Noserinus furcatus (Kirsch) Foley & Ivie, 2008

Foley, Ian A. & Ivie, Michael A., 2008, A phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Zopherini with a review of the species and generic classification (Coleoptera: Zopheridae), Zootaxa 1928 (1), pp. 1-72 : 20-21

Noserinus furcatus (Kirsch) , NEW COMBINATION

Figs. 11 , 14

Nosoderma furcatus Kirsch, 1866: 189 . Nosoderma furcatum ; Foley and Ivie, 2007: 68. Meralius furcatus ; Gebien, 1936: 669. Blackwelder, 1945: 515. Meralius furcatum: Garrido, 2004: 56 .

Diagnosis: The species N. furcatus differs from Noserinus dormeanus in lacking functional flight wings and possessing small pits along the basal margin of the pronotum. The strongly projecting nodules at the apex of the elytra will also distinguish this species from N. dormeanus .

Distribution: Northern South America. Recorded distribution: A summary of the 143 specimens examined is COLOMBIA: NORTE DE

SANTANDER; Felipe Ovalle. PERU: SAN MARTIN; BRAZILIAN FRONTIER; UPPER RIO HUALL-

AGA. VENEZUELA: FALCÓN, LARA, MÉRIDA .

Types: Not examined.

Notes: The species Nosoderma furcatus Kirsch 1866 was stated to resemble Scoriaderma cordicolle ( Fairmaire 1894b) , but was placed in Meralius by Gebien (1936) without comment. Meralius furcatus (Kirsch) does not fit the definition of the genus ( sensu Ṡ lipi ń ski and Lawrence 1999; now considered a synonym of Nosoderma, Foley and Ivie 2007 ) and is incorrectly placed. It differs from true Nosoderma Guérin- Méneville species most obviously in having a large scutellum and lacking a groove on the prosternum which is only broadly depressed. Coincidentally, there is a specimen of Nosoderma from Venezuela that was represented in Gebien’s collection (label data: “Sammlung H. Gebien”) and probably assumed to be Nosoderma furcatus . Gebien (1936) could have based his placement of Nosoderma furcatus in Meralius ( sensu Ṡ lipi ń ski and Lawrence 1999) based on this specimen. This specimen is actually a species described by Garrido (2004) from Cuba, it is unclear if this species actually occurs in Venezuela, or was mislabeled.

This species, as with many Zopherini , is morphologically variable across its distribution. This distinctive species has large laterally projecting tubercles and a highly patterned setose vestiture that is highlighted with arcuate markings ranging in color from white to gold to black. Specimens are highly variable in coloration, pattern, and sculptural intensity. No consistent morphological differences could be found in the large number of mostly historical specimens examined to warrant the recognition of more than a single species.

Figures

FIGURES 10–13. 10–12. Dorsal habiti. 10. Zopher iviei, Penninsular. Malaysia; 11. Noserinus furcatus, Venezuela; 12. Noserinus dormeanus, Brazil. 13. Noserinus dormeanus apex of tarsal claw. Figs. 10–12, Scale bar = 5mm.

FIGURES 14–15. 14. Noserinus furcatus epipleuron. 15. Scoriaderma cordicolle. Prothoracic hypomeron. Scale bars = 1mm.