Metadromius sp.

Felix, Ron F. F. L., 2017, New species and new distributional data on Carabidae (Coleoptera) from the Socotra Archipelago, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 57, pp. 41-54 : 52

Metadromius sp.

Material examined. YEMEN: SOCOTRA ISLAND: 1 spec., Homhil protected area, 12°34ʹ27ʺN, 54°18ʹ32ʺE, 364 m, 28.–29.xi.2003, P. Kabátek leg. ( NMPC).

Diagnosis. Length 2.3–2.4 mm. Head and pronotum dark brown, the latter with light borders. Head, pronotum and elytra with microsculpture. Antennomeres very short. Eyes rather flat, temples rather long and flat.

Remarks. The genus Metadromius Bedel, 1907 needs a thorough revision. I compared the specimen with the type material of M. arabicus Mateu, 1979 and M. somalicus Mateu, 1986 as well as with the material of two different species (sic!) both identified by J. Mateu as M. ephippiatus (Fairmaire, 1884) : one specimen from Algeria and one from Saudi Arabia, both are females. Unfortunately, the type of M. ephippiatus was not available. The specimen of ‘ M. ephippiatus ’ from Algeria is smooth, without any microsculpture on the head, pronotum or elytra. The specimen from Saudi Arabia has distinct microsculpture on the head, and faint microsculpture on the pronotum and elytra. The specimen from Socotra resembles the specimen of ‘ M. ephippiatus ’ from Saudi Arabia, but the design is in between that of M. somalicus and M. arabicus , and certainly not that of both ‘ M. ephippiatus ’. It differs from M. somalicus in having less protruding eyes and flatter temples. Since the male is not known yet, it seems inappropriate to describe the species based on one female.