also, Paratillus carus has been reared from the galls of coccids, and was found under the bark of Eucalyptus saligna SM (Myrtaceae) .

D i s t r i b u t i o n:Cosmopolitan.