Rhabdoblatta cincta ( Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865 )

Mbia, Donald-L’or Nyame, Ngon, Eric Belmond Biram à, Legendre, Frédéric & Menbohan, Samuel Foto, 2024, Semi-aquatic Epilamprinae cockroaches (Blattodea: Blaberidae) in Cameroon: towards a revision of continental African species of Rhabdoblatta Kirby, 1903 and Africalolampra Roth, 1995, European Journal of Taxonomy 946 (1), pp. 1-57 : 39-40

Rhabdoblatta cincta ( Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865) Fig. 26 ; Table 8

Epilampra cincta Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865: 172 .

Epilampra cincta – Walker 1869: 128. — Shelford 1910: 14. — Princis 1965: 122.

Heterolampra cincta – Kirby 1904: 123.

Rhabdoblatta cincta – Princis 1967: 681.

Material examined

TANZANIA • 1 ♀; “Tanganyika Terr.: Bunduki , Ulguru Mts., 1500 m, gorge Mungula; Forêt transition, dans l’humus; 1/ 6-V-1957; Mission Zoolog. I.R.S.A.C. en Afrique orientale; P. Basilewsky et N. Leleup; coll. mus. congo”; LUHM • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; RMCA .

Diagnosis and history

This rather small species is only known from a few localities within the Ulguru Mountains in Tanzania ( Table 8 ). It was described from a male specimen, without any locality and supposedly deposited at NMW but not found there. This type specimen might be considered lost. Shelford (1910) suspected this species was African, which was later confirmed by Princis (1965) after observation of female specimens matching with the succinct original description. Besides its coloration pattern, this species is readily identifiable from its small size, its laterally deflexed pronotum and relatively short tarsi ( Fig. 26 ).

Measurements of adults

Female (n = 2): pronotum length ×width: 4.2–4.5×5.3–5.4, tegmina length: 12.8–13.5, overall length ×width: 15–16.1× 7.5–7.7.

Habitat

The labels read: transitional forest, in humus.

Distribution

This species is only known from Tanzania ( Table 8 ).

Figures

Fig. 26. Rhabdoblatta cincta (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865), females. A–D. Specimen from RMCA. E–G. Specimen from LUHM. A. Habitus in dorsal and ventral views. B. Subgenital plate, ventral view. C. Tarsi of hind leg, ventral view. D. Front femur, ventral view. E. Head, ventral view. F. Pronotum, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 5 mm; B–D = 1 mm; E–F = 2 mm.