Selenophorus dubius Putzeys

Shpeley, Danny, Hunting, Wesley & Ball, George E., 2017, A taxonomic review of the Selenophori group (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Harpalini) in the West Indies, with descriptions of new species and notes about classification and biogeography, ZooKeys 690, pp. 1-195 : 44

Selenophorus dubius Putzeys Fig. 25C

Selenophorus dubius Putzeys, 1878a: 54. HOLOTYPE, female (unlabelled): Chaudoir-Oberthür Collection (MNHP), in front of following box label: " dubius / Chaud/ Espagne mer?".- Csiki 1932: 1198.- Darlington 1934: 104.- Blackwelder 1944: 49.- Erwin and Sims 1984: 440.- Lorenz 1998: 356.- Lorenz 2005: 377.

Note regarding type locality.

Putzeys (1878a) in his original description stated that the specimen was from "Espagne meridionale" (southernmost Spain). In his next sentence, Putzeys stated that he believed that this specimen was “Antillean” (West Indies). Csiki (1932) listed this species from "? Antillean", Darlington (1934) followed with "doubtfully Antillean" and both Blackwelder (1944) and Erwin and Sims (1984) simply listed it as "West Indies". Until another specimen is found, neither a type locality nor a type area can be designated.

We have seen two undetermined Selenophorus (hylacis species group) specimens, both different species, collected in Brazil, one from São Paulo and the other from the Federal District, that are quite similar in habitus and coloration to the holotype of S. dubius . Even though the holotype of S. dubius is missing the hind tarsi, we believe that this species is a member of the hylacis species group.

Descriptive notes.

SBL 5.78 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 25C. Clypeus and labrum each with anterior margin slightly concave. Antennae, mouthparts and legs testaceous to slightly darker. Head and pronotum rufo-testaceous; ventral surface rufo-testaceous, markedly infuscated medially. Elytra bicolored, rufo-testaceous, with darker median cloud in intervals 2-5, and in basal half of interval 1. Head and disc of pronotum shiny, no microlines visible at 100 ×; elytral with mesh pattern moderately transverse, sculpticells about 3 –4× wide as long. Elytral striae impunctate, except the standard setigerous punctures in striae 2, 5 and 7. Female with four terminal setae near the posterior margin on sternum VII.

Male genitalia. Not known.

Ovipositor and female reproductive tract. Not studied.

Geographical distribution.

The locality of this species is unknown, and this species may not even be in the West Indies (see note about type locality above).

Chorological affinities and relationships.

We are unable to comment on these topics due to the unknown locality of this species.

Material examined.

Holotype only.