Teretrius (Teretrius), 1834

Lackner, Tomáš & Vienna, Pierpaolo, 2017, Histeridae of Socotra (Coleoptera: Histeroidea), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 57, pp. 55-76 : 71

Teretrius (Teretrius) sp. 1

Material examined. YEMEN: SOCOTRA: 46 spec., Wadi Ayhaft , 200 m, 7.–8.xi.2010, 12°36.5′N, 53°58.9′E, L. Purchart lgt. (7 spec. in PVCV, 7 spec. in TLCM, 32 spec. in NMPC) ; 13 spec., Aloove area , Aloove vill. env., Jatropha unicostata shrubland, with Boswelia elongata trees, 19.–20.vi. 2012, 221 m, 12°31.2′N, 54°07.4′E, J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, P. Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart lgt. ( NMPC) ; 7 spec., Aloove area , Hassan vill. env., 9.–10.xi. 2010, 221 m, 12°31.2′N, 54°07.4′E, J. Hájek lgt. ( NMPC) ; 1 spec., Wadi Zirik , 650–670 m, 30.vi.2010, 12°29′35″N, 53°59′28″E, L. Purchart lgt. ( NMPC) .

Comments. The nominotypical subgenus Teretrius is a taxonomically complicated unit currently containing 76 described species spread across the entire world, with the bulk of species known from tropical Africa ( MAZUR 2011). Its members live subcortically on various kinds of deciduous trees (mainly acacias in tropical Africa), hunting the larvae of coleopteran (sub) families Bostrichidae and Curuclionidae: Scolytinae . Several species of Teretrius have been even used in the pest control (see e.g. HOLST & MEIKLE 2003). Identification of the species of both subgenera Neoteretrius and Teretrius s. str. is complicated by the fact that the taxa are generally uniform in outlook, their descriptions are often very concise and lack depiction of the diagnostic characters. In fact, the male genitalia of members of both subgenera were first correctly illustrated by ÔHARA (2008). The presence of misidentified or doubtfully identified specimens in the collections that could be used as the reference specimens creates further confusion in the determination ( KANAAR 2008). Given the above facts, we refrain from describing new taxa and record the above and the following species under a number pending an urgently needed revision of this genus.