Nemozoma schwarzi Schaeffer, 1918

Kippenhan, Michael G., 2023, The Taxonomic Status of Two Species of North American Trogossitidae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea) Described by Roger Dajoz, The Coleopterists Bulletin 77 (2), pp. 278-282 : 279-282

Nemozoma schwarzi Schaeffer, 1918

Nemosoma (Monesoma) schwarzi Schaeffer 1918: 191 . Type locality: Arizona, Fort Yuma. Type repository: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Washington, DC, USA; not examined.

Nemosoma schwarzi ; Barron 1971: 48.

Nemozoma schwarzi ; Kolibáč 2013: 69.

Cylidrella maculata Dajoz 1991: 245. Type locality: California, Riverside County, San Bernardino National Forest, Pine Meadow, 1300 m altitude. Type repository: MNHN; examined ( Fig. 1 ). New synonymy.

Nemozoma maculata: combination by Kolibáč 2013: 68.

When establishing Cylidrella, Sharp (1891) noted the extreme compression of the prosternum between the procoxae and, in the description of Cylidrella mollis Sharp, 1891, noted the elytra covering only half of the abdomen. In his redescription of Cylidrella, Barron (1971) confirmed that the only other described Cylidrella, Cylidrella championi Wickham, 1916, also exhibited a compressed prosternum and shortened elytra. Barron (1971) utilized these characters, among others, to differentiate Cylidrella from the morphologically similar genus Nemozoma. While shortened elytra can be found in both N. schwarzi and Nemozoma gymnosternalis Kolibáč, 2014, the shortened elytra of Cylidrella, as noted by Barron (1971), have a subhumeral impression which is not present on the elytra of Nemozoma. In addition, Cylidrella species are unique in their incomplete epipleuron which results in a downwardly curved elytral apex. This incomplete epipleuron is significant, has not been mentioned by previous authors, and appears to be unique to Cylidrella. Kolibáč (2005) placed Cylidrella as a junior synonym of Nemozoma simply stating “All character states of Cylidrella are apomorphic with respect to Nemozoma ”. In his description of Cylidrella 280 maculata, Dajoz’s (1991) placement of the taxon in Cylidrella maculata. Based on the preceding, the Cylidrella appears to be based solely on its short- correct placement of this taxon is as a junior subjecened elytra. Even though Dajoz (1991) cited Barron tive synonym of N. schwarzi. Ironically, Dajoz’s (1971) in his discussion, Dajoz made no reference (1991) illustrations are accurate and fully capture the to the shape of the prosternum or other characters salient features and overall habitus of N. schwarzi.

included in Barron’s (1971) key. Therefore, it is

Airora aequalis Reitter, 1877

unclear if Dajoz misunderstood this character or simply did not read Barron’s descriptions and keys. Airora aequalis Reitter 1877: 172. Type locality: As a consequence, based on the fact that the epipleu- California. Type repository: unknown. Barron ron of Cylidrella maculata is complete and the pros- 1971: 67. Kolibáč 2013: 51.

ternum is not compressed, the correct placement of Airora punctiventris Casey 1916: 110. Type locality: this taxon is in the genus Nemozoma in the restricted Arizona, Tucson. Type repository: NMNH; not sense prior to Kolibáč (2005). examined. Synonymized by Barron (1971: 67).

To establish specific status, I compared the holo- Airora bicolor Casey 1916: 110. Type locality: type of Cylidrella maculata to a specimen of N. California, Calaveras Co., Mokelumne Hill. Type schwarzi labeled: “GreenValley/Pima Co. Arizona// repository: NMNH; not examined. Synonymized DrLenczy/VII.1976” from the author’s collection. by Hatch (1962: 192).

This locality is approximately 350 km east-southeast Airora polita Casey 1916: 111. Type locality: of Fort Yuma, the type locality of N. schwarzi California. Type repository: NMNH; not exam- (Schaeffer 1918). My concept of N. schwarzi is fur- ined. Synonymized by Barron (1971: 67).

ther supported by the original description (Schaeffer Corticotomus testaceus Dajoz 1997: 40 . Type local- 1918) and Barron (1971). Additionally, N. schwarzi ity: Arizona, Cochise County, Slaughter Ranch. is known to occur in Riverside Co., California Type repository: MNHN; examined ( Fig. 2 ). (Barron 1971), in the vicinity of the type locality of Kolibáč 2013: 56. New synonymy.

