Nympharescus aemulus ( Waterhouse, 1881 ) Sekerka, 2016

Sekerka, Lukáš, 2016, Taxonomic and nomenclatural changes in Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 56 (1), pp. 275-344 : 281

Nympharescus aemulus ( Waterhouse, 1881) comb. nov.

Arescus aemulus Waterhouse, 1881: 266 (original description, incl. colour fig.).

Type locality. ‘ Ecuador, Sarayacu [according to the introduction of the paper]’ [= Ecuador, Pastaza Province, Sarayacu, approx. 1°44′S, 73°30′W, 350–400 m a.s.l.]

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: pinned: ‘Type [w, p, s, circular label with red frame] || Sarayacu, | E. Ecuador | C.Buckley. | 91—97. [w, p, cb] || Arescus | aemulus. | (Type) C.Waterh. [w, hw by Waterhouse, s]’ ( BMNH).

Remarks. WATERHOUSE (1881) described this species based on a single specimen, collected from Sarayacu situated in the lowlands of the Pastaza Province on the Bobonaza River. He mentioned and illustrated that this species had a peculiar asymmetric pattern. WEISE (1911) transferred it to Chelobasis Gray, 1832 and until recently it was only listed in catalogues (see UHMANN 1957a). STAINES (2009) revised Chelobasis , redescribed the species and provided additional faunistic data for it.

Examination of the holotype revealed that this species actually belongs to the genus Nympharescus Weise, 1905 as it has a seta present in all four pronotal corners while Chelobasis has seta present only in the anterior corners. Even if the setae have been broken off, the swollen tubercle which serves as their base remains and allows to infer the presence of this character. The holotype of A. aemulus has all four setae clearly visible and the specimen depicted in STAINES (2009) is actually the holotype and its locality was erroneously listed as in the Napo province in the material examined. Additional faunistic records published by STAINES (2009), from the western slopes of the Andes, are not adopted here, as it is unlikely they are conspecific with the holotype, which was collected in the Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador.

Distribution. Ecuador: Pastaza ( WATERHOUSE 1881).