Nemognatha, Illiger, 1807

Bologna, Marco A., Amore, Valentina & Pitzalis, Monica, 2018, Meloidae of Namibia (Coleoptera): taxonomy and faunistics with biogeographic and ecological notes, Zootaxa 4373 (1), pp. 1-141 : 98-99

Nemognatha cfr. notaticeps Pic, 1909 ( Fig. 6D )

Distribution. Eritrea and northeastern Namibia (new species record for this country).

Material examined. [Caprivi] Katima Mulilo Rural: Katima Mulilo , 17.4833°S 24.2833°E (MNB).

Remarks. Types of Nemognatha notaticeps were examined at MNHN.

We tentatively refer the Namibian specimen to N. notaticeps, because of the presence of one frontal and two pronotal black spots. This species, described from Eritrea, belongs to an eastern African group of taxa, having similar pattern of colouration, but the validity of which need clarification. The other two specie of this group are N. fuscicauda Marseul, 1887 from eastern R.D. Congo (Kibanga) and N. innotaticeps Pic, 1909 from eastern Tanzania (Usagara, Tanga). The first lacks the pronotal black spot, and the second lacks both head and pronotal spots. Being some species of Nemognatha variable in colouration, these taxa could represent a single species, and fuscicauda has the name priority.

N. notaticeps could represent another example of dijunct distribution in eastern and southern Africa previously discussed for Lydomorphus bifoveiceps and Cyaneolytta affinis .

Nemognatha peringueyi Fairmaire, 1883 ( Fig. 6E )

Nemognatha capensis Péringuey, 1909 syn. n.

Types. Types of both taxa were examined respectively at MNHN and SAMC.

Distribution. Namibia (new species record for this country) and South Africa.

Material examined. [Karas] Karasburg: Karasburg distr. ( SMWN).

Remarks. The taxonomy of Afrotropical Nemognatha is totally unclarified. Some species with blue-green metallic integuments are very similar and probably represent a natural group, which includes at least: cyaneiventris Pic, 1924 (eastern Africa and Congo Basin, described as variety of peringueyi ), francoisi Pic, 1909 ( Nigeria, Benin), intermedia Péringuey, 1909 ( South Africa), peringueyi Fairmaire, 1883 ( South Africa, Kenya, R.D. Congo), and possibly meraca Péringuey, 1909 ( Mozambique). We synonymized capensis with peringueyi after the examination of types and several specimens and on the base of the complete agreement of descriptions; the synonymy is based on the priority of the Fairmaire’ name on the Péringuey’ one. It is surprising that Péringuey (1909) ignored the Fairmaire’s description (1883) of a new species from Cape named after his name. The validity of N. intermedia needs confirmation, as noted by its Author, and also this species could be a synonym of N. peringueyi . After the examination of one photo of the holotype of Lytta haemorroidalis Fabricius, 1801 we suspect its conspecificity with N. peringueyi .

Specimens of N. peringueyi from southern Namibia totally correspond to others from Western and Northern Cape we examined.

We examined specimens from R.D. Congo of N. cyaneiventris which differ from N. peringueyi not oly by the dark abdomen, but also by the longer maxillae, as long as the head and pronotum. Actually, N. cyaneiventris could be related to N. meraca, according to the shape of maxillae, and differs because of the abdomen colour which is blue and not partially red, even if the colour of abdomen is variable in this group of species.

Nemognatha vansoni Kaszab, 1951 (Fig. Fig. 6F )

Distribution. Botswana and Namibia .

Material examined and literature records. [Kunene] Epupa: C43, near Opuwo, 17.8554°S 13.7981°E (CB). [Caprivi] Linyandi: E Caprivi, Mamili N.P. Liadura, Linyanti-Ufer, 18.1667°S 23.4333°E (MNB). [Otjozondjupa] Otavi: Helene 59, Grootfontein, 19.6430°S 17.1255°E ( SMWN) . Omatako: B1, 28 km S Otjiwarongo, 20.6806°S 16.7787°E (CB); Otjiamongombe West 44 ( Erichsfelde ) 43 km N Okahandja , 21.59867°S 16.94094°E (MNB). [Omaheke] Steinhausen: C30, 8 km S jct. C29, 21.8207°S 18.3307°E (CB). [Khomas] Windhoek East: Windhoek , 22.5700°S 17.0836°E ( SMWN) ; near Windhoek, 22.5007°S 17.0836°E (JP). Windhoek Rural: Regenstein 32, 22.7178°S 17.0317°E ( SMWN); D1261, Nauchas-Rehoboth , 1–40 km NW Nauchas , 23.5763°S 16.4588°E (CB). [Hardap] Gibeon: C14, 36 km S Maltahöhe, 24.9418°S 16.7928°E (CB).

Other records: btw. Windhoek and Swakopmund ( Kaszab, 1951, type locality); Namib Sand Sea desert ( Seely 2012); Namibia ( Bologna 2000a; Pitzalis et al. 2014).

Remarks. Types of this species were examined at HNHM and NHP.

The genus Nemognatha is widely distributed in the Old and New World and is morphologically very heterogenous with uncertain limits (see Bologna et al. 2013). N. vansoni greatly differs from all other Afrotropical congeneric, but, according to both adult and larval morphology ( Di Giulio & Bologna 2007), it is maintained in the genus Nemognatha .

Figures

FIGURE 6. A. Synhoria testacea; B. Apalus hilaris; C. Nemognatha fluviatilis; D. Nemognatha cfr. notaticeps; E. Nemognatha peringueyi; F. Nemognatha vansoni; G. “Zonitis” maculicollis; H. “Zonitis” notaticollis; I. Zonitodema posoka; J. Zonitodema viridipennis; K. Zonitomorpha costata; L. Zonitomorpha sellata; M. “Zonitoschema” bivittipennis; N. “Zonitoschema” deserticola; O. “Zonitoschema” posticalis; P. “Zonitoschema” cfr. testaceiventris; Q. Zonitoschema capensis; R.Zonitoschema complex cocccinea; S. Zonitoschema dunalis; T. Zonitoschema eborina.