Yellow-marked Craspedophorus species in Southern Africa
Notabene:
- This is a treatment for species recorded from Southern Africa only. Distribution data is for Southern Africa only, most species listed here do occur beyond the subregion.
- iNat calls the genus Craspedophorus "Yellow-spotted" Ground Beetles which is very apt for some species, less so or misleading for other species. Some species have patches or fascia rather than spots, some are unicolor without maculae. Some species have yellow patches, others have orange-reddish patches.
- The best known and perhaps most common species is Craspedophorus bonvouloirii, but it is hardly identified to species level on iNat, the iNat community seems to be not brave enough to make a call and determine a species or some users are overenthusiastic and Id them all as C. bonvouloirii not being aware that there are numerous similar species known from the region. This species was given the common name "Yellow-spotted Ground Beetle" in several editions of Picker et al. Field Guide to insects of South Africa, which is an okayish name, as the beetle has four yellow large patches, but this is true for the entire complex of the*erichsoni* and nobilis groups. The shape of the spots is however distinctive for several groups or species: roundish, subquadrate, transverse, fascia-like, serrated, rounded or straight edge of the patches, small to large.
- Distinguishing characters are: shape of pronotum, pronotum pedunculate or not, shape and size of elytral markings, colour of elytral markings, lack of elytral markings.
- Identification: All listed species are illustrated in the five Häckel papers. Carefully compare to the photos and known distribution and make a call. I am optimistic that we can determine most of the observations to species level provided the photos show enough detail.
References:
Häckel, M. & Farkač, J. 2012. A check-list of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 of the World (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Studies and Reports, Taxonomical series. 8. 67-116.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265964033_A_check-list_of_the_subfamily_Panagaeinae_Hope_1838_of_the_World_Coleoptera_Carabidae/link/5421a1740cf2a39f4af5d845/download?_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIiwicGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIn19
Häckel, M. 2016. A contribution to the knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 1. Revision of the Craspedophorus reflexus group (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4061.5.3
https://www.tesble.com/10.11646/zootaxa.4061.5.3
Häckel, M. 2017. A contribution to the knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 2. Revision of the Craspedophorus leprieuri and C. regalis groups (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Zootaxa
https://www.academia.edu/116731584/A_contribution_to_the_knowledge_of_the_subfamily_Panagaeinae_Hope_1838_br_from_Africa_Part_2_Revision_of_the_Craspedophorus_leprieuri_and_C_regalis_groups_Coleoptera_Carabidae_&nav_from=1122ed86-b6c0-4a82-ac68-c4c7a4884f58&rw_pos=0
Häckel, M. 2017. A contribution to the knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 3. Revision of the Craspedophorus strachani and C. brevicollis groups (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Zootaxa 4330.
https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4330.1.1
https://www.tesble.com/10.11646/zootaxa.4330.1.1
Häckel, M. 2020. A contribution to knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 4. Revision of the Craspedophorus erichsoni and nobilis groups (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Studies and Reports Taxonomical Series 16 (1): 21-71, 2020
https://ia600602.us.archive.org/15/items/sar18055648-16-1-021-072/sar18055648-16-1-021-072.pdf
Häckel, M. 2022. A contribution to knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 5. Revision of the Craspedophorus festivus group (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Studies and Reports Taxonomical Series 18(1).
https://sar.fld.czu.cz/cache/article-data/SaR/Published_volumes/2022-1/7-66_hackel.pdf
Craspedophorus species wihout yellow maculae on the elytra:
C. impictus (Boheman, 1848) - reflexus group
Distribution: Mozambique: Maputo Province; South Africa: Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Western Cape Provinces; Zimbabwe.
C. unicolor (Chaudoir, 1879) - regalis group
Distribution: Zimbabwe
leprieuri species group
Craspedophorus leprieuri peringueyi Csiki, 1929
Distribution: Mozambique: Niassa Province; eastern Zimbabwe
Head short, not constricted behind eyes. Pronotum more transverse. Smaller species: 13-18 mm.
Craspedophorus merus merus Péringuey 1904.
Distribution: Zimbabwe.
