Singilis (s. str.) burtoni, Anichtchenko, Alexander, 2016

Anichtchenko, Alexander, 2016, Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Singilis Rambur, 1837 of Africa (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lebiini). Part IV, Zootaxa 4158 (2), pp. 183-202 : 193-194

Singilis (s. str.) burtoni sp. n.

( Figs. 9 , 27 , 34)

Type material. ZIMBABWE: Holotype ♂: " Zimbabwe | Mzarabani | jun – sep 1987 | leg.: SEMG " ( MRAC) . Paratypes: 3 ♂, 4 ♀:— idem.; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ —" 19 – 28.VIII.1986 | NE Zimbabwe near Kotwa | 17°03'S 32°46'E | M. Lillig & S. Potel leg.” (cPS) ; 1 ♀ —"N. Zimbabwe | (Zambesi Valley) | Chimutsi Dam | 1.VIII – 20.IX.1988 | leg. J. Weyrich " ( MRAC) . ZAMBIA: 1 ♀ — " Zambia South | Kafue NP | X.2009 Lassalle coll.” (cPS) ; 1 ♀ —" Zambia S. | Siavonga , 29.9.2009 | W. Grosser lgt." (cSF).

Diagnosis. Without dissecting male specimens, S. burtoni sp. n. could be rather difficult to distinguish from other small sized species of this group.

Description. Length 3.5–5.0 mm. Yellowish red-brown, elytra with black, sinuous transverse band behind middle ( Fig. 9 ).

Head and clypeus mat, with strongl isodiametrical microsculpture. Head irregularly and deeply punctate, punctures separated by 1 to 3 diameters. Eyes large and bulging.

Pronotum 1.2–1.3 times as wide as head, 1.37–1.45 times as wide as long, widest behind marginal setae. Anterior margin straight, anterior angles effaced, sides regularly rounded, weakly sinuate or almost straigth at base, posterior angles rectangular. Punctation coarse and deep, as that on head or denser. Lateral margin flat, punctate, explanate in basal half. Basal grooves indistinct, flat. Microsculpture strong, irregular. Surface mat.

Elytra suboval, 1.5 times as long as wide, with polygonal microsculpture. Striae deep and slightly punctate. Intervals convex at base, weakly convex at apices.

Propleuron coarsely rugose towards coxae, mes- and metepisterna with strong microsculpture.

Claws with 5 teeth.

Abdominal sterna smooth, shiny, with long sparse pubescence. Propleuron coarsely rugose towards coxae, mes- and metepisterna strongly microsculptured.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 27 ). Aedeagal median lobe moderately broad, euventral surface almost straight between basal bulb and downturned apex. Internal sac with two groups of small spines.

Name derivation. Named after Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821 – 1890), a British explorer, geographer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer, and diplomat. He was the first European to see Lake Tanganyika.

Distribution. Zambia, Zimbabwe ( Fig. 34)

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 12. Habitus of Singilis (s. str.): 7 — S. pusillus (Peringuey, 1896) Lectotype; 8 — S. pusillus (Johannesburg, RSA); 9 — S. burtoni sp. n., Holotype; 10 — S. africaorientalis africaorientalis sp. n. Holotype; 11 — S. africaorientalis kenyacus ssp. n., Holotype; 12 — S. paganeli sp. n. Holotype.

FIGURES 25 – 28. Aedeagus of Singilis (s. str.): 25 — S. cribricollis (Peringuey, 1904) (Zambia); 26 — S. pusillus (Peringuey, 1898) (Stockpoort, RSA); 27 — S. burtoni sp. n., Holotype; 28 — S. paganeli sp. n. Holotype.