Hister latobius Marseul, 1854

Mazur, Sławomir, 2007, Notes on some species described in the genus Hister L. (Coleoptera: Histeridae). III, Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 7 (2), pp. 149-156 : 152-154

Hister latobius Marseul, 1854 and its synonymies

Marseul (1854: 174, 177) placed it originally into the “2nd Division” (Labre entire ou trilobé) in opposition to the “1st Division” (Labre large, excavé, echancré). Nevertheless, Lewis (1904: 145) transferred this species to his newly created genus Macrolister (= Pactolinus Motschulsky ) as “…having … a labrum transverse and emarginate” and this treatment was followed by other coleopterologists, including Bickhardt (1919: 48). It was the author ( Mazur, 2004: 166) redefining the genus Pactolinus transferred it again to Hister L.

G. Lewis described another two species closely related to H. latobius : H. colensoi Lewis, 1897 and Macrolister striatisternus Lewis, 1905 [transferred to Hister L. by the author ( Mazur, 2004: 166)]. All these three species may be characterized by a triangularly concave labrum (the reason for which Lewis classified them among Macrolister ) and by a presence of three complete dorsal striae. The other characters being used to separate these species are variable and inconstant: presence or absence sutural stria, bistriate prosternum or density of pygidial punctation.

The detailed examination showed, however, that all these species represented at most various populations of the same species, especially the genital structure of the male (Figs. 13 - 17) being identical.

It fully gives a reason that H. latobius , H. colensoi and H. striatisternus are the same species. The Figs. 13 - 26. 13-17. Hister latobius , 18-21. H. lentulus , 22-26. H. opacus , 13-15, 18-20, 22-24 - edeagus, 13, 19, 22 - ventrally, 15, 18, 24 - dorsally, 14, 20, 23 - laterally, 16, 21, 25 - 8th segment, 17, 26 - 9th and 10th tergites.

degree of intensity and size of pygidial punctation as well as the presence or absence of sutural stria are normal individual variability.

Summarizing, we can say that Hister latobius comprises various populations called, among others, “latobius ”, “colensoi ” and “striatisternus ” with full transition from complete to strongly reduced or absent sutural and prosternal striae and from coarsely punctured to nearly smooth pygidial segments.

The list of synonymies of Hister latobius is, therefore, as follows:

Hister latobius Marseul, 1854

Hister colensoi Lewis, 1897 - syn. nov Hister striatisternus (Lewis, 1905) - syn. nov.