Matabele arabica Mateu, 1986

Rasool, Iftekhar, Abdel-Dayem, Mahmoud S., Felix, Ron F. F. L. & Aldhafer, Hathal M., 2018, A review of the Subtribe Lebiina Bonelli (Lebiini, Carabidae, Coleoptera) from Southwest of Saudi Arabia, Zootaxa 4379 (1), pp. 87-102 : 100

Matabele arabica Mateu, 1986

Matabele arabica Mateu, 1986: 201

Type locality. Saudi Arabia, An-Namas.

Type depository. Holotype; male in BMNH.

Material examined: Total two specimens: 1 ♀, “ KSA, Al Baha, Al Makhwa, Shada Al Ala , N 19°50.329' E41°18.604' Alt . 1563 m, 23. VIII. 2015, (LT)., 1 ♀, “N 19°51.762' E 41°18.089' Alt. 1225 m, 14.XI.2015, (LT), Al Dafer H., M.S. Abdel-Dayem, H. H. Fadl, Elgharbawy, El Turkey, Soliman, A & Rasool, I.

Recognition. Large body size ( Fig. 29 ), TBL 12–14 mm, Colour: Head, pronotum and elytra black; antennae, mouthparts, femora and tibiae brunneous; tarsomeres red; elytra with two transverse testaceous bands, one on the post humeri extending from intervals III–VIII and second on pre-apical of elytra extending from intervals III-VI. Microsculpture: More or less depressed isodiametric meshes on the head and pronotum surface; elytra with strongly isodiametric mesh pattern. Head: convex, HL 2.47–2.75 mm and HW 2.37–2.60 mm, with bulky, outstanding and convex eyes, tempora short, narrowed behind at right angle ( Fig. 37 ), dorsum of head punctate and wrinkled on the frons and neck; labrum rounded anteriorly, not transverse; mentum emarginated with bifid tooth and well developed epilobes, last labial palpi fusiform, finely and sparsely pubescent; first segment of labial palpi longer than the second which with four setae; antennae elongate extending beyond the base of post-humeral testaceous band. Pronotum: transverse and wider than head with eyes, PL 1.87–2.12 mm and PW 2.65–3.10 mm, weakly convex ( Fig. 37 ); rounded anteriorly and moderately narrowed near basal angles; base of pronotum projecting strongly in the middle; median impression of pronotum fairly deep; dorsum strongly punctate, sculptured and wrinkled. Elytra: Elongate but fairly broad, EL 7.25–7.75 mm and EW 5.0– 5.5 mm, convex with bordered base; apex of elytra obliquely truncate, sinuate and external angles pointed; striae deep and punctate; intervals convex, finely and sparsely punctuate. All tarsomeres with spines on inner side, tarsomeres I– III expended and tarsomeres IV markedly excavate; tarsomere IV bilobed in fore legs; claws pectinate with 8–9 teeth. Abdomen: Ventrum of the body pubescent; abdominal sternum VII truncate and bi-setose in both sexes.

Aedeagus: In lateral view aedeagus is robust and almost straight ventrally, scarcely sinuate near base, apex slightly inclined and drawn out into only a short point; when viewed from above it looks broad and rounded distally ( Mateu, 1986).

Affinity. This species resembles to M. miranda , the only other member of the genus, in colouration, body size and markings of elytra, but can be distinguished by smooth intervals of elytra, rounded anterior margin of labrum, obtuse head, strongly pointed external angles of elytra, tarsomeres rather more pubescent and colour of tarsomeres and femur reddish brown ( Mateu, 1986).

Geographical distribution. The species was described from Saudi Arabia ( Mateu, 1986) and then reported from Oman (Anichtchenko, 2016). Only found in Arabian Peninsula (Anichtchenko, 2016) and exemplifies Arabian chorotype.

Figures

FIGURES 27–29. Habitus of Lebia and Matabele: (27) Syntype. L. natalensis Chaudoir, 1871 (28) L. spec. (29) M. arabica Mateu, 1986.

FIGURES30–37. Head and pronotum of Lebia: (30) L.auberti (Fairmaire,1892), (31) L.melanacra (Chaudoir,1878), (32) L. melanura (Dejean, 1831), (33) L. raeesae sp. n. (34) L. natalensis Chaudoir, 1871, (35) L. nilotica Chaudoir, 1871, (36) L. spec.(37) Matabele arabica Mateu, 1986.