Bolbaoeer abditus, (Petrovitz)

Gussmann, S. M. V. & Scholtz, C. H., 2001, Systematic revision of the Afrotropical genus BolbaOEer Vulcano, Martinez and Pereira (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Bolboceratidae: Bolboceratinae), with descriptions of eight new species, Journal of Natural History 35 (7), pp. 1013-1084 : 1051-1053

BolbaOEer abditus (Petrovitz)

(®gures 3k±n, 12m ±q, 13j±l, 14)

Bolboceras abditum Petrovitz, 1969: 313 , ®gure 2.

BolbaOEer abditum (Petrovitz) : Nikolajev, 1982: 35, ®gures 6, 10; Krikken, 1984: 39.

Description male

Body length 20.0± 23.2 mm (14 specimens). Colour light brown to dark brown. Outer margin of mandible distinctly sinuate. Labrum (®gure 1a±c) with transverse carina short and feebly to well developed. Clypeus with bituberculate, feebly arcuate transverse posterior carina; position of tubercles variable, from in line with antennal insertions to in line with clypeo-fronta l transition; length of posterior carina variable, from slightly shorter to slightly longer than anterior carina. Frons feebly depressed posterior to posterior clypeal carina. Antennal club with glabrous area of basal segment more than one-third but less than one-half of exposed surface. Pronotum with anterior margin medially feebly raised, in dorsal view arcuate and not projecting over head; with four, sometimes ®ve protrusions: in major males outer horns distinctly longer and more strongly inward curved than inner horns; in major males sometimes additional tuberculate swelling or small horn present between inner horns (not illustrated); in minor males all four horns much reduced in size, little curved, more or less equal in length and more approximated (®gure 3l, m); surface with large, densely spaced and often conūent large punctures; punctures decreasing in density and size and also interspersed with some ®ne punctures often in between and always on pronotal protrusions. Scutellum with surface coarsely punctate. Elytron with strial punctures separated by ®ve to seven puncture diameters; intervals with approximately four to six punctures between two striae. Protibia ®ve-, rarely six-dentate. Protibial spur slightly longer than ®fth tarsomere, apex shaped as in ®gure 12m. Metatrochanter postero-medially with distinct angle and setation as in ®gure 12n. Metafemur in ventral view with line of densely spaced very short and a few moderately long setae; with fairly dense, moderately long and long setation in anterior third and apical area; with band of very dense and very short setation in basal area and along basal half of posterior margin; remaining areas with few isolated setae; posterior part in basal half of metafemur strongl y depressed. Metatibia in lateral view with subapical carina bilobed or, more often, with only one welldeveloped lobe; with unmodi®ed spurs. Underside with sternite 4 unmodi®ed; posterior margin of sternite 5 medially feebly concave (®gure 12q); posterior margin of sternite 6 medially strongly concave (®gure 12q); apex of pygidium medially slightly notched (®gure 12p). Genitalia with aedeagus as in ®gure 13j±l; aedeagus strongly curved in lateral view; parameres deeply divided; genital capsule apically with moderately long setation.

Description female

Body length 21.3±22.9 mm (7 specimens). Colour as in male. Outer margin of mandible feebly sinuate. Labrum as in male. Frons with strongly raised bituberculate, transverse carina; position of carina variable, from slightly anterior to to slightly posterior to postero-lateral genal angle; carina straight and slightly shorter than anterior clypeal carina. Antennal club as in male. Pronotum with anterior margin as in male; with transverse, feebly carinate swelling at median portion of disc; carina in frontal view medially feebly depressed, laterally arcuate (®gure 3n); swelling with very few ®ne punctures, interspersed with large punctures; with large, mostly conūent punctures anterior, lateral and posterior to carinate swelling. Scutellum and elytron as in male. Protibia as in male. Protibial spur slightly longer than ®fth tarsomere, acuminate. Metatrochanter postero-medially with discernible angle and setation as in ®gure 12o. Metafemur female in ventral view in posterior third with line of densely spaced moderately long and long setae; in basal area and anterior third with fairly dense long setation; in posterior third with band of fairly dense short and moderately long setation; remaining median area with sparse setation; shape of metafemur unmodi®ed, i.e. without indentation. Metatibia as in male. Underside with posterior margin of sternite 4 with distinct bisinuate curvature; sternite 5 unmodi®ed; apex of sternite 6 truncate or very feebly arcuately emarginate (not illustrated); pygidium unmodi®ed.

