Graphipterus westwoodi Brême, 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 : 9

Graphipterus westwoodi Brême , new status

Figures 5–9

Graphipterus westwoodi Brême (1844: 291 , pl. 7 f. 10) (Holotype, Cap de Bonne-Espérance, Muséum- National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris).

Graphipterus ancora var. transitans Péringuey (1896: 297 , 320) (Holotype, Bechuanaland, South African National Collection).

Graphipterus egressus Péringuey (1896: 297 , 322) (Holotype, Transvaal, Lydenburg District, South- African National Collection).

Graphipterus ancora herero Kuntzen (1919: 126 , f. 6) (Holotype, Hereroland, Zoologisches Museum der Humboldt-Universität, Berlin).

Graphipterus ancora aurantiacus Basilewsky (1948: 108) (Holotype, Matabele, Naturhistoriska Rik museet, Stockholm).

Graphipterus ancora subegregius Basilewsky (1977: 69 , 75) (Holotype, Betschuanaland, Zoologisches- Museum der Humboldt-Universität, Berlin).

Diagnosis. Large-bodied adults, length 13–18 mm. Pattern of elytral vestiture distinctive ( Figures 5–9 ), composed of yellowish-grey to orange lighter setae and brownish-black darker setae in well-defined patterns, dark elytral setal fields extensive and contiguous, forming two lobes on the disc and lining the suture until apical fourth or fifth where there is a small oval or rectangular patch of lighter setae, the latter joined along the lateral margin to a large, transverse or slightly oblique median band of lighter setae and a small triangular patch of setae near the scutellum on disc. Easily separated from G. ancora ( Figure 1 ) by the finer, less coarse elytral vestiture and by the lack of a band of lighter-colored setae on the basal half of the elytra which surrounds an oval patch of black setae ( Figure 1 ).

Distribution. Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Republic of South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu/Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and North West Provinces), and Zimbabwe. For a list of collecting localities see Basilewsky (1977: 72–76).

Taxonomic Notes. Graphipterus westwoodi and the taxa listed in synonymy above were considered subspecies of G. ancora by Basilewsky (1977). However, several characters consistently separate adults of G. westwoodi and its synonyms from adults of G. ancora and suggest that at least two species are involved. First, the specimens of G. westwoodi and synonyms tend to have finer setae in their elytral vestiture than do specimens of G. ancora . Second, G. westwoodi lacks the band of light setae paralleling the suture on the basal half of the elytra which is present in G. ancora . The basal half of the elytra in G. westwoodi always has a large lobe of dark pubescence ( Figures 5-9 ) rather than an oval of dark pubescence surrounded by lighter pubescence as in G. ancora ( Figure 1 ). Third, most G. westwoodi specimens have a small ovate or rectangular patch of lighter setae along the suture at the apex of the elytra ( Figures 5-9 ) whereas in G. ancora this patch is typically larger and more distinctly triangular ( Figure 1 ). Finally, the distributions of these two forms overlap to a minor degree in the Free State and North West Provinces ( Basilewsky 1977, see Carte 8), and the lack of putative intergrade specimens suggests again that two separate species are involved.

The various taxa listed in synonymy above were all considered valid subspecies of G. ancora by Basilewsky (1977) but should be placed under G. westwoodi according to the classification adopted here. Specimens in NMNH and TMSA which were identified by Basilewsky as these subspecific taxa (e.g. Figures 5–9 ) are much more similar in appearance than would be judged from the illustrations and diagnoses in Basilewsky (1977). The only noticeable differences are found in the elytral vestiture, including minor differences in the shape of the dark patches and variation in the coloration of the light setae which range from orange to yellow to yellowish-grey (see Figures 5–9 ). Based on this strong overall similarity, I infer that only a single species is involved. For a full synonymy for this species, see Basilewsky (1977: 67–69).

Figures

Figures 1–9. 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. 1) G. ancora Dejean [G. ancora ancora Dejean], Hanover, Northern Cape Province, RSA. 2) G. distinctus Péringuey [G. fasciatus distinctus Péringuey], Shilouvane, Limpopo Province, RSA. 3) G. fasciatus Chaudoir [G. fasciatus fasciatus Chaudoir], Umfolozi, KwaZulu/Natal Province, RSA. 4) G. fritschi Chaudoir, Pietersburg, Limpopo Province, RSA. 5) G. westwoodi Brême [G. ancora aurantiacus Basilewsky], Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. 6) G. westwoodi [G. ancora egressus Péringuey], Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga Province, RSA. 7) G. westwoodi [G. ancora subegregius Basilewsky, paratype], Tuli District, Botswana. 8) G. westwoodi [G. ancora transitans Péringuey], Metsimaklaba, Botswana. 9) G. westwoodi [G. ancora westwoodi Brême], Swartruggens Marico, North West Province, RSA.