In North America, Corticotomus Sharp, 1891 and Airora Reitter, 1876 are easily distinguished from one another by a number of morphological characters including the elytral base, antennal form, and tibial spines (Barron 1971). One of the diagnostic features of North American Corticotomus is the presence of a deep subhumeral depression on the elytron (Barron 1971). Dajoz (1997) based this taxon’s generic placement on what he interpreted as a subhumeral depression on the elytron; however, upon comparison of the holotype and paratypes with true Corticotomus , this does not constitute a deep subhumeral depression, instead being only a slight subhumeral impression. Additionally, Dajoz’s (1997) figure 2 accurately depicts the proportional length of the antennae and compact shape of the antennal club, both characteristics of Airora in contrast to the longer proportional length and elongate, loose club characteristic of true Corticotomus . Comparisons between the two genera was entirely within Dajoz’s reach as his collection contains specimens of both A. aequalis and true Corticotomus , all of which he collected in the southwestern United States ( Fig. 3 ). As in the case of Cylidrella maculata , it appears that Dajoz did not read the keys nor descriptions provided in Barron (1971) (cited in Dajoz’s references as “1990”). This assumption is based on the fact that Barron’s (1971) generic key clearly utilizes the large spines along the outer margin of all tibiae as an identifying feature for Airora taxa; these spines on the pro- and mesotibiae are clearly visible on the holotype ( Fig. 2A ). Based on these characters, the correct placement of this taxon is in the genus Corticotomus .

My concept of A. aequalis is based on Barron (1971) as well as the examination of over 100 specimens of this species from various entomological collections. The identity was further established by comparison of the type series of Corticotomus testaceus to a specimen of A. aequalis labelled “ USA: CA: Kern County /Tehachapi Mtn. Community Park/ 35°04.077′N • 118°29.101′W / 21-V-2021 M. Kippenhan col.” from the author’s collection .

282 Dajoz’s type series consists of nine specimens Colydiinae and Pycnomerini ( Coleoptera : Zophemounted on five pins, none of which have name- ridae). Insecta Mundi 15: 185–188. bearing identification labels and are only labeled Kolibáč, J. 2005. A review of the Trogossitidae . Part 1: “ Holotype ” or “ Paratype ”, respectively ( Figs. 2C , 3 ). Morphology of the genera ( Coleoptera ,Cleroidea).

Entomologica Basiliensia et Collectionis Frey 27: However, the collecting data labels of the specimens

39–159. make it clear that these specimens do in fact represent Kolibáč, J. 2013. Trogossitidae : A review of the beetle the type series of Corticotomus testaceus . family, with a catalogue and keys. ZooKeys 366:

1–194.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Kolibáč, J. 2014. Nemozoma gymnosternalis sp. nov., a new anomalous species of Trogossitidae from This project could not have been possible without Brazil. Zootaxa 3815: 417–427. Antoine Mantilleri’s (MNHN) assistance and hos- Leschen, R. A. B. 2002. 72. Trogossitidae Latreille 1802 pitality during my visit. Christophe Rivers (MNHN) [pp. 263–266]. In: American Beetles, Volume 2.

Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionwas kind enough to locate Dajoz’s specimens during oidea ( R. H.Arnett, Jr., M. C. Thomas, P. E. Skelmy visit and provided images of the holotypes. ley, and J. H. Frank, editors). CRC Press, Boca MichaelA. Ivie (Montana Entomological Collection , Raton, FL, xiv + 861 pp. Bozeman , MT) reviewed the manuscript and pro- Léveillé, A. 1910. Temnochilidae .Pars. 11. In : Coleoptervided insights into the taxonomic work of Roger orum Catalogus. Vol. 15 (S. Schenkling, editor). Dajoz. Two anonymous reviewers provided valu- W. Junk, Berlin , 40 pp. able comments to help improve the manuscript. Reitter, E. 1877. Coleopterorum species novae. Verhan-

dlungen der Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 27: 165–194.

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Figures

Fig. 1. Holotype of Cylidrella maculata. A) Lateral habitus, B) Dorsal habitus, C) Specimen labels. Note: The two lowest labels, including the name-bearing identification label, were placed on the specimen when the images were taken. Scale bar for specimen only. Images courtesy of Christophe Rivier, MNHN.

Fig. 2. Holotype of Corticotomus testaceus. A) Dorsal habitus (arrows indicate tibial spines), B) Lateral habitus, C) Specimen labels. Note: The two lowest labels, including the name-bearing identification label, were placed on the specimen when the images were taken. Scale bar for specimen only. Images courtesy of Christophe Rivier, MNHN.

Fig. 3. Box of Trogossitidae, labeled “Biote 267”, from Dajoz’s collection showing the location of the holotype of Cylidrella maculata and type series of Corticotomus testaceus (arrow). The second column and top of the third column are specimens representing Airora aequalis and Corticotomus sp. collected by R. Dajoz in Arizona, California, and New Mexico.