Reichardtiolus sphingis Peyerimhoff, 1936

Lackner, Tomas, 2014, Revision of the genus Reichardtiolus Kryzhanovskij, 1959 (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Saprininae), ZooKeys 379, pp. 1-27 : 8-9

Reichardtiolus sphingis Peyerimhoff, 1936 comb. n. Figs 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 24-33

Saprinus sphingis Peyerimhoff, 1936: 221; Mazur 1984: 64; Mazur 1997: 232; Mazur 2004: 101; Mazur 2011: 188.

Type locality.

Egypt, Sakkara.

Material examined.

Egypt: 1 ♀, Gebel Asfar, 2.iv.1935, coll. Alfieri Egypt (FMNH). Jordan: 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀ & 9 specs., 60 km N El Mudawwara, 1000 m, 29°20'N, 35°32'E, 5.iv.1994, Bečvář J. & S. lgt. (TLAN); 1 ♂, ibid, but CAT; 1 ♂, ibid, but CND; 10 ♀♀, ibid, but MSNG, 1 ♂ & 1♀, ibid, but CYG.

Diagnostic description.

Body size: PEL: 2.80-3.25 mm; APW: 0.90-1.10 mm; PPW: 2.00-2.40 mm; EW: 2.25-2.65 mm; EL: 1.75-2.10 mm. Body as in Reichardtiolus duriculus , pronotum darker than elytra; legs, antennae and mouthparts rufous; antennae as in Reichardtiolus duriculus . Mouthparts as in Reichardtiolus duriculus , but mentum on its anterior margin with deeper emargination (compare Figs 4 and 5). Clypeus and frons similar to Reichardtiolus duriculus (compare Figs 2 and 3), but punctuation coarser and denser. Structure of pronotum and elytra similar to those of Reichardtiolus duriculus ; punctuation of elytral disk somewhat sparser than that of Reichardtiolus duriculus . Propygydium and pygydium more coarsely punctate than those of Reichardtiolus duriculus , otherwise similar to it (compare Figs 12 and 13). Prosternum similar to that of Reichardtiolus duriculus , but more densely punctate (compare Figs 10 and 11). Mesoventrite similar to that of Reichardtiolus duriculus , but marginal mesoventral stria of Reichardtiolus sphingis anteriorly interrupted medially and rather straight (compare Figs 6 and 7). Metaventrite similar to that of Reichardtiolus duriculus , but lateral disk of metaventrite and metepisternum more coarsely punctate than those of Reichardtiolus duriculus (compare Figs 8 and 9). Abdominal ventrites similar to those of Reichardtiolus duriculus . Legs similar to those of Reichardtiolus duriculus , but teeth of protibia of Reichardtiolus sphingis more blunt than those of Reichardtiolus duriculus and denticles of meso- and metatibia of Reichardtiolus sphingis shorter, thinner and more blunt than those of Reichardtiolus duriculus . Male genitalia: 8th sternite (Figs 24-25) well sclerotized, apically with small setose velum covered with pores; 8th tergite (Fig. 25) apically widely emarginated medially, covered with pores and pseudopores. 9th tergite (Fig. 26) strongly sclerotized laterally, anterior half with pores and pseudopores, laterally with projection (Fig. 27); basal margin of 10th tergite inwardly arcuate (Fig. 26). Spiculum gastrale (Fig. 29) on anterior end strongly sclerotized on both tips; posterior end almost straight. Aedeagus of Reichardtiolus sphingis similar to that of Reichardtiolus perses (compare Figs 32-33 and 60-61); aedeagal apex of Reichardtiolus perses blunt, whereas pointed in Reichardtiolus sphingis (compare Figs 31 and 58).

Differential diagnosis.

Reichardtiolus sphingis is best separated from Reichardtiolus pavlovskii by the same characters as Reichardtiolus duriculus ; for the differences among rest of the congeners the reader is referred to the key to species.

Biology.

According to Mr. S. Bečvář (pers. comm.) the series of this species from Jordan (El Mudawwara) was found under the grass at the foot of a small sand dune.

Distribution.

Egypt, surroundings of Cairo; south Jordan, 60 km N El Mudawwara (Fig. 72).

Remarks.

Peyerimhoff (1936) based his description of Saprinus sphingis on a single female, collected on 12 January 1933 in Sakkara, which is in northern Egypt ( Peyerimhoff’s original description mentions “Basse-Egypte”), vicinity of Cairo. The type specimen was, according to Peyerimhoff’s description deposited in Alfieri’s collection. Although this collection has been (partly?) acquired by FMNH, the only specimen of Saprinus sphingis found there did not bear the locality labels corresponding with those of the Peyerimhoff’s type specimen. Therefore this specimen cannot be designated as the Lectotype and the type specimen of Saprinus sphingis remains undiscovered. However, the specimen treated here was most likely identified by Peyerimhoff as Saprinus sphingis and completely agrees with Peyerimhoff’s description. It has been collected near Jebel Asfar, which is north of Cairo. This locality is not far from Sakkara, which is south of Cairo. The specimens collected in southern Jordan by Mrs. J. & S. Bečvář ( České Budějovice, Czech Republic) are virtually identical to the specimen from Egypt. Because the only known specimen of Reichardtiolus sphingis from Egypt is a female, the genitalia depicted in this work belong to one of the Jordanian specimens.