Blennidus (Agraphoderus) nigritulus ( Straneo, 1993 )

Allegro, Gianni & Giachino, Pier Mauro, 2015, Annotated checklist of the Blennidus subgenus Agraphoderus species from Peru with description of B. bombonensis n. sp. and synonymic notes (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Pterostichinae), Zootaxa 4000 (1), pp. 1-48 : 13

Blennidus (Agraphoderus) nigritulus ( Straneo, 1993)

( Figs. 32 , 70 , 106 )

Ogmopleura nigritula Straneo, 1993: 383

Blennidus nigritulus ( Straneo, 1993) : Lorenz, 2005a: 263 Blennidus nigritulus ( Straneo, 1993) : Lorenz, 2005b: 681 Blennidus nigritulus ( Straneo, 1993) : Giachino & Allegro, 2011: 23

Type locality. The ♂ HT is labelled, in Straneo’s own hand, “loc. 14”, which likely means, by analogy with all other specimens of TS and according to Straneo (1993), “ Perou, 30 km S Cerro de Pasco, 4150 m ”.

Examined material. HT ♂ (CMa at MRSN); 4 PTT ♂ and 3 PTT ♀ (CMa, CSt); 1 ♂ (CMa). One PT ♂ in CMa actually belongs to B. curtatus . One specimen of B. nigritulus is included in the TS of angularis Straneo, 1985 (= B. rectangulus syn. nov.) (CMa) and 6 others in the TS of B. rectangulus ( Straneo, 1993) (CMa, CSt).

Note. This species is mainly distinguished by the distinctive morphology of aedeagus, as it is very similar in external morphology to a few species from central Peru ( B. rectangulus , B. euphaenops , B. vereshaginae , etc.). An aedeagus of B. nigritulus is attached on separate cards by two specimens of B. inca (CMa, CSt), due to an evident label inversion.

Distribution. All the recorded specimens are from the same area (30 Km South of Cerro de Pasco), which is probably a border area between Depts. Pasco and Junin.

Habitat. The altitude data reported on the labels (4,150 m a.s.l.) suggest a preference of this species for the Andean grassland.

Figures

FIGURES 32 – 35. Habitus of Blennidus: nigritulus male HT (32); olivaceus male HT (33); orbicollis male PT (34); pachycerus male HT (35).

FIGURES 66 – 73. Pronotum of Blennidus: longiloba male HT (66); mateui male HT (67); mesotibialis male HT (68); negrei male HT (69); nigritulus male HT (70); olivaceus male HT (71); orbicollis male PT (72); pachycerus male HT (73).

FIGURES 106 – 111. Aedeagus (left lateral and dorsal aspects) of Blennidus: nigritulus HT (106); olivaceus HT (107); orbicollis PT (108); pachycerus HT (109); pascoensis HT (110); phaenogonus LT (111).