Projektin Insects - Southern Africa (identified for the 1st time on iNat or difficult to identify) Päiväkirja

Päiväkirja-arkisto kohteelle heinäkuu 2024

heinäkuu 1, 2024

Stips costata (Westwood 1837)

The genus Stips is represented by 3 species in South Africa:
Stips costata Westwood 1837 with two subspecies: S. c. costata and S. c. grandis
Stips cassidioides
Stips gebieni

Original description and illustration in:
Westwood, O. J. 1837 in: Magasin de zoology
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37087471#page/410/mode/1up
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37087471#page/559/mode/1up

Black, opaque, with punctuation, head with a raised central longitudinal line, thoracic disc finely punctate, and in the middle equipped with two posteriorly diverging costae; antennae and feet piceous.

Stips costata grandis is known from Namaqualand and described in Hesse 1952
Koch C (1952b) The Tenebrionidae of southern Africa. VIII. Materials for a monographic study on Eurychorini (Coleoptera). Bulletin de la Société Fouad 1er d‘Entomologie 36: 1–125 + Plates I–XIII.

Distribution: South Africa south of the Orange River (Great Karroo, Namaqualand, Bushmanland)

Also illustrated in Koch 1955
Plate 2, figure 5: https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA0000012_541

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/95775538
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/176163040

Julkaistu heinäkuu 1, 2024 09:22 AP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

heinäkuu 3, 2024

Anomalipus meles Fåhraeus 1870

Small to medium sized; with three to seven welldeveloped elytral carinae, intervals tuberculate. Carination consists of three to seven continuous crests, seconpary carinae are lower or even fragmented. Margins of carinae serrate owing to confluent tubercles. Intervals set with a single, not quite straight row of tubercles. Pronotum with dense to moderately spaced fine but sharp punctures. Anterior tibia of males lacking apicoventral process but denticulate at inner margin.

Detailled description, distribution map and photo in:
Endrody-Younga, S. 1988. Revision of the genus Anomalipus Latreille, 1846
http://the-eis.com/elibrary/sites/default/files/downloads/literature/Revision%20of%20the%20genus%20Anomalipus%20Latreille.pdf
(Description page 75. Distribution map fig. 52)
Plate 20B: https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA090799001_18

Also illustrated in:
Schoeman C. S, Cory Toussaint D, Tshililo P, Foord S. H, Hamer M. 2019. Darkling beetles of the bushveld: an annotated checklist of the Tenebrionidae of the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, South Africa (Coleoptera). https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.29054.33604
Plate 5L: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Colin-Schoeman/publication/337533097_DARKLING_BEETLES_OF_THE_BUSHVELD_AN_ANOTATED_CHECKLIST_OF_THE_TENEBRIONIDAE_OF_THE_VHEMBE_BIOSPHERE_RESERVE_SOUTH_AFRICA_COLEOPTERA/links/5ddcde34458515dc2f4dd964/DARKLING-BEETLES-OF-THE-BUSHVELD-AN-ANOTATED-CHECKLIST-OF-THE-TENEBRIONIDAE-OF-THE-VHEMBE-BIOSPHERE-RESERVE-SOUTH-AFRICA-COLEOPTERA.pdf

Distribution: Eastern South Africa (Mpumalanga, Limpopo), Lesotho, southern Botswana.

Original description in:
Fåhraeus, O. I. 1870. Coleoptera Caffrariae, annis 1838–1845 a J. A. Wahlberg collecta. Heteromera descripsit. Öfversigt af Kongliga Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar, 27, 243–358.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/38006#page/60/mode/1up
Translated from Latin:
Black, slightly convex. ochreous-pollinose; thorax rounded-enlarged, wrinkled-punctate, the lateral margin depressed, slightly sinuous near the base; elytra suboval, posteriorly sloping, dorsally ribbed, costae 3, 5 and 7 obsolete; anterior tibiae internally multi-dentate, with a medium-sized external tooth. Length 16 mm, width. 10 mm.

iNat observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/226813825

Julkaistu heinäkuu 3, 2024 08:15 AP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 1 kommentti | Jätä kommentti

heinäkuu 4, 2024

Mariazofia hottentotus (Péringuey 1899)

Very hairy beetle with small tubercles (not arranged on carinae).

