Abraeus dufaui Desbordes, 1914, est-il un Acritus, un Aeletes ou un Bacanius ? Résolution d’une énigme centenaire et mise à jour du catalogue des Histérides de Guadeloupe (Coleoptera, Histeridae)

Abstract

Is Abraeus dufaui Desbordes, 1914, an Acritus, an Aeletes or a Bacanius? Solving a century-old riddle and an update of the catalogue of the Histeridae of Guadeloupe Island (Coleoptera, Histeridae). The syntypes of Abraeus dufaui Desbordes, 1914, are re-examined more than 100 years after the species was described. The seven specimens found are identified as follows: one Acritus (s. str.) ignobilis (Lewis, 1888), one Acritus (s. str.) analis Le Conte, 1853, two Acritus (s. str.) exiguus (Erichson, 1834), two Aeletes (s. str.) simpliculus (Marseul, 1856) and one Bacanius (Gomyister) ferrugineus Bickhardt, 1918. A lectotype is designated for Bacanius ferrugineus. Acritus exiguus being the oldest species among the syntypes of Abraeus dufaui, one of the two specimens of this species is designated as the lectotype of Acritus dufaui (Desbordes, 1914), a new combination which therefore becomes synonymous with Acritus exiguus. The list of Histeridae beetles of Guadeloupe Island is updated and includes currently 19 species; Acritus (s. str.) analis Le Conte, 1853, Acritus (s. str.) exiguus (Erichson, 1834), Acritus (s. str.) ignobilis (Lewis, 1888), Aeletes (s. str.) simpliculus (Marseul, 1856) and Bacanius (s. str.) scalptus Lewis, 1888, are newly recorded from this island. The aedeagus of Aeletes gulliver (Marseul, 1856), collected from Saint Martin Island, is illustrated for the first time.