Phthiria pubescens Bezzi 1921

Phthiria pubescens Bezzi, 1921

31. Phthiria pubescens 1ɗ South Africa (Eastern Cape): Willowmore (H. Brauns). MS page 31.

Bezzi, 1921a: 98 – key and diagnosis Willowmore (HNHM) and South Africa (Mpumalanga): 1Ψ, junction of Crocodile and Marico Rivers, ii.1918 (R. Tucker) (SAMC).

Bezzi, 1922: 77 – diagnosis cf. P. canescens.

Hesse, 1938: 839 – description from above female and a male from KwaZulu­Natal: Weenan, iii–iv.1924 (Thomasset) designated in error as holotype.

Evenhuis & Greathead, 1999: 28 – listed one syntype in HNHM (as destroyed) and one syntype in SAMC.

Types: The male syntype in HNHM mentioned in Bezzi (1921a) was destroyed in 1956. The only other specimen mentioned by him is the female syntype in SAMC. The SAMC specimen is here designated lectotype.

The female specimen examined by Bezzi (1921a) is designated lectotype, being the only specimen associated with the key and diagnosis of P. pubescens. Thus, Hesse (1938) was incorrect in subsequently designating a male specimen as holotype but his description fully characterises the species.