Acylophorus lomaensis Levasseur

Lott, Derek A., 2010, The species of Acylophorus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) in continental sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 2402, pp. 1-51 : 26-28

Acylophorus lomaensis Levasseur

( Figs 19 , 47 , 68 , 95 , 129, 130 )

Acylophorus lomaensis Levasseur, 1971: 303 ; Herman, 2001: 3033.

Diagnostic characters. Levasseur’s description contains illustrations of the aedeagus and antenna in addition to a textual description of morphological features. The following section contains additional diagnostic features as well as variations exhibited by further specimens studied.

Length varies from 5–7mm. Body often all brown with head dark brown. Abdominal tergites iridescent. Antennae often all pale with apical segments of antennae almost white.

Head small (pronotum 1.9x wider than head), more or less as long as wide with temples barely suggested ( Fig. 19 ). Antennae inserted right on front margin. Genae well developed and produced at sides of front margin. Micro-punctures extremely sparse. Short pubescence behind eyes localised and very sparse. Two pairs of interocular setae arising from foveate punctures much closer to eyes than each other. Five postocular setae visible from above on each side. No extra seta by hind margin of eye. Underside of head weakly depressed at base. Gular sutures continued to base of head, converging toward base but well separated throughout their length. Mandibles without medial teeth, similar to A. salifi ( Fig. 47 ). Maxillary palpi with terminal segment densely pubescent, markedly asymmetric, longer than short, triangular, penultimate segment, which is glabrous ( Fig. 68 ). First segment of antenna nearly as long as next four ( Fig. 95 ). Segments I to V elongate, VII to XI transverse.

Pronotum less transverse than in A. salifi (1.2x wider than long) with rounded sides and widest in basal half. Shining with no micro-punctures. Elytra strongly transverse (1.6x wider than long). Fringe of bristles on hind margin longer than the hairs on the rest of the elytra. Asperate punctures on abdominal tergites stronger than on elytra, denser toward base.

There is some variation in the form of the aedeagus. In most specimens, including the paratype that I have seen, each lobe is weakly arched and proximate and the pegs confusedly arranged in apical half of each lobe ( Figs 129 & 130 ). The median lobe is longer than the paramere and expanded at the apex which is rounded.

Type material. Paratype 3: “Mission ENS-IFAN aux monts LOMA / Ravin SE du Camp II – 1600 m 8- 1-1966 / tamisage bord ruisseau / Acylophorus lomaensis sp. n. LEVASSEUR DET 1967 PARATYPE ” ( MNHN).

Further material examined. R.D. CONGO: Bas Congo: Kisantu, P. Basilewsky, 29–30. xi.1952 1 Ƥ ( ISRNB); Equateur: Coquilhatville, N Leleup, x.1959, 2 Ƥ ( ISRNB); Kivu: Kalehe, Bunyakiri, 1050m, N Leleup, ix.1953 131Ƥ ( ISRNB); Masisi, Walikali, 700m, N Leleup, ix.1953 13 ( ISRNB); Masisi, Mutakato, 800m, N Leleup, ix.1953 231Ƥ ( ISRNB); Uvira, rives basses, Sanghe, 980m, N Leleup, 13.ix.1951 13 ( ISRNB); Tshuapa: Bikoro, Mabali, Lac Tumba, N Leleup, 29.ix.1955 – ix.1959, 35 ( ISRNB); Ikela, riv. Lukendu, N Leleup, viii.1959 13 ( ISRNB); Ikela, vill. Besoke, N Leleup, ix.1959 1 Ƥ ( ISRNB). R. CONGO: Brazzaville, Forêt Pattes d’Oie, J.P. Adam, x.1960 2 Ƥ ( ISRNB).

Distribution and bionomics. Apart from the type series from Sierra Leone, all material seen so far comes from the Congo catchment ( Fig. 146 ). Habitats range from forest humus to clay lake margins and stream banks.

Comparative notes. Often smaller than A. salifi with a less transverse pronotum, smaller eyes, more developed genae and a distinctive aedeagus with narrower, more proximate lobes to the paramere.

Discussion. Specimens from the Congo catchment are smaller (5–6mm) than those from Sierra Leone (6– 7mm).There are variations in the form of the aedeagus ( Figs 129 & 130 ). Some populations may be referable to distinct taxa once sufficient material from further localities becomes available for study.

Figures

FIGURE 146. Distribution of species in the Acylophorus salifi group = A. lomaensis Levasseur, = A. minor new species).

FIGURES 18 – 20. Forebodies of species in the Acylophorus salifi group. 18, A. salifi new species; 19, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 20. A. minor new species. FIGURES 21 – 25. Forebodies of species in the Acylophorus trigonocephalus group. 21, A. trigonocephalus Cameron; 22, A. setiger new species; 23, A. usambarae Bernhauer; 24, A. grandis Bernhauer; 25, A. bafutensis Levasseur.

FIGURES 42 – 50. Mandibles of Acylophorus species. 42, A. congoensis Cameron; 43, A. ziloensis Levasseur (Katanga); 44, A. ziloensis Levasseur (Kivu); 45, A. allardi Levasseur; 46, A. salifi new species; 47, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 48, A. mareei Bernhauer; 49, A. bafutensis Levasseur; 50, A. lualabaensis Levasseur.

FIGURES 51 – 76. Terminal segments of the maxilliary palpi of Acylophorus species. 51, A. orientalis Fauvel; 52, A. nitens new species; 53, A. rossii Bordoni, 54, A. bumbunae Bordoni; 55, A. capensis Cameron; 56, A. dankalensis Bordoni; 57, A. tshuapensis new species; 58, A. makhoreae new species; 59, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 60, A. antennalis Cameron; 61, A. collarti Cameron; 62. A. micans new species; 63, A. allardi Levasseur; 64, A. congoensis Cameron; 65, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 66, A. mareei Bernhauer; 67, A. salifi new species; 68, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 69. A. minor new species; 70, A. trigonocephalus Cameron; 71, A. setiger new species; 72, A. usambarae Bernhauer; 73, A. grandis Bernhauer; 74, A. bafutensis Levasseur; 75, A. kambuiensis Bordoni, 76. A. lualabaensis Levasseur.

FIGURES 77 – 96. Antennae of Acylophorus species. 77, A. orientalis Fauvel; 78, A. nitens new species; 79, A. rossii Bordoni, 80, A. bumbunae Bordoni; 81, A. capensis Cameron; 82, A. dankalensis Bordoni; 83, A. tshuapensis new species; 84, A. makhoreae new species; 85, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 86, A. antennalis Cameron; 87, A. collarti Cameron; 88. A. micans new species; 89, A. allardi Levasseur; 90, A. congoensis Cameron; 91, A. ziloensis Levasseur; 92, A. mareei Bernhauer; 93, A. methneri Bernhauer; 94, A. salifi new species; 95, A. lomaensis Levasseur; 96. A. minor new species.

FIGURES 126 – 131. Aedeagi of species in the Acylophorus salifi group. 126, A. salifi new species (Burkina Faso); 127, A. salifi new species (Zimbabwe); 128, A. salifi new species (RD Congo); 129, A. lomaensis Levasseur (Lac Tumba, RD Congo); 130, A. lomaensis Levasseur (R. Lukendu, RD Congo); 131. A. minor new species. FIGURES 132 – 133. Male sternite IX and styles of tergite IX of Acylophorus species. 132, A. densipennis Bernhauer; 133, A. kambuiensis Bordoni.