Notoxus deustus Thunberg, 1789 : 101

Jałoszyński, Paweł, 2012, New synonymy and redescription of Mastigus deustus (Thunberg) (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae), Zootaxa 3482, pp. 68-76 : 71

Notoxus deustus Thunberg, 1789: 101 .

By describing two variants of body pigmentation, Thunberg (1789) clearly indicated that he studied more then one specimen. Therefore, the type specimens included in the type series have the status of syntypes. Two specimens of Mastigus can be found in the Thunberg Coll. ( UUZM), one labeled as a type of Mastigus deustus ( Figs. 1–4), the other one as Antichus deustus (presumably a misspelling of Anthicus ). The specimen with a code number # 6597 ( Figs. 1–4) matches the description of Notoxus deustus ; the other one (# 14586) matches the description of Notoxus flavus , which is a junior synonym of Mastigus spinicornis (Fabricius) . The specimen # 6597 was incorrectly labeled and listed by Leleup (1968) as a holotype of M. deustus , while it is a syntype. In order to preserve stability of nomenclature and to fix a unique bearer of the name Notoxus deustus , this syntype is here designated a lectotype.

The voucher # 14586 is possibly a syntype of N. flavus , and it can be tentatively identified as a male of M. spinicornis (Fabricius) . However, it is in a fragile condition (pinned with a thick pin through the metathorax between half-open elytra) and the dissection to examine the aedeagus may result in damaging the valuable specimen. For this reason the status and identity of this specimen were not possible to confirm.