Lipostratia distinguenda (Fairmaire, 1886)

Felix, Ron F. F. L., Farkač, Jan & Suleiman, Ahmed Saeed, 2012, Annotated checklist of the Carabidae (Coleoptera) of the Socotra Archipelago, Insect biodiversity of the Socotra Archipelago. (Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52), pp. 75-106 : 92-93

Lipostratia distinguenda (Fairmaire, 1886)

Material examined (89 spec.). YEMEN: SOCOTRA ISLAND: Deneghen , 12.617N 54.084E, 108 m a.s.l., 19.–20.ii.2000, 1 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP) ; Ayhaft , 22.ii.2000, 2 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP, CULS) ; Goeeh , 12°32′25″N, 54°10′22″E, 240 m a.sl., 23.x.2000, 1 spec., lgt. A. van Harten, det. R.F.F.L. Felix (as Lipostratia dichroa (Chaudoir, 1848)) (HLMD) ; Homhil , 12°34′13″N, 54°18′32″E ,

29.x.2000, 1 spec., lgt. H. Pohl, det. M. Persohn (as L. cf. dichroa ); Wadi Ayhaft , 12°36′38″N, 53°48′49″E, 190 m a.s.l., 24.–26.xi.2003, 23 spec., lgt. J. Farkač, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP, CULS, OHCP) ; same data, 1 spec., lgt. J. Farkač ( JFCP) ; Qalansiyah environment, Khayrha mountains, N slopes, 12°38′50″N, 53°27′45″E, 85–592 m a.s.l., 9.–10.xii.2003, 2 spec., lgt. J. Farkač, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP) ; same data, 1 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek ( JFCP) ; Hadiboh , 10–100 m a.s.l., 21.xi.–12.xii.2003, 3 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP, CULS) ; Qaareh (waterfall), Noged plain, 12°20′10″N, 53°37′56″E, 57 m a.s.l., 5.–6.xii.2003, 1 spec., lgt. J. Farkač, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP) ; W Socotra, 6.–24.ix.1999, 1 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP) ; Wadi Ireeh , Noged plain, 12°23′11″N, 53°59′47″E, 95 m a.s.l., 6.–7.xii.2003, 1 spec., lgt. J. Farkač, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP) ; Qaariah village environment, 12°38′05″N, 54°12′39″E, 11 m a.s.l., 28.xi.2003, 1 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP) ; Ayheft valley , 11.xi.2008, 14 spec., lgt. Saldaitiene & Saldaitis, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( IRSB) ; Wadi Ayhaft , camp, 12°36′58.7″N, 53°59′30.6″E, at light, 22.ii.2009, 2 spec., lgt. & det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( RFBE) ; guesthouse Hadiboh , 12°38′55.79″N, 54°00′46.79″E, at light, 27.ii.2009, 1 spec., lgt. & det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( RFBE) ; Haghier Mts. , Ayheft valley, 20.iii.2009, 3 spec., lgt. Saldaitis, det. R.F.F.L.Felix ( IRSB) ; Shuab location coast line, mangroves, 24.iii.2009, 1 spec., lgt. Saldaitis, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( IRSB) ; near Hadiboh , 11.i.2010, 11 spec., lgt. Saldaitis, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( IRSB) ; Ayheft valley , 12.i.2010, 2 spec., lgt. Saldaitis, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( IRSB) ; Wadi Kam , 13.i.2010, 1 spec., lgt. Saldaitis, det. R.F.F.L.Felix ( IRSB) ; top of Ayheft valley , 17.i.2010, 2 spec., lgt. Saldaitis, det. R.F.F.L.Felix ( IRSB) ; Wadi Difarroha , north side, 19.i.2010, 4 spec., lgt. Saldaitis, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( IRSB) ; Zemhon area , 12°30′58″N, 54°06′39″E, 270–350 m a.s.l., 3.–4.ii.2010, 4 spec., lgt. L. Purchart & J. Vybíral, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( NMPC) ; Dgisvu valley , 12°28.444′N 54°08.596′E, 2.vi.2010, 2 spec., lgt. V. Hula & Niedobová J., det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( NMPC) ; Zemhon area , 12°20′58″N, 54°08′39″E, 270–300 m a.s.l., 3 spec., lgt. V. Hula, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( NMPC) .

Diagnosis. Body length 8.5–9.5 mm. Head, pronotum, legs and antennomeres I–III red, rest of antennae, apex of tibiae and tarsomeres slightly darker, elytra bluish violet. Head and pronotum with deep and sharp punctures. Epipleura from humerus coloured reddish to black or bluish black on apex. Pro- and mesotarsomere IV strongly dilated.

Comments on classification. Some specimens were initially identified as Lipostratia cf. dichroa (Chaudoir, 1848) . It is very difficult to distinguish L. distinguenda from L. dichroa , known from Senegal and Somalia. According to BASILEWSKY (1960), the pronotum of L. dichroa is laterally more regularly rounded, epipleura red and knees less obviously darker.

We studied specimens of both L. dichroa and L. distinguenda and compared them with the types by Basilewsky. In L. distinguenda , the epipleura are red in the basal two thirds, turning black rather suddenly in the apical third. The first two ventrites are red, growing darker towards the end to dark red brown or black. In L. dichroa , the epipleura are totally red, the first two ventrites are red, becoming dark reddish brown towards the apex, but with vague light lateral spots. In both specimens the knees and tarsi were very slightly darker than the tibiae. BRITTON (1948) mentioned L. dichroa also from Yemen (Aden) and Socotra, but BASILEWSKY (1960) did not examine the respective specimens and questioned these records.

Collecting circumstances. All specimens were collected at light.

Distribution. South and East Africa. First record from Socotra Island.