Platymetopus figuratus, Boheman, 1848

Felix, Ron F. F. L., 2014, A new subgenus and species of Lebia, with additional records of Carabidae (Coleoptera) from Socotra Island, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54, pp. 101-114 : 111-112

Platymetopus figuratus cf. somalicus Basilewsky, 1948

Material examined (6 spec.). YEMEN: SOCOTRA ISLAND: Bizidig, Avicennia marina mangrove, 12°18.6′N, 58°48.2′E, 6 m, 13.vi.2012, 2 spec.; Delisha village, Jatropha unicostata shrubland, at light, 12°41.2′N, 57°07.7′E, 36 m, 8.vi.2012, 1 spec.; Momi plateau, 12°31′32″N, 54°18′52″E, 470 m, 7.vi.2012, 1 spec.; Noged plain, Abataro, border of sand dunes and shrubland, 12°22.1′N, 54°03.4′E, 20 m, 12.-13.vi.2012, 1 spec.; Homhil protected area, open woodland with Boswellia & Dracaena trees, 12°34.5′N, 54°18.5′E, 360-500 m, 10.-11.vi.2012, 1 spec. Socotra Expedition 2012, J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V.Hula, P.Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart leg. (all NMPC).

Diagnosis. Length 6.8–8.0 mm. Head black with faint greenish lustre, pubescent and coarsely punctured. Pronotum brown with yellowish brown borders, pubescent and coarsely punctured. Elytra brownish yellow, with odd intervals reddish brown, brown or black, at least towards end of the dark markings, sometimes even red at beginning (especially in interval VII). The dark markings longest in intervals I and III, distinctly shorter in V, and again shorter in VII. Interval IX dark in its whole length. Even intervals always light brownish yellow, but somewhat darker towards end. Apex always yellow. Legs, palpi and antennomeres yellow, from antennomere four on sometimes a bit darker.

Comments. The following specimens were studied: one from Kenya, two from Transvaal, one from Botswana, one from Zimbabwe (these specimens should refer to the nominotypical form), one from the type locality of P. figuratus somalicus: Mts Mabla ( Djibouti) , and one from Yemen, which also should be the subspecies somalicus .

According to BASILEWSKY (1948) the nominotypical form from southwest and south Africa is never longer than 6.5 mm and the dark markings are brown. In the subspecies somalicus , the specimens from Djibouti are longer, the brown colour of the markings is turning into a dark metallic green, and the punctation of the head, pronotum and elytra is weaker.

The specimen studied from Kenya is 7.0 mm long; the ones from Transvaal, identified by Basilewsky, are 6.5 and 7.0 mm long, with a very faint greenish lustre; the one from Botswana is 7.3 mm long with brown markings, and the specimen from Zimbabwe is 7.5 mm long with a faint greenish lustre on the dark markings of the elytra. The specimen from Djibouti is 8.5 mm long, its intervals are brown without greenish lustre. The specimen from Yemen mainland is 9.0 mm long and greenish.

In the Socotran specimens, all between 6.8 and 8.0 mm long, the dark markings are brown with a hardly visible faint metallic coppery lustre. The punctation of the pronotum in these specimens, and in the specimens from Yemen and Somalia, seems a little less dense and less deep than in the African specimens. Also the punctation of the elytral intervals seems a little vaguer.

That means that the differential characteristics mentioned by BASILEWSKY (1948) do not always apply, perhaps except for punctation. Also the East African, Yemeni and Socotran specimens, on average, are longer than the South African specimens. There seems to be no difference in the aedeagi of all the studied specimens. The taxonomic status of both subspecies needs a more comprehensive study.

ANDREWES (1924) described Platymetopus pictus Andrewes, 1924 from Ceylon, India and also from Yemen. As for its pattern of the elytra the author points out the similarity with P. figuratus , without mentioning differences between the two species. Also, the description matches completely the nominotypical subspecies of P. figuratus . The types of both taxa should be compared, but it is highly probable that specimens of P. pictus from Yemen will turn out to be P. figuratus somalicus (no relevant differences could be found between the specimens from Socotra, Yemen mainland, and Eritrea), or even P. pictus may represent a senior subjective synonym of P.figuratus somalicus .

Distribution. Eritrea, Djibouti. First record from Socotra Island.