Macrocheilus persimilis Basilewsky, 1970

Serrano, Artur R. M., 2023, Afrotropical ground beetles of Macrocheilus Hope, 1838 (Coleoptera, Carabidae) description of four new species and faunistic notes, Zootaxa 5256 (1), pp. 1-35 : 22

Macrocheilus persimilis Basilewsky, 1970

Figs. 9d, e , 10b , 13a

Studied material. 1 male: “ Zambia \ Northwestern Prov. \ 20 km SE Mwinilunga \ 7– 8.01.2003 \ A. Kudrna Jr. Lgt. ” \\ “Collection\ Th. Assmann\ Bleckede, CAB” (yellow label); “ Macrocheilu s\ persimilis Bas. ” [h]\ “det. Th. Assmann, 2008” [t]\\ “ Macrocheilus \ persimilis \ Basilewsky, 1970 ” [h]\ “ A.Serrano det. 2021” [t] [h] .

Remarks. The species is distributed throughout western Africa ( Basilewsky 1970; Häckel & Farkač 2013). The male adult specimen studied fit very well the original description, including the aedeagus ( Basilewsky 1970, Fig. 4a ). The presence in Zambia extends its distribution faraway to southern Africa, being a new record for this country.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 13a ). Drawings of median lobe in lateral and dorsal views and left paramere were provided by Basilewsky (1967, Fig. 4a ). However, he did not make its description, saying that “est bien different chez les deux formes”, referring to the closer species Macrocheilus cruciatus (Marc, 1840) . Median lobe largely dilated in the median region, slightly constricted between basal bulb and shaft, apex long, very acuminated and slightly downward (lateral view), slightly acuminated (dorsal view), apical ostium with one pair of thin scaled sclerotized stripes on middle region of dorsum, bending downward near apex, becoming membranous and ending in a very large sclerotized plate ( Fig. 13a ); left paramere longer than wide, rounded at apex, without distal tooth ( Fig. 13a ).

Distribution. Central African Republic, Guinea, Mali, Republic of Ivory Coast, Senegal, Zambia.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Right gonopods (gonocoxite 1 and 2) of female genitalia of Macrocheilus: gonocoxite 2 (left, dorsal view) and gonocoxites 1 and 2 (right, ventral view). a, M. assmanni (holotype); b, M. philippeorum (paratype); c, M. schuelei (paratype); d, M. basilewskyi, ZIM (TAC); e, M. biguttatus, ETI (TAC); f, M. biguttatus, SEN (ACC).

FIGURE 9. Habitus of Macrocheilus (dorsal view). a, M. longicollis (holotype); b, M. longicollis, MOZ (PSC); c, M. longicollis, ZAM (TAC); d, M. persimilis (holotype, plus labels); e, M. persimilis, ZAM (TAC); f, M. proximus (holotype); g, M. proximus, ETI (TAC); h, M. quadrinotatus (holotype, plus labels); i, M. quadrinotatus, ANG (ASC).

FIGURE 10. Labrum of Macrocheilus (dorsal view). a, M. longicollis, MOZ (PSC); b, M. persimilis, ZAM (TAC); c, M. proximus, ETI (TAC); d, M. quadrinotatus, ANG (ASC).

FIGURE 13. Aedeagus of Macrocheilus: median lobe and right paramere (left, lateral view) and median lobe (right, dorsal view). a, M. persimilis, ZAM (TAC); b, M. scapularis (MRAC); c, M. spectandus, ZAM (TAC); d, M. viduatus katanganus, ZAM (PSC).