Ammoecius numidicus MULSANT, 1851

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 : 309

Ammoecius numidicus MULSANT, 1851

( Figs 65 , 89–92 )

Ammoecius numidicus MULSANT, 1851: 52 ; BARAUD 1971: 75; DELLACASA M. 1988: 170.

Type locality: “ Mahouna , Algérie”. [ Algeria.]

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

Type material: Ammoecius numidicus MULSANT, 1851 : neotype (male, MNHNP), herewith designated, bearing the following labels: 1) white, handwritten: Algerie / S. Doguet; 2) white, handwritten: Mahouna/ 26.X.1970; 3) red, handwritten: Ammoecius / numidicus MULSANT, 1851 / Neotypus m/ G. Dellacasa & Al., des. 2002.

Description – Length 4.5–5.0 mm. Rather short, oblong, strongly convex, shiny, glabrous ( Fig. 65 ). Black, clypeal margin faintly reddish; legs dark brownish; antennal club testaceous. Head withcupuliformepistomafinelyregularlyandalmostdenselypuncturedtothesharplyraisedanterior transverse carina in front of which the punctation is finely granulo-rugose; clypeus deeply sinuate at middle, subdenticulate at sides, latter distinctly bordered and regularly arcuate to genae; latter obtusely rounded, elongately ciliate, feebly protruding more than eyes; frontal suture very finely impressed; frons rather densely, finely and regularly punctured; epipharynx: Fig. 89 ; apex of corypha: Fig. 90 . Pronotum transverse; strongly convex, doubly punctured; larger punctures irregularly scattered on the basal two thirds of disc, denser on sides; smaller ones regularly and not very densely throughout sparse; anterior margin finely bordered; hind angles subtruncate; base not bisinuate, rather thickly bordered. Scutellum regularly triangular, flat, with a few fine punctures on basal half. Elytra short, oval, strongly convex, not denticulate at shoulder; striae rather fine, superficially punctured, very feebly crenulate; interstices faintly convex, imperceptibly punctured. Hind tibiae with superior apical spur distinctly longer than first tarsal segment; latter as long as following three combined. Male: inferior apical spur of middle tibiae shortened, apically truncate and inwardly abruptly bent; metasternal plate concave; aedeagus: Figs 91–92 . Female: inferior apical spur of middle tibiae elongate and regularly acuminate toward apex; metasternal plate nearly flat.

Distribution: Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily?

Remarks – In the OBERTHÜR’ s collection at the Paris Museum two specimens (male and female) labelled “ Sicilia ” are preserved but we did not study any other specimen collected there.

Figures

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-

Figs 85–95. Epipharynx (85, 89, 93), apex of corypha (lateral view) (86, 90) and aedeagus (dorsal and lateral view) (87–88, 91–92, 94–95) of: 85–88 = Ammoecius franzi (PETROVITZ, 1964), 89–92 = A. numidicus MULSANT, 1851, 93–95 = A. incultus (PETROVITZ, 1961)