Spilophorus ( Prospilophorus ) aurifer Westwood, 1874

Spilophorus ( Prospilophorus) aurifer Westwood, 1874 View in CoL

( Figs 1 View Fig , 15 View Fig )

Spilophorus aurifer Westwood, 1874: 30 View in CoL ; Marais & Holm 1992: 73; Krajčík 1999: 30.

Hoplostomus aurifer (Westwood) . Schaum 1848: 62 (catalogue).

Pseudospilophorus aurifer (Westwood) . Schenkling1921: 362.

Spilophorus ( Prospilophorus) aurifer Westwood. Holm & Perissinotto 2010: 51 View in CoL ; Krajčík 2024: 226.

Diagnosis. The species is obviously most closely related to S. ( P.) congoensis sp. nov., described here in the following section. Unfortunately, only the original HT female specimen is currently known for S. ( P.) aurifer , and consequently its diagnostic characters are somehow limited. The two species can be separated on the basis of the more extensive and darker dorsal tomentose cover observed in S. ( P.) aurifer , by comparison with S. ( P.) congoensis . Also, the dorsal sculpture is generally coarser and more scattered in the former than in the latter species. The anterior margin of the mentum of S. ( P.) aurifer is very regularly rounded, while in S. ( P.) congoensis this is mildly sinuate. Finally, the ventral tooth on the protarsi of the former species is poorly developed and virtually obsolete, while in the latter species this is moderately long and rather sharp.

Data records. Type series: HT ♀, [ Republic of Guinea?]: “Guinea, Aurifer Westw., Mus. Westerm. Zoological Museum DK– Copenhagen” ( ZMUC) .