Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) reichei Waterhouse 1890

Deschodt, Christian M., Davis, Adrian L. V. & Scholtz, Clarke H., 2015, Status changes, new synonymies, key and descriptions of seven new species in the subgenus Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) Balthasar 1965 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Zootaxa 3931 (4), pp. 505-527 : 507

Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) reichei Waterhouse 1890 stat. rev.

Gillet (1911) synonymized Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) reichei Waterhouse 1890 with Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) canaliculatus Fairmaire 1888 . Subsequently, this decision was followed by Janssens (1940), Zur Strassen (1967), Ferreira (1972) and Zidek & Pokorny (2004). However, photographs of the type specimen of S. (S.) canaliculatus ( Fig. 2 ) show strongly convex interstriae, tan pilosity and yellow antennae that are comparable to specimens recently collected in southern Namibia whose distribution ( Fig. 7 ) coincides with the “Namaqua” type locality of S. (S.) canaliculatus ( Fairmaire 1888) [interpreted as Great Namaqualand or the Karas Region in Namibia]. The photographs of S. (S.) canaliculatus differ to those of the type specimen of S. (S.) reichei ( Fig. 2 ) that show flat interstriae, dark pilosity and dark antennae comparable to many specimens recorded from the west coast of South Africa whose distribution ( Fig. 7 ) coincides with the “Cape of Good Hope” type locality of S. (S.) reichei ( Waterhouse 1890) . The photographs also differ from many specimens recorded from the interior of southern Africa that show strongly convex interstriae, dark pilosity and dark antennae, whose distribution ( Fig. 7 ) coincides with the “Afric. austral. inter.” [Interior of Southern Africa] type locality of Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) fritschi ( Harold, 1868) (type not located). Thus, Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) reichei Waterhouse 1890 is removed from synonymy with Scarabaeus (Scarabaeolus) canaliculatus Fairmaire 1888 and is reinstated as a valid species.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal and ventral views of S. (S.) canaliculatus with associated labels and dorsal and lateral views of S. (S.) reichei with associated labels.

FIGURE 7. Map showing the collecting localities of specimens of (⋅) S. (S.) canaliculatus, (•) S. (S.) fritschi and (˔) S. (S.) reichei in SANC, TMSA and UPSA collections.