Anthia maxillosa (Fabricius, 1781)

Mawdsley, Jonathan R., Erwin, Terry L., Sithole, Hendrik, Mawdsley, James L. & Mawdsley, Alice S., 2011, The genus Anthia Weber in the Republic of South Africa, Identification, distribution, biogeography, and behavior (Coleoptera, Carabidae), ZooKeys 143, pp. 47-81 : 52-55

Anthia maxillosa (Fabricius, 1781) Figures 12-17293337

Carabus maxillosus Fabricius (1781:298).

Anthia atra Chaudoir (1843:717); synonymized by Péringuey (1896:372).

Anthia fabricii Crotch (1871:3) (unnecessary replacement name).

Type Locality.

"Cap. bon. sp." (= Cape of Good Hope).

Type Depository.

Carabus maxillosus , Zoological Museum of the University of Copenhagen; Anthia atra , Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.

Diagnosis.

Easily separated from sympatric species of Anthia by the lack of patterned setae on the pronotum and elytra. Scattered white setae may be present along the elytral margins in unrubbed specimens, but these do not form the distinct bands that are found in the other South African Anthia species.

Description.

Body size massive, length of male 42.0-45.0 mm (exclusive of mandibles), length of female 40.5-45.8 mm. Integument black.

Head elongate, prognathous. Mandibles sexually dimorphic and as described for Anthia thoracica except that the left mandible of the male is more markedly recurved. Length of right mandible in male 9.3-12.6 mm. Palpi as in Anthia thoracica except terminal maxillary palpomere more markedly securiform. Antennae as described for Anthia thoracica , including vestiture. Eyes, frons, and vertex as described for Anthia thoracica .

Pronotum cordiform, lateral flanges present but not as broadly expanded as in Anthia thoracica , pronotum still broader than head in both sexes. Form of pronotal base is sexually dimorphic as in Anthia thoracica , with the apical margins of the flanges in male oblique or slightly curved. Pronotum lacking dorsal setae, surface smooth and shining, with scattered small round punctures. Scutellum as in Anthia thoracica . Elytra ovate, markedly convex. Elytral surface sculpture as in Anthia thoracica ; vestiture in unrubbed specimens composed of scattered brown setae dorsally and a few scattered white setae laterally, never forming well-defined bands. Apex of elytra rounded in females, slightly more pointed in males. Femora and tibiae as in Anthia thoracica except with scattered stout black setae. Tarsi as described for Anthia thoracica including sexual dimorphism.

Abdomen as in Anthia thoracica except abdominal sterna not as markedly wrinkled laterally. Abdominal sternum VII broadly emarginate at apex in male, broadly rounded at apex in female. Male aedeagus elongate, slender (Figure 29).

Variation.

Males exhibit considerable variation in the size and length of mandibles and in the size of the basal flange on the pronotum (Figures 7-15). Females also exhibit some variability in overall body size (Figures 16-17).

Adult activity patterns.

Unimodal, with greatest activity August-October (Figure 37).

Material Examined.

235 pinned adult specimens from the following localities: Republic of South Africa: Eastern Cape Province: 20 miles S Aberdeen, Aberdeen-Beaufort West, Despatch, Grahamstown, Willowmore. Free State Province: Bothaville, no locality specified. Limpopo Province: Grootdraai, Zoutpansberg. Mpumalanga Province: Barberton, Lydenburg. Northern Cape Province: Calvinia, 30 km W Calvinia, De Aar, Duineveld near Stampriet, Kenhardt, Marydale, Nieuwoudtville, Nossob Camp in Kalahari Park, Pofadder, Strydenburg, Van Rhyn’s Pass, Victoria West. Namaqualand region [in Northern Cape]: Braakrivier Mouth, Dikdoorn Farm, Gemsbokvlakte Farm, Harslagkop, Hoekbaai, Katdoringvlei, Klein Kogel Fontein, Kotzesrus, Nababiep, Oograbies, 36 miles E Port Nolloth, Port Nolloth, Quaggasfontein, Rietport Farm, Rooidam Farm, 9 miles S Springbok, 18 km S Springbok, 50 km E Springbok, Springbok-Mesklip, Stallberg Valley, Stinkfontein, 3 km NW Titiesbagi, Vogelklip, Waterval Farm, Wildpaarde Hoek. Richtersveld region [in Northern Cape]: Brakfontein, Buffelsriver valley, Helskloof, Holgat Mouth, 10 W Kuboos, Manganese Mine, Reichsfontein Gate in Richtersveld National Park. North West Province: Grootmist, Haartebeespoort Dam. Western Cape Province: Cape Town, Cedarberg, Koekenaap, Kookfontein, Longkloof, Matiesfontein, Skulpbaai, Touws River, Vanwyksfontein, Zwartskraal farm. [Additional material was examined from Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.]

Notes on Taxonomy.

There has been considerable confusion in the literature and in collections regarding the identity of this species. Most of the confusion is the result of various authors mistakenly associating the name Carabus maxillosus Fabricius (1781:298) with the name Manticora maxillosa Fabricius (1781:320). These two names were proposed in separate genera and the identities of the taxa to which these names refer are quite clear from the original descriptions. Carabus maxillosus is said to have glabrous elytra and two projecting “lamellae” on the base of the thorax; the term “lamellae” accurately describes the modified basal flanges of the pronotum in males of this species, a feature which places this taxon into the modern carabid genus Anthia . In contrast, Manticora maxillosa is said to have mandibles with a basal tooth and elytra with serrate lateral margins and small tubercles on the disc, features which are not found in Anthia but which are commonly encountered in the modern-day sympatric cicindeline genus Manticora F. These two names appear in other, subsequent works by Fabricius but there is always a clear distinction between Carabus maxillosus with its basal pronotal flanges ( Fabricius 1787:194; Fabricius 1801:220, as Anthia maxillosa following Weber 1801:17) and Manticora maxillosa with its scabrous elytra ( Fabricius 1787:220; Fabricius 1801:167). Crotch (1871) erroneously considered Carabus maxillosus to be a junior homonym of Manticora maxillosa , and proposed the replacement name Anthia fabricii for the anthiine species. This replacement name was subsequently adopted by Csiki (1929) in the Coleopterorum Catalogus and consequently is widely used in collections. It is, however, entirely unnecessary, as the two names refer to different taxa and were originally proposed in different genera.

Csiki (1929) listed 18 taxa described from southern and eastern Africa as synonyms of Anthia maxillosa (which he called Anthia fabricii ). These names all need to be carefully reviewed in order to determine whether they represent valid species.