Distretus (Distretus) fahraei Haag-Rutenberg, 1871

Genus Distretus Haag-Rutenberg, 1871

There are 3 similar genera in the Dichtha clade of Molurina: Distretus, Dichtha & Aminatus.

Distretus: elytra lightly convex; primary costa sharply carinate, but confined to sides of elytra, and, in dorsal aspect, entirely concealing the lateral interval & epipleural carina; the lateral interval is re-entrant (not vertical); the dorsal interval exhibits a submarginal depression along primary costa.

Dichtha: similar to Distretus, but elytra dorsally depressed, the lateral interval is subvertical (and not re-entrant), therefore the primary costa (in dorsal aspect) not entirely concealing the lateral interval & epipleural carina.

Aminatus: elytra convex, with distinct straight or wavy-sinuous dorsal carinae.

These 3 genera (at least Dichtha and Amiantus) are perhaps paraphyletic with regard to one another, as suggested by Kaminski et al. 2020 who did not include Distretus in the study. (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342229101_First_insights_into_the_phylogeny_of_tok-tokkie_beetles_Tenebrionidae_Molurina_Phanerotomeina_and_examination_of_the_status_of_the_Psammodes_vialis_species-group)

Distretus fahraei
Oriniginal description in:
Haag-Rutenberg, G. 1871. Beiträge zur Familie der Tenebrioniden (II. Stück). Coleopterologische Hefte VII: 21–111.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/81206#page/191/mode/1up
Translated from Latin & German:
Black, dark, with wrinkled head and thorax; elytra expanded, barely convex above, densely punctate, punctures baearing minute rusty hairs, surface uneven, with small wrinkles and marginal carina. Legs long. Length 13 mm; width 8mm.
Pronotum and elytra formation as in the previous species [D. amplipennis: Head and pronotum very coarsely and densely punctured; elytra very broadened, widely rounded laterally, but so strongly depressed that they are almost flat.], from which is distinguished by its smallness and the sculpture of the elytra which are somewhat convex on the disk, show 2-3 barely raised wavy longitudinal lines, giving the whole surface an uneven apperance; elytra densely covered with puntures, bearing a microscopically small rust-colored bristle.
Epipleurae punctured more sparingly puntured. Legs of medium length.
'Caffraria' (= NE South Africa].

Distribution: ?, recorded from Skukza, Kruger National Park and several records from Zimbabwe on GBIF
(https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/ANNA_96B_0343-0348.pdf)
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=10730519

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/195552758
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/40098616

Posted on 13 de abril de 2024, 06:58 AM by traianbertau