Paragonocnemis (Borneogonocnemis) ardoini Bremer, 1991

Bremer, Hans J. & Grimm, Roland, 2017, The species of Gonocnemis and Paragonocnemis from Borneo with notes on synonymy in the Oriental species (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 57 (2), pp. 331-343 : 340-341

Paragonocnemis (Borneogonocnemis) ardoini Bremer, 1991

(Figs 6a, 6b)

Paragonocnemis (Borneogonocnemis) ardoini Bremer, 1991: 151–153 (original description).

Paragonocnemis (Borneogonocnemis) velutinus Bremer, 1998: 54–56 (original description), syn. nov.

Type material examined. Paragonocnemis (Borneogonocnemis) velutinus : HOLOTYPE: Borneo : Sarawak, Belaga, Long Linau, 17.–21.iii.1990, A. Riedel leg. ( SMNS).

Additional material examined. MALAYSIA: SARAWAK: Santubong Peninsula, Permai Rainforest Resort, 10–200 m, 11.–14.ix.2008, 2 spec. (at light), 30–150 m, 10.–14.ii.2012, 1 spec. (at light), 15.–21.iv.2016, 1 spec., R. Grimm leg.(3 RGCN, 1 ZSM). INDONESIA: EAST KALIMANTAN: Ca. 55 km W Balikpapan,PT Fajar Surya Swadaya [area], base camp surrounded with Acacia plantation, 01°16.4′S, 116°21.1′E, 82 m, 23.xi.–1.xii.2011, 1 spec., (individual collecting on vegetation, dead wood and in puddles & light trap), P. Votruba, J. Schneider & J. Hájek leg. ( NMPC).

Diagnostic description. Body length 2.82–3.35 mm. Body width 1.30–1.71 mm. Ratios: Pronotum length / width 0.88-0.96. Elytra length / width 1.48–1.63; length elytra / length pronotum 2.63-2.89.

Paragonocnemis ardoini presents yellow to light brown ground color on upper side and underside; on each elytron there is dark, transverse macula which does not cover median two and lateral three intervals. Inner and outer sides of mesotibiae are mostly markedly bent, in some specimens from Thailand only outer side of mesotibiae is bent while inner side is straight. Antennae reach end of basal 1/4 of elytra.

Remarks. This species has a wide distribution, ranging from north and central Thailand over Sumatra to Borneo (the type series of P. ardoini is from central Thailand, the description of P. velutinus is based on a single specimen from Borneo, the holotype). Most specimens formerly identified as P. ardoini are smaller (body length 2.82–3.11 mm) than the specimens determined as P. velutinus later on. In the original description of P. velutinus it was stated that in addition to the larger size the mesotibiae are more bent than in P. ardoini , and the antennomere XI is allusively longer in P. ardoini . After seeing more specimens from Borneo, but also from Thailand and Sumatra, we are no longer convinced that P. velutinus is really different from P. ardoini . Most specimens of P. ardoini from Thailand are indeed smaller than those from Borneo (specimens from Sumatra are mostly in between); however, the other characters are not so obviously different that one may assign specimens to one or the other taxon. Therefore, we can no longer state with certainty that P. ardoini and P. velutinus are different species, and we therefore decide to synonymize both species.