Dupontiella Spinola, 1844

Kolibac, Jiri, 2013, Trogossitidae: A review of the beetle family, with a catalogue and keys, ZooKeys 366, pp. 1-194 : 46-47

Genus Dupontiella Spinola, 1844 Figs 20 -23 ; Map 5

Dupontiella Spinola, M. 1844 (II): 168.

Type species.

Dupontiella ichneumonoides Spinola, 1844 [designated by Kolibáč 2005]

Léveillé, A. 1910: 6. Kolibáč, J. 2005: 54. Kolibáč, J. 2006: 116 (phylogeny). Reitter, E. 1876: 15

Remarks.

Body size: about 4.0-5.0 mm. The genus was originally described in Cleridae . Lacordaire (1857: 493) transferred Dupontiella to Trogossitidae . Neither species was pinned in Cleridae in Spinola’s original collection and I found none in "collectio Chevrolat" (MNHN Paris) where Dupontiella ichneumonoides could have been placed. Figures 20 - 23 show a facsimile of Spinola’s (1844) original descriptions with figures as well as Reitter’s (1876) remarks on the genus.

The 11-segmented antennae with distinct 3-segmented asymmetrical club, as well as perhaps a tri-sinuate anterior margin to the frons, probably indicate proper classifi cation within Trogossitinae , perhaps related to Nemozoma and allied genera. Spinola’s note " [...] les mandibles de la forme ordinaire, la face antérieurement arrondie et non tri-échancrée [...]" could mean that the mandibles are unidentate. Some species, possibly only specimens of Corticotomus , are the only known trogossitids with mandibles that may be unidentate ( Kolibáč 2005: 51). On the other hand, the body shape and the complex colour pattern on the dorsal surface of of the body also resemble Calanthosoma ( Egoliini ). Because species of the latter genus are far larger, I tend to support a relationship to Nemozoma and Corticotomus . Hence the classification of Dupontiella within Trogossitini herein.

Distribution.

Venezuela.

Species:

Dupontiella fasciatella Spinola, 1844; Venezuela: Caracas (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 6. Reitter, E. 1876: 16

Dupontiella ichneumonoides Spinola, 1844; Venezuela: Caracas (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 6. Kolibáč, J. 2005: 54. Reitter, E. 1876: 15

Figures

Map 5. A distribution of the tribe Trogossitini.

Figure 20. A facsimile of Spinola 1844: 168 - 171. The original descriptions of the genus Dupontiella and the species Dupontiella ichneumonoides.

Figure 23. A facsimile of Reitter 1876: 14 - 17. Author's remarks on the genus Dupontiella and the both species, Dupontiella ichneumonoides and Dupontiella fasciatella.