Blennidus (Agraphoderus) anxius (Tschitschérine, 1898)

(Figs. 14, 52, 90)

Feronia anxia Tschitschérine, 1898: 159

Ogmopleura anxia (Tschitschérine, 1898): Straneo & Vereshagina, 1991: 197 Ogmopleura anxia (Tschitschérine, 1898): Straneo, 1993: 378 [= tarda Tschitschérine, 1898] Blennidus anxius (Tschitschérine, 1898): Lorenz, 2005: 262

Blennidus anxius (Tschitschérine, 1898): Lorenz, 2005b: 235

Type area. Peru.

Examined material. HT ♂ (CTs at ZIRA); 30 ♂ and ♀ identified by Straneo as Ogmopleura anxia (CMa, CSt).

Note. The description of this species was based on a single ♂ specimen deposited in the Tschitschérine Collection (ZIRA). Straneo & Vereshagina (1991) attributed to this species some material from El Ticlio and Cordillera Blanca deposited in CSt and CMa (in the same article the authors erroneously refer to a ♀ HT). Later Straneo (1993) stated that this identification was wrong and labelled ‘ Ogmopleura anxia ’ 30 further specimens from Depts. Pasco and Junin (CMa, CSt); in that article, Straneo doubtfully considered Blennidus tardus as a synonym of Blennidus anxius, evaluating the differences between the 2 HTs as intraspecific variability. We do not agree with Straneo’s opinion and, in agreement with Lorenz, (2005a), we prefer to keep these two species separate. Actually, the specimens from Junin labelled by Straneo ‘ Ogmopleura anxia ’ deposited in CMa and CSt match the HT of B. anxius (but the only male specimen unfortunately lacks the aedeagus), whilst those from Pasco do not (nor do they match the HT of B. tardus): in our opinion these specimens belong to a new species which is described below as Blennidus bombonensis n. sp. .

Distribution. The HT label does not provide detailed information (generically ‘Peru’) but the specimens in CMa and CSt matching the HT are from Abra Anticona (Dept. Lima).

Habitat. The data reported on the labels of the specimens labelled ‘ Ogmopleura anxia ’ in CSt and CMa (4,750 m) suggest a preference of this species for the high altitude Andean grassland.