Brachycerus verrucosus Olivier 1790

This a somewhat variable species and has been described several times.
Not or only sparsely scaled in the depressions on the upper side, more heavily scaled on the underside. The minute scales are reddish or yellow.
Pronotum about as long as it is wide. Strongly expanded in the middle of the sides with a very sharp outer spine. The median longitudinal furrow is wide, finely keeled in the middle and flanked by 2 high longitudinal calluses, which can be interrupted or bent in the middle and converge anteriorly and slightly to the base.
Elytra elongated-oval and each elytron has two rows of large tubercles (more than 10 tubercles per row); the first one, placed in the centre of the disc, reaches only the top of the declivity; the tubercles can be separated or confluent and may run into one another other forming a smooth line from the base to beyond the middle of the disc where they become separated and conspicuous. The tubercles of the second row placed on the edge of the disc are better defined; they are sub-conical, coalesce slightly near the base, and are larger towards the extremity.
Length 15-25 mm; width 10-15 mm.

Redescription in:
Haaf, E. 1957. Revision der äthiopischen und madagassischen Arten der Gattung Brachycerus Ol. (Col. Cure.). Entomologische Arbeiten Museum G. Frey 8: 1-274.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/173065#page/141/mode/1up

Illustrated in Olivier, Entomologie. Plate 1, figure 2
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/106566#page/161/mode/1up

Descriptions of B. speciosus and B. consimilis (junior synonyms) with illustrations in:
Péringuey, L. 1881. First contribution to the South-African Coloeopterous Fauna. Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society, 3(2), 74–149. doi:10.1080/21560382.1881.9526176
https://sci-hub.ee/10.1080/21560382.1881.9526176
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/21560382.1881.9526182

Distribution: Western Cape, South Africa (Namaqualand & Karoo)

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/60971816

Publicado el febrero 12, 2024 06:55 TARDE por traianbertau