Phyllobaenus sordidus (Gorham, 1883: 173)

Leavengood, John M. & Garner, Beulah H., 2014, Nomenclatural notes on some checkered beetle (Coleoptera: Cleridae) types of the Natural History Museum, London (BMNH), Zootaxa 3760 (3), pp. 301-335 : 315-316

Phyllobaenus sordidus (Gorham, 1883: 173)

(Figs. 27–31)

Original combination. Hydnocera sordida

Types. Gorham referred to seven specimens from the Salle collection, two of which remain undesignated. However, the number of specimens collected by Dugès was not identified.

Comments. This species clearly caused Gorham more confusion than any other. A rather infuscate (appearing entirely black) specimen of sordidus was included as a paralectotype of P. nigroaeneus . Another specimen (nontype) was identified by Gorham as P. guatemalensis (Gorham) while other specimens thought by Gorham to be sordidus were later identified as an undescribed species. Future diagnosticians or curators mistook several other species for sordidus or sordidus for other species. The reason for this confusion is the tremendous variation in color pattern and the apparent overlap with the color pattern expression ranges of its congeners. With few specimens at hand it is understandable that these very different color patterns (e.g., Figs. 27–28, Figs. 29–30, and Fig. 31) were suggestive of more than one species.

Series/ Type locality. Guanajuato, Mexico.

LECTOTYPE (here designated): Syntype [round, blue-bordered label], Type [round, red-bordered label], Guanajuato, Mexico, Salle Coll., 584, Type, B. C. A. Col. III (2), Hydnocera sordida Gorham (BMNH; 1). PARALECTOTYPES. Syntype [round, blue-bordered label], Guanajuato, Mexico, Salle Coll., B. C. A. Col. III (2), Hydnocera sordida Gorham (BMNH; 2); Guanajuato, Mexico, Salle Coll., Hydnocera sordida Gorham , Museum Paris Coll Gorham 1914 [blue label], Museum Paris ex. Coll. R. Oberthur [blue label] (MNHN; 1); Guanajuato, Mexico, Salle Coll., Museum Paris Coll Gorham 1914 [blue label], Museum Paris ex. Coll. R. Oberthur [blue label] (MNHN; 1); Mexique, Guanajuato, E. Dugès, Museum Paris ex. Coll. R. Oberthur (MNHN; 10).