Leucocelis (Amauroleucocelis) jeanneli ( Bourgoin, 1913 )

Perissinotto, Renzo & Léonard, Philippe, 2024, A new species of Leucocelis (Amauroleucocelis) Bourgoin, 1913 from Burundi (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae, Leucocelina), Fragmenta entomologica 56 (2), pp. 175-180 : 178-179

Leucocelis (Amauroleucocelis) jeanneli ( Bourgoin, 1913)

( Figs 2 , 3 , 5 )

Amauroleucocelis jeanneli Bourgoin, 1913: 337 ; Schenkling 1921: 327; Krajcik 1998: 64.

Leucocelis (Amauroleucocelis) jeanneli . Antoine 2002: 87; Beinhundner 2017: 113.

Distribution. Currently known from highland areas (> 1700 m) of Kenya, Tanzania and Cameroon ( Fig. 3 ), with a remarkable and yet unresolved apparent discontinuity between the East and West African localities (see also Discussion section below).

Data records. Type series – LT ♂ (des. Antoine 2002), Kenya: “ Afr. Or. Angl., (Kikuyu Esct) Kijabé, Dec 1911, 2100 m St 27, Alluaud et Jeannel, Amauroleucocelis jeanneli, Bourgoin Type” ( MNHN) ; PLT 1♂ + 1♀ (des. Antoine 2002), “ Afrique or. Anglaise, Mt Kenya , verst Ouest , zone des forêts, forêts inférres ( Podocarpus ), 2400 m, Janv. - Fev. 1912 St 39, Alluaud & Jeannel” ( MNHN) . Other records – Cameroon : 1♂ + 1♀, Nord-Ouest. Marc Desfontaine leg. ( MNHN) ; 1♂, “N-W, IX. 1998, Desfontaine leg., Amauroleucocelis jeanneli Bourg., Comparé aux syntypes, Ph. Antoine det. 1999” ( GBEG) ; 1♀, ibidem, “ Leucocelis (Amauroleucocelis) jeanneli Bourg., Ph. Antoine det. 2002” ( GBEG) ; 1♂ + 1♀, “ Mt. Cameroon , I.2002, J M Ngakeu leg.” ( DMOU) ; 2♀, ibidem, “09.2003, coll. J. Mothia, (Amauroleucocelis) jeanneli (Bourgoin) , det. G. Beinhundner 2005” ( GBEG) ; Kenya: 1♂ + 1♀, Mt. Kenya , III.2014 ( DMOU) ; 1♂, ibidem, Kimunye, Kerugoya, Castle Forest Lodge ( PLEB) ; 3♂ + 1♀, ibidem, near Kimunye , 16- 17.3.2014, leg. C. Vogt ( GBEG) ; 2 inds, Aberdare Mountains , 00 23 27.7S 36 44 21.0E, 1 Feb 2004 ( BMCS) ; 1♂, leg. Hovorka, Voem., ( GBEG) ; 3♀, Thego Fishing Camp (Nyeri), 4-8.XII.1993, leg. Purlitzer, ( GBEG) ; 2♂, Nandi Forest , IX.2010, leg. J. Omingo ( GBEG) ; 1♀, Namanga HS, 1986, Ex Collection Dr Vincent Allard, received from Christophe Allard 21.II.2015 ( GBEG) ; 1♀, Ngong 6000‘, I.1980, Ex Collection Dr Vincent Allard, received from Christophe Allard , 21.II.2015 ; 1♀, Karura Forest, Nairobi Reg. , 01-1985, P. Legrand leg. ( TGMF) ; 2♂ + 1♀, ibidem, 05-1981, P. Juhel leg. ( TGMF) ; 2♂, C. Gatamaiyu Forest , 02-2002, B. Le Ru leg. ( TGMF) ; Tanzania: 1♀, Mweze for., Mpanda, Ex Collection Dr Vincent Allard , received from Christophe Allard , 21.II.2015 ( GBEG) ; 1♀, ibidem, 1900 m, 19.4.1993, A. Bjørnstad 41967, J. Kielland leg. ( PMBC) .

Remarks. Specimens range in size from 10.5 to 14.0 mm in total length and from 6.0 to 8.0 mm in maximum width ( Bourgoin 1913; Beinhundner 2017). Sexual dimorphism is extremely reduced in this species and restricted mainly to the metatibial spurs, which are shorter, thicker and less sharp in females by comparison with their male counterparts ( Antoine 2002). The species is a high altitude forest dweller, probably restricted to Afromontane vegetation dominated by Podocarpus spp. ( Fig. 5 ).

Figures

Fig. 2 – Leucocelis (Amauroleucocelis) jeanneli (Bourgoin, 1913) ♂: dorsal habitus (A); ventral habitus (B); lateral habitus (C); clypeus (D); pygidium (E); parameres, dorsal view (F); parameres, lateral view (G). Photos: A-E, Philippe Léonard; F-G, Berdien Daniels.

Fig. 3 – Known distribution range of Leucocelis (Amauroleucocelis) vingerhoedti sp. nov. and L. (A.) jeanneli (Bourgoin, 1913) within the central African region (Map: Google Earth with data from SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCOLandsat/Copernicus AfriGIS Pty Ltd IBCAO).

Fig. 5 – Western slopes of Mt Kenya with Podocarpus Afromontane forest respresenting the typical habitat of Leucocelis (Amauroleucocelis) jeanneli (Photo: www.mergili.at/worldimages/picture.php?/9900/categories)