Thyreocephalus ater ( Laporte, 1835 )

Janák, Jiří & Bordoni, Arnaldo, 2015, Revision of the genus Thyreocephalus and description of Afrus gen. nov. of Africa south of the Sahara (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Zootaxa 4038 (1), pp. 1-94 : 34-37

Thyreocephalus ater ( Laporte, 1835)

( Figs. 64 , 75–79 )

Eulissus ater Laporte, 1835: 117 ; Bernhauer & Schubert, 1914: 311; Bernhauer, 1915b: 362; Scheerpeltz, 1933: 1316. Xantholinus ater ; Erichson, 1839: 318; Fauvel, 1907: 34.

Thyreocephalus ater ; Cameron, 1952: 831; Herman, 2001: 3761.

Type locality. Senegal (without additional data).

Type material examined. It was not possible to find the type /s of Eulissus ater , described from Senegal. All reasonable steps were exhausted to trace the original type material of this taxon. Many Laporte type specimens have been lost, but some are currently housed in the MNHNP. The curator of MNHNP searched for type material but without success. We can only conclude that the type material has been lost. To stabilise the systematic position of this species in this complex species group, we decided to designate a neotype. The specimen selected as the neotype matches the original description of Laporte (1840) and falls within the area of original type locality ( Guinea in West Africa near to Senegal). Neotype ♂: (by present designation): GUINEA: “Guin. Deyr.” ( MFNB). The labels: “ Neotypus Eulissus ater Lap., Bordoni & Janák des. 2014” and “ Thyreocephalus ater (Lap.) , Bordoni & Janák det. 2014” were attached to this specimen.

Additional material examined. BURKINA FASO: 1 spec.: Haute Volta: Bobo-Dioulasso, viii.1964, R. Siffointe, 1 ex. ( MRAC). CAMEROON: 3 spec.: Joko, iv. 1912, L. Colin ( MFNB); Joko, iv.12, L. Colin ( MFNB). 1 ♂: Joko, L. Colin ( JJRC); 1 spec.: Tino (?), iv.1912, L. Colin ( MFNB); 1 spec.: Joko, A. Heyne ( MFNB); 5 spec.: Joko ( MFNB). CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: 22 spec: Uamgebiet Bosum [= Ouham river valley, Bosum], 21.iii–10.vi.1914, S. Tessmann ( MFNB, JJRC); 1 spec.: Neu Kamerun, Bossum ( MFNB); 1 spec.: 40 km S Kaga Bandoro, 530 m, 06.41N, 19.07E, 24.iv.2010, J. Halada ( ABFI); 1 ♀: 70 km NNE of Bangui, N 0 4 57 E 18 46, 24.– 28.xi.2010, M. Kadlecová ( MNHW). DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 6 spec.: Lulua: Kapanga, i.1933, F. Overlaet ( MRAC, JJRC); 1 spec.: Luluabourg (Kasai), iii–vii.1965, J. Deheegher ( MRAC); 2 spec.: Luluabourg, 30.x.1898, Fülleborh ( MFNB); 1 spec.: Mangu-Gebiet, Breite Katjambo bis Bogo Moba, Thierry ( MFNB); 2 spec.: Maniema: Kasongo, viii–ix.1959, P. Benoit ( MRAC, JJRC); 1 spec.: Terr. de Kasongo, Lupaya, 8.ii.1960, P. Benoit ( MRAC); 1 spec.: Yangambi (Stanleyville), v.1959, P. Dessart ( MRAC); 7 spec: Atso, 72 km Aru, route d'Aru à Aba, 1948, L. Demoulin ( IRSNB, ABFI); 3 spec.: P.N.G. [= Parc National de la Garamba], Miss. H. De Saeger, Mabanga, 25.vii.52, H. De Saeger ( MRAC); 1 spec.: P.N.G., Miss. H. De Saeger, 5.iii.1951, H. De Saeger ( JJRC); 1 spec.: P.N.G., Miss. H. De Saeger, 23.iii.1951, H. De Saeger ( JJRC); 16 spec.: P.N.G., Miss. H. De Saeger, 9–28.ii.1951, H. De Saeger ( MRAC); 1 spec.: P.N.G., Miss. H. De Saeger, 31.vii.1952, H. De Saeger ( MRAC); 1 spec.: Moyen Congo, Haut Sangha, Carnot ( NMPC); 1 spec.: Kalakumba ( NMPC). ERITREA: 1 spec.: Bogos, 1871, Antinori ( MCSNG); 1 spec.: Abyss., Bogos, 2000 m, Hildenbrant ( MFNB); 1 spec.: Mintil ( MFNB); 1 spec.: Kesadgua, x. 1909, D. Heyne ( MFNB). ETHIOPIA: 1 ♀: Kibe river, v.1992, Trailin ( JJRC); 1 spec.: [ Ethiopia?] Uha, x.12 ( MFNB); 1 ♀: Illubador prov., Gore, 2–3.iv.2002, Malec ( MFNB). GABON: 1 spec.: Réserve de la Lopé, 6–16.viii.1995, L. Bartolozzi & S. Taiti (ZMF). GHANA: 1 ♂: Togo Hinterland, Yendi, S. Thierry ( MFNB); 9 spec.: Manso, iv/ vi.1968, Amenfi ( MRAC, JJRC). GUINEA: 2 spec.: Franz. W Afrika, Baliso river, Yemhèrè-Tahiré, 24.ix–24.x.1956, Knorr ( SMNS, ABFI); 2 spec.: Kellesi-Plat, Yemhèrè-Tahiré, 24.ix– 24.x.1956, Knorr ( SMNS, ABFI); 1 spec.: Guinea merid., Conacry, Foret Classe de Monts Nimba, near Lola, 7– 9.vii.2004, A. Kudrna ( ABFI); 2 spec.: Guinea ( DEI); 6 spec.: N'Zérékoré, Exped. Mus. G. Frey 1951, 5.vii.51, Bechyne ( NHMW); 4 spec.: Région Kindia, Mt. Gangan, 500 m, Exped. Mus. G. Frey 1951, 5.v.51, Bechyne ( NHMW). IVORY COAST: 1 ♀: Bingerville, vi.1962, J. Decelle ( JJRC); 1 spec.: Comoe, iv.2002, P. Moretto ( ABFI); 1 spec.: Lamto, vi.1962, L. Bayer ( NHMW), 1 spec.: Mandaloa, Škulina ( NMPC). KENYA: 1 spec.: Loitokitok, 15.xi.2004, Hovorka (MNW); 3 spec.: Tukan, x.1912 ( MFNB, JJRC). LIBERIA: 1 spec. Saclepea, 16.ii.1988, F. Krell ( SMNS); 1 spec.: Bong Town, 20.iii.1988, F. Krell ( SMNS); 1 spec.: Cari Suakoko, 17.iii.1988, F. Krell ( ABFI). MALAWI: 3 spec.: Nyassa, Heyne ( MFNB); 1 spec.: Nyassa-See, iii.1907, Kolbe ( MFNB). NIGERIA: 12 spec.: Jos, Exped. Mus. G. Frey Nigeria-Kamerun 1955–56, 7–18.x.55, Bechyne ( NHMW); 2 spec.: Kano, Exped. Mus. G. Frey Nigeria-Kamerun 1955–56, 5.x.55, Bechyne ( NHMW); 1 spec.: Kamerun, Tickau, x.1912, L. Colin ( MFNB); 1 spec.: Nigeria, Umg. Jos/Vom, 5.xi–2.xii.1984, V. Assing ( VAHG); 1 spec.: Akwanga, viii.1976 ( ABFI); 1 spec.: Nile Distr., Rhino Camp, G. Babaut ( ABFI). REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 5 spec.: Congo fr., Fort Sibut ( MCSNG, ABFI). SIERRA LEONE: 1 spec.: Northern Prov., Bumbuna, 13–16.vi.1988, R. Mourglia (MNW); 1 spec.: without additional data ( NMPC). TANZANIA: 1 spec.: near Vwawa, Mibeya Prov., 7.xii.1999, Werner & Lizler ( ABFI); 1 spec.: Arusha, 9.iii.1986, Murray ( HNHM); 6 spec.: Tanzania, Tonga, D. R. Afrs. ( MFNB). TCHAD: 1 spec.: Bekao s. Moundou, H. Franz ( NHMW); 1 spec.: Fort-Sibut, Ht Chari ( MFNB). TOGO: 1 spec.: Bismarckburg, 15.ix–15.x.1891, R. Büttner ( MFNB); 1 spec.: Bismarckburg, S. Conradt ( MFNB); 1 spec.: Togo ( DEI); 3 spec.: Socode ( DEI). UGANDA: 1 ♀: Uganda W., SW of Hioma, Rwera env., 30.xi.2001, M. Snížek ( JJRC). ZIMBABWE: 1 ♂: Zimbabwe, north Mavhuradonha, Wilderness area, 17–19.XII.1998, A. Kudrna ( JJRC).

