Philonthus caffer Boheman, 1848

Hromádka, Lubomír, 2009, Revision of the Afrotropical species of the Philonthus caffer species group (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 49 (1), pp. 161-190 : 169-171

Philonthus caffer Boheman, 1848

( Figs. 17–20 )

Philonthus caffer Boheman, 1848: 280 . Philonthus caffer Sachse, 1852: 142 (preoccupied). Philonthus capensis Gemminger & Harold, 1868: 586 (replacement name for P. caffer Sachse ).

Type locality. Caffraria orientalis.

Type material. not studied.

Additional material studied. BOTSWANA: 5 spec., ‘ 6 km, E Kalkfontein, 6.iii.1993, 20°04′24″5/2050′05″E, lux, leg. M.Uhlig’ ( ZMHB); 2 spec., ‘Nxai Pan N. P. 5.iv.1998, 20°13′S 24°38′E, J. + M. Deckert’ ( ZMHB); 6 spec., ‘ Tsau Umg. , 925m, 19°53′00″S /22°14′15″, 26.x.2006, Licht Fang [= at light], leg. U. Heinig’ ( LHPC, MSBC). ETHIO- PIA: 1 spec., ‘ S. W. A. Etosha Park, Okaukuejo, 25.xii.1974, zebra dung, leg. Endrödy-Younga’ ( LHPC) ; 1 spec., ‘S Yavello Sidano , 29.v.1998, leg. Werner’ ( ZMHB) . KENYA: 2 spec., ‘ Eastern Nwingi env., 4.xii.1997, leg. M. Snížek’ ( ZMHB) . NAMIBIA: 24 spec., ‘ Grootfontein: Askavolt-Farm , 20km E Otavi, 19°40′S / 17°33′E, 18.ii.1992, Exp. ZMB, 1992, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 5 spec., ‘ Busmanland: Klein Dobe , 19°25′S / 20°21′E, 19-21.ii.1992, Exp. ZMB 1992, lux, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 5 spec., ‘ Grootfontein: Askarott-Farm , 20 km E Otavi, 14°40′S / 17°33′E, Exp. ZMB 1992, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 2 spec., ‘ Kavango Papa Falls , 18°07′S / 21°35′E, 26.ii-3.iii.1992, Exp. ZMB, lux, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 109 spec., ‘ Etosha N.P., Okavkuejo , 19°10′S /15°SSE, 17.-18.xii.1993, lux, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( LHPC, ZMHB) ; 35 spec., ‘ Etosha N.P., Namutoni , 18°48′S / 16°56′E, 14.-15.xii.1993, lux, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 5 spec., ‘ Etosha N.P. Okaukuejo , 19°10′S / 15°55′E, 17.-18.iii.1994, lux, leg. M.Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 38 spec., ‘ Messum Valley , 21°13.3′S /14°30.9´, leg., 13.-14.iv.2000, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 57 spec., ‘ 7 km S Messum , 21°15′7/ 14°28′E, 13.iv.2000, lux valley, B. + M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 5 spec., ‘ Nessun Valley , 21°13.3′S / 14°30.9′E, 13.-14.iv.2000, leg. B. + M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 1 spec., ‘ Farm Omandumba 50-60 km vom Omaruru , 22.-26.ii.2001, leg. V. Göllner’ ( ZMHB) ; 23 spec., ‘ Okahandja Distr. Toggekry 250 ( Omatako Ranch ), 55 km NNW Okahandja, 21°30′ 43°S / 16°43′00″E, 7.02.2001, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( LHPC, ZMHB) ; 1 spec., ‘ Okawango, Distr.Mutompo 60 km S Rundu, 18°18′ 38.7°S 19°15′29.4″E, 1180m NN, 13.iii.2003, hand light trap: Biota 1555, leg J. Frisch & K. Vohlard’ ( ZMHB) ; 31 spec., ‘ Otjozondjupa, Distr.Otjiamongombe west 44 21°35′44.7″S 16°56′17.4″E, 1498m NN: 28.ii.2003, hand light trap: Biota 1529, leg. J. Frisch & K. Vohlard’ ( ZMHB) . REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: 8 spec., ‘ Transvaal, 15 km Klaeserie, Guernsey farm, 18.-30.xii.1985, S. & J. Peck’ ( FMNH) ; 1 spec., ‘ E Transvaal, Kruger Pk. Skukuza , 12.-14.xii.1985 ’ ( FMNH) ; 1 spec., ‘ Cape Province: Karoo N. P., 32°19′S / 22°30′E, 13.xi.1993, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 1 spec., ‘ Cape Province, Swellendam , Bontebon Nat. P., 2.-3.i.1993, leg. F. Koch’ ( LHPC) ; 2 spec., ‘ Natal: Itala Game Reserve , 27°30′S / 31°20′E, 27.-29.i.1994, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) ; 2 spec., ‘ Transvaal, Lekgalameetse Nat. Res. , 24°05′S / 30°15′E, 21.xii.1995, leg. F. Koch’ ( ZMHB) ; 24 spec., ‘ Transvaal: Tschipise , 22°37′S / 30°10′E, 24.-25.xi.1996, E. Arndt’ ( LHPC, ZMHB) ; 3 spec., ‘ Cape Province-Mountain , 32°14′S / 25°27′E, 23.-24.xi.1996, zebra dung, leg. M. Uhlig’, ( ZMHB) ; 36 spec., ‘ East Cape, Clainwillian , 32°11′S / 18°53′E, 7.- 8.xii.1996, lux, leg. E. Arndt’ ( ZMHB) ; 20 exs., ‘ Prov. Karoo N. P., 32°19.5′S /22°26, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB). 1 spec., ‘ Natal: Drakensberg : Dragon Peaks Park , 29°02′S / 29°26′E, 10.xi.1993, 1200m river banks, leaf litter + flood refuse – sievings, leg. M. Uhlig’ ( ZMHB) .

