Callimerus latifrons Gorham, 1876

Yang, Gan-Yan, Montreuil, Olivier & Yang, Xing-Ke, 2013, Taxonomic revision of the genus Callimerus Gorham s. l. (Coleoptera, Cleridae). Part I. latifrons species-group, ZooKeys 294, pp. 9-35 : 14-17

Callimerus latifrons Gorham, 1876 Figs 1-1472

latifrons Gorham, 1876: 67 ( Callimerus ; type locality: “Philippines”); - Chapin 1924: 190 ( Brachycallimerus ); - Kolibáč 1998: 176 ( Callimerus ).

flavofasciatus Schenkling, 1902: 320 ( Callimerus ; type locality: “Siam”); - Schenkling 1916: 220 (Singapore); - Chapin 1924: 190 (synonymized with latifrons Gorham); - Corporaal 1924: 196 (synonym of latifrons Gorham); - Corporaal 1939: 193 (variety of latifrons Gorham); - Corporaal 1948: 287 (raised to species rank). Syn. n.

Type material examined.

Lectotype of Callimerus latifrons Gorham designated here: "Phill. Isles / Callimerus latifrons Gorham [hw. by Gorham] / ♂ / Gorham Type / Museum Paris, Coll. H.S. Gorham 1911 / Lectotype: Callimerus latifrons Gorham, 1876 ♂, des. Yang G. Y., 2011" (MNHN, ♂; Figs 1-3); Lectotype of Callimerus flavofasciatus Schenkling designated here: “327– 62 / Museum Paris; Siam; Bocourt 327-62 / Callimerus flavofasciatus Schklg. Type! [hw. by Schenkling] / Type / ♂ / Type / Lectotype ♂: Callimerus flavofasciatus Schenkling, 1902, des. Yang G. Y., 2011" (MNHN, ♂; Figs 4-6).

Note on Type material.

The name-bearing types of latifrons and flavofasciatus were not fixed in the original publications, so lectotypes of both species are designated here to express the taxonomic purpose of fixing the name to a single specimen and preventing further uncertainty regarding the taxon to which the names are applied. Only one specimen of each species was found in related museums.

Comment on synonymy.

Gorham (1876: 67) described Callimerus latifrons from Philippines as "Nigro-piceus, …, elytrorum fasciâ basali, maculâque pone medium reniformi pallide testaceis" (with "a basal fascia (widest in centre) and two kidney-shaped spots, almost touching suture, yellow"). Schenkling (1902: 320) published Callimerus flavofasciatus from Thailand, and stated that it differed from Callimerus latifrons by having an additional yellow spot at apex of elytron. Chapin (1924: 190) synonymized Callimerus flavofasciatus with Callimerus latifrons and argued, Callimerus latifrons having such a yellow spot at apex of elytron because all the Philippines specimens he examined having that (he also stated such a spot was mentioned in Gorham’s original description, which is not true though). Corporaal (1939: 193) found a specimen from Laos lacking a yellow spot at apex of elytron, which agrees well with Gorham’s description; so he regarded the specimen as a representative of the typical form of Callimerus latifrons , and treated flavofasciatus as a variety of Callimerus latifrons for having an additional yellow spot at elytral apex. Corporaal (1948: 287) re-treated Callimerus flavofasciatus as a distinct species for presence of such a spot. However, after we located it from MNHN, we found that the type of Callimerus latifrons actually having a yellow spot at apex of elytron, which was simply not mentioned in the original description. We compared the external morphology and male genital characters of type specimensof Callimerus latifrons and Callimerus flavofasciatus and found no significant differences; therefore, we synonymize Callimerus flavofasciatus with Callimerus latifrons . In addition, the specimen from Laos mentioned in Corporaal (1939: 193; 1948: 287) lacking the additional yellow spot is conspecific with Callimerus latifrons ; it is only the color variation of this species, as posterior black bands of elytra reach to the extreme apex and thus the apical yellow spot missing.

Diagnosis.

Callimerus latifrons can be rapidly distinguished from other species of this species group by its entirely black pronotum (Figs 1, 2).

There are 3 other species of this species group with two black spots on each elytron: Callimerus latesignatus , Callimerus pectoralis and Callimerus rusticus . In addition to the difference in pronotal coloration, Callimerus latifrons can be differentiated from these three species by: (1) EL/EW about 2.2 (in other 3 species 1.7-1.8); (2) anterior black spot of elytron spanning from elytral outer margin to suture, thus forming a complete black band across elytra (Fig. 1); (3) apices of paramere divergent (Fig. 7-9).

Description.

Size:length 7.5-8.9 mm, width 2.3-2.8 mm. Color: Head black, clypeus, labrum, palpi and antennae yellow; pronotum black; elytron yellow with two black spots, anterior spot just before middle, posterior spot near apex or at apex, both spots spanning from elytral outer margin to suture, thus forming two complete black bands across elytra; legs yellow with metacoxae black; prosternum black; mesepisternum black, mesepimeron yellow, mesosternum black with anterior and posterior areas more or less yellowish; metepisternum, metasternum and katepisternum black; abdominal ventrites I–III of male yellow, IV–VI black; abdominal ventrites I–V of female yellow, VI black. Vestiture: meso- and meta- pleuron more or less with thin white scales. Head: AL/AD about 1.0; EyD/EyWabout 1.0. Prothorax: PL/PW about 0.9. Elytra: EL/EW about 2.2. Male terminalia: apices of paramere divergent (Figs 7-9); TML/TMW about 1.2, TMaL/TML about 0.4, outer margin of ventral membranous region straight (Figs 9, 9a); SApL/SFL about 0.3 (Fig. 11); tergite VIII with posterior margin rounded and slightly pointed (Fig. 12); sternite VIII with posterior margin roundly concave (Fig. 13).

