Hypocacculus (Nessus) rubripes ( Erichson, 1834 )

Lackner, Tomáš, 2010, Review of the Palaearctic genera of Saprininae (Coleoptera: Histeridae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl.) 50, pp. 1-254 : 134-139

Hypocacculus (Nessus) rubripes ( Erichson, 1834)

( Figs. 24 , 59 , 94 , 124 , 175 , 415–430 )

Hister arenarius: DEJEAN (1821) : 48 (nomen nudum).

Saprinus rubripes Erichson, 1834: 193 .

Saprinus granarius Erichson, 1834: 191 . Synonymized by Fauvel in GOZIS (1886): 202.

Saprinus granarius: SCHMIDT (1885a) : 313.

Saprinus corsicus Marseul, 1855: 688 . Synonymized by BICKHARDT (1910): 104.

Saprinus corsicus: SCHMIDT (1885a) : 312.

Saprinus arenarius Marseul, 1855: 691 . Synonymized by REITTER (1909): 293.

Hypocaccus rubripes: GANGLBAUER (1899) : 390; REITTER (1909): 393; JAKOBSON (1911): 651; REICHARDT (1925): 113.

Saprinus rubripes var. granarius: GANGLBAUER (1899) : 390.

Hypocaccus corsicus: LEWIS (1905) : 77.

Saprinus rubripes var. corsicus: BICKHARDT (1910) : 104.

Saprinus rubripes var. clermonti Auzat, 1920: 4 .

Hypocacculus rubripes: REICHARDT (1932) : 50, 125, Figs. 3v , 16 ; t. II, Fig. 4 ; t. III, Figs. 17 , 35 ; REICHARDT (1941): 286, 301, Figs. 147R , 148, 149B , 153 ; HORION (1949): 338; WITZGALL (1971): 173; KRYZHANOVSKIJ & REICHARDT (1976): 204, 211, Figs. 404, 406 , 410, 416 , 417, 418 ; VIENNA (1980): 179, 180, Fig. 65 ; MAZUR & KASZAB (1980): 56, Figs.28 A–D; MAZUR (1981a): 96, 97, Figs. 132, 133 ; MAZUR (1984): 90; MAZUR (1997):255; YÉLAMOS (2002): 320, 322, Figs. 154C , 156H; MAZUR (2004): 93.

Hypocacculus rubripes corsicus: REICHARDT (1932) : 128.

Note. Sensory structures of the antennal club and spermatheca were studied by DE MARZO & VIENNA (1982a,b).

Type locality. Portugal.

Material examined. ALGERIA: Bèni Abbés , 20.x.1980, 1 ♁, A. Olexa lgt . BULGARIA: Stranzha , vii.1934, 2 ♁♁, Dr. Purkyně lgt .; Sozopol , vi.1965, 1 spec., A. Olexa lgt .; Kamchiya , vii.73, 1♁, A. Olexa lgt . IRAN: Talysch , Haktpar [illegible], 25.vii.1976, 1 ♁, collector unknown . ITALY: Grado , date unknown, 1 spec., Dr. Jureček lgt .; Alessio , Alb., date unknown, 1 spec., Matzenauer lgt. ( TLAN) .

Redescription. Body length: PEL: 1.70–2.175 mm; APW: 0.60–0.75 mm; PPW: 1.275 –1.625 mm; EL: 1.05–1.40 mm; EW: 1.40–1.825 mm.

Body ( Figs. 417–418 ) roundly oval, convex; cuticle shining, castaneous brown; legs, antennae and mouthparts rufopiceous.

Antennal scape ( Fig. 420 ) somewhat dilated, with few short setae; club without visible articulation, entire surface imbricate, with short dense sensilla intermingled with sparse somewhat longer erect sensilla; sensory structures of antennal club ( Fig. 24 ) in form of stipeshaped vesicle situated under circular sensory area on internal distal margin of the ventral side of antennal club.