Distribution (®gure 14). The species is found in the southeastern parts of the D.R.C.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE l[diss.]:`Holotypus` [printed on pink label] /`MuseÂe du Congo, Lulua [Riv.]: Kapanga [08.21S 22.35E, locality closest to river], ix.1932, F.G. Overlaet’ ( MRAC) ; ALLOTYPE m: same locality data except`... x.1932 ...’ ( MRAC); 9 PARATYPES: 1 l[diss.],`Mus. Roy. Afr. Centr., Kasai: Gandajika [06.45S 23.57E], iv.1959, J. Dubois’ ( MRAC) ; 1 l[diss.],`MuseÂe du Congo, Sankisia [Sankishia, 09.21S 25.54E], 1911, Dr. Rodhain’ /`R. DeÂt. P 503’ ( MRAC) ; 1 l[diss.],`Coll. Mus. Congo, Lualaba: Kabongo [07.20S 24.34E], 1952, M. Dierckx’ ( MRAC) ; 1 l[diss.],`Coll. Mus. Congo, Luluabourg: Katoka [not traced in Luluabourg Prov. ], 1939, R.P.N. Vankerckhoven’ /`R. DeÂt. W 4691’ /` Bolboceras princeps R. Paulian det.’ ( MRAC) ; 1 l[diss.],` MuseÂe du Congo, Kabinda [06.10S 24.29E], Dr. Schwetz’ /`R DeÂt. P 503’ ( NHMG) ; 1 l[diss.],`Coll. Mus. Congo, Kaniama [too vague, several localities by that name], 1931, R. Massart’ ( NHMG) ; 1m,`Coll. Mus. Tervuren, Maniema: Kasongo [03.48S 26.54E], viii / ix.1959, P.L.G. Benoit’ ( MRAC) ; 1m,`Coll. Mus. Congo, Lomami: Mwene- Ditu [07.00S 23.27E], Doutrelepont’ ( MRAC) .

Additional material examined (11 specimens). D.R.C.: 2 ll[diss.], 1, 1m, Kasai or., Kabinda [06.10S 24.29E], Lomami [Riv.] ( ISNB) ; 1, Katanga, Luena [09.27S 25.47E], 28 December 1928 ( ISNB) ; 1m, Katanga , region de Kongolo [several localities by that name], December 1920 ( ISNB) ; 1 l[diss.], Congo belge, Coll. P. de MoOEarts ( ISNB) ; 1 l[diss.], 1m, same data ( TMSA) ; 1, ReÂgion de M’ Pala [Mpala, 06.46S 29.30E], Tanganika [former Prov., now Shaba Prov.], R. P. Guilleme ( MNHN) ; paratype m, B. petrovitzi Nikolajev ,`Coll. Mus. Congo, Kasai: Luebo [05.21S 21.25E], i.-vii.1958, F. FrancËois’ ( MRAC) .

Comments. In two cases males and females of B. abditus were collected together, thus providing clues to the correct male / female association. The minor modi®cation on sternite 6 found in those females made it possible to identify other unassociated females as B. abditus . One female paratype of Bolboceras abditum , however, clearly is a B. bidenticollis and is listed under the latter. The slightly notched apex of the pygidium, the modi®cations on sternites 5 and 6 (®gure 12p, q), the uniquely modi®ed shape of the metafemur and the aedeagus with deeply divided parameres (®gure 13j±l) immediately separate the males of B. abditus from males of the other members of the B. coriaceus species-group. The comparatively large body size of B. abditus in both sexes can, very cautiously though, be used as an additional character state.