Graphipterus wahlbergi Boheman, 2012

Mawdsley, Jonathan R., 2012, A taxonomic review of the ancora species group of Graphipterus Latreille (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (228), pp. 1-11 : 8-9

Graphipterus wahlbergi Boheman , new status

Figures 15–18

Graphipterus wahlbergi Boheman (1848: 60) (Holotype, in Caffraria interiore, Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm).

Graphipterus transfugus Péringuey (1896: 297 , 324) (Holotype, Transvaal, Makapan, South African Museum).

Graphipterus cordiger betshuana Burgeon (1929: 294) (Holotype, Serue, Zoologisches Museum der Humboldt-Universität, Berlin).

Graphipterus cordiger natalicus Basilewsky (1977: 77 , 87–88) (Holotype, Natal, Mfongosi, South African Museum).

Diagnosis. Smaller adults, length 11–15 mm. Pattern of elytral vestiture distinctive ( Figures 15–18 ), with contrasting patches of yellowish-grey and black pubescence, the latter forming a narrow band along suture and a single broad transverse, nearly rectangular patch extending onto the disc but not attaining the lateral margin. The color of the lighter pubescence ranges from yellowish-grey to orange. This species has long been confused with G. cordiger and in fact was placed in synonymy with that species by Burgeon (1929) and Basilewsky (1977). In G. cordiger , however, the median elytral patch of dark pubescence is broadly rounded or lobed on the disc, and the anterior band of pale pubescence has a distinct triangular projection onto the disc ( Figures 10–14 ). Along with G. cordiger , this is one of the few species of Graphipterus in which the second metatibial spur is arcuate and not spatulate ( Basilewsky 1977). The shape of the patches of dark setae and the coloration of the lighter setae varies between populations and was used by Burgeon (1929) and Basilewsky (1977) as the basis for recognizing subspecific taxa.

Distribution. Botswana, Republic of South Africa (Gauteng, KwaZulu/Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and North West Provinces), Swaziland, Zimbabwe. For a list of collecting localities see Basilewsky (1977: 82–88).

Taxonomic Notes. Burgeon (1929) and Basilewsky (1977) placed this species in synonymy with G. cordiger and Basilewsky (1977) recognized a total of nine subspecific taxa under that single polytypic species. Application of the polytypic species concept to this group of taxa is not straightforward, as shown by the fact that Basilewsky could only offer a partial key to subspecies ( Basilewsky 1977: 78, 80) and a map ( Basilewsky 1977: Carte 9) which shows clear areas of overlap between many of the alleged subspecific forms (e.g. between G. c. betshuana and G. c. subhamatus, between G. c. betshuana and G. c. zambezianus , and between G. c. hamatus and G. c. transfugus ). Furthermore, several pairs of putative subspecies have identical patterns of elytral pubescence and can be separated only by collecting locality (e.g. G. c. cordiger and G. c. subcordiger, G. c. hamatus and G. c. subhamatus, G. c. betshuana and G. c. wahlbergi ; Basilewsky 1977). As discussed above under G. cordiger , many of these difficulties can be resolved by dividing this single polytypic taxon into two distinct species, one with a rounded, lobe-shaped median patch of pubescence on the elytra, the other with a transverse, rectangular median patch of pubescence on the elytra. The observed areas of overlap between the subspecies always involve a form with a lobe-shaped pubescence patch on the elytra (G. c. subhamatus, G. c. zambezianus , G. c. hamatus ) and a form with a transverse pubescence patch on the elytra (G. c. betshuana, G. c. transfugus ). The forms with identical patterns of pubescence can be interpreted as disjunct forms of either G. cordiger (in the case of G. c. cordiger and G. c. subcordiger and in the case of G. c. hamatus and G. c. subhamatus) or G. wahlbergi (in the case of G. c. betshuana and G. c. wahlbergi ). It is possible that even more taxa will be split from G. cordiger and G. wahlbergi when additional material is available for study and the boundaries between the different geographic forms are studied in more detail.

Graphipterus wahlbergi is generally distributed throughout the central and northern portions of the Republic of South Africa, where it can be locally abundant ( Basilewsky 1977: 82). Populations of this species extend into adjacent portions of Botswana and Zimbabwe ( Basilewsky 1977: Carte 9). For a full synonymy for this species, see Basilewsky (1977: 76–77).

Figures

Figures 10–18. Adult habitus images of specimens of species in the ancora species group, from the TMSA collection. Specimen identifications by P. Basilewsky are given in brackets after the current valid name for the specimen figured. 10) G. cordiger [G. cordiger cordiger Dejean], Gideon’s Kraal Farm, 30.38 S, 25.34 E, Northern Cape Province, RSA. 11) G. cordiger [G. cordiger hamatus Boheman], nr. Hartbeespoort Dam, North West Province, RSA. 12) G. cordiger [G. cordiger subcordiger Basilewsky, paratype], Swakopmund, Namibia. 13) G. cordiger [G. cordiger subhamatus Basilewsky, paratype], Thornybush, Limpopo Province, RSA. 14) G. cordiger [G. cordiger zambezianus Péringuey], Salisbury, Mashonaland (modern-day Harare, Zimbabwe). 15) G. wahlbergi [G. cordiger betshuana Burgeon], Grootdraai, Mpumalanga Province, RSA. 16) G. wahlbergi [G. cordiger natalicus Basilewsky, paratype], “Natal,” KwaZulu/Natal Province, RSA. 17) G. wahlbergi [G. cordiger transfugus Péringuey], Nylsvley, Limpopo Province, RSA. 18) G. wahlbergi [G. cordiger wahlbergi Boheman], Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga Province, RSA.