Pronotum with anterior angles weakly lobed and protruded anteriorly, base weakly extened posteriorly. Elytra with maculae transverse, more-or-less fragmented (Plate 3, Figs 26, 27).
Craspedophorus pretiosus (Chaudoir, 1837), as Panagaeus.
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape Provinces.
strachani group
Craspedophorus sciakyi Häckel 2022
Distribution: South Africa: Namaqualand, Northern Cape.
brevicollis group
Craspedophorus abnormis Bates 1886.
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo; Zimbabwe.
erichsoni group
Craspedophorus ornatus (Boheman 1848)
Distribution: South Africa: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal.
Craspedophorus rikatlensis (Péringuey, 1896)
Distribution: Mozambique (Maputo province)
nobilis group
Key to nobilis group in Southern Africa:
Craspedophorus bonvouloirii (Chaudoir 1861)
Original description in:
Chaudoir, M. de 1861. Revision des espèces qui rentrent dans l`ancien genre Panagaeus. Bulletin da la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou 34(4).
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/152369#page/1070/mode/1up
Redescription in:
Chaudoir, M. de 1879. Essai monographie sur les Panagéides (part II). Annales de la Société Entomologique des Belgique 21
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46150#page/139/mode/1up
Distribution: Botswana, Mozambique: Maputo Province; South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo,
Mpumalanga; eSwatini.
Pronotum more triangular than hexagonal, with maximum width behind midlength and base always with at least minor lateral emarginations (pedunculate).
Antenna from 4th antennomere on always flattened.
Shape wider and more convex, elytra more ovoid, each elytron with two rectangular to quadrate yellow maculae.
Larger species, 15-20 mm.
Craspedophorus gratiosus (Chaudoir 1879)
Original description in:
Chaudoir M. de 1879: Essai monographie sur les Panagéides (part II). Annales de la Société Entomologique des Belgique 21
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46150#page/138/mode/1up
Distribution: Mozambique: Maputo Province; South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga.
Craspedophorus gratiosus drakensis Häckel 2020
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu Natal, Drakensberg Mountains.
Craspedophorus nobilis (Dejean 1826)
Distribution: South Africa: Eastern, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West.
Craspedophorus opulentus (Péringuey 1898)
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal
Craspedophorus subgratiosus Basilewsky 1987
Distribution: South Africa: Limpopo
festivus group
Craspedophorus galla (Raffray, 1886), as Eudema
Distribution: South Africa: Mpumalanga; eSwatini.
Pronotum with lateral margins more straight narrowing to the neck, anterior pronotal angles vide open, rounded but slightly distinct (Fig. 48 j, k), elytral maculae with a strongly serrated margin in both sexes (Plate 3: Figs. 29, 30).
Craspedophorus jeanneli Alluaud, 1930.
Distribution: South Africa: Limpopo.
Pronotum strictly semilunar-shaped, not narrowing anteriorly, but widely and regularly rounded, anterior angles completely indistinct, flanks arcuate to anterior pronotal margin (Fig. 48o), elytral maculae with a less serrated margin in some females (Plate 3, Figs. 27, 28).
Craspedophorus schuelei Häckel 2022.
Distribution: Mozambique: Sofala Province.
Craspedophorus selenoderus (LaFerté-Sénectere, 1851), as Isotarsus. =Epigraphus fuscicornis (Kolbe 1883).
Distribution: Zimbabwe.
Kommentit
Great work @traianbertau !
I presume you are referring to myself when you say, "some users are overenthusiastic and Id them all as C. bonvouloirii not being aware that there are numerous similar species known from the region."
In my defense, I am quite aware that there are numerous similar species from the region but the whole genus was such a mess on inat that I felt it beneficial to at least get observations in a more tidy grouping to then be able to start distinguishing and separating similar looking species that may not already be id'd on inat. These misidentifications once properly id'd will also be useful for future id's to be distinguished under the "Similiar Species" category although some may disagree with this approach.
Secondly, I thought my ids might spur experienced users into action, which this article is a testament to. I hope this doesn't cause offense to others. I hope we can all make improvements for this genus. Many thanks for your great contribution here. Inat needs more compiled reference material like this to assist in more accurate identifications. Keep up the good work!
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