Singilis libani J.R. Sahlberg, 1913

Anichtchenko, Alexander, 2011, Review of subtribe Singilina Jeannel, 1949, of the Middle East and Central Asia (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini), ZooKeys 155, pp. 1-50 : 20-21

Singilis libani J.R. Sahlberg, 1913 stat. n.

Singilis fuscipennis var. libani Sahlberg 1913: 37.

Phloeozetus fuscipennis libani : Kabak 2003: 438.

Material examined.

ISRAEL: Palestina, Gebatha, 2.IX.1927, collectto Paganetti (1 ex. NHMW); Israel, Golan Mach, Pappelrinde 16.7.1985 (1♂, NHMW); Galil, 8.6.1999, Yoqne'am, I. Trojan (1♂, DWWC). SYRIA: Syria occ., distr. Tartus, Safita env., 400 m a.s.l., 30 km SE of Tartus, 1.V.2000, steppe, S. Benedikt leg. (1♂, DWWC).

Diagnosis.

This species is most similar to Singilis fuscipennis , with diagnostic differences listed under that species.

Redescription.

Length 6.8-7.0 mm. Head, pronotum, and legs brown, elytra piceous to black, sometimes slightly paler around scutellum. Venter brown, with darker abdomen (Fig. 19).

Head deeply microsculptured, very deeply and densely punctate, less or no more than one diameter distance from each other. Clypeus punctate in posterior half. Eyes big and prominent, with no short setae at posterior margin. Second supraocular seta located just anterad the posterior margin of eye. Temples short and smooth. Scape with a very long seta at 2/3 of its length and a few short thin setae towards the apex; pedicel with numerous setae in apical half; antennomere III pubescent towards apex. Antennae pubescent almost from the base of antennomere IV.

Pronotum 1.30-1.37 times as wide as head, 1.57 times as wide as long, widest just behind marginal setae. Anterior margin emarginate, anterior angles slightly prominent, sides very broadly rounded, not sinuate at posterior angles, which are rectangular and protrude as minute denticle. Punctation very coarse, as dense or denser than on head. Lateral explanate margin rapidly widened from the apex, broad and flat at base. Posterior pore right in front of angle. Basal grooves shallow, rugose, confluently punctate. Pronotal base extended in a rounded median lobe. Furrow usually shallow, fine, and incomplete. Microsculpture same as on head.

Elytra piceous to black, sometimes with base narrowly paler. Intervals 1 and 7 with a single row, 3 and 5 with two rows of irregular setiferous pores. Setae minute, barely visible. Interval 7 convex and narrow in basal half. Microsculpture polygonal to almost isodiametric. Apices slightly sinuate. Striae deep, punctate. All intervals convex at base, slightly convex at apex; outer intervals convex throughout.

Legs brownish yellow. Tarsomere V with 4-5 pairs of ventral setae. Claws with 4 long teeth. Epimera slightly rugose. Mes- and metepisterna smooth. Venter brownish yellow, with 3-4 apical sterna darker. Abdomen with short pubescence.

Aedeagus - Fig. 40. Aedeagal median lobe moderately broad, median shaft straight on ventral surface, apical sixth of lobe subangulately downturned, tip slightly pointed.

Comments.

Originally described as a subspecies of Singilis fuscipennis Schaum, 1857 (Sahlberg, 1913: 37) based on a single specimen from Jabal al-Baruk in central Lebanon ("Baruk Mt., Libani, IV.1819, Syr.").

Distribution.

Israel, Lebanon, Syria.