Mouthparts. Mandibles ( Fig. 94 ) with rounded outer margin curved inwardly, acutely pointed, sub-apical tooth on inner margin of left mandible moderately large, almost perpendicular; labrum ( Fig. 59 ) punctate, convex with two well-impressed labral pits, with two well-sclerotized setae in each pit; anterior margin of labrum with small concavity interrupting convexity; terminal labial palpomere elongated, its width about one-third its length; mentum sub-trapezoid, with shallow median notch ( Fig. 124 ); anterior margin with few ramose setae, lateral margins with one row of much shorter ramose setae; disc of mentum imbricate, with scattered microscopic setae; cardo of maxilla with few short setae on outer margin; stipes triangular, with three much longer setae; terminal maxillary palpomere elongate, its width shorter than half its length, approximately twice as long as penultimate.

Clypeus ( Fig. 420 ) with elevated anterior margin, somewhat margined laterally, ruguloselacunose; frontal stria well impressed, straight, carinate; continued as a well-impressed carinate supraorbital stria; frontal disc ( Fig. 420 ) with irregular longitudinal rugae intermingled with sparse microscopic punctation; eyes flat, inconspicuous from above.

Pronotal sides ( Fig. 417 ) moderately convergent anteriorly; apical angles conspicuous; marginal pronotal stria complete, carinate; disc laterally with coarse punctation, between it and pronotal margin a smooth longitudinal band present; medially punctation much finer and sparser; pronotal base with two rows of coarse round punctures; pronotal hypomeron glabrous.

Elytral epipleura with microscopic punctation; marginal epipleural stria complete, well impressed; marginal elytral stria well impressed, continued for a short distance along apical margin. Humeral elytral stria weakly impressed on basal third; inner subhumeral stria deeply impressed medially; elytra with four dorsal elytral striae 1–4, in punctures; first dorsal elytral stria the longest, reaching approximately three-fourths of elytral length apically, on apical half somewhat curved inwardly; second, third and fourth dorsal elytral striae about the same length, reaching approximately elytral half apically; fourth dorsal elytral stria basally connected with sutural elytral stria; sutural stria well impressed, in shallow punctures, shortened on its apical tenth. Elytral disc on apical half (except for elytral flanks) with coarse and dense punctation, punctures separated by about their own diameter, anteriorly reaching about half of elytral length; basal half with only fine microscopic punctation; extreme apex of elytra with an impunctate band.

Propygidium completely exposed, with even denser punctures than those of elytra; pygidium with much sparser and finer punctation, becoming sparser and finer towards the apex.

Anterior margin of median portion of prosternum ( Fig. 422 ) evenly rounded; marginal prosternal stria present laterally and as a tiny anterior fragment; pre-apical foveae well impressed, deep; prosternal process rather narrow, slightly concave, dorsally almost smooth, laterally substrigulate, with large coarse punctures; carinal prosternal striae weakly impressed, divergent between procoxae, subparallel, vaguely united anteriorly; lateral prosternal striae carinate, united in front of carinal prosternal striae.

Anterior margin of mesoventrite ( Fig. 422 ) moderately emarginate medially, discal marginal mesoventral stria well impressed, somewhat carinate laterally, anteriorly slightly weakened; disc with scattered round punctation, punctures separated about 3–5 times their diameter; meso-metaventral sutural stria ( Fig. 422 ) well impressed, undulate; intercoxal disc of metaventrite almost smooth; only area near hind coxa and along apical margin covered with fine scattered punctation; lateral metaventral stria ( Fig. 423 ) well impressed, stopping short of hind coxa; lateral disc of metaventrite with shallow setiferous punctures, separated by about their own diameter; metepisternum + fused metepimeron ( Fig. 423 ) with even denser and coarser punctation, punctures not setiferous.

Intercoxal disc of first abdominal sternite completely striate laterally, almost smooth, only along apical and lateral margins a short band of fine punctures present.

Protibia ( Figs. 424–425 ) flattened and somewhat dilated, outer margin with four low teeth topped with short denticle followed by three minuscule denticles; setae of outer row sparse, regular and short; setae of median row similarly sparse and regular, even shorter than those of outer row; protarsal groove moderately deep; anterior protibial stria almost complete, shortened apically; single, rather long tarsal denticle present apically; protibial spur tiny, bent, growing out from apical protibial margin; apical margin of protibia posteriorly with three tiny apical denticles; outer part of posterior surface of protibia ( Fig. 425 ) areolaterugose; distinctly separated from glabrous median part of posterior surface, basally with row of about 5 minuscule denticles; posterior protibial stria complete, terminating in three tiny inner-posterior denticles; inner margin with double row of short setae.

