Erymanthus belzebuth Thomson, 1856

Gerstmeier, Roland & Salvamoser, Max, 2014, Revision of the checkered beetle genus Erymanthus Spinola, 1841 (Coleoptera, Cleridae, Clerinae), Zootaxa 3755 (6), pp. 501-548 : 507-510

Erymanthus belzebuth Thomson, 1856

( Figs 10–11 , 39 B)

Thomson 1856: 113, t5 f8.

Specimens examined: Lectotype (designated here): Senegambia, Holotype J. Thomson, Thoms. Rev. Zoo. 56.113.5.2, Ex Musaeo James Thomson, Museum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthúr (MNHN). Paralectotype (designated here): Njam-Njam, Semnio, Bohndorff S., det. J. Thomson 1856 (ZMB).

Comment on type specimens: As Thomson (1856: 113, 114) made no reference to type specimens in his description of Erymanthus belzebuth , the specimen labeled “ Holotype ” should be designated lectotype. The other specimen of J. Thomson, located in ZMB is treated as paralectotype.

Others: Kamerun, Joko, L. Rolin 7/10, Erymanthus belzebuth Thoms. , Museum f. Naturkunde Berlin ( ZMB). Togo, Kete Kratje, 11.1899, Graf Zech S. ( ZMB).

Diagnosis: Erymanthus belzebuth can be confused with E. variolatus , E. flavonotatus , E maculaticeps and E. semirufus ; in E. semirufus and E. flavonotatus the metafemora are dark brown from base to middle and at least the last two abdominal segments are flavotestaceous; E. maculaticeps is often with indication of a dark spot on pro- and mesofemora, its metafemora is dark from base towards middle, the tegminal struts are lanceolate and the tips of tegminal lobes pointed; E. variolatus has at least two flavotestacoeus apical abdominal segments; E. belzebuth is clearly recognizable by its dark abdomen.

Length: (4 specimens measured) 17–21mm (average 19mm).

Head: Light brown, sometimes with dark markings; antennomeres proximally darker; frons with gibbosity and rounded groove; vested with quite dense, light yellow pilosity; with dense punctation; antennae brown, bordered black.

Pronotum: Pronotal length to width ratio 1.04:1 to 1.06:1 (average 1.05:1); light brown with dark markings in pronotal groove and on the anterior gibbosities (indistinct on the posterior gibbosities); gibbosities flattened but clearly visible; with dense yellowish and dark pilosity.

Scutellum: Black, vested with white setae.

Elytra: Elytral length to width ratio 2.14:1 to 2.24:1 (average 2.18:1); light brown with dark marking between metathoric legs; punctation also light brown to yellow; punctation fine, circular, interstices more than twice as wide as diameter of punctation; vested with short white and slightly longer dark setae; gibbosities A, B and C with white setal tuft (D usually indistinct), E with dark setal tuft.

Legs: Light brown to dark yellow, femora with dark markings just before the middle and proximally; tibiae dark, especially protibiae.

Lower surface: Dark with some light spots; vested with white setae.

Male genitalia, pygidium, ventrite VI: Tips of tegminal lobes blunt, tegminal lobes one-sixth length of tegmen; tegminal struts broadened rapidly after one-fifth length and tapering after three-fifths, last three-tenths of struts narrow with furcate tip; phallic tip blunt; posterior side of pygidium rounded; processes of ventrite VI rather pointed.

Distribution: Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, DR Congo.

Seasonal occurrence: Collected from October to November.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Erymanthus belzebuth: (A) Aedeagus ventral, (B) Phallus lateral, (C) Tegmen dorsal, (D) Spicular fork, (E) Pygidium, (F) Ventrite VI; (scale bar 1 mm).

FIGURE 11. Distribution of Erymanthus belzebuth.

FIGURE 39. (A) Erymanthus ater, (B) Erymanthus belzebuth, (C) Erymanthus bicolor, (D) Erymanthus diversipes, (E) Erymanthus flavonotatus, Lectotype, (F) Erymanthus gemmatus; (scale bars 5 mm).