Orinignal description (Psammodes hottentotus) and illustration in:
Péringuey L. 1899. Fifth contribution to the South-African Coleopterous Fauna. Annals of the South Africa Museum 1: 240–330.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/17257#page/289/mode/1up
Plate 6, figure 9: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/17257#page/353/mode/1up
Translated from Latin:
Pitch black, somewhat glossy, antennae slender; head anteriorly densely clothed with ochraceous hairs, apex glabrous, light; the prothorax is equal in length to the width, rounded and widened, anterior angles acute, prominent, posterior obliterated, convex above sparsely punctate, the points bearing the longest setae, the lateral margin sub-serrate, the sides narrowly granular; elytra rounded, base enlarged, convex, sloping posteriorly, with strong granulation, thickly and regularly covered with long setae; strong feet, femora thick, with yellow tomrntum; epipleura granulated. Length. 23 mm.; width. 15 mm.

Type locality: Clanwilliam, South Africa

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/40893872

Julkaistu heinäkuu 4, 2024 05:18 IP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

heinäkuu 8, 2024

Meloe (Meloe) hottentotus Péringuey 1885

Diagnostic description by @beetledude

Meloe (Meloe) hottentotus -- Eastern ZA Oil Beetle
Six or seven species, belonging to two subgenera, of Meloe oil beetles occur in southern Africa. The genus is unmistakeable: fairly large, black beetles, some of them with a greenish, bluish, purplish sheen, sometimes metallic; all flightless, with shortened elytra; and mostly with a hugely distended abdomen.

Three Meloe species are known from KwaZulu-Natal and from the Eastern Cape, two species of the subgenus Afromeloe and the third in the subgenus Meloe. The subgenus Meloe is easily told apart from the Afromeloe therein that the middle antennal segments (Nos 5, 6, 7) are modified, but unmodified in Afromeloe. In the males [this observation] those segments are crooked and enlarged; in females those segments are broader than the other segments.

The single species of subgenus Meloe known from this area is Meloe (Meloe) hottentotus. This species can be distinguished from other southern African Meloe by the following combination of characters:
• Middle antennale segments modified [as above].
• Head and pronotum with coarse, deep and dense punctures.
• Pronotum elongate, longer than wide.
• Punctures on head and pronotum dense but distinctly separated from each other.
• Distribution ECape, KZN, Free State, Lesotho, Mpumalanga.

Reference
Bologna MA, Pinto JD (1998) A review of the Afrotropical species of Meloe Linnaeus 1758 (Coleoptera Meloidae) with descriptions of first instar larvae, a key to species and an annotated catalogue. Tropical Zoology 11(1): 19–59.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03946975.1998.10539352.
OPEN ACCESS.


Oringinal description in:
Péringuey, L. 1885. First contribution to the South-African coleopterous Fauna. Transactions of the
South African Philosophical Society 3 (1885). doi:10.1080/21560382.1881.9526176
https://www.tesble.com/10.1080/21560382.1881.9526176

Tranlsated from Latin:
Cyan, shiny, antennae long, joints 5-7 thickened in male, compressed; prothorax elongate, deeply punctate; elytra aciculate [=marked with fine irregular streaks like needle scratches].

Length 13-22mm, width 4-7 mm.
The head is deeply punctured and separated from the epistome by a longitudinal impression; the antennae are long reaching as far as the middle of the elytra; in the male the 5 and 7 article are enlarged and compressed, the 6, the largest of the three is hollowed; the palpi are black and slightly infuscated at the tips.
The prothorax is deeply punctured, slightly convex on the upper side, attenuated near the base the margin of which is slightly sinuated; above the basal margin is a slight depression, and the outer sides are perpendicular.
The elytra are broader than the prothorax and three times as long. They diverge greatly from the middle and are finely aciculated.
The abdomen and underside are finely punctured.
The legs are coppery dark-blue, the tarsi are very slightly hirtose underneath.
From Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony, and Leydenberg, Transvaal.
In the Collection of the South-African Museum.

