Odontolochus raffrayi Paulian, 1942

Stebnicka, Zdzisława T., 2009, A revision of the African species of Odontolochini Stebnicka & Howden, 1996 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Zootaxa 2230, pp. 1-15 : 4-5

Odontolochus raffrayi Paulian, 1942

( Fig. 1 )

Odontolochus raffrayi Paulian, 1942: 125 –127.

Odontolochus (Anodontolochus) raffrayi: Endrödi 1960: 242 –243; Endrödi 1964: 373 –374, 379–380; Dellacasa 1988: 286 (catalog).

Odontolochus chevalieri Paulian, 1942: 125 , 127; Endrödi 1964: 374; Dellacasa 1988: 286 (catalog). New synonymy.

Odontolochus (Anodontolochus) parcepunctatus Petrovitz, 1956: 236 –237; Endrödi 1964: 373; Dellacasa 1988: 286 (catalog). New synonymy.

Odontolochus (Anodontolochus) sulcatus Endrödi, 1964: 380 –381. New synonymy.

Loeblietus sulcatus Endrödi, 1979: 958 –959; Dellacasa 1988: 339 (catalog). New synonymy.

Material examined. Odontolochus raffrayi : holotype (sex not determined) [ Ethiopia] ‘ Abyssinie Raffray, coll. H. Van den Poll’/’collection Boucomont’/ ’ Odontolochus Raffrayi n.sp. R. Paulian det’ ( MNHN).

Odontolochus chevalieri : holotype (sex not determined) [ Ivory Coast] ‘Haut Sassandra, Pays Oyola entre Zoarte et Sarkou’/’Chevalier’/ Odontolochus Chevalieri n.sp. R. Paulian det.’ ( MNHN). Specimen ‘compared with types, Landin’/ Cote d’Ivoire Danane’/Museum Paris 12-1930-IV- 1931 Ch. Alluaud & P.A. Chapuis’/ Odontolochus raffrayi Paul. chevalieri Paul. syn.n. B.O. Landin det.’ [in litteris], ( MZLU).

Odontolochus parcepunctatus : holotype male [ Guinea] ' Guinea Fr. N Zerekore, 1–18.III.1952, S.H.Olsen, A.O.F.'/ ' Odontolochus (Anodontolochus ) parcepunctatus Petrovitz' (MGFT); paratype, same data as holotype (MHNG).

Odontolochus . sulcatus : lectotype female (here designated), [ The Democratic Republic of the Congo] ' Congo, Ubangi, Gemena, IV.1936, C. Leontovitch'/ ' Odontolochus n.sp. R. Paulian det.'/ 'Monotypus Odontolochus sulcatus Endr. ' / Lectotype / Odontolochus raffrayi Paul. det. Z. Stebnicka 08’ (MRAC).

Loeblietus sulcatus : lectotype male (here designated) [ Ivory Coast] ‘ Cote d'Ivoire, Man-Orstom, 8– 16.III.1977, I. Loebl'/ 'Monotypus Loeblietus sulcatus Endr. '/ 'Tribe Odontolochini Stebn.& Howd.'/ Lectotype / Odontolochus raffrayi Paul. det. Z.Stebnicka 08’ (MHNG).

Other specimens (5). Sudan: Prov. North Darfur, El Gemeina,, 4.IV.1979, at light, leg. Ibrahim Abuzinid (ISEA). The Democratic Republic of the Congo: 19 km S Tapili, V.1956, coll. J.G. Pantos; Bambili, IV.1907, leg. Ribotti, coll. Petrovitz (MHNG).

Diagnosis. Pronotum strongly tumid anteriorly, widest at base, surface with more or less deep and wide longitudinal fossa filled with large punctures. Elytral intervals at the same level, obtusely convex, not alternately between different surface configurations. Odontolochus raffrayi is most close to O. basilevskyi , sharing with that species the body color and similar appearance of the elytral striae and intervals, but it differs by having markedly larger size and the pronotal median area with deep fossa.

Description. Length 4.0–4.8 mm. Body dark castaneous, moderately shiny. Clypeal margin reflexed, surface slightly irregularly uneven anteriorly, then finely punctate up to frons with irregular, fine to moderate punctures on vertex; anterior angles obtusely rounded, sides straight in anterior half to obtuse angle, then truncate to sharply protruding basal denticle; base emarginate laterally and straight medially with row of large punctures; surface with more or less deep and wide longitudinal fossa filled with close, large punctures, and lateral, deep oblique fossa; entire surface with minute ground punctures usually distributed in anterior third of pronotum and along widely smooth lateral margin and with large, deep pits unevenly spaced throughout, lacking on sides. Elytra convex, humeral lamella with double denticles; striae deep with longitudinal, weakly crenate punctures; intervals at same level, convex, minutely, closely punctate throughout, intervals 8–10 entirely flat. Ventral sclerites moderately shiny; mesosternum with median area triangular, deplanate, surface smooth, lateral furrows deep; metasternal disc slightly concave, surface of metasternum finely punctate from side to side; abdominal sternites very narrow medially, sternite 5 equal in length to preceding sternites together; sternite 2 with row of coarse punctures, sutures of sternites 3–5 finely crenate by fine punctures, disc of pygidium not deeply eroded, punctate. Protibia in both sexes equally shaped; mesofemora and metafemora not quite parallel-sided, finely, closely punctate throughout; tarsi very short, tarsomeres quadrate; basal tarsomere of metatarsus equal in length to upper tibial spur and shorter than following two tarsomeres combined.

Male. Body usually stouter and disc of pygidium longer than in female.

Distribution. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sudan. Recorded by Endrödi (1973) from Ghana.

Remarks. Individuals of Odontolochus raffrayi vary in size, in deepness of the pronotal median fossa, and in size and spacing of pronotal punctures.

The problem of the previously discussed homonymy between Odontolochus sulcatus and Loeblietus sulcatus ( Stebnicka & Galante 2007) can now be elucidated, after comparing the name-bearing types of all taxa involved. These names are both invalid so no replacement name is needed.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Odontolochus, dorsal view, 1. O. raffrayi Paulian; 2. O. spinicollis (Harold); 3. O. paucus Schmidt; 4. O. oberthueri (Clouët); 5. O. ferenczi Endrödi.