Mesotibia ( Fig. 419 ) slender, outer margin with two sparse rows of thin denticles growing in size apically; setae of outer row sparse, strongly sclerotized; setae of median row irregular, microscopic; posterior mesotibial stria complete; anterior surface of mesotibia imbricate, with scattered minuscule punctures with microscopic setae; anterior mesotibial stria shortened apically; mesotibial spur stout, rather long; apical margin with several tiny denticles; claws of apical tarsomere shorter than half its length; metatibia basically similar to mesotibia, but slenderer and denticles of outer margin much sparser than those of mesotibia.

Male genitalia. Eighth sternite ( Figs. 426–427 ) longitudinally separated medially, apically with tiny inflatable membrane (velum); fringed with single short seta; eighth tergite and sternite not fused laterally ( Fig. 428 ). Morphology of 9 th tergite ( Figs. 431–432 ) typical for the subfamily; spiculum gastrale ( Fig. 431 ) expanded on both ends. Basal piece of aedeagus ( Figs. 429–430 ) rather short, ratio of its length: length of parameres 1: 3; parameres fused along their basal two-thirds; aedeagus curved ventrad ( Fig. 430 ).

Remarks. A variable species, showing a high degree of variability concerning the coloration of its cuticle (which can be light metallic bronze, sometimes even with a greenish hue), the structure of elytral punctation (which can surpass elytral half anteriorly), the elytral striation (sutural elytral stria can be shortened apically; or it can also be interrupted), shape and punctation of pronotum, structure of prosternal striation (striae can be very approximate, strongly convergent or almost parallel) and meso- and metaventral punctation. Perhaps this species forms a complex of closely related cryptic species.

Figures

Figs. 9–28. Saprininae, sensory structures of the antennal club (vesicles marked with grey; sensory areas shaded): 9 – Saprinus (Saprinus) semistriatus (Scriba, 1790); 10 – Saprinus (Hemisaprinus) subvirescens (Ménétries, 1832); 11 – Myrmetes paykulli Kanaar, 1979; 12 – Styphrus corpulentus Motschulsky, 1845; 13 – Saprinus (Phaonius) pharao (Marseul, 1855); 14 – Ammostyphrus cerberus Reichardt, 1924; 15 – Chalcionellus amoenus (Erichson, 1834); 16 – Chivaenius kryzhanovskii Olexa,1980; 17 – Ctenophilothis chobauti (Théry,1900); 18 – Eopachylopus ripae (Lewis, 1885); 19 – Exaesiopus grossipes grossipes (Marseul, 1855); 20 – Hypocaccus (Hypocaccus) rugiceps (Duftschmid, 1805); 21 – Hypocaccus (Baeckmanniolus) dimidiatus dimidiatus (Illiger, 1807); 22 – Hypocacculus (Hypocacculus) metallescens (Erichson, 1834); 23 – Hypocacculus (Colpellus) praecox (Erichson, 1834); 24 – Hypocacculus (Nessus) rubripes (Erichson, 1834); 25 – Paravolvulus lateristrius (Solskij, 1876); 26 – Pholioxenus phoenix (Reichardt, 1930); 27 – Reichardtiolus duriculus (Reitter, 1904); 28 – Xenonychus tridens (Jacquelin-Duval, 1852).

