Aeolus variegatus, CURTIS, 1839

Johnson, Paul J., 2015, Aeolus variegatusCurtis (Coleoptera: Elateridae) is a Synonym ofPomachilius subfasciatus (Germar) and a Senior Homonym ofPomachilius variegatusSchwarz, The Coleopterists Bulletin 69 (3), pp. 402-404 : 402-403

AEOLUS VARIEGATUS CURTIS ( COLEOPTERA : ELATERIDAE ) IS A SYNONYM OF POMACHILIUS SUBFASCIATUS (GERMAR) AND A SENIOR HOMONYM OF POMACHILIUS VARIEGATUS SCHWARZ

PAUL J. JOHNSON Insect Biodiversity Lab , South Dakota State University Brookings, SD 57007, U.S.A. [e-mail]

A comparison of Aeolus variegatus Curtis, 1839 (not 1841, see Raphael 1970) and Pomachilius subfasciatus ( Germar, 1824) resulted in the confirmation of their conspecificity. The brief taxonomic history of A. variegatus and its formal synonymy are presented below. This synonymy negates a previously unrecognized homonymy with Aeolus variegatus Schwarz, 1902 and brings Pomachilius variegatus Schwarz into secondary homonymy. This action creates a prevailing usage issue requiring action by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.

Curtis (1839) described “ Aeolus ? variegatus ” from a single female specimen ( Fig. 1 ) collected at “St. Paul’ s”, Brazil during a five-year, 1826–1830, Royal Navy survey expedition to map the Straits of Magellan. The expedition was based at Rio de Janeiro and commanded by Captain Phillip Parker King , with the ships H.M.S. Adventure, H.M.S. Beagle, and H.M.S. Adelaide. A published narrative of his log ( King in Fitz-Roy 1839) indicates that a port call was made at Santos from which a visit was made to nearby “St. Paul’ s” [= São Paulo]. In a review of the insect collections made during the King voyages, Thompson (1998) noted that this visit to St. Paul’ s was in October 1827, while King ( Fitz-Roy 1839) gave 18–28 September 1827. The original locality label ( Fig. 2 ) has “S t. P.” for the location. This St. Paul’ s is not to be confused with the Dome of St. Paul along the coast of Chile, which King reported as a major reference point along their sailing route at 46°36′16″S, 75°13′40″W. As a peripheral historical note, the expedition of the H.M.S. Beagle, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Fitz-Roy later in the trip, was the ship’ s first of three major voyages and was followed in 1831–1836 by its voyage that circumnavigated the Earth with Charles Darwin as naturalist .

Aeolus variegatus Curtis was apparently lost in the literature for 30 years until Gemminger and Harold (1869) cataloged it in Aeolus Eschscholtz, 1829 , then it was ignored for another 56 years until Schenkling’ s (1925) catalog. The question mark in the name as published indicates Curtis’ tentativeness on the genus attribution, which is also revealed by his statement that it is “nearly related to Germar’ s Elater subfasciatus ” ( Germar 1824) described from “Brasilia.” This tentative genus assignment occurred during an active period when the elaterids of Linnaeus and Fabricius, all described in Elater L., began being reassigned to new genera established by Eschscholtz and others. The assignment to Pomachilius Eschscholtz, 1829 occurred when the latter author placed E. subfasciatus into his new genus. Elater subfasciatus is the type species by monotypy of Pomachilius . Thus, Pomachilius subfasciatus (Germar) has a long taxonomic history of subsequent validity and was assigned to species Group I by Candèze (1860). There are presently 97 valid species assigned to Pomachilius , with most of these listed by Schwarz (1906), Schenkling (1925), and Blackwelder (1957). The only taxonomic revision of the species on which to base any contemporary study is Candèze (1860), and subsequent scattered descriptions of additional species.

The holotypes of A. variegatus Curtis and E. subfasciatus are in the Natural History Museum, London. My comparison of the two species was made with examination of essential characters of the antennae, pronotal hind margin, scutellum, elytral apices, pronotosternal suture, tarsi, abdominal ventrite 5, sculpture, and coloration. These two specimens do not differ by other than minor color pattern details that are similar to comparable variation in other pomachiline elaterids. Aeolus variegatus Curtis is here considered a new synonym of Pomachilius subfasciatus (Germar) .

The homonymy between A. variegatus Curtis and A. variegatus Schwarz (type locality: Petropolis, Brazil) remained for 113 years. This long delay in correction is presumably due to the general absence of Curtis’ name in the taxonomic literature prior to 1899, except in the catalog of Gemminger and Harold (1869) where it was treated as valid. Schwarz (1906) listed as valid his own A. variegatus but not Curtis’. Schenkling (1925) listed A. variegatus Curtis as a valid name, but incorrectly cited Schwarz (1902) as if Schwarz’ s species was the same as Curtis’. Blackwelder (1944) also listed A. variegatus Curtis as valid, but did not list A. variegatus Schwarz , probably accepting the Schenkling arrangement. The synonymy of A. variegatus Curtis with P. subfasciatus removes this homonymy.

With the above synonymy, A. variegatus Curtis becomes a senior homonym of Pomachilius variegatus Schwarz, 1904 (type locality: São Paulo, Brazil) in species Group II of Candèze (1860). However, P. variegatus cannot be automatically replaced as Article 23.9 (ICZN 1999) requires the continued use of both names pending a referral to and decision from the Commission in circumstances when prevailing usage cannot be determined according to established conditions (Art. 23.9.1). An application on this issue is pending.

Figures

Figs. 1–2. 1) “Aeolus? variegatus” Curtis, holotype, dorsal aspect; 2) Labels from “Aeolus? variegatus” Curtis, holotype. The “type” label is a Natural History Museum, London curatorial label applied to presumptive primary types. The circular label with “63 49” is the museum registration number for the specimen lot donated by the Linnean Society (Wheeler 1995). The first determination label is Capt. P. King’s locality label “St. P.” indicating “St. Paul’s” (= São Paulo). The final label is by P. Cate, Vienna.