Psammoecus lateralis ( Grouvelle, 1899 )

Karner, Michael, 2012, A revision of African Psammoecus (Coleoptera, Silvanidae) and descriptions of two new species from the collection of the Musée royal de l’Afrique centrale, European Journal of Taxonomy 17, pp. 1-31 : 20-21

Psammoecus lateralis ( Grouvelle, 1899)

( Fig. 9 )

Cryptamorpha lateralis Grouvelle, 1899: 179 .

Psammoecus lateralis Grouvelle, 1919: 46 .

Material examined

Holotype

♀: ‘Andrangoloaka | 1600 m. O. S. O. de | Tananarive.’, ‘Type’ [red label], ‘MUSEUM PARIS | 1917 | Coll. GROUVELLE’, ‘ Cryptamorpha | lateralis | G. Grouv’ [Grouvelle’s hand] ( MNHN).

Differential diagnosis

Ps. lateralis resembles Ps. longicornis , but differs by the smaller and less dense puncturation on head, pronotum, and elytral discs, and by the longer antennae.

It differs from Ps. grandis by absence of lateral teeth of pronotum.

Redescription

BODY. Elongate-oval, total length 3.60 mm ( Fig. 9A ). Surface yellowish brown with elytral margin and a round macula on posterior third of elytra dark brown.

HEAD. With long, slightly rounded temples; width 0.79 mm, length 0.48 mm, 1.65 times as wide as long. Eyes moderately protuberant, 0.4 mm long, distance of inner margins 0.53 mm. Puncturation on vertex of moderate density, punctures small, distance between punctures variable. Pubescence composed of short semierect setae, directed anteriorly; microsculpture very distinct, reticulate. Longitudinal impressions on vertex short, distinct, attaining the anterior quarter of the eyes. Antennae as in Fig. 9B , antennal length 1.78 mm; antennomere proportions of holotype as follows: 2.6: 1.3: 1.2: 1.1: 1.4: 1.6: 1.4: 1.1:1.1: 1.0: 1.9.

PRONOTUM. Subquadrate, width 0.86 mm, length 0.75 mm, 1.15 times as wide as long. Anterior and posterior angles with distinct groups of small teeth, lateral teeth absent. Puncturation on pronotal disc sparser as on vertex, punctures of same size as on vertex. Pubescence shorter and less erect as on vertex; microsculpture distinct, reticulate.

ELYTRA. Elongate, length 2.35 mm, width 1.28 mm, 1.84 times as long as combined width. Rows of punctures on disc distinctly narrower than interstices. Pubescence composed of only slightly erect setae; microsculpture hardly visible, very shallow, reticulate.

Figures

Fig. 9. Pammoecus lateralis (Grouvelle, 1899), holotype. A. Habitus. B. Left antenna. Scale line: 1 mm.