Figs. 47–73. Saprininae, labral structures, dorsal view (left half showing external and right half showing internal structures): 47 – Alienocacculus neftensis (Olexa, 1984); 48 – Ammostyphrus cerberus Reichardt, 1924; 49 – Chalcionellus amoenus (Erichson, 1834); 50 – Chivaenius kryzhanovskii Olexa, 1980; 51 – Eopachylopus ripae (Lewis, 1885); 52 – Eremosaprinus vlasovi (Reichardt, 1941); 53 – Euspilotus (Neosaprinus) perrisi (Marseul, 1872); 54 – Exaesiopus grossipes grossipes (Marseul, 55); 55 – Gnathoncus rotundatus (Kugelann, 1792); 56 – Hypocaccus (Hypocaccus) rugiceps (Duftschmid, 1805); 57 – Hypocacculus (Hypocacculus) metallescens (Erichson, 1834); 58 – Hypocacculus (Colpellus) praecox (Erichson, 1834); 59 – Hypocacculus (Nessus) rubripes (Erichson, 1834); 60 – Microsaprinus therondianus (Dahlgren, 1973); 61 – Myrmetes paykulli Kanaar, 1979; 62 – Paravolvulus lateristriatus (Solskij, 1876); 63 – Philothis (Philothis) arcanus Reichardt, 1930; 64 – Philothis (Atavinus) atavus (Reichardt, 1931); 65 – Philothis (Farabius) hexeris Reichardt, 1930; 66 – Pholioxenus phoenix (Reichardt, 1930); 67 – Reichardtiolus duriculus (Reitter, 1904); 68 – Saprinus (Saprinus) semistriatus (Scriba, 1790); 69 – Saprinus (Hemisaprinus) subvirescens (Ménétries, 1832); 70 – Saprinus (Phaonius) pharao (Marseul, 1855); 71 – Styphrus corpulentus Motschulsky, 1845; 72 – Xenonychus tridens (Jacquelin-Duval, 1852); 73 – Xenophilothis choumovitchi (Thérond, 1965).

Figs. 90–98. Saprininae, mandibles, ventral view: 90 – Gnathoncus rotundatus (Kugelann, 1792); 91 – Hypocaccus (Baeckmanniolus) dimidiatus dimidiatus (Illiger, 1807); 92 – Hypocacculus (Hypocacculus) metalescens (Erichson, 1834); 93 – Hypocacculus (Colpellus) praecox (Erichson, 1834); 94 – Hypocacculus (Nessus) rubripes (Erichson, 1834); 95 – Myrmetes paykulli Kanaar, 1979; 96 – Paravolvulus lateristrius (Solskij, 1876); 97 – Philothis (Philothis) arcanus Reichardt, 1930; 98 – Philothis (Atavinus) atavus (Reichardt, 1931).

Figs. 109–141. Saprininae, anterior margin of mentum, ventral view: 109 – Alienocacculus neftensis (Olexa, 1984); 110 – Ammostyphrus cerberus Reichardt, 1924; 111 – Axelinus ghilarovi Kryzhanovskij, 1976; 112 – Chalcionellus amoenus (Erichson, 1834); 113 – Chivaenius kryzhanovskii Olexa, 1980; 114 – Ctenophilotis chobauti (Théry, 1900); 115 – Eopachylopus ripae (Lewis, 1885); 116 – Eremosaprinus vlasovi (Reichardt, 1941); 117 – Euspilotus (Neosaprinus) perrisi (Marseul, 1872); 118 – Exaesiopus grossipes grossipes (Marseul, 1855); 119 – Gnathoncus rotundatus (Kugelann, 1792); 120 – Hypocaccus (Hypocaccus) rugiceps (Duftschmid, 1805); 121 – Hypocaccus (Baeckmanniolus) dimidiatus dimidiatus (Illiger, 1807); 122 – Hypocacculus (Hypocacculus) metallescens (Erichson, 1834); 123 – Hypocacculus (Colpellus) praecox (Erichson, 1834); 124 – Hypocacculus (Nessus) rubripes (Erichson, 1834); 125 – Microsaprinus therondianus (Dahlgren, 1973); 126 – Myrmetes paykulli Kanaar, 1979; 127 – Paravolvulus ovillum (Solskij, 1876); 128 – Philothis (Philothis) arcanus Reichardt, 1930; 129 – Philothis (Atavinus) atavus (Reichardt, 1931); 130 – Philothis (Farabius) hexeris Reichardt, 1930; 131 – Pholioxenus phoenix (Reichardt, 1930); 132 – Reichardtiolus duriculus (Reitter, 1904); 133 – Saprinillus paromaloides Kryzhanovskij, 1974; 134 – Saprinus (Saprinus) semistriatus (Scriba, 1790); 135 – Saprinus (Hemisaprinus) subvirescens (Ménétries, 1832); 136 – Saprinus (Phaonius) pharao (Marseul, 1855); 137 – Styphrus corpulentus Motschulsky, 1845; 138 – Turanostyphrus ignoratus Tishechkin, 2005; 139 – Xenonychus tridens (Jacquelin-Duval, 1852); 140 – Xenophilotis choumovitchi (Thérond, 1965); 141 – Zorius funereus (Schmidt, 1890).