Redescription and illustration of male in:
Péringuey, L. 1909. Descriptive catalogue of the Coleoptera of South Africa. Family Meloidae.
Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 1
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/181696#page/243/mode/1up
Plate 22, figure 4

Photos of museum specimens in Bolgna Pinto 1998: figures 25 and 30.

Pérenguey 1909, page 170 explains the common name of the genus Meloe: "When seized they exude through the joints of the legs, especially the knees, a yellow fluid, much in the same manner as in the genus Horia. It is this peculiarity which has gained for them the popular name of " oil beetles." "

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/187603452
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/198365786

Julkaistu heinäkuu 8, 2024 07:51 AP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

heinäkuu 10, 2024

Phycus flavus Lyneborg 1978

Slender fly with yellowish abdomen and all femora yellowish. Antennae (illustrated in Lyneborg 1978 and 1987): Scape with only short pile dorsally. First flagellomere entirely black. Palpi dark brown.

Original description in:
Lyneborg, L. 1978. The Afrotropical species of Phycus Walker (Diptera: Therevidae). Entomologica Scandinavica 9. Also in: Insect Systematics & Evolution, 9(3), 212-233. https://doi.org/10.1163/187631278X00467
https://www.tesble.com/10.1163/187631278x00467

Male:
Total length. 7.2 mm.
Head: Frons at level of antennae c.35 % as wide as head, and at level of anterior ocellus c. 30% as wide as head. Antennal segment I c. 34% as long as depth of head, and c. 160% as long as maximal width. Antennal segment 3 c. 520% as long as segment 1, and c. 650% as long as maximal width. - Frons largely black and shining, but not polished, upper half depressed and with an extremely thin tomentum, lower lateral parts with thick, whitish tomentum.
Frons and face entirely bare. Palpi dark brownish. Antennal segments I and 2 brownish, segment 3 blackish. Segment 1 with extremely short pile and some strong setae on ventral surface.
Thorax. n = 2-3, sa = 1, pa = 1, dc = 0, sc = 1.
Mesonotum black, intensively tomentose, the tomentum forming a pattern of two narrow, brownish-grey stripes on middle and broader lateral bands of same coloration, areas between these brownish-grey portions are pure greyish.
Mesonotal pile very short and black. Mesopleuron black, shining; however, not polished due to a very thin tomentum, but clearly different in coloration from sternopleuron, which is intensively greyish tomentose.
Wings uniformly brownish-hyaline. Knob of halteres dark brownish.
Legs. All coxae greyish-black. F 1 and f2 yellowish-brown; f3 missing. T 1, t2 and their tarsi black.
Abdomen yellowish-brown with extremely short, black pile.

Female: Total length. 8.6 mm.
Head. Frons at level of antennae c. 38 % as wide as head, and at level of anterior ocellus c. 31 % as wide as head. Antennal segment 1 c. 28% as long as depth of head, and c. 160% as long as maximal width. Antennal segment 3 c. 400 % as long as segment 1, and c. 650 % as long as maximal width. -Coloration as in male. Thorax and wings as in male. Coxae paler than in male, largely brownish and with only slight grey tomentum. Also f3 yellowish-brown. Abdomen entirely yellowish-brown as in male.

Type locality: South Africa, N. E. Transvaal, Olifants River, Grootdraai (holotype male) - Female paratype from Pretoria, South Africa.

Key to species of southern African Phycus in:
Lyneborg, L. 1987. Notes on the Phycini of southern Africa with the description of a new genus and two new species (Diptera: Therevidae: Phycinae). Annals of the Natal Museum 28 (2): 467-474.
https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA03040798_396

iNat observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/225381602

Julkaistu heinäkuu 10, 2024 12:07 IP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

heinäkuu 11, 2024

Symplecta (Podoneura) anthracogramma (Bergroth 1888)

The subgenus S. (Podoneura) can be recognised by the fork of the last longitudinal wing vein A1. Wing venation of. S. anthracogramma is illustrated in MAD2, page 456 fig. 91.
Only one species known from Southern Africa (Western Cape, KZN and Harare).