Cited material (not examined). BENIN: Dahomey, ETHIOPIA: Abyssinie, KENYA: Kisumu, MALAWI: Lac Nyassa, SENEGAL: without additional data, SIERRA LEONE: without additional data, SUDAN: Adda ( Fauvel 1907); DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Ubangi Distr., Duma, 20.ix.1910, H. Schuboltz ( Bernhauer 1915b); BENIN: Dahomey: Bassila; DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Mayidi, SIERRA LEONE: without additional data ( Cameron, 1952).

Redescription. Body length 19–27 mm; length from anterior margin of head to posterior margin of elytra: 12– 17 mm. Black, shiny, sometimes genital segment partly or completely reddish. Body very robust, wide. Head and pronotum with feeble micro-punctation. Head and pronotum and respective punctation as in Fig. 75 ; labrum as in Fig. 76 . Elytra sub-rectangular, as long as pronotum and narrower that it, with sub-rectilinear and sub-parallel sides. Surface with three series of spaced punctures, one near suture, one median and one lateral. Abdomen with very fine and dense, transverse micro-striature and distinct, dense and deep punctation.

Male. Temples with densely and rather finely punctate areas. Tergite 10 and sternite 9 of the male genital segment as in Figs. 77, 78 . Aedeagus ( Fig. 79 ) large, narrow, 2.5 mm long, with short median lobe; parameres symmetrical; inner sac ribbon-like, covered with sparse little scales.

Female. Temples with similar punctation as in male or almost impunctate.

Differential diagnosis. Thyreocephalus ater differs from the similar T. meridionalis sp. nov. in narrower body with longer pronotum and in narrower basal bulbus of the aedeagus.

Distribution. This species occurs almost in all Africa south of the Sahara to Malawi and North Zimbabwe ( Fig. 64 ).

Remarks. The Garamba National Park is situated in the North part of Democratic Republic of Congo, on the border with Sudan.

Figures

FIGURE 64. Distribution of species in Thyreocephalus ater group (● = T. ater (Laporte), ▲ = T. alluaudi (Fauvel), Δ = T. meridionalis sp. nov.).

FIGURES 75 – 79. Thyreocephalus ater (Laporte); 75, head and pronotum; 76, labrum; 77, male tergite 10; 78, male sternite 9; 79, aedeagus.