Thyreocephalus atlanticus (Bernhauer, 1915)

Janák, Jiří & Bordoni, Arnaldo, 2015, Revision of the genus Thyreocephalus and description of Afrus gen. nov. of Africa south of the Sahara (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Zootaxa 4038 (1), pp. 1-94 : 84-86

Thyreocephalus atlanticus (Bernhauer, 1915) comb. nov.

( Fig. 206 , 218–222 )

Eulissus atlanticus Bernhauer, 1915a: 298 ; Scheerpeltz, 1933: 1317; Herman, 2001: 3625.

Type locality. Fernando Po, Basilé.

Type material examined. Lectotype (by present designation) ♂: FERNANDO PO: “Is. Fernando Poo, Basilé, VIII. IX.1901 L. Fea”, “ Syntypus, Eulissus , atlanticus, Bernhauer 1915 ” ( MCSNG). The specimen is chosen as lectotype. The labels “ Lectotypus Eulissus atlanticus Bh., Bordoni des. 2006” and “ Thyreocephalus atlanticus (Bh.) , Bordoni det. 2006” were added to the specimen. Paralectotypes: 6 spec.: FERNANDO PO: Bahia de S. Carlos, 0–400 m, XII.1901 L. Fea”, “ Typus ”, “ atlanticus, Bernh. ”, “ Eulissus , atlanticus, Brh. n. sp. ” ( MCSNG); 6 spec.: “Basilé, 400–600 m, VIII–IX.1901 L. Fea”, “ Syntypus ” ( MCSNG); 1 spec.: “ atlanticus Bernh. Cotypus ”, “Is Fernando Poo, Bahia de S. Carlos, XII.1901, 200– 300 m L. Fea”, “Museo civ. Genova” ( FMNH); 1 spec.: “ atlanticus Bernh. Cotypus ”, “Is. Fermando Poo, Basilé, 400–600 m, IX.1901 L. Fea”, “Museo civ. Genova” ( FMNH). All these specimens are labelled “ Paralectotypus Eulissus atlanticus Bh., Bordoni des. 2006” and “ Thyreocephalus atlanticus (Bh.) , Bordoni det. 2006”.

Additional material examined. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1 spec.: Yangambi, ii.1952, J. Decelle ( MRAC); 1 spec.: Yangambi (Stanleyville), v.1960, J. Decelle ( MRAC); 1 ♀: Stan., Yangambi, ii.1953, J. Decelle, 1 ex. ( JJRC); 16 spec.: Uele, J. Decelle ( MRAC).

Redescription. Body length 11–13 mm; length from anterior margin of head to posterior margin of elytra: 5–6 mm. Reddish brown, shiny. Head and pronotum with micro-punctation. Head of variable shape, sometimes distinctly dilated posteriad. Eyes large and flat. Head and pronotum and related punctation as in Fig. 218 ; labrum as in Fig. 219 . Elytra slightly longer and wider than pronotum, dilated posteriad, with marked humeral angles. Surface with punctation arranged in three series, one near suture, one median and one lateral. Abdomen with superficial transverse micro-striation and fine, not sparse punctation, arranged in several series.

Male. Tergite 10 and sternite 9 of male genital segment as in Figs. 220, 221 . Aedeagus ( Fig. 222 ) large, 2.35 mm long, with sub-triangular median lobe; parameres symmetrical; inner sac ribbon-like, curled up on itself, long and very narrow, covered with sparse little scales.

Differential diagnosis. Thyreocephalus atlanticus differs from the similar T. camerunensis in impunctate disc of head and in the aedeagus with wider median lobe and shorter parameres.

Distribution. The species is distributed in Democratic Republic of Congo and Fernando Po Island ( Fig. 206 ).

Remarks. As the superior line of pronotal hypomeron is turning downwards well before middle, joining or almost joining inferior line next to front margin of procoxae and continuing onto anterior margin of pronotum, the species was transferred from Eulissus to Thyreocephalus .

Figures

FIGURE 206. Distribution of species in Thyreocephalus mocquerysi group (★ = T. atlanticus (Bernhauer), ▲ = T. burgeoni (Bernhauer), ■ = T. camerunensis sp. nov., Δ = T. marginipennis sp. nov., ● = T. mokaensis (Bernhauer), ○ = T. strinatii (Bernhauer).

FIGURES 218 – 222. Thyreocephalus atlanticus (Bernhauer); 218, head and pronotum; 219, labrum; 220, male tergite 10; 221, male sternite 9; 222, aedeagus.