Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2022-01-12
Page range: 155-172
Abstract views: 334
PDF downloaded: 28

Euconnus (Tetramelus) melkei sp. n., a bizarre South African ant-like stone beetle (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)

Museum of Natural History, University of Wrocław, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław, Poland.
Coleoptera Stenichnini taxonomy new species Afrotropical

Abstract

Euconnus (Tetramelus) melkei sp. n. is described, based on a male specimen collected in the Eastern Cape province of the Republic of South Africa. This species is characterized by the most elaborate and extensive male sexual dimorphic features known in Euconnus, comprising glandular projections and impressions that cover most of the head dorsum, strongly modified scapes, long projections on protrochanters, and thickened profemora with glandular porous and setal patches. The most similar species, Euconnus nasicornis Franz and E. paranasicornis Franz, previously treated as incertae sedis within Euconnus, are placed in Tetramelus. The E. nasicornis species group of Tetramelus that includes the abovementioned species is defined by an extremely elongate adult body, multiple dimorphic features in males, and a pair of lateral longitudinal sulci on the pronotum. The current state of knowledge of South African Euconnus is discussed, and a checklist of the currently known 159 nominal species that inhabit RSA is given.

 

References

  1. Casey, T.L. (1897) Coleopterological notices. VII. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 9 (1), 285–684. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1896.tb55435.x
    Castellini, G. (2007) Note su scidmenidi del Sudafrica con descrizione di 16 nuove specie (Coleoptera, Scydmaenidae). Fragmenta Entomologica, 39 (2), 199–223. https://doi.org/10.4081/fe.2007.120
    Castellini, G. (2010) Per la conoscenza degli Scydmaenidae afrotropicali (Coleoptera): descrizioni e note. Atti del Museo di Storia Naturale della Maremma, 22, 3–62. [2008]
    Csiki, E. (1919) Pars 70: Scydmaenidae. In: Schenkling, S. & Junk, W. (Eds.), Coleopterorum Catalogus. Vol. 7. W. Junk, Berlin, pp. 1–106.
    Franz, H. (1957) Monographie der westmediterranen Arten der Gattung Euconnus Thoms. (Coleopt. Scydmaen.). Eos, Revista Española de Entomologia, 33 (1–4), 177–262.
    Franz, H. (1962) Neue Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Scydmaeniden der westlichen Mittelmeerländer (Coleoptera). Eos, Revista Española de Entomologia, 38 (2), 223–246.
    Franz, H. (1963) Scydmaeniden (Coleoptera) aus Ostafrika, dem Kongo und der Tschadrepublik (vorwiegend aus den im Sommer 1962 vom Verfasser selbst gesammelten Ausbeuten). Stuttgarter Beitrage zur Naturkunde, 120, 1–93.
    Franz, H. (1967a) Chapter II. Coleoptera: Scydmaenidae. In: Hanström, B., Brink, P. & Rudebeck, G. (Eds.), South African Animal Life: Results of the Lund University Expedition in 1950–1951. Vol. 13. Swedish Natural Science Research Council, Stockholm, pp. 15–37.
    Franz, H. (1967b) Zur Kenntnis der Scydmaenidenfauna von Lateinamerika. I Teil: Scydmaeniden aus Chile und dem südlichen Argentinien. II Teil: Scydmaeniden aus dem subtropischen und tropischen Amerika. In: Delamare Deboutteville, C. & Rappaport, E. (Eds), Biologie de l’Amerique Australe vol. III, Etudes sur la faune du sol, documents biogeographiques. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, pp. 611–724.
    Franz, H. (1975) Revision der Scydmaeniden von Australien, Neuseeland und den benachbarten Inseln. Denkschriften der Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse, 118, 1–312.
    Franz, H. (1979) Die Scydmaeniden Südafrikas und Rhodesiens sowie Beschreibung einiger Arten aus Mozambique und Südwestafrika/Namibia (mit ausschluss der Triben Cephenniini und Mastigini) (Coleoptera: Scydmaenidae). The Entomological Society of Southern Africa Memoir, 13, 1–122.
    Franz, H. (1983) Scydmaeniden aus Nordostbrasilien. Sitzungsberichte der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse, Abteilung I, 192 (8), 183–224.
    Franz, H. (1984) Dritter Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Scydmaenidenfauna Südafrikas (Coleoptera: Scydmaenidae). Annals of the Transvaal Museum, 33, 427–495.
    Franz, H. (1987) Neue Scydmaeniden (Coleoptera) aus der äthiopischen Region. Annales Entomologici Fennici, 53 (4), 138–152.
    Jałoszyński, P. (2012) Taxonomy of “Euconnus complex”. Part I. Morphology of Euconnus s. str. and revision of Euconnomorphus Franz and Venezolanoconnus Franz (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae). Zootaxa, 3555 (1), 55–82. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3555.1.3
