Piesomera blapsoides (Haag-Rutenberg 1871) - Large Microtuberculated Toktokkie

Genus Piesomera Solier diagnosis in:
Kaminski et al. 2022. Female terminalia morphology and cladistic relations among Tok‐Tok beetles (Tenebrionidae: Sepidiini). Cladistics. 38 (6)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361750699_Female_terminalia_morphology_and_cladistic_relations_among_Tok-Tok_beetles_Tenebrionidae_Sepidiini

• basal pronotal margination complete
• prosternal process deflated
• epipleuron with a distinct groove in median part
• male setal patch large, covering several ventrites
• elytral surface covered with microtubercles.

Original description of genus Piesomera and type species P. scabra in:
Solier, A. J. J. 1843. Essai sur les collaptérides de la tribu des Molurites. Imprimerie Royale, Turin, 127 pp. [4 pls.] [extract of Memorie della Reale Accademia delle Scienze di Torino (2)6
https://books.google.de/books?id=qVkFAAAAQAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=clinocranion%20spinosum&hl=de&pg=PA289#v=onepage&q=Moluris&f=false

P.  blapsoides (Haag-Rutenberg 1871) is a very large Piesomera of elongate shape.

Original description in:
Haag-Rutenberg, G. 1871. Beiträge zur Familie der Tenebrioniden (II. Stück). Coleopterologische Hefte VII
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/81206#page/329/mode/1up
Translated from Latin & German:
Oblong-oval, black, shiny; clypeus punctate, frons smooth; thorax, scarcely wider than long, rounded-expanded, more constricted towards the base, deeply emarginated anteriorly, with anterior angles distinctly produced, posteriorly almost straight, without posterior angles, margined on all sides,
above very convex, almost globose, very finely and smoothly punctate, almost smooth, somewhat rugulose on the sides; elytra oval, basally and apically evenly constricted, convex, margin widely dilated at the apex, suture incised, finely granulated above, almost smooth at the base; underneath scarcely punctate; legs strong, femora elongated, a little compressed, tibiae with loose ferrugineous pilosity. - Length 32 mm, width 17 mm.
The largest of the species with very evenly oval-shaped elytra, whose shape is somewhat reminiscent of one of the large Blaps species. Antennae extended, base reaching thorax. Head weakly transversely furrowed, only on the clypeus with a few larger punctures. Pronotum slightly wider than long, with the greatest width on the anterior third; contracted quite quickly at the front, posteriorly gradually contracted, with perfectly rounded posterior corners, pronotal base straight and marginate; he anterior margin is very deeply cut out, with almost pointed anterior angles corners; the pronotal surface is even, highly convex, very finely punctured on the disc, with a small group of coarse transverse wrinkles on the lateral edge. The elytra are almost three times longer and in their largest width twice as wide as the pronotum, completely evenly long ovoid, with a strongly widened edge at the back and on the tip of a pinched suture; the surface is longitudinally arched and extremely finely granulated. The prosternum is slightly indented in front of the coxae, the process between the coxae appears to be highly raised; the prosternum is slightly bent over and extended into two sharp points, slightly recessed longitudinally, but hardly sculpted. Metasternum and segments almost smooth. The legs are strong, elongated, the femora
slightly compressed at the upper side, roughly wrinkled, with a slight brownish tinge and slight rust colored pubescence.

Distribution: possibly widespread, from Western Cape into Namibia
Type locality: 'Namajua' (= Namaqua ???), South Africa
GBIF records: Namibia, Namibia (Kubub), South Africa (Namaqualand), South Africa (Western Cape, Namaqualand, Bushmanland), South Africa (Northern Cape, Van Wyksvley (Vlei)), South Africa (Northern Cape, Namaqua, Pella)

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/71788838
and possibly this obs: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/72347846

Posted on April 28, 2024 06:30 PM by traianbertau