Charaphloeus deletus (Grouvelle, 1896), 2025

Charaphloeus deletus (Grouvelle, 1896) comb. nov.

Fig. 1 D – F View Figure 1

Laemophloeus deletus Grouvelle, 1896: 191 (original combination); Kessel 1923: 93 (checklist); 1926: 70, 80, 88 (key, note, checklist); Hetschko 1930: 27 (catalogue); Blackwelder 1945: 419 (checklist).

Type material.

Lectotype (here designated) • deposited at MNHN, labelled: “ cidad de Cond / - eouba [ Condeúba ]. Bahia ” (green, handwritten) // “ Type ” (light brown, handwritten) // “ Laemophloeus / deletus / Grouv [Grovelle] ” (light brown, handwritten) // “ TYPE ” (red, printed) // “ Muséum Paris / 1915 / coll. A. Grouvelle ” (white, printed) // “ SYNTYPE ” (red, printed) // “ SYNTYPE / Laemophloeus / deletus Grouvelle, 1896 ” (white, printed) // “ MNHN, Paris / EC 51920 ” (white, printed with QR code) .

Distribution.

BRAZIL. Bahia: Condeúba (formerly known as Santo Antônio da Barra).

Remarks.

Charaphloeus deletus is similar to C. aeneus in overall body shape and colouration. However, they can be distinguished from each other by the first and second elytral cells absent in C. deletus (well-defined in C. aeneus ) and by the antennomeres subglobose in C. deletus (more elongate in C. aeneus ), the latter of which may reflect a secondary sexual difference, as the sex of the lectotypes could not be conclusively determined. Therefore, the validity of both as distinct species should be re-assessed through a comprehensive revision of the genus.

The size variation in the original description of this species indicates that more than one specimen composes the type series. However, only one original specimen was found and is here designated as the lectotype of this species (Fig. 1 D View Figure 1 ). There is an additional, unlabelled specimen whose type status is unverified.