Ammostyphrus Reichardt, 1924

Lackner, Tomáš, 2010, Review of the Palaearctic genera of Saprininae (Coleoptera: Histeridae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl.) 50, pp. 1-254 : 70

Ammostyphrus Reichardt, 1924

Ammostyphrus Reichardt, 1924: 164 Ammostyphrus: REICHARDT (1941) : 336; KRYZHANOVSKIJ & REICHARDT (1976): 112, 240; MAZUR (1984): 103; MAZUR (1997): 266; MAZUR (2004): 90.

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Type species: Ammostyphrus cerberus Reichardt, 1924 , original designation).

Diagnosis. Body ovoid, strongly convex; frontal stria carinate; pronotum strongly narrowing anteriorly, apical margin about twice as broad as pronotal base; pronotal foveae absent; pronotal disc smooth, only in antero-lateral angles several shallow punctures present; lateral pronotal stria present; prosternal process narrow, setose; carinal prosternal striae absent; pre-apical foveae absent; lateral prosternal striae present, convergent anteriorly; lateral metaventral stria curved outwardly, almost reaching metepisternum; pronotal hypomeron setose; lateral part of all visible abdominal sternites setose. Outer margin of protibia with two large triangular teeth topped with large triangular denticle, followed by one low tooth topped with short denticle and another minuscule denticle; protarsi shortened; metatibia slightly dilated and thickened; both meso- and metatibiae with long yellow setae on dorsal surface; tarsal claws bent, shortened.

Differential diagnosis. Ammostyphrus is easily distinguished from all other Palaearctic Saprininae by the absence of the lateral prosternal striae and the presence of the lateral pronotal stria.

Biology. Ammostyphrus is a psammophilous taxon, often collected with other psammophilous Saprininae .

Distribution. This is a rare monotypic genus, spread in the desert province of Turan in Central Asia. It was collected in sandy regions of southern Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Species examined. Ammostyphrus cerberus Reichardt, 1924 .

Discussion. This genus is characterized by a least one autapomorphy (lateral metaventral stria curved outwards, almost reaching metepisternum) and several synapomorphies, e.g., the presence of the lateral pronotal stria and the absence of carinal prosternal striae. It is probably a monophyletic taxon with several features that show its adaptation to the sandy environment, including the vestiture of the ventral part of the body, a typically shaped outer margin of the protibia and thickened metatibia.