Figs. 174–178. Variability of the caudal end of spiculum gastrale:174 – Philothis (Farabius) hexeris Reichardt,1930; 175 – Hypocacculus (Nessus) rubripes (Erichson, 1834); 176 – Microsaprinus therondianus (Dahlgren, 1973); 177 – Saprinus (Saprinus) semistriatus (Scriba, 1790); 178 – Euspilotus (Neosaprinus) perrisi (Marseul, 1972).

Figs. 410–416. Hypocacculus (Colpellus) praecox (Erichson, 1834), male terminalia: 410 – 8th sternite and tergite, ventral view; 411 – dito, dorsal view; 412 – ditto, lateral view; 413 – aedeagus, dorsal view; 414 – ditto, lateral view; 415 – 9th tergite, 10th tergite (dorsal view) and spiculum gastrale (ventral view); 416 – 9th tergite, 10th tergite and spiculum gastrale, lateral view.

Figs. 417–425. Hypocacculus (Nessus) rubripes (Erichson, 1834), SEM micrographs: 417 – habitus, dorsal view; 418 – ditto, ventral view; 419 – mesotibia, dorsal view; 420 – head, dorsal view; 421 – ditto, ventral view; 422 – prosternum and mesoventrite; 423 – lateral disc of metaventrite, metepisternum and fused metepimeron; 424 – protibia, dorsal view; 425 – protibia, oblique ventral view.

Figs. 426–432. Hypocacculus (Nessus) rubripes (Erichson, 1834), male terminalia: 426 – 8th sternite and tergite, ventral view; 427 – ditto, dorsal view; 428 – ditto, lateral view; 429 – aedeagus, dorsal view; 430 – ditto, lateral view; 431 – 9th tergite, 10th tergite (dorsal view) and spiculum gastrale (ventral view); 432 – 9th tergite, 10th tergite and spiculum gastrale, lateral view.

Fig. 3. Saprininae, head, dorsal view, schematic.

Fig. 4. Saprininae, antenna, dorsal view, schematic.

Figs. 29–38. Saprininae, sensory structures of the antennal club (vesicles marked with grey; sensory areas shaded): 29 – Xenophilothis choumovitchi (Thérond, 1965); 30 – Zorius funereus (Schmidt, 1890); 31 – Alienocacculus neftensis (Olexa, 1984); 32 – Philothis (Philothis) arcanus Reichardt, 1930; 33 – Philothis (Atavinus) atavus (Reichardt, 1931); 34 – Philothis (Farabius) hexeris Reichardt, 1930; 35 – Euspilotus (Neosaprinus) perrisi (Marseul, 1872); 36 – Gnathoncus rotundatus (Kugelann, 1792); 37 – Eremosaprinus vlasovi (Reichardt, 1941); 38 – Microsaprinus therondianus (Dahlgren, 1973).

Fig. 147. Saprininae, habitus ventral view, schematic.

Figs. 148–149. Saprininae, prosternum: 148 – Hypocacculus sp.; 149 – Gnathoncus sp.

Figs. 150–155. Saprininae, legs, schematic: 150 – protibia, ventral view; 151 – ditto, dorsal view; 152 – mesotibia, ventral view; 153 – ditto, dorsal view; 154 – metatibia, ventral view; 155 – ditto, dorsal view.

Figs. 398–409. Hypocacculus (Colpellus) praecox (Erichson, 1834), SEM micrographs: 398 – habitus, dorsal view; 399 – ditto, ventral view; 400 – head, dorsal view; 401 – antennal club, ventral view; 402 – mentum, submentum, cardines and stipites of maxilla, ventral view; 403 – mesotibia, ventral view; 404 – prosternum; 405 – propygidium and pygidium; 406 – metatibia, dorsal view; 407 – lateral disc of metaventrite, metepisternum + fused metepimeron; 408 – protibia, dorsal view; 409 – ditto, ventral view.

Figs. 156–157. Saprininae, protibia, schematic: 156 – dorsal view; 157 – ventral view.