Aferos Kazantsev, 1992 (Figs. 1–42)

Type species: Stadenus aethiops Kleine, 1933 .

Aferos Kazantsev, 1992: 44 type species: Stadenus aethiops Kleine, 1933

Slipinskia Bocák & Bocáková, 1992: 257 type species: Stadenus aethiops Kleine, 1933 Redescription

Head transverse, slightly narrowed behind eyes (Figs. 1–2). Fastigium blunt (Fig. 3). Labrum sclerotized and lying anteriad of epistoma, not or feebly emarginated medially (Fig. 2). Eyes relatively small, spherical. Mandibles projected forward and evenly rounded distally, glabrous distally and pubescent basally (Fig. 2). Maxillary palps relatively slen­ der, 4 ­segmented, with ultimate palpomere parallel­sided and flattened distally (Fig. 1). Prementum undivided, labial palps 3 ­segmented, slender, apical palpomere slightly widening and flattened distally, ligula present (Fig. 5). Gula absent, genal sclerites connected by narrow process lying anteriad of posterior tentorial pits (Fig. 2). Ventral arms of tentorium long and narrow, almost attaining cranial dorsal surface (Fig. 3). Antennal prominence relatively inconspicuous, antennal sockets approximately broadly separated (Fig. 2). Antennae 11 ­segmented, relatively short, flattened from antennomere 3; antennomere 3 longer and wider than antennomere 2, but shorter than antennomere 4 (Fig. 4); antennal pubescence sparse and decumbent in all female and male antennomeres.

Pronotum subquadrate, with conspicuously produced medially posterior margin (Fig. 19), prominent median cell and approximately developed transverse carinae; posterior angles feebly produced laterally (Figs. 6, 19). Prosternum short, T­shaped (Fig. 7). Thoracic spiracles well sclerotized, but not protruding laterally beyond coxal limits (Fig. 6). Mesoventrite short, with weakly sclerotized median part; mesepimeron significantly shorter than mesepisternum, but extending beyond its base (Fig. 8). Scutellum relatively small, slightly emarginate at apex. Elytra almost parallel­sided, with four approximately equally developed primary costae, interstices with double rows of subquadrate cells; sparse elytral pubescence noticeable on longitudinal costae; elytron with noticeable epipleuron basally (Fig. 9). Metasternal suture not attaining to mesoventrite (Fig. 6). Metendosternite with transverse suture and lateral arms (Fig. 10). Metathoracic wings with wedge cell and cu­a brace; Cu 2 split into two branches (Fig. 11).

Mesocoxae widely separated; metacoxae with conspicuous trochantinal suture (Fig. 6). Protrochantins considerably larger than mesotrochantins (Fig. 6). Trochanters elongate, widened distally, connected to femora distally; tibiae and femora curved, tibiae with pair of similar short apical spurs; tarsomeres 1–4 with plantar pads; all claws simple (Fig. 12). Abdominal spiracles located dorsally on sternite relatively distant from edge. Spiculum ventrale moderately long (Fig. 13); spiculum gastrale long to extremely long (Figs. 14– 15). Valvifers free, styli long and narrow, coxites fused basally with proctiger (Fig. 16). Aedeagus with elongate, semi­fused parameres and asymmetric compound phallobase; median lobe with variously modified distal processes (Figs. 17 –18, 20– 43).

Comments

Aferos, the monophyly of which is supported by the noticeable elytral epipleura and the asymmetric compound phallobase of the aedeagus, is divided into two subgenera, Aferos s. str. and Aferos subgen. Ukachaka Kazantsev, 1992, differing by the structure of maxillary and labial palps and elytral reticulation. The pointed maxillary and labial palps are hypothesized to be a plesiomorphy of Ukachaka, the reduced elytral reticulation and the very long and narrow median lobe of the aedeagus (Figs. 42–43) assumed to be its apomorphies. The approximately parallel­sided ultimate palpomeres and the shortened and variously modified distal process of the median lobe appear to be apomorphic for Aferos s. str. The relatively long and simple distal process of the median lobe of A. (s. str.) andrei and A. (s. str.) flavohumeralis (Figs. 31, 40) is probably in the plesiomorphic condition.

On the other hand, two groups may be distinguished within Aferos s. str., the aethiops group and the walteri group, the phylogenetic relationships of which need further study based on more representative material. The aethiops group is characterized by the flattened antennomeres 3–11 and relatively large and mostly elongate irregular elytral cells, whereas the walteri group, including two species, the second one being A. rubellus sp. n., is recognized by the filiform antennae and small and mostly square regular elytral cells.

Distribution

Eleven of the 18 known species of Aferos are endemic to South Africa, with five species occurring in Natal (A. aethiops, A. brincki, A. walteri, A. londonianus, A. natalensis sp. n.), three in Cape (A. flavocoeruleus, A. londonianus, A. rubellus sp. n.) and five in Transvaal (A. transvaalensis sp. n., A. endroedyi sp. n., A. silvestris sp. n., A. rubellus sp. n., A. youngai sp. n.). The remaining seven species of the genus are evenly distributed on the mountain ridge extending along the Eastern coast of Africa towards the equator, with one species known from each of Zimbabwe (A. leleupi), Mozambique (A. zambezianus), Malawi (A. andrei), Tanzania (A. orientalis), Rwanda (A. basilewskyi) and Congo (A. dewittei), and one species occurring in both Uganda and Kenya on the Mt. Elgon massif (A. flavohumeralis) (Fig. 46).

