Blepharidina bimbiensis (Bechyné)

(Fig 2, 39, 68)

Blepharida bimbiensis Bechyné, 1948: 547; Scherer (1962: 70, misidentification of Blepharidina guttulata (Baly), cf. Bechyné, 1968: 1725); Ferreira 1965: 941 Blepharidina bimbiensis (Bechyné): Bechyné 1968: 1725; Biondi et al. 2017: 128

Type material examined. Lectotype ♂ (Biondi des. in Biondi et al. 2017): “(Angola) Bimbi (8°19′48''S, 15°58′48''E), Oct. 1932 / Angola, Miss. se. Suisse, 1928–29 ” (NMPC).

Taxonomic observations. Blepharidina bimbiensis can be attributed to the species group including B. carinata, B. guttulata, B. partita, B. rudeli, and, probably, B. sedecimguttata (Figs 2, 4, 6, 16, 19), identified by the following combination of characters of the external morphology, aedeagus and spermatheca: anterior margin of pronotum much wider medially than laterally (Fig. 20); elytral margin homogenous in thickness, rather thin, at most weakly enlarged in central third (Fig. 35); aedeagus (Figs 39, 41–42, 52) in ventral view stubby, with wide lateral longitudinal depressions, and with small lateral folds ventrally oriented on the apex; in lateral view, aedeagus about as thick basally than subapically, with apical part ventrally oriented; dorsal ligula formed by two simple lateral lobes and a complex medial lobe; spermatheca (Figs 56, 58, 63–64, 67) generally with globose basal part, and thin, hook-shaped distal part; ductus very thick in proximal part, generally not clearly distinct from spermathecal capsule. Color of the dorsal integuments in B. bimbiensis is like some specimens of B. guttulata, with small, pale, subrounded patches on light brown pronotum and reddish-brown elytra (Figs 2, 6), but its size is distinctly smaller. Aedeagus is easily recognizable by the singular apical part, subrectangular in ventral view (Fig. 39). No female specimens of B. bimbiensis are known. Morphometry in Appendix 2.

Distribution. Angola (Fig. 68). Possibly Central Afrotropical (CAT) Chorotype.

Ecological notes. Not available. The collection site falls within the area of West-Central African Mesic Woodland & Savanna vegetation (belonging to the Tropical Lowland Grassland, Savanna & Shrubland formation).