Saprinus (Saprinus) chalcites (Illiger, 1807)

Lackner, Tomas & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2017, A monograph of the Australopacific Saprininae (Coleoptera, Histeridae), ZooKeys 689, pp. 1-263 : 90-92

Saprinus (Saprinus) chalcites (Illiger, 1807) Figs 353, 354-362, 363-371, 753

Hister chalcites Illiger, 1807: 40.

Type locality.

Portugal.

Type material examined.

Hister chalcites Illiger, 1807: None for this study. For the problems with the identity of the type specimen(s) of this species the reader is referred to Lackner and Gomy (2016).

Additional material examined.

AUSTRALIA. Western Australia: 1 spec., Dardanup, 1.ii.1979, G. Hall (howden trap) (ANIC); 1 spec., Wilga, xi.1973, K. & E. Carnaby (ANIC); 1 spec., 64 km S of Boyup Brook, 6.xii.1976, K. & E. Carnaby (ANIC); 1 spec., Millstream, 21.35S 117.04E, 7.xi.1970, Kangaroo Flat, E. Britton (dung trap) (ANIC); 21 specs., 15 km S Busselton, 15.i.1983, G.P. Hall (ANIC); 7 specs., ditto, but 19.i.1983 (ANIC); 6 specs., ditto, but 12.i.1983 (ANIC); 3 specs., ditto, but 13.i.1983 (ANIC); 1 specs., ditto, but 11.i.1983 (ANIC); 6 specs., Minderoo Stations, Onslow, 31.x.1983, D. Forrest (ANIC); 2 specs., 5 km NE Dardanup, 16.x.1981, G.P. Hall (ANIC); 2 specs., Cataby, 30.44S 115.32E, 12.vi.1979, D. Majer (ANIC); 39 specs., 1 km N Cunderdin, 1.iii.1979, J.N. Matthiessen (ANIC); 1 ♂, Boyup Brook, xi. 1981, Ex. Carnaby coll. (ANIC). Northern Territory: 1 spec., Avon Downs St., 19.viii.1982, J. Harmer (ANIC).

Biology.

This species is a typical saprobiont and is most commonly collected on carcasses, and less commonly in dung.

Distribution.

Mediterranean Subregion, Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Middle Asia, India, Myanmar; introduced to Australia, where it has been documented from Western Australia and Northern Territory ( Mazur 2011; Fig. 753).

Remarks.

Desbordes (1919: 413) synonymized the species Saprinus certus Lewis, 1888 with S. chalcites . This synonymy has been followed by all three Mazur’s editions of the world catalogue of the Histeridae (1984, 1997, 2011) and by Lackner et al. (2015). Upon inspection of its type specimen we can conclude that Saprinus certus Lewis, 1888 is not synonymous with S. chalcites , it is a synonym of Saprinus frontistrius Marseul, 1855 instead. Thus Saprinus certus Lewis, 1888 = Saprinus frontistrius Marseul, 1855 syn. n. We designate its lectotype here. Saprinus certus Lewis, 1888: lectotype, present designation, 1 spec., with the following labels: “Type” (red-margined, round printed label); followed by: "Rangoon / 35" (written); followed by: " Saprinus / certus / Type Lewis"; followed by: " Saprinus certus / Lewis, 1888 / LECTOTYPE / Det. T. Lackner 2014" (red label, written) (BMNH). This species was described from Rangoon [=Yangon, Myanmar] based on two examples. The whereabouts of the second specimen originating from the type series is unknown. The lectotype designation fixes the identity of species. S. chalcites is a widely distributed species, with rather variable punctation of the dorsum, always best recognizable by deep pronotal depressions and male terminalia. S. chalcites has been recently re-described in detail ( Lackner and Gomy 2016). It can be distinguished from the rest of the Australopacific Saprinus species using the above key. For the sake of easier identification of the Australopacific taxa we chose to include here the photographs of its habitus, as well as SEM micrographs and male genitalia drawings.