Gonocnemis surcoufi Pic, 1928

Original description in:
Pic, M. M. 1928. Nouveaux Coléoptères exotiques. Bulletin du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, vol 34, issue 4, pages 257-258.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/52050602#page/276/mode/1up
Translated from Latin & French:
Long, almost opaque, pubescent gray, reddish-brown, antennae in the middle and at the tip dark, the last article pyriform, paler at the tip.
Oblong, almost opaque, pubescent gray, rufous; antennae piceous, with red base and last article lighter at the top. Eyes close together. Antennae quite long, not very thick, with partly obconical articles, last article pyriform, acuminate and lighter at the apex. Prothorax quite short and not very broad, anteriorly and posteriorly a little narrowed, slightly angulate towards the middle, roughly punctuated, above decorated with 3 carinae and 4 wide impressions. Elytra wider than the prothorax, a little elongated, attenuated at the end, widely furrowed and marked with mediocre subsquare points, intervals elevated in slightly protruding costae, especially the presutural ones. Legs robust.
Length: 8mm

Distribution: Ethiopia, Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Yemen, Angola, Malawi, Botswana,
Mozambique, South Africa.

Biology: Probably associated with fungi in abandoned termite nests. The dead termitaria of harvester termites (Macrotermes) with their decaying fungus gardens represent an important biotope for an entire specialized fauna to have evolved to exploit it. Tenebrionidae are the principal components of the fauna and include also a great diversity of specialized Amarygmini such as Gonocnemis and Paragonocnemis.

Illustration and distribution records in:
Schwaller, W. 2014. Gonocnemis Thomson and related genera (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Amarygmini) in Southern Africa. Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde A, Neue Serie 7: 219–234.
https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Stuttgarter-Beitraege-Naturkunde_NS_7_A_0219-0234.pdf

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/57472319
.

Posted on 2024년 02월 11일, 07시 17분 22초 UTC by traianbertau