Exaesiopus therondi, Lackner, Tomas, 2015

Lackner, Tomas, 2015, Revision of the genus Exaesiopus Reichardt, 1926 (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Saprininae), ZooKeys 479, pp. 65-108 : 91-93

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Histeridae

Exaesiopus therondi sp. n. Figs 114, 115, 116, 117, 118-126

Type locality.

Hamud-i-Sabari, Afghanistan.

Type material examined.

Holotype, ♂, side-mounted on a triangular point, right hind leg missing, genitalia glued to the same mounting point as the specimen, with the following labels: "N AFGHANISTAN: / Hamud-i-Sabari / 26.iii.1949 Danish / Central Asian Expedn." (written in black ink); followed by: " Pachylopus / sp. not in BM / J. Balfour-Browne det. / v. 1964" (written-printed); followed by: "St. No. / 7" (printed-written); followed by: "Brit. Mus. / 1964-302" (printed-written); followed by: "Ex stomach of / Charadinus alexandrinus / alexandrinus L." (written in black ink); followed by: " Exaesiopus / n. sp.? / J. Thérond det. 1964" (written-printed); followed by: " Exaesiopus / therondi n.sp. / HOLOTYPE / det. T. Lackner 2014" (red label, written) (BMNH).

Diagnostic description.

Body length: PEL: 2.125 mm; APW: 0.875 mm; PPW: 1.825 mm; EW: 2.05 mm; EL: 1.55 mm. This species (Fig. 114) is externally very similar to Exaesiopus henoni , differing from it chiefly by its densely punctate pronotum, which is furnished with two round glabrous patches amongst the punctation laterally. The structure of frons (Fig. 115) is also different; whereas Exaesiopus henoni always possesses only two well-defined chevrons on a completely glabrous surface, Exaesiopus therondi has its chevrons beset on all sides with irregular rugae. The punctation of propygidium and pygidium (Fig. 116) is similar to that of Exaesiopus henoni (Fig. 38). The prosternal process (Fig. 117) of Exaesiopus therondi is more setose than that of Exaesiopus henoni ; prosternal foveae are absent. Anterior face of profemora (Fig. 117) is covered with dense amber setae in Exaesiopus therondi , whereas only several sparse short setae are present in Exaesiopus henoni . Anterior face of protibia (Fig. 117) is rugulose-lacunose in Exaesiopus therondi while it is glabrous in Exaesiopus henoni . Further differences are found on male genitalia: Eighth sternite (Figs 118-119) is more slender, setae on apex are shorter; eighth sternite and tergite apically more slender (seen from lateral view; compare Figs 48 and 122). The rest of the male genitalia is markedly similar between the two species.

Differential diagnosis.

Exaesiopus therondi most resembles the Saharan species Exaesiopus henoni , differing from it by rugulose-lacunose anterior face of protibia (glabrous in Exaesiopus henoni ), and the different structure of the frons ( Exaesiopus henoni has its frons glabrous with two chevrons whereas Exaesiopus therondi has the chevrons surrounded by tiny rugae).

Biology.

Unknown, found in a stomach of Kentish plover ( Charadrius alexandrinus L.).

Distribution.

Known only from Afghanistan: Hamud-i-Sabari.

Remarks.

Although this newly described species does strongly resemble the Saharan species Exaesiopus henoni , and it has furthermore been found in a stomach of a bird, it is unlikely that they are conspecific, given the vast geographic stretch between African Sahara and Afghanistan. If it had been consumed by a Kentish plover in Africa and discovered in its stomach in Afghanistan it would have probably passed through the digestive tract of the bird by the time the bird migrated from the Sahara Desert to Afghanistan and would be beneath recognition at best. Instead, given the perfect shape of the insect, I consider it highly probable that the bird consumed it in Afghanistan and thus this species is an element of the Afghan fauna.