    Jałoszyński, P. (2015) Taxonomy of “Euconnus complex”. Part V. Review of type species of Euconnus subgenera Tetramelus, Paratetramelus and Heteroconnus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae). Zootaxa, 4040 (3), 280–300. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4040.3.2
    Jałoszyński, P. (2020) Taxonomy of “Euconnus complex’. Part XX. Madagassoconnus Franz and Oneila Peringuey placed as subgenera of Euconnus Thomson (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae). Zootaxa, 4747 (2), 327–338. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4747.2.5
    Jałoszyński, P. (2021a) Taxonomy of “Euconnus complex”. Part XXII. Status of subgenera Allonapochus Franz, Dimorphoconnus Franz, Eupentarius Reitter, and Myrmecodytes Croissandeau (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae). Zootaxa, 4966 (2), 145–160. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4966.2.3
    Jałoszyński, P. (2021b) Taxonomy of “Euconnus complex”. Part XXIII. Status of Napochus Thomson, Pycnophus Casey, and Filonapochus Franz revisited (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae). Zootaxa, 5026 (2), 255–270. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5026.2.6
    Jałoszyński, P. & Newton, A.F. (2020) New names for junior homonyms in Scydmaeninae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae). Zootaxa, 4768 (4), 589–590. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4768.4.9
    Last, H.R. (1945) Euconnus (Napochus) murielae sp. n., a new British scydmaenid (Col.). Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, 81, 275.
    Lhoste, J. (1936a) Contributions à l’étude de la faune du Mozambique. Voyage de M. P. Lesne (1928-1929). 24e note. Coléoptères—Scydmaenidae. Memórias e Estudos do Museu Zoológico da Universidade de Coimbra, 1 (90), 1–3.
    Lhoste, J. (1936b) Notes sur quelques Scydménides africains du Musée de Hambourg. Revue française d’Entomologie, 2 (4), 251–256. [1935]
    Lhoste, J. (1939) Étude de quelques Scydmaenidae des rives de l’Ocean Indien (Coleoptera). 2ième note. Arbeiten über Morphologische und Taxonomische Entomologie aus Berlin-Dahlem, 6 (1), 1–10.
    Méquignon, A. (1930) Description d’nn [sic] Euconnus nouveau de France [Col. Scydmaenidae]. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, [1929], 297–298. https://doi.org/10.3406/bsef.1929.28215
    Meybohm, H. & Vít, S. (2005) On Euconnus (Napochus) campestris Schaufuss and its synonymy (Coleoptera: Scydmaenidae). Zootaxa, 1086 (1), 37. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1086.1.3
    Motschulsky, V. (1869) Énumération des nouvelles espèces de Coléoptères rapportés de ses voyages. 7-ième Article. Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou, 42 (1), 252–272, pl. 8.
    Newton, A.F. (2017) Nomenclatural and taxonomic changes in Staphyliniformia (Coleoptera). Insecta Mundi, 0595, 1–52.
    Orousset, J. (2021) Les espèces du genre Euconnus Thomson, 1859, sous-genre Napochus Thomson, 1859, de la faune de France (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae). Le Coléoptériste, 23 (3), 176–201.
    Péringuey, L. (1899) Fifth contribution to the South African coleopterous fauna. Description of new species of Coleoptera, chiefly in the collection of the South African Museum (Plates VI, VII). Annals of the South African Museum, 1 (2), 240–326, pls. 6–7.
    Reitter, E. (1907) Verzeichnis der von Dr. F. Eichelbaum im Jahre 1903 in Deutsch–Ostafrika gesammelten Scydmaeniden (Col.). Wiener Entomologische Zeitung, 26 (7–9), 297–305. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.8894
    Reitter, E. (1909) Fauna Germanica. Die Käfer des Deutschen Reiches. Nach der analytischen Methode bearbeitet. II. Band. K.G. Lutz, Stuttgart, 392 pp., pls. 41–80.
    Schaufuss, L.W. (1866) Monographie der Scydmaeniden Central- und Sudamerika’s. Novorum Actorum Academiae Caesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae Germanicae Naturae Curiosorum, 33 (6), 1–103, pls. 1–4. [1867]
    Schaufuss, L.W. (1889) Neue Scydmaeniden im Museum Ludwig Salvator. Berliner entomologische Zeitschrift, 33 (1), 1–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/mmnd.18890330103
    Thomson, C.G. (1859) Skandinaviens Coleoptera, synoptiskt bearbetade. Volume 1. Berlingska Boktryckeriet, Lund, 290 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.138677
    Vít, S. (1999) Miscellaneous contributions to the knowledge of Scydmaenidae (Insecta: Coleoptera). Klapalekiana, 35 (1–2), 59–71.

  2.