Anthocomus (Anthocomus) coreanus Pic, 1911

Tshernyshev, Sergei E., 2021, A review of the genus Anthocomus Erichson, 1840 (Coleoptera, Cleroidea Malachiidae) species of Inner Asia, Zootaxa 4969 (3), pp. 511-525 : 516

? Anthocomus (Anthocomus) coreanus Pic, 1911

Anthocomus coreanus Pic, 1911: 107 (“ Corée ”);

Anthocomus (Anthocomus) coreanus: Mayor 2004: 89, 2007: 439 .

Remarks. The species was described from an unique specimen with no indication of sex. Since a loan of the type specimen from Paris Museum is impossible, is necessary to understand the original description in detail: “ Anthocomus coreanus n. sp. Peu allongé, un peu brillant, pubescent de gris, d’un noir plombé avec le devant de la tête, les côtés du prothorax et des élytres, le sommet de ces derniers organes testacés ou rougeâtres, membres bicolores. Antennes fortes, foncées, plus ou moins testacées à la base; prothorax presque carré, faiblement arrondi sur les côtés et bordé assez étroitement de clair; élytres un peu plus larges que le prothorax, simples au sommet, bordés latéralement de clair, plus largement vers les épaules, sauf à l’extrémité avec une petite macule apicale et suturale rougeâtre; pattes presque entièrement-foncées, ainsi que le dessous du corps. Long. près de 4 mill. Corée (coll. Pic)” ( Pic 1903: 106). This text can be interpreted as follows: “Head, pronotum and elytra leady-black lacking metallic luster, distal part of head, sides of pronotum and elytra and palps in part pale yellow, yellow margin of elytra widened near the base of elytra, elytral apices with red spot near suture; pronotum subquadrate with rounded lateral sides, antennae wide and dark, with yellow base; elytra slightly wider than pronotum, simple, not impressed or appendiculate at apices; legs almost completely dark, underside dark, length 4 mm. Corea (coll. Pic)”.

This description presents a remarkable species, the characters of which to not fit those of the genus reviewed here. Wide antennae (Antennes fortes) show that this is probably a male; if so, another character, simple apices of elytra provide further evidence that this is not Antocomus Erichson. The yellow colour of the sides of the pronotum and elytra in combination with a lead-black colouration are comparable with Haplomalachius (Flabellomalachius) forticornis Wittmer, 1984 and Haplomalachius (Flabellomalachius) ishiharai Satô, Wittmer, 1989 subspecies H. (F.) ishiharai kasantsevi Wittmer, 1996 , but the synonymy of these species can only be proposed after a comparison with type material. Nevertheless, in view of the facts discussed above, this species temporary remains in the key to Anthocomus Erichson of Asia as questionable.

Distribution. To date, this species is only known from the description with an ambiguous locality name “ Corea “ as terra typica.