Biology

No preimaginal forms have been observed or collected in Aferos. The known elevations where adults of this genus were taken range from 1000 m (A. transvaalensis, Transvaal, South Africa) to 2300 m above sea level (A. basilewskyi, Rwanda). Dr. Endrödy­ Younga collected these beetles on fungous bearing tree trunks, Cussonia logs and in forest litter, including very wet litter. The most productive methods to collect Aferos species appear to be beating, grass netting, UV light collecting and using intercept traps, which yielded most of the specimens studied.

Key to the subgenera and species of Aferos

1. Elytral pubescence distributed along costae, their interstices with double rows of reticulate cells. Ultimate maxillary palpomere parallel­sided and flattened distally (Aferos s. str.) ......................................................................................................... 2

­ Elytra glabrous, at least last elytral interstice with one row of cells. Ultimate max­ illary palpomere tapering distally (Aferos subgen. Ukachaka) ............................ 18

2 (1). Elytra fulvous with darkened apices. Aedeagus ­ Fig. 31 ....................................... ......................................................................................A. (s. str.) andrei Kazantsev

­ Elytra black, at most with rufous humeri ............................................................... 3

3 (2). Elytra uniformly black ........................................................................................... 4

­ Elytra black with rufous humeri ......................................................................... 14

4 (3). Scutellum rufous. Aedeagus ­ Fig. 32 ................A. (s. str.) zambezianus Kazantsev

­ Scutellum black ..................................................................................................... 5

5 (4). Disk of pronotum conspicuously darkened. Aedeagus ­ Fig. 33 ............................. ......................................................................................A. (s. str.) aethiops (Kleine)

­ Pronotum uniformly rufous or testaceous .............................................................. 6

6 (5). Elytra with erect hairs (Fig. 19). Male metatrochanters spinose. Aedeagus ­ Figs. 20–21 ............................................................................ A. (s. str.) natalensis sp. n.

­ Elytra with decumbent pubescence. Male metatrochanters simple ....................... 7

7 (6). Antennomere 1 anteriorly brownish. Aedeagus ­ Figs. 29–30 ................................ ...........................................................................................A. (s. str.) youngai sp. n.

­ Antennomere 1 uniformly black ............................................................................ 8

8 (7). Male metacoxae with posterior spine ..................................................................... 9

­ Male metacoxae simple ....................................................................................... 11

9 (8). Distal process of median lobe long and narrow (Fig. 34)......................................... ..................................................................................... A. (s. str.) leleupi Kazantsev

­ Median process short and variously modified...................................................... 10

10 (9). Aedeagus relatively narrow; distal process of median lobe not aculeate (Figs. 17­18) ........................................................................................A. (s. str.) endroedyi sp. n.

­ Aedeagus broad; distal process of median lobe with aculeate ventral surface (Figs. 24­25) ............................................................................... A. (s. str.) silvestris sp. n.

11 (8). Aedeagus with medially produced distal process of median lobe; parameres dis­ tally outwardly hooked (Figs. 26–28) ......................A. (s. str.) transvaalensis sp. n.

­ Aedeagus with bifurcate distal process of median lobe........................................ 12

12 (11). Aedeagus with rounded apices of bifurcate distal process (Fig. 35) ....................... .................................................................................A. (s. str.) orientalis Kazantsev

­ Aedeagus with pointed apices of bifurcate distal process ................................... 13

13 (12).Aedeagus relatively narrow; distal process deeply incised (Fig. 36) ...................... ............................................................................ A. (s. str.) londonianus Kazantsev

­ Aedeagus relatively broad; distal process feebly incised (Fig. 37) ......................... ............................................................................ A. (s. str.) brincki (Gomes Alves)

14 (3). Head and basal antennomeres testaceous ............................................................. 15

­ Head and antennae uniformly black. .................................................................. 16

15 (14).Aedeagus with relatively long, distally produced parameres and widened preapical portion of median lobe (Fig. 38) ..................................A. (s. str.) walteri Kazantsev

­ Aedeagus with relatively short, not distally produced parameres and narrowed preapical portion of median lobe (Figs. 22–23) ................A. (s. str.) rubellus sp. n.

16 (14).Front tibiae testaceous. Aedeagus ­ Fig. 39 .......A. (s. str.) flavocoeruleus (Kleine)

­ All tibiae black...................................................................................................... 17

17 (16). Humeri broadly testaceous. Aedeagus ­ Fig. 40 ...................................................... ........................................................................A. (s. str.) flavohumeralis Kazantsev

­ Humeri with small testaceous spots. Aedeagus ­ Fig. 41 ......................................... .....................................................................................A. (s. str.) kraatzi Kazantsev

18 (1). Median pronotal cell closed both anteriorly and posteriorly. Male antennae attain­ ing to elytral middle. Median lobe of aedeagus comparatively broad; parameres hooked inwardly (Fig. 42) ........................................ A. (U.) basilewskyi Kazantsev

­ Median pronotal cell open anteriorly. Male antennae attaining only to elytral fourth. Median lobe of aedeagus very long and narrow; parameres hooked out­ wardly (Fig. 43) ............................................................A. (U.) dewittei Kazantsev