Thorax with three dark longitudinal lines. Legs variegated, all femora with a subterminal yellow ring, remainder black. Wings subhyaline and spotted; fork of vein A1 large and sprawly.

Original description & illustration of wing in:
Bergroth, E. 1888. On some South African Tipulidae. Entomologisk Tidskrift. Volume 9
Figure 2: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12256099#page/141/mode/1up
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12256099#page/143/mode/1up

Symplecta-anthracogramma

Key (Erioptera) in:
Alexander, C. P. 1956. Tipulidae. Ruwenzori Expedition 1934-1935. Volume 1. London British Museum (Natural History) pp. 129 - 380. Page 347
https://ccw.naturalis.nl/documents/Alexander,_1956f.pdf

iNat observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/102514965

Julkaistu heinäkuu 11, 2024 11:40 AP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

heinäkuu 15, 2024

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-leprieuri-peringueyi

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-merus-merus

Craspedophorus pretiosus (Chaudoir, 1837), as Panagaeus.
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape Provinces.

Craspedophorus-pretiosus


strachani group
Craspedophorus sciakyi Häckel 2022
Distribution: South Africa: Namaqualand, Northern Cape.

Craspedophorus-sciakyi


brevicollis group
Craspedophorus abnormis Bates 1886.
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo; Zimbabwe.

Craspedophorus-abnormis


erichsoni group
Craspedophorus ornatus (Boheman 1848)
Distribution: South Africa: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal.

Craspedophorus-ornatus-ornatus

Craspedophorus rikatlensis (Péringuey, 1896)
Distribution: Mozambique (Maputo province)

Craspedophorus-rikatlensis


nobilis group
Key to nobilis group in Southern Africa:
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-bonvouloirii

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-gratiosus

Craspedophorus gratiosus drakensis Häckel 2020
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu Natal, Drakensberg Mountains.

Craspedophorus-gratiosus-drakensis

Craspedophorus nobilis (Dejean 1826)
Distribution: South Africa: Eastern, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West.

Craspedophorus-nobilis-Dejean-1829

Craspedophorus opulentus (Péringuey 1898)
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal

Craspedophorus-opulentulus
to host deutsch

Craspedophorus subgratiosus Basilewsky 1987
Distribution: South Africa: Limpopo

Craspedophorus-subgratiosus


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-galla

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-jeanneli

Craspedophorus schuelei Häckel 2022.
Distribution: Mozambique: Sofala Province.

Craspedophorus-schuelei

Craspedophorus selenoderus (LaFerté-Sénectere, 1851), as Isotarsus. =Epigraphus fuscicornis (Kolbe 1883).
Distribution: Zimbabwe.

Craspedophorus-selenoderus

Julkaistu heinäkuu 15, 2024 12:32 IP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 1 kommentti | Jätä kommentti

heinäkuu 16, 2024

Anomalipus urus Fåhraeus 1870

Primary carinae appear continuous, although they are deeply punctate; secondary carinae, however, less elevated and granularly fragmented

Detailled description, distribution map and photo in:
Endrody-Younga, S. 1988. Revision of the genus Anomalipus Latreille, 1846. Page 80
http://the-eis.com/elibrary/sites/default/files/downloads/literature/Revision%20of%20the%20genus%20Anomalipus%20Latreille.pdf
Plate 22B: https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA090799001_18

Distribution: NE South Africa ('Transvaal'), KZN, Botswana.

Original description in:
Fåhraeus, O. I. 1870. Coleoptera Caffrariae, annis 1838–1845 a J. A. Wahlberg collecta. Heteromera descripsit. Öfversigt af Kongliga Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar 27. Page 293.
Fåhraeus OI (1870) Coleoptera Caffrariae, annis 1838–1845 a J. A. Wahlberg collecta. Heteromera descripsit. Öfversigt af Kongliga Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar 27

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/229532647

(Identification & info provided by @andrewdeacon - thank you!)

