Hesperus cafioides FAUVEL 1889

Hromádka, L., 2012, Revision of the Afrotropical species of the genus Hesperus FAUVEL (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina), Linzer biologische Beiträge 44 (1), pp. 551-589 : 558-559

Hesperus cafioides FAUVEL 1889 (Figs 18-22)

T y p e m a t e r i a l Ex-Typis: Liberia, R.I.Sc.N.B. 17.479, Coll. Et det. A. Fauvel, cafioides Fauvel [ochre oblong label, handwritten) (IRSB). A d d i t i o n a l m a t e r i a l: Cameroon: 3 spec., Hesperus cafioides Fauvel, Coll. Et det. A.

Fauvel, R.I.Sc.N.B. 17.479, 3 spec., Stanleyville, vii.1929, A. Collart, M. Cameron, det. (IRSB).

Togo: 1 spec., Nakurua, 1.ix.1902, Grof Zech S. (cHPC).

R e d e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 9.8-11.2 mm, length of fore body (to end of elytra) 4.9-5.8 mm.

C o l o u r a t i o n: Head and pronotum black, elytra and abdomen black-violet, posterior margin of all tergites paler, maxillary and labial palpi yellow-brown, mandibles, legs and antennae black-brown.

Head transverse, wider than long (ratio 50: 40), very slightly narrowed posteriad. Posterior angles obtusely rounded, bearing one long and several shorter black bristles. Eyes small, temples twice as long as eyes (ratio 10: 5). Round midhead impunctate, sides and clypeus densely and coarsely punctate, diameter of punctures almost as large as two eyefacets combined, separated mostly by less than a puncture diameter. Surface with very fine microsculpture consisting of transverse waves.

Antennae reaching posterior third of pronotum when reclined. Antennomeres 1-3 and 11 longer than wide, antennomeres 4-7 as long as wide, antennomeres 8-10 wider than long. Antennomere 1 as long as antennomeres 8-10 combined.

Pronotum as wide as long, distinctly narrowed posteriad, base straight. Anterior angles bearing several long bristles, posterior angles conspicuously rounded. Each dorsal row with 14 approximately equidistant punctures. With narrow impunctate midline, each side with many variably large, irregularly spaced punctures. Surface without microsculpture; setation of sides long and grey-brown.

Scutellum very densely and coarsely punctate, punctures slightly larger than eye-facets, interstices very small.

Elytra as long as wide, very slightly arcuately widened posteriad. Punctation vaguely finer and sparser than that on scutellum. Sides bearing several bristles of variable length. Surface without microsculpture; setation of the same colour as that on pronotum.

Legs. Metatibia longer than metatarsus (ratio 33: 29), metatarsomere 1 as long as metatarsomere 5.

Abdomen wide, gradually narrowed posteriad, first three visible tergites with two basal lines, elevated area between lines punctate. Punctation at base of tergites coarser and denser than that on elytra, punctures mostly drop- shaped, gradually becoming finer and sparser towards posterior margin of each tergite. Surface between punctures without microsculpture; setation similar to that on elytra.

Male. Protarsomeres 1-3 dilated and sub-bilobed, each covered with modified pale setae ventrally, protarsomere 4 narrower than preceding ones. Aedeagus (Figs 18-20).

Female. Protarsomeres 1-3 slightly dilated, scarcely sub-bilobed, narrower than preceding ones. Tegite X (Fig. 21), gonocoxite of female genital segment (Fig. 22).

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s Hesperus cafioides may be distinguished from the similar H. gestroi by the shorter antennae, longer eyes, different colouration of the abdomen and by the different shape of the aedeagus.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Liberia, Angola, Cameroon, Congo, French Equatorial Africa, Gabon, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo ( HERMAN 2001).