Variation. The posterior black spot on elytron in most cases doesn’t reach to the extreme apex and thus a small region of elytron extreme apex is yellow. But in a few specimens the black spot reach to the extreme apex, so the yellow portion is missing. These two color forms could be found in the same locality (Yunnan, China for instance) and they are not correlated with sex.

Other material examined. China:Yunnan: Xishuangbanna Damenglong, 650 m, 1958.IV.9, WANG Shuyong, IOZ(E)1126312 (IZAS, 1♂); same data but 1958.V.5, PU Fuji, IOZ(E)1126311 (IZAS, 1♀); Xishuangbanna, Yunjinghong, 650 m, 1959.V.5, ZHANG Xuezhong, IOZ(E)1126310 (IZAS, 1♂); Xishuangbanna, Mengla, 620-650 m, 1959.V.13, PU Fuji, IOZ(E)1126319 (IZAS, 1♀); Xishuangbanna, Xiaomengyang, 850 m, 1958.VIII.18, ZHANG Yiran, IOZ(E)1126309 (IZAS, 1♀); same data but 1957.VI.10, WANG Shuyong, IOZ(E)1126306 (IZAS, 1♂); Jinping, Mengla, 420 m, 1956.IV.19, HUANG Keren et. al., IOZ(E)1126283 (IZAS, 1♀); Jinping, Mengla, 420 m, 1956.IV.27, HUANG Keren et. al., IOZ(E)1126284 (IZAS, 1♂); Jinping, Mengla, 370 m, 1956.IV.12, HUANG Keren et. al., IOZ(E)1126287 (IZAS, 1♂); Vietnam: Tonkin, Backan; Lemée, 1908; Musum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür (MNHN, 1♀); Thailand: nr. Chiangdao cave, 800 m, N. Thailand, 19-IV-1983, T. Shimomura leg. (MNHN, 1♀); Philippines: "L. Laglaize 1879; Dumalon Zamboanga; Mindanao / Callimerus latifrons Gorh., det. Corporaal 1923 / Musum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür / ♂" (MNHN, 1♂)*; Malaysia: "Doherty / Perak / Fry Coll. 1905. 100 / C. latifrons G. [hw. by Gorham] / Callimerus latifrons Gorham, Gorham det. [hw. by Gahan]" (NHML, 1♀); Indonesia: "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Medan, 24.12.1917; 20 M / Musum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür / ♂" (MNHN, 1♂); "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Medan, 24.12.1917; 20 M / Cal limerus flavofasciatus Schenkling; Corporaal det. 1923 / Musum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür / ♂" (MNHN, 1♂); "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Medan, 24.12.1917; 20 M / Callimerus flavofasciatus Schl. / [...] / [...] / Corporaal det. 1923 / Musum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür / ♀" (MNHN, 1♀); "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Pagar Marbau, 15 / 12.'18; 24 M / J.B. Corporaal det. 1922: Callimerus flavofasciatus Schl. / Musum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür / ♂" (MNHN, 1♂); "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Pagar Marbau, 15 / 12.'18; 24 M / B. flavofasciatus Schl. / Musum Paris, Coll. M. Pic / ♂" (MNHN, 1♂); "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Medan, 1.11.[19]21; 20 M / J.B. Corporaal det. 1922: Callimerus flavofasciatus Schl. / Musum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür / ♂" (MNHN, 1♂); "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Medan, 6.1921; 20 M / 1938 J.B. Corporaal det: Brachycallimerus latifrons Gorh. var. flavofasciatus Schenkl. / Musum Paris 1939, Corporaal / ♂" (MNHN, 1♂); "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Medan, 22.1.[19]21; 20 M / 1938 J.B. Corporaal det: Brachycallimerus latifrons Gorh. var. flavofasciatus Schenkl. / Musum Paris, Coll. M. Pic / ♂" (MNHN, 1♂); "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Pagar Marbau, 15 / 12.'18; 24 M / Musum Paris 1952, Coll. R. Oberthür / ♀" (MNHN, 1♀); "J.B. Corporaal; Sumatra’s O. K. Pagar Marbau, 15 / 12.'18[1918]; 24 M / [...1] / Brachycallimerus flavofasciatus Schl. / Musum Paris, Coll. M. Pic / ♀" (MNHN, 1♀); "Sumatra, Si-Rambe, XII.90-III.91, E. Modigliani / 1941 Corporaal det. Brachycallimerus latifrons Gorh. var. flavofasciatus Schenkling" (MCSN, 1♀); "59192 / Doherty / Borneo, Pengaron / Fry Coll. 1905. 100 / C. latifrons G. [hw. by Gorham] / Callimerus latifrons Gorham, Borneo, Perak" (NHML, 1♀).

Distribution

(Fig. 72). China (Yunnan), Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines (Mindanao), Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo).