Distretus (Distretus) variolosus (Guérin-Méneville, 1845)

Black or brownish. Antennae hairy with white fluffy tips. Elytral surface densely punctured and pitted. Elytra less dilated than in other species, rather parallel-sided.

Original description in:
Guérin-Méneville, F. E. 1845. Description de quelques-uns des Insectes les plus remarquable découverts par M. A. Delegorcue dans les pays des Boschimans, des Ama Zoulous, des Massilicatzi et au Port Natal, pendant les années 1838, 39 , 40, 41, 42, 43 et 44. Revue Zoologique par La Société Cuvierienne VIII
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2327510#page/296/mode/1up
Translated from Latin:
Dark chestnut; thorax rounded, densly punctate; elytra densly punctate or pitted, flattened, with almost straight sides, with strong sharp lateral carina and with the lateral edges slanting below the carina; legs covered with dark yellow scales.
Length 13 mm; width 8 mm.

Type Locality: 'Port Natal' (Durban, South Africa).

Redescription in:
Haag-Rutenberg G. 1871. Beiträge zur Familie der Tenebrioniden (II. Stück). Coleopterologische Hefte VII.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/81206#page/192/mode/1up
Black or dark brown, opaque, antennae pilose, towards the apex white-silky; head punctured; thorax globose, pitted; elytra flattened, deeply punctate or furrowed, with straight sides, with a strong lateral carina, epipleura sparsely punctate; legs elongated, pitch-black, very thinly gray-bristled. - Length. 13-14 mm; width 7.5-8.5 mm
Natal.

Description of junior synonym (Moluris pilicornis) in:
Fåhraeus, 1870. Coleoptera Caffrariae, annis 1838–1845 a J. A. Wahlberg collecta. Heteromera descripsit. Öfversigt af Kongliga Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar 27.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/38006#page/27/mode/1up

Distribution: Known from northern and eastern South Africa.

iNat observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151374751

Posted on April 15, 2024 07:26 PM by traianbertau