Nanoptilium flammiferum

Vorst, Oscar, 2007, Ptiliola flammifera (Młynarski) reinstated as a species distinct from P. kunzei (Heer) (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae), Zootaxa 1546, pp. 63-68 : 63-64

Nanoptilium flammiferum and N. aequisetum

Młynarski (1985) described two new species in his treatment of the Polish species of Ptiliola (then Nanoptilium ). He recognized P. flammifera ( Młynarski, 1985) and P. aequiseta ( Młynarski, 1985) in addition to P. kunzei and P. b re v i c o l l i s. Judging from the original descriptions and especially the pronotal shapes figured, both species should be very close to P. k u n z e i. The species were separated from P. kunzei by the type of male metasternal pubescence, subtle differences in pronotal shape and characteristics of the apical fringe of the elytra. Some of these characters are unconventional in ptiliid taxonomy. There are no records published of those two species since.

Recently, Johnson (2003) concluded that both “species” should be considered forms and therefore synonyms of P. kunzei . His judgement was based on careful consideration of the original descriptions, which do not mention differences in the male genitalia nor spermathecae, and the observation that “male European specimens of Ptiliola kunzei seen by me have pubescence characters of aequiseta ”. Unfortunately, type specimens of both species were not accessible for study.

Recently, I got hold of several specimens of a Ptiliola species different from P. b re v i c o l l i s and P. kunzei , that matches the description of P. flammifera . Close examination revealed additional differential characters in pronotal structure and aedeagus indicating that P. flammifera should be reinstated as a proper species.

Depositories

cMS Collection M. Sörensson, Lund, Sweden

cOV Collection O. Vorst, Utrecht, The Netherlands

MHNG Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Genève, Switzerland (G. Cuccodoro) RMNH National Museum of Natural History, Naturalis, Leiden, The Netherlands (A. van Assen) WML World Museum Liverpool, United Kingdom (G. Knight)

ZMAN Zoological Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (B. Brugge)