Redescription. Body length 8.7–9.1 mm, length of fore body (to end of elytra) 3.4– – 3.7 mm.

Colouration. Head black, antennal sockets and clypeus along anterior margin narrowly brown-yellow, maxillary and labial palpi brown, antennae black, base of antennomere 2 brown-yellow. Pronotum and scutellum black, elytra red, anterior third of elytra, suture and anterior third of epipleura black, posterior two thirds of epipleura red, abdomen black, posterior margins of all tergites very narrowly brown-red, legs yellow-brown, medial faces of tibiae somewhat darker.

Head somewhat longer than wide (ratio 24.5: 23), parallel-sided, posterior angles round- ed, each with several bristles of unequal length. Eyes shorter than temples (ratio 9.5: 10.5), distance between medial interocular punctures about 4 times as large as distance between medial and lateral punctures. Temporal area each with several punctures of unequal size. Dorsal surface without microsculpture.

Antennae long, reaching posterior sixth of pronotum when reclined.Antennomeres 1–7 and 11 longer than wide, antennomeres 8–10 as long as wide. Relative length of antennomeres: 1 = 8; 2–3 = 5; 4–7 = 3; 8–10 = 2.5; 11 = 4.

Pronotum highly convex, somewhat longer than wide (ratio 29.5: 27), slightly narrowed anteriad. Each dorsal row with 5 coarse punctures, punctures 2–5 equidistant, interval between punctures 1–2 and 4–5 somewhat larger than distance between punctures 2–4. Each sublateral row with 2 punctures, puncture 1 situated behind level of puncture 3 of dorsal row. Surface without microsculpture.

Scutellum very finely and densely punctate, diameter of punctures smaller than eye-facets, separated mostly by a puncture diameter in transverse direction; setation black.

Elytra combined as long as wide, slightly widened posteriad. Anterior angles each with one long black bristle. Punctation coarser and sparser than on abdomen, diameters of punctures inconspicuously larger than eye-facets, separated by 1–1.5 puncture diameters in transverse direction. Surface between punctures without microsculpture; setation greyish.

Legs. Metatibia as long as metatarsus. Metatarsomere 1 somewhat shorter than metatarsomeres 2–3 combined, metatarsomere 5 longer than metatarsomere 1. Relative length of metatarsomeres: 1 = 5; 2–3 = 3; 4 = 2.5; 5 = 6.5.

Abdomen slightly narrowed from visible tergite V towards apex. Elevated area between basal lines on first three visible tergites punctate. Punctation of visible tergites finer and denser than that on elytra, distinctly sparser towards apex of each tergite. Surface between punctures without microsculpture; setation similar to that on elytra.

Male. Protarsomeres 1–3 markedly dilated, densely covered with modified pale setae ventrally, protarsomere 4 distinctly narrower than preceding ones. Sternite IX ( Fig. 20 ) aedeagus ( Figs. 17–19 ).

Female. Protarsomeres 1–3 moderately dilated.

Differential diagnosis. Philonthus caffer is similar to P. falco sp. nov., but may be distinguished by the shorter antennae, longer pronotum, darker tibiae, by the different colouration of the elytra and by the different shape of the aedeagus.

Bionomics. Some specimens examined were collected in zebra dung and on river banks.

Distribution. Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Republic of South Africa (this paper); Cameroon, Lesotho (HERMAN 2001).

Figures

Figs. 12–24. 12–13 – Philonthus biguttulus Fauvel, 1907 (Côte d’Ivoire); 14–16 – P. bucorvus sp. nov.; 17–20 – P. caffer Boheman, 1848; 21–24 – Philonthus cliens Eppelsheim, 1890. 12, 14, 17, 21 – aedeagus, ventral view, 13 – paramere with sensory peg setae, ventral view; 15, 18, 22 – aedeagus, lateral view; 16, 20 – male sternite IX, ventral view; 19, 23 – aedeagus without paramere, ventral view; 24 – apex of paramere with sensory peg setae, ventral view.