Odontolochus spinicollis ( Harold, 1871 )

Stebnicka, Zdzisława T., 2009, A revision of the African species of Odontolochini Stebnicka & Howden, 1996 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Zootaxa 2230, pp. 1-15 : 7-8

Odontolochus spinicollis ( Harold, 1871)

( Figs 2 , 7, 20 )

Ataenius spinicollis Harold, 1871: 23 .

Odontoderus spinicollis: Clouët 1900: 249 .

Odontolochus spinicollis: Schmidt 1922: 465 ; Paulian 1942: 126 –127; Endrödi 1960: 242 –243; Endrödi 1964: 371, 377; Dellacasa 1988: 286 (catalog).

Odontolochus granulipennis Petrovitz, 1956: 234 –236 — Endrödi 1964: 370 –371; Dellacasa 1988: 286 (catalog). New synonymy.

Odontolochus heyrovskyi Balthasar, 1963: 287 –288; Dellacasa 1988: 286 (catalog). New synonymy.

Material examined. Odontolochus spinicollis : holotype male [ Ethiopia], 'Bogos 1890 Sciotel O. Beccari’/ ‘Holotypus’/ ‘ Ataenius spinicollis Harold 1871 ’/’ Odontoderus n.gen. spinicollis Har. det. Clouët 1900 ’/ ‘Museo Civico di Genova’ ( MCSN).

Odontolochus granulipennis : holotype female, ' Guinea Fr. N Zerekore, 1–18.III.1952, S.H.Olsen’/ ' Odontolochus granulipennis Petrovitz' ( MGFT).

Odontolochus heyrovskyi : holotype (sex not determined) [ Tanzania], ‘Ost-Afrika, Tanganjika Territorium’/ ‘ Odontolochus heyrovskyi n.sp. det. Dr. V. Balthasar’ (NMP, coll. Balthasar).

Other specimens (25). The Democratic Republic of the Congo: Haut-Uele, Yebo Moto, IX.1926, 1 -VII, 1926, L. Burgeon; Elisabethville, XI.1951 – II.1952, IX.1958 – V.1959, leg. Ch. Seydel; Libenge, W.1937, leg. Leontovitsch (labeled by Endrodi as O. oberthuri ); Dimonika Mayumbei, I.1964, Mission A. Descarpentries & A. Villiers 1963–1954 (MRAC, HNHM, MHNG). Cameroon: South Cameroon, Lolodorf (MHNG). Tanzania: Nata, 15.II.1960, leg. J. Szunyoghy; Morogoro, Unic. Campus, 29.I.1988, at light, leg. T. Pocs; Usa River, 3900ft, 1.XII.1965 – 31.I.1966, leg. J. Szunyoghy (HNHM). Ghana: North Reg. Nyankpala 15 km W Tamale, 1–30.IV.1970, leg. S. Endrödi (HNHM); Tafo, II.1968, E.O. Boafo (CNC). Guinea: Siguiri, VII– X.1961, leg. K. Ferencz; Coyah, IV.1967, 15. III–15.VI.1969, leg. K. Ferencz (HNHM). The Gambia: Abuko Nat. Res., 11.II.1977, at light; River Tanji, 3 km SW Brufut, 28.II. 1977, at light, Lund Univ. Gambia-Senegal Exp. 1977 (MZLU); Zambia: 27 km E Sowezi, 8.XI.2005, leg. Snizek (PBC).

Diagnosis. Pronotum converging posteriorly, lateral margin in anterior half with two small emarginations and two acutely prominent denticles ( Fig. 7 ). Elytral striae deep, strial punctures larger than adjacent intervals, deep, in some specimens each puncture with minute granules on each side; intervals at the same level, acutely carinate, median carina very minutely crenate. Odontolochus spinicollis is very similar to O. paucus ; it differs from that species in having slightly smaller head with deeper median emargination, the clypeal side emarginate in front of genae and the elytra relatively shorter.

Description. Length 3.5–4.5 mm. Body ( Fig. 2 ) oblong oval, brownish black to piceous, shining. Head finely, closely punctured. Pronotum converging posteriorly, lateral margin in anterior half with two small emarginations, the second emargination ended by acute denticle, posterior half almost straight to acutely prominent basal denticle; surface with shallow, longitudinal fossa above scutellum and with oblique lateral fossa extending to anterior angles, punctures very close, coarse, contiguous, in some specimens rugose. Elytra widest behind the middle, humeral denticles distinct; striae deep, strial punctures larger than adjacent intervals, deep, in some specimens each puncture with minute granules on each side; intervals at the same level, acutely carinate, median carina very minutely crenate. Ventral surface alutaceous; mesosternal median area triangular in shape, with few fine punctures at base, lateral furrows deep; metasternum slightly concave, discal punctures moderate, close, lateral area with twice larger, ocellate punctures; abdominal sternites coarsely fluted along sutures with quadrate spaces between longitudinal costulae, surface punctate; disc of pygidium eroded with longitudinal carina. Femora narrow, parallel-sided; protibia with three normal lateral teeth in both sexes; basal tarsomere of metatarsus longer than upper tibial spur and shorter than following three tarsomeres combined.

Male. Disc of pygidium longer than in female; genitalia as in Fig. 20 .

Distribution. Cameroon, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia. Recorded from Guinea by Cambefort & Bordat (2003) as O. granulipennis .

Remarks. Odontolochus spinicollis is one of the most common and most variable African species. Variation includes the pronotal shape and punctation and the elytral sculpture. Specimens are very similar to those of O. paucus and difficult to distinguish.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Odontolochus, dorsal view, 1. O. raffrayi Paulian; 2. O. spinicollis (Harold); 3. O. paucus Schmidt; 4. O. oberthueri (Clouët); 5. O. ferenczi Endrödi.

FIGURES 6 – 21. Figs 6 – 13, pronotum, lateral outline, 6. O. basilevskyi Endrödi; 7. O. spinicollis (Harold); 8. O. oberthueri (Clouët); 9. O. costatus Endrödi; 10. O. gestroi (Clouet); 11. O. burgeoni Boucomont; 12. O. setulosus Endrödi; 13. O. villiersi Petrovitz; Figs 14 – 19, right protibiae, 14. O. oberthueri (Clouët), male; 15. O. oberthueri (Clouët), female; 16. O. gestroi (Clouët), male; 17. O. ferenczi Endrödi, male; 18. O. villiersi Petrovitz, male; 19. O. villiersi Petrovitz, female; Figs 20 – 21, aedeagus in lateral view, 20. O. spinicollis (Harold); 21. O. paucus Schmidt.