G. it. Ent., 15 (65): 809-830
March 2020
Osservazioni sui taxa del gruppo di
Pimelia (Pimelia) angulata Fabricius, 1775,
con descrizione di una nuova specie del Marocco sud-orientale
(Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Pimeliini)
di
PIERO LEO
Abstract - Observations on the taxa of the group of Pimelia (Pimelia) angulata Fabricius, 1775, with description of a new species from south-eastern Morocco (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Pimeliini) - The systematics, taxonomy and geonemy of the species group of Pimelia (Pimelia) angulata Fabricius, 1775, widely distributed in the whole North Africa and in the Near East, are discussed. An updated list of the group's taxa is compiled, and the following systematic changes are proposed: the taxon confalonierii Gridelli, 1930 is considered not a subspecies of Pimelia consobrina Lucas, 1858, but a subspecies of P. confusa Sénac, 1884; Pimelia expiata Peyerimhoff, 1923 and P. antiaegypta Koch, 1937, both formerly ranked as subspecies of P. angulata, are raised to valid species. The following new synonymies are also proposed: Pimelia angulata syriaca Sénac, 1884 = Pimelia angulata angulata Fabricius, 1775; Pimelia angulata sinaitica Schatzmayr & Koch, 1934 = Pimelia angulata angulata Fabricius, 1775; Pimelia angulata tschadensis Koch, 1940 = Pimelia angulata nilotica Sénac, 1884; Pimelia angulata berlandi Ardoin, 1963 = Pimelia angulata angulosa A. G. Olivier, 1795. Finally, Pimelia (Pimelia) tamazight n. sp. is described from south-eastern Morocco (loc. typ.: Mhamid, Province of Zagora, Draa-Tafilalet Region); the new species is easily distinguishable for the primary series of elytra marked by robust spiniform and very sharp tubercles and, at the same time, for the elytral intervals with an almost regular row of secondary tubercles, exceptionally developed especially in the front part of elytra, often of similar size as those of the primary series.
