Hycleus plagiatus (Pallas, 1782) Bologna & Amore & Pitzalis, 2018

Bologna, Marco A., Amore, Valentina & Pitzalis, Monica, 2018, Meloidae of Namibia (Coleoptera): taxonomy and faunistics with biogeographic and ecological notes, Zootaxa 4373 (1), pp. 1-141 : 73

Hycleus plagiatus (Pallas, 1782) comb. n. ( Fig. 4T )

Meloe plagiatus Pallas, 1782

Types. Types of this species are lost.

Distribution. Namibia (new species record for this country) and western South Africa.

Material examined and literature records. [Erongo] Karibib: D1935, 30 km NNW Usakos , 21.7833°S 15.5000°E (CB). [Khomas] Windhoek Rural : Windhoek , 22.3400°S 17.0500°E (CB, RMCA) . [Hardap] Mariental Urban : C19, 11 km W Mariental, 24.6167°S 17.8500°E (CB). Rehoboth Rural: D1206, 10 km NE Bullsport, 24.10313°S 16.4456°E (CB).

Remarks. This species is related to H. haemactus and it was sometimes confused with H. tricolor because of its very similar elytral pattern, which has the middle black fascia dark reddish on the sutural sides. Distinctive characters vs. H. tricolor are: (a) five basal antennomeres black (sometimes V dark yellow); (b) male labial palpi not so widened and without large depression; (c) male maxillary stipe slender; (d) lateral setae of genae silver and very long; (e) male protibiae and protarsomeres with very long black setae; (f) aedeagus shape.

Figures

FIGURE4. A.Hycleus bifucatus;B. Hycleusburmeisteri; C. Hycleusdamarensis; D. Hycleusderosus; E.Hycleusmimulus; F. Hycleuspruinosus; G. Hycleussvakopinus; H.Hycleus transvaalicus; I. Hycleus adamantinus; J.Hycleus amoenus; K.Hycleus bushmanicus; L. Hycleus deserticolus; M. Hycleus devylderi; N. Hycleus kochi; O. Hycleus planitiei; P. Hycleus politus; Q. Hycleus hilaris; R. Hycleus villosus; S. Hycleus haemactus; T. Hycleus plagiatus; U. Hycleus lactimalus; V. Hycleus scalaris; W.Hycleus complex tricolor (kakamas?); X. Hycleus tricolor; Y.Hycleus versutus.