Ammoecius dentatus SCHMIDT, 1908

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 : 289

Ammoecius dentatus SCHMIDT, 1908

( Figs 52 , 77–80 )

Ammoecius dentatus SCHMIDT, 1908: 504 .

Aphodius (Ammoecius) dentatus : SCHMIDT 1913: 126; SCHMIDT 1922: 70; BALTHASAR 1964: 78; BARAUD 1971: 68; DELLACASA M. 1988: 119.

Type locality: “ Tanger, Marokko”. [ Morocco.]

Type depository: Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet , Stockholm .

Description – Length 4.0–5.0 mm. Short, oval, strongly convex, moderately shiny, glabrous ( Fig 52 ). Black, clypeal margin widely brown-reddish; legs brown-reddish with tarsi paler; antennal club testaceous. Head with cupuliform epistoma distinctly, finely, subregularly punctured on disc; laterally mixed with few large punctures; punctation fine and regular in front of short but strongly raised anterior transverse carina; clypeus widely sinuate at middle, sharply denticulate at sides, very thinly bordered, border feebly upturned; genae angulose, elongately ciliate, protruding more than eyes; frontal suture finely impressed; frons finely and subregularly punctured; epipharynx: Fig. 77 ; apex of corypha: Fig. 78 . Pronotum moderately transverse, strongly convex, doubly punctured; large punctures sparser on disc and absent on anterior quarter, mixed with fine punctures regularly scattered throughout; anterior margin finely bordered; sides feebly rounded, distinctly bordered; hind angles obtusely rounded; base not bisinuate, rather thickly bordered. Scutellum regularly triangular, irregularly punctured on basal half. Elytra strongly convex, feebly broadened backward; striae almost fine, superficially punctured, feebly crenulate; interstices very slightly convex with extremely fine sparse punctures. Hind tibiae with superior apical spur longer than first tarsal segment; latter shorter than following three combined. Male: pronotum with large punctures relatively less densely arranged;inferiorapicalspurofmiddletibiaeveryshort,obtuselyroundedapically;metasternalplate distinctly concave; aedeagus: Figs 79–80 . Female: pronotum with large punctures relatively more densely arranged; inferior apical spur of hind tibiae elongate and regularly acuminate apically; metasternal plate flat.

Distribution: Portugal (Algarve), Spain (Andalusia), Morocco (Atlantic coast).

Remarks – Coastal sands seem to be the exclusive habitat of this species.

Figures

Figs 49–52. Habitus of: 49 = Ammoecius muchei (PETROVITZ, 1962) (male, length 6.0 mm, Turkey: Vil. Kastamonu, Kastamonu env.), 50 = A. satanas (CARPANETO, 1976) (male, length 7.0 mm, Turkey: Vil. Antalya, 40 km S of Akseki, 3 km S Fersin), 51 = A. felscheanus REITTER, 1904 (male, length 3.5 mm, Algeria: Oran prov., Oued-Imbert), 52 = A. dentatus SCHMIDT, 1908 (male, length

Figs 69–80. Epipharynx (69, 73, 77), apex of corypha (lateral view) (70, 74, 78) and aedeagus (dorsal and lateral view) (71–72, 75–76, 79–80) of: 69–72 = Ammoecius amplicollis (PEYERIMHOFF, 1939),