Julkaistu heinäkuu 16, 2024 09:23 AP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

heinäkuu 19, 2024

Attagenus pardus Arrow 1915


Holotype Attagenus pardus Arrow 1915
Photo: Meixia Yang - Natural History Museum, UK - CC BY 2.0

Original description in:
Arrow, G., J., 1915. Notes on the Coleopterous family Dermestidae, and descriptions of some new forms in the British Museum. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 15
https://zenodo.org/records/2488315/files/article.pdf
Niger, pedibus ruffs, corpore supra et subtus dense flavo-cinereo-pubeseenti, singuli elytri maculis tribus (aliaque communi media) magnis subcircularibus denudatis, maculis posticis duabus conjunctis, apicalibus, majoribus, medio cinereo-pupillatis; corpore oblongo-ovali, valde convexo.
Long. 3.5-4.5 mm. ; lat. 2-2.5 mm.

This very distinctively marked species is entirely covered with greyish-yellow hair, with the exception of seven nearly round areas upon the elytra, which are quite black, bare or clothed with much finer pubescence than the rest of the upper surface. One of these patches is placed at the middle of the elytral suture and the others are arranged in a circle round it, one behind the scutellum on each side, one at the outer margin and one occupying the sutural angle, the last larger than the rest and having a central spot of grey pubescence.
It is a convex insect of elongate-oval shape. The club of the antenna is three-jointed and short, the terminal joint not longer than it is broad.

Differential diagnosis:
Hermann, A. & Háva, J. 2014. Description of two new species of the genus Attagenus Latreille, 1802 from the Afrotropical Region (Dermestidae: Attageninae). Studies and Reports, Taxonomical series 10(1).
https://sar.fld.czu.cz/cache/article-data/SaR/Published_volumes/2014-1/93-98_herman_press.pdf
Antenna: with a yellow shaft and a smaller club, the last segment is only slightly larger than remaining segments of the club
Pubescence: pronotum and elytra entirely covered with dense yellow-brown hairs, except 7 distinct black spots on the elytra
Legs: yellow-brown

Type locality: Harare, Zimbabwe

Distribution: Known from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.

Photos:
Holotype: NHMUK https://www.flickr.com/photos/53906044@N04/50156566611/
Hermann & Hava 2014:
https://sar.fld.czu.cz/cache/article-data/SaR/Published_volumes/2014-1/93-98_herman_press.pdf
Holloway et al 2024: https://www.africanentomology.com/article/view/16250/21224

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/192080465
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151290494

Julkaistu heinäkuu 19, 2024 06:58 AP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti

heinäkuu 21, 2024

Anthrenus (Nathrenus) stelma Kadej & Háva 2006

More or less unmistakable due to the grey scales on the pronotum and 11 antennal segments.

Original description and illustrations in:
Kadej, M. & Háva, J. 2006. Description of two new species of Anthrenus O. F. MÜLLER, 1764 from southern Africa (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Megatominae: Anthreninii)
https://www.cassidae.uni.wroc.pl/Anthrenus%20stelma.pdf
[...]
Dorsal and ventral surface of integument dark brown, slightly punctate, covered with grey, dark brown and yellowish to almost red scales (Figs 12, 13).
Pronotum (PL: 0.5-1.05; PW: 1.0-1.4) in male: covered with dark brown scales in the central part, grey scales on the angles and lateral parts, in female: covered with dark brown scales only on the anterior lateral margin, central part with light brown scales, lateral margins and the angles of the pronotum with grey scales.
Elytra covered with grey, dark brown and yellowish to almost red scales, forming transverse, nearly complete bands. The anterior part of the elytra covered with dark brown scales. Inferiorly yellowish scales form thin and irregular transverse band. Middle part of elytra covered with three transversal bands of grey, yellowish, and mixture of grey and yellowish scales. The terminal parts covered with grey and dark brown scales forming two distinctive spots, surrounded by yellowish scales.

Distribution: Namibia

iNat observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/194676019


Male specimen of Anthrenus stelma © Sebastian Hatt, CC-BY-NC

Julkaistu heinäkuu 21, 2024 10:13 AP. käyttäjältä traianbertau traianbertau | 0 kommenttia | Jätä kommentti