Ammoecius meurguesae CLÉMENT, 1975

DellacaSa, M. & DellacaSa, G., 2002, Systematic Redefinition Of Taxa Belonging To The Genera Ahermodontus Báguena, 1930 And Ammoecius Mulsant, 1842, With Description Of The New Genus Vladimirellus (Coleoptera: Aphodiidae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 48 (4), pp. 269-316 : 305-306

Ammoecius meurguesae CLÉMENT, 1975

( Figs 33–36 , 68 )

Ammoecius meurguesae CLÉMENT, 1975 a: 10 ; CLÉMENT 1975 b: 26.

Aphodius (Ammoecius) hyrcanius PETROVITZ, 1980: 607 ; BARAUD 1981: 136 (as synonym of meurguesae ); DELLACASA M. 1988: 339.

Aphodius (Ammoecius) meurguesae : BARAUD 1981: 136; DELLACASA M. 1988: 221.

Type locality: Karaj , Mazandaran, Iran .

Type depository: Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris.

Description – Length 5.5–6.5 mm. Oblong, strongly convex, very shiny, glabrous ( Fig. 68 ). Black; clypeal margin brown-reddish; legs brownish with tarsi paler; antennal club testaceous. Head with cupuliform epistoma finely and regularly punctured on disc; punctation slightly coarser laterally and distinctly granulate in front of rather wide anterior transverse carina; clypeus subangulately sinuate at middle, obtusely angulate at sides, thickly bordered, border upturned; genae obtuse, elongately ciliate, distinctly protruding more than eyes; frontal suture almost faint at middle, finely impressed laterally; frons distinctly and sparsely punctured; epipharynx: Fig. 33 ; apex of corypha: Fig. 34 . Pronotum moderately transverse, strongly convex, somewhat explanate near anterior angles, doubly punctured with large punctures sparse throughout and slightly denser on sides, mixed fine, almost imperceptible punctures subregularly scattered; sides feebly rounded, thickly bordered; hind angles obtusely rounded; base bisinuate, thickly bordered. Scutellum regularly triangular, flat, microreticulate, nearly smooth. Elytra strongly convex, feebly broadened backward; epipleural carina distinctly raised but not denticulate at shoulder; striae almost fine, rather superficially punctured, subcrenulate; interstices flat with extremely fine sparse punctures. Hind tibiae with superior apical spur slightly longer than first tarsal segment; latter as long as following three combined. Male: pronotum relatively more transverse, less convex and with large punctures sparser on disc; fore tibiae with apical spur plump, cylindrical, apically wide and spatulate; inferior apical spur of middle tibiae very short, obliquely truncate and faintly inwardly hooked at apex; metasternal plate deeply excavate; aedeagus: Figs. 35–36 . Female: pronotum relatively less transverse, more convex and with large punctures denser on disc; fore tibiae with apical spur rather short, stout, feebly outwardly curved, obtusely rounded at apex; middle tibiae with inferior apical spur rather short but regularly acuminate at apex; metasternal plate flat.

Distribution: Azerbaijan, Iran.

Remarks – A study of the type material of Aphodius (Ammoecius) hyrcanius PETROVITZ, 1980 ( MHNG) allows us to confirm its synonymy under Ammoecius meurguesae CLÉMENT, 1975 .

Figures

Figs 25–36. Epipharynx (25, 29, 33), apex of corypha (lateral view) (26, 30, 34) and aedeagus (dorsal and lateral view) (27–28, 31–32, 35–36) of: 25–28 = Ammoecius elevatus (OLIVIER, 1789), 29–32 = A. satanas (CARPANETO, 1976), 33–36 = A. meurguesae CLÉMENT, 1975

Figs 65–68. Habitus of: 65 = Ammoecius numidicus MULSANT, 1851 (male, length 4.5 mm, Algeria: Mahouna), 66 = A. franzi (PETROVITZ, 1964) (male, length 5.5 mm, Morocco: Oukaïmeden), 67 = A. amplicollis (PEYERIMHOFF, 1939) (male, length 5.0 mm, Morocco: Oukaïmeden), 68 = A. meur-