Villofustiger gibbiceps Leleup & Célis, 1968

Hlavác, Peter, 2007, Revision of the subtribe Clavigerodina and an annotated catalogue of South African Clavigeritae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 65-92 : 84-85

Villofustiger gibbiceps Leleup & Célis, 1968

Figs 7 , 34

Villofustiger gibbiceps: Leleup & Célis 1968: 411 , figs 1–3.

Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: ‘[p] ơ / [h] Afrique du Sud, Cap – Cedarberg (Nord) [nr Clanwilliam], juillet [vii] 1962, J. et N. Leleup / [h] Fourmi – hôte, Monomorium sp. , Det Bolton / [red label] [p] HOLOTYPUS / [p] N. Leleup det., 196 [h] 8, Villofustiger gibbiceps , gen. nov. – sp. n. / Edéage prep. Micr. 68. TMSA’.

Genus Zuluclavodes gen. n.

Etymology: The name is a combination of ‘Zulu’, from the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and ‘ clavodes ’ to indicate the close relationship of this genus to Gericlavodes Jeannel, 1960 from tropical Africa. Gender masculine.

Type species: Zuluclavodes briantaylori sp. n.

Diagnosis: Head rhombic, clearly longer than wide, with 6 antennomeres, apical antennomere short, only about 1.5 times as long as antennomere V, antennomeres III–V subequal in size, antennomere II much shorter; pronotum slightly longer than wide, lacking median and lateral foveae; head, pronotum and elytra rugose and pubescent; composite tergum with smaller basal impression and two large and deep basal pits adjacent to the first visible paratergites, shiny, with sparse, shorter erect setae, apex of elytra with trichome opposite trichome on composite tergum, first paratergite bearing fine trichomes.

Description: Length 2.15–2.38 mm, head rhombic, slightly rugose and pubescent, longer than wide, maximum width across eyes, with obtuse frontal rostrum, vertexal foveae well-defined just behind eyes, eyes large, prominent, clypeus large, on sides visible dorsally; head separated from neck by occipital carina; antennae 6-segmented, with 4- segmented club ( Fig. 33 ), apical antennomere short, truncate at apex, only about 1.5 times as long as antennomere V, antennomeres III–V subequal in size, antennomere II much shorter, scape minuscule, not visible dorsally; pronotum slightly longer than wide and slightly longer than head, lacking median and lateral antebasal foveae, slightly rugose and pubescent; elytra slightly rugose and pubescent, each with a tiny median carina extending from base to apical third of elytra, distinctly shorter than abdomen, posterior part of elytra with trichome opposite trichome on composite tergum, first paratergite also bearing fine trichomes; abdomen broader than elytra, slightly wider than long, rounded in posterior and lateral margins, composite tergum with smaller, strongly concave basal basin and two large and deep basal pits adjacent to the first visible paratergites, shiny, with sparse, shorter erect setae; legs short and thick, mesofemora and mesotibiae in male always with spines.

Ventral side: Head rectangular, with two well-defined foveae, close to another, located behind eyes, eyes clearly visible ventrally; mesosternum small; metasternum large, shining with sparse short pubescence, strongly depressed between metacoxae which are very widely separated, metasternal depression in shape of triangle; median line of gold-coloured erect setae present on whole length of mesosternum and metasternum; fourth and fifth sternites subequal in length.

Aedeagus ( Figs 31, 32 ): Strongly sclerotised, with sharply pointed apical lobe, basal capsule large and bulbous in basal part, about as long as apical lobe.

Sexual dimorphism: Females lack spines on mesofemora and mesotibiae, metatibiae also lacking comb of setae in females.

Comparison: Zuluclavodes is placed in the Clavigerini with 6-segmented antennae, and is most similar to Gericlavodes . It differs from that genus by having (1) a 4-segmented antennal club, (2) a straight, apically obtuse rostrum, (3) well-defined trichomes on the posterior margin of elytra, and (4) two large and deep basal pits adjacent to the first visible paratergites. Zuluclavodes also resembles Clavigerodes Raffray, 1877 and Pseudoclavigerodes Reichensperger, 1915 but differs from both by having 6 rather than 5 antennomeres.

Figures

Figs 1–8. Habitus of South African Clavigerodina: (1) Commatocerodes raffrayi, (2) Dejaegeria joannae, (3) Fustigeropsis peringueyi, (4) Novoclaviger gibbiventris, (5) N. joncooteri, (6) Pararticerus latus, (7) Villofustiger gibbiceps, (8) Zuluclavodes briantaylori.

Fig. 34. Distribution of the subtribe Clavigerodina: – Commatocerodes raffrayi; • – Fustigeropsis peringueyi; – Villofustiger gibbiceps.

Figs 31–33. Details of Zuluclavodes briantaylori: (31, 32) aedeagus, dorsal and lateral aspects; (33) last four antennomeres of right antennae.