Tetragonoschema (Tetragonoschema) purpurascens Kerremans, 1897

(Figs. 21, 50, 71)

Tetragonoschema purpurascens Kerremans, 1897: 15 . Type locality: Brazil, Pernambuco, Serra de Commuuaty, Aquas Bellas.

Tetragonoschema purpurascens: Kerremans, 1903: 169 (catalogue); Bruch, 1911: 231 (catalogue); Kerremans, 1913: 582 (note); Obenberger, 1922: 70 (revision, key); 1930: 559 (catalogue); Blackwelder, 1944: 315 (catalogue); Théry, 1944: 20 (revision, key, redescription); Bellamy, 2008: 1520 (catalogue).

Tetragonoschema latum Théry, 1944: 18, syn. nov. Type locality: Paraguay

Tetragonoschema latum: Bellamy, 2008: 1519 (catalogue).

Tetragonoschema missionarium Obenberger, 1947: 6, syn. nov. Type locatity: Argentina, Missiones, Concepción, Santa María.

Tetragonoschema missionarium: Bellamy, 2003: 135, fig. 344 (illustrated catalogue); 2008: 1520 (catalogue).

Type specimens studied. T. purpurascens (number of syntypes unknown), lectotype (Fig. 21), here designated (female, MNHN): “[Brasil] Aquas Bellas, Pernambuco [p] // purpurascens Kerr. Type [h] // Tetragonoschema purpurascens n. sp. [h] Kerremans det. [p] // Muséum Paris Coll. E. Gounelle 1915 [p]” ; T. latum, holotype (Fig. 22) by monotypy (female, MNHN): “ Paraguay [h] // collection v. d. Pool [p] // lata Théry [h] Type [p] // Muséum Paris 1935 coll. A. Théry [p]”; T. missionarium (number of syntypes unknown), lectotype (Fig. 23), here designated (female, NMPC): “Misiones-Argentina, Dep.[artamento] Concep.[ción] Sta María, M. J. Viana [p] // Typus [p, red] // Tetragonoschema missionarium m. Type [h] Det. D r. Obenberger [p] // Mus. Nat. Pragae Inv. [p] 22839 [h]”.

Further specimens studied. ARGENTINA. SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO: Chaco, Resistencia, 18.x.1936, Denier leg. (1 male, MNCN); MISIONES: Loreto, xi.1962, M. Viana leg. (2 females, JEBC); Sta Maria, xi.1958, M. Viana leg. (1 female, JEBC); BRAZIL. GUANABARA: Botafogo, M. Alvarenga leg., ix.1970 (1 female, MNCN); PARAGUAY. SAN PEDRO: Juan Pedro Cororo, xii.1983 (1 male, NMPC); no precise data (1 female, ISNB) .

Diagnosis. Entirely black, sometimes with a very slight red tinge, dorsal surface completely asetose; frons flat with shallow postclypeal impression; pronotum moderately convex with indistinct lateroposterior depressions, lateral margins slightly angulate; elytra 1.15–1.20 times as long as wide, lateral margins slightly emarginate, posterior margin obliquely truncate; aedeagus slender, subcylindrical (Fig. 71).

Length: 4.2–4.5 mm.

Since the number of syntypes of T. purpurascens is unknown I hereby designate the female from MNHN as the lectotype of T. purpurascens .

Since the number of syntypes of T. missionarium is also unknown I hereby designate the female from MNPC as the lectotype of T. missionarium .

Having studied the lectotype of Tetragonoschema purpurascens, holotype of T. (T.) latum and lectotype of T. (T.) missionarium I fail to find any difference and I conclude they are conspecific with T. (T.) purpurascens, T. (T.) latum Théry and T. (T.) missionarium being junior synonyms of T. (T.) purpurascens .

The holotype of T. (T.) latum and the lectotype of T. (T.) missionarium are merely large females of T. (T.) purpurascens .

Bionomy. Unknown.

Sexual dimorphism. The female differs from male only in its black ventral surface (black with a red lustre in male).

Distribution. Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay.