Taxonomic Notes on the Genus Gonocephalum Solier, 1834, with Description of New Taxa (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

The synantropic species Gonocephalum patruele (Erichson, 1843) is studied and separed from Gonocephalum sericeum (Baudi, 1875) previously confused with the West African species, introduced in Cabo Verde Islands and Transvaal, and separated in base of male and female genitaliae, pubescence of body and other characters. Both species belongs to a group of synantropic species, including Gonocephalum rusticum (Olivier, 1811). Gonocephalum patruele is studied and Gonocephalum sericeum (Baudi, 1875) stat. rest. previously confused with this species is redescribed from Egypt and from Almería, Spain, introduced from Northern Africa. Gonocephalum sericeum, described from “Persia mer.” is a species widely distributed in Northern Africa, from Morocco to Egypt, Israel and the Arabian Peninsula. The localities of origin and the geographic dispersal of this species are discussed. A new species, from Central Mongolia previously confused with Gonocephalum patruele ssp turchestanicumGridelli, 1948, is described: Gonocephalum soederbomisp. nov. and separated from Gonocephalum patruele ssp. turchestanicumGridelli, 1948 from Iran and from Turkestán. Gonocephalum puberulumKaszab, 1952 is treated as a new homonymy of Gonocephalum puberulumFauvel, 1867nom. preocc. The name Gonocephalum javaenomen nov. is hereby proposed. Other taxa are described : Gonocephalum labriquei sp. nov. from China and G. dentitibia iwani ssp. nov. from North Rhodesia.