Agnelius nageli (Kriesche) Paulsen, 2017

Paulsen, M. J., 2017, Revision of the endemic Madagascan stag beetle genus Ganelius Benesh, and description of a new, related genus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae: Figulini), Insecta Mundi 2017 (592), pp. 1-16 : 11-13

Agnelius nageli (Kriesche) , new combination

Nigidius nageli Kriesche 1926: 385 (original combination)

Type material. Neotype male, MNHN, here designated, labeled: a) “ Madagascar / Antsianaka / Perrot Frères / 2º Semestre 1890”; b) on light blue paper, “Museum Paris / 1952 / Coll. R. Oberthur ”; c) on red paper, “ Nigidius nageli / ♂ Kriesche / NEOTYPE / des. MJ Paulsen”; d) “ Agnelius / nageli / (Kriesche, 1926) / det. M.J. Paulsen 2017”.

Non-type material ( Fig. 37 ). MADAGASCAR: FIANARANTSOA: Ambatofitorahana (1; LBC) ; Ambositra (1 ♂; MNHN) ; Talakately (1 ♂; CASC) ; Vondrozo (2 ♂; MNHN). TOAMASINA: Antsianaka / Lake Alaotra (11 ♂, 6 ♀, MNHN) ; Beparasy (1; LBC) ; Fanovana (1♂, 1♀; MNHN) ; Fenerive (2 ♂, 1 ♀; CASC, MNHN) ; Maroantsetra , (1 ♀; MNHN) ; Perinet (1♂, 1 ♀; MNHN) ; Rogez (5 ♂, 4 ♀; MHNG, MJPC) ; Tamatave / Toamasina (3; MNHN) .

Diagnosis. This species is immediately separable from other Madagascan stag beetles by the characters discussed above. It is the only species with mandibles with a bifurcate median tooth ( Fig. 32 ). The flattened, elongate form is also distinctive.

Remarks. Bartolozzi and Werner (2004) indicated that the type of G. nageli (Kriesche) , which was originally deposited in Hannover, Germany, is presumably lost. The stag beetle primary types from Hannover were taken to Hamburg for study by Paul Nagel (A. Eichler, NLMH, pers. comm.) where they were destroyed during WWII ( Klapperich 1948).

Although Kriesche’s holotype is lost, when comparing the available material with his original description, his species N. nageli can be distinguished. I had originally considered the species in question to be an undescribed species of Ganelius from the eastern Madagascan forests that oddly lacked visible sexual dimorphism. The species was illustrated by Benesh (1955) as Nigidius oberndorferi , in part (Benesh’s fig. 15), and in Fujita (2010) as “ Ganelius ? spp.” (species 1279). Characteristics described by Kriesche that cannot be ignored are the fitting description of the canthus, mentum with a buttonlike elevation, shiny and finely punctate frons, and especially the more elongate form. Most examined specimens are identical to Kriesche’s values of 19 mm in length (including mandibles) and 6 mm in width. Kriesche indicated that the specimen was female, which would be expected for a species that lacks sexual dimorphism in a time when genitalic dissections were rarely performed.

A neotype is designated to tie the name to this species and eliminate confusion about its previously unknown identity. Kriesche’s original locality was simply ‘Madagaskar’ and a female indicated, however without genitalic dissection the lack of sexual dimorphism makes the sex equivocal; a neotype male is chosen from the MNHN material from Antsianaka.

Figures

Figures 33–37. Species distributions. 33) Ganelius madagascariensis. 34) G. oberndorferi. 35) G. gnamptus. 36) G. zombi. 37) Agnelius nageli.

Figures 28–32. Comparison of ocular canthi, females. 28) Ganelius madagascariensis. 29) G. oberndorferi. 30) G. gnamptus. 31) G. zombi. 32) Agnelius nageli.