Cylindera Westwood, 1831

Serrano, Artur R. M. & Capela, Rúben A., 2013, The tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Cicindelinae) of Angola: a descriptive catalogue and designation of neotypes, Zootaxa 3731 (4), pp. 401-444 : 435-437

Cylindera Westwood, 1831 (Ann. Soc. Nat. 22: 300)

This speciose genus is widespread throughout all Biogeographical Regions (Werner, 2000b). There is no work exclusively dealing with the more of twenty Afrotropical species. There is a key for the western subgenus Ifasina Jeannel African species (Serrano 2007) and another one for the eastern species (Werner 1994). Only two species are presently known for Angola, a number that is likely an underestimate of the actual number likely to occur there.

Cylindera (Ifasina) lutaria (Guérin-Méneville, 1849) (Rev. Mag. Zool.: 134)

Distribution in Angola

Old records:

—Ekuiva River (=Kuiva River) (BENGUELA) (254) (Wellman & Horn 1908 sub Cicindela lutaria ). — Angola (Ferreira 1965 sub Cicindela lutaria ).

New localities reported: 75 km N Caconda (near Cuima) (HUAMBO) (280); 20 km NE Cacula, 3,5 km SW Negola (HUILA) (317) (P. Schüle pers. comm.).

Remarks. A species with a scattered distribution throughout western and central Africa (Serrano 2007, 2012) and originally described by Guérin-Méneville (1849) from the “old Portuguese Guinea ”. By our own observations in Guinea-Bissau (Serrano op.cit.) adults are active on the muddy edges of puddles originated by the rain fall in the field roads or field patches near the forests, sometimes together with Cylindera octoguttata (Fabricius) and Myriochila melancholica (Fabricius) . Wellman & Horn (1908) indicated that the species was found at the edge of the river (Kuiva) following and overflow, which means probably on muddy soil. Peter Schüle (pers. comm.) found the adults in Angola during day and night on the edges of small, temporary puddles also.

Cylindera (Ifasina) octoguttata octoguttata (Fabricius, 1787) (Mant. Ins. I: 187)

Distribution in Angola

Old records:

— Angola (without locality) (Wellman & Horn 1908 sub Cicindela octoguttata ).

—Andrada (Nzargi Rivulet, tributary of Luembe River) (LUNDA NORTE) (69) (Basilewsky 1955; Ferreira 1965 both sub Myriochile octoguttata ).

New localities reported: 43 km W Quipungo (HUILA) (337) (P. Schüle pers. comm.).

Material examined: Sassa Zau ( CABINDA ) (5), R. Capela leg., 3.III.2011, 3 ♂, 2 ♀, ASC; Quiçama Park (=Kissama) ( LUANDA (107), R. Capela leg.,?. III.2013, 1 ♂, ASC.

Remarks. A species spread throughout the western, central and southern countries of Africa (Werner 2000b; Serrano 2007, 2012). By our own observations in Guinea-Bissau, the adults occur at the damp edges of small ponds as well as shaded and moist paths of open forests. In Cabinda the adults were captured on the muddy edges of a river and in Quiçama on the same type of habitat in the Cuanza River (R. Capela pers. comm.). The Quipungo specimens were sampled in the same type of habitats (P. Schüle pers. comm.).

Myriochila Motschulsky, 1862 (Etud. entom. 11: 22)

A genus widespread throughout Australian, Palaearctic, Oriental and Afrotropical Regions (Werner 2000b). There are 23 species described for Africa, but no work deals with the entire assemblage of Myriochila species. Werner & Oesterle (2000) reviewed the eastern and southern Africa species within the Monelica Rivalier subgenus. Once again the number of species recorded for Angola (3, one of them a new country record) is almost certainly an underestimate.

Myriochila (Monelica) jucunda (Péringuey, 1892) (Trans. S. Afr. Phil. Soc. 6: 4)

Distribution in Angola

Localities reported: 43 km SW Xangongo (CUNENE) (445) (P. Schüle pers. comm.).

Remarks. A new record to the tiger beetles fauna of Angola. In spite of the uncertain distribution of this species, its presence in the southern territory of Angola seems reliable. Werner (2000b) wrote that “the typical M. jucunda is known only from Namibia ”, and that the “Specimens from Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania are slightly different”! In the same year Werner & Oesterle (2000) reviewed the eastern and southern Africa species within the Monelica Rivalier subgenus and reinforced that the distribution of this species is restricted to Namibia. The status of this species in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania remains in doubt. The adults occur on the edges of water pools like many other species of this genus and the Xangongo specimens were sampled in the same type of habitats (P. Schüle pers. comm.).

Myriochila (Monelica) vicina vicina (Dejean, 1831) (Spec. Col. 5: 244)

Distribution in Angola

Old records:

— Angola (Welwitsch) (Putzeys 1880; Wellman & Horn 1908; both sub Cicindela vicina ). —Dundo (LUNDA NORTE) (51) (Basilewsky 1955; Ferreira 1965).

Material examined: Angola (Welwitsch), 1♀, reg. nº 1907, “Old Collection” MZUC.

Remarks. A species widespread throughout western and central Africa, reaching Tanzania (Serrano 2007, 2012). The specimen from MZUC is much damaged (missing antennae and some legs) and was erroneous identified as Cicindela melancholica Fabricius. The adults can be found in open habitats like savannahs, frequently on or near the edges of field roads (Werner 2000b; Serrano 2007).

Myriochila (s. str.) melancholica (Fabricius, 1798) (Ent. Syst. Suppl.: 63)

Distribution in Angola

Old records:

— Angola (Erichson, 1843 sub Cicindela aegyptiaca Dejean ).

— Angola (Welwitsch) (Putzeys 1880 sub Cicindela melancholica ).

—Malange (=Malanje) (MALANJE) (131) (Quedenfeldt 1883 sub Cicindela melancholica ). —Malange (Mechow) (=Malanje) (MALANJE) (131), Chincoxo (=Chinchoxo) ( CABINDA ) (5), Loanda (Hohmeyer) (= Luanda) ( LUANDA) (89), Benguella (=Benguela) (BENGUELA) (251) (Wellman & Horn 1908 sub Cicindela melancholica ).

—Dundo (LUNDA NORTE) (51) (Basilewsky 1955; Ferreira 1965).

New localities reported: Cassoço (= Cassoco) (KWANZA SUL) (185) (Th. Bouyer pers. comm.); 60 km SE Lubango (HUILA) (356), 43 km SW Xangongo (CUNENE) (445) (P. Schüle pers. comm.). Material examined: Angola (Welwitsch), 2♀, reg. nº 1907, “Old Collection” MZUC; Angola, 1♂, 1♀, reg. nº 1907, “Old Collection” MZUC; Angola (without locality), Col. S. Fiel collection, 3♂, regº 1962, “Old Collection” MZUC; Sassa Zau ( CABINDA ) (5), R. Capela leg., 1.III.2011, 2 ♂, ASC.

Remarks. A common species widespread throughout southern Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Africa and neighbouring islands (Serrano 2007, 2012). The specimens of MZUC are much damaged (missing some legs and antennae) and 1♂ and 1♀ were erroneous identified as Cicindela vicina Dejean. Adults are active almost all over the year (dry and rainy seasons), occurring at the muddy edges of bogs, ponds, swamps, moor, lakes and rivers. It is frequently attracted to night lights. The Xangongo adults of M. melancholica were found close to the M. jucunda ones on the edges of a big pond (P. Schüle pers. comm.).