Rhabdoblatta usambarensis ( Rehn, 1931 )

Mbia, Donald-L’or Nyame, Ngon, Eric Belmond Biram à, Legendre, Frédéric & Menbohan, Samuel Foto, 2024, Semi-aquatic Epilamprinae cockroaches (Blattodea: Blaberidae) in Cameroon: towards a revision of continental African species of Rhabdoblatta Kirby, 1903 and Africalolampra Roth, 1995, European Journal of Taxonomy 946 (1), pp. 1-57 : 40-41

Rhabdoblatta usambarensis ( Rehn, 1931)

Fig. 27 ; Table 9

Epilampra usambarensis Rehn, 1931: 375 .

Epilampra usambarensis – Princis 1965: 122.

Rhabdoblatta usambarensis – Princis 1967: 679.

Material examined

TANZANIA • 1 ♀; “Tanganyika Terr., Bunduki , Ulguru Mts., moy. Mgeta 1300 m; 30-IV / 11-V-1957; Mission Zoolog. I.R.S.A.C. en Afrique orientale; P. Basilewsky et N. Leleup; Coll. Mus. Congo”; RMCA .

Diagnosis and history

Rehn (1931) gave a complete description, apart from the genitalia, of this species from a unique male specimen. Later, the female was found and told to be very similar to the male ( Princis 1965). Although the type specimen is mentioned as deposited in the Berlin Zoological Museum, it was not found there and might be lost. We complement Rehn’s description with some pictures of this elongated species, only known from Tanzania ( Fig. 26 ).

Measurements of adults

Female (n = 1): pronotum length × width: 4.8×6.3, tegmina length: 21.7, overall length ×width: 20 ×7.9.

Habitat

Unknown.

Distribution

This species is only known from Tanzania ( Table 9 ).

Figures

Fig. 27. Rhabdoblatta usambarensis (Rehn, 1931), female specimen (RMCA). A. Habitus in dorsal and ventral views. B. Head. C. Pronotum. D. Front femora. E. Subgenital plate, ventral view. F. Hind leg, ventral view. G. Metatarsi, ventral view. Scale bars: A = 5 mm; B–F = 2 mm; G = 1 mm.

Fig. 26. Rhabdoblatta cincta (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865), females. A–D. Specimen from RMCA. E–G. Specimen from LUHM. A. Habitus in dorsal and ventral views. B. Subgenital plate, ventral view. C. Tarsi of hind leg, ventral view. D. Front femur, ventral view. E. Head, ventral view. F. Pronotum, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 5 mm; B–D = 1 mm; E–F = 2 mm.