Omophron (Omophron) africanum Rousseau, 1908: 3

Anichtchenko, Alexander & Valainis, Uldis, 2023, Revision of the subgenus Omophron (s. str.) Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera: Carabidae Omophron) of the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 5284 (2), pp. 201-246 : 204-205

Omophron (Omophron) africanum Rousseau, 1908: 3

Loc. Typ.: Congo [Kinshasa].

= Omophron distinctum Deleve, 1924: 104 , nec Bänninger, 1918: 108

Material examined. CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: 35 km E N’Dele , 450 m, 8°29’N, 20°57’E, 18.05.2009, Jiri Halada leg. [8.469653, 20.947228] (1 ♁, PSC) . DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Kinshasa, 18.01.1900, Waelbroeck leg. [-4.334537, 15.384529] (1 ♁, 1 ♀, Syntypes, ISNB) ; Kinshasa, 01.1947, Dartevelle leg. (1 ♀, MRAC) ; Congo (1 ♁, ISNB) ; Djokopunda, 10.08.1921, Schouteden leg. [-5.457902, 20.979264] (2 ♁, ETHZ; 4 ♁, 7 ♀, MRAC) ; Kasai, Kondue , Luja leg. [-4.956410, 23.338536] (7 ♁, 7 ♀, MRAC) ; Congo Belge Centr., Kassai , 1904, Taymans leg. (23 ♀, 10 ♁, MNHN; 1ex, ETHZ) ; Kondue , 1904, Luja leg. (3 ex, ETHZ; 1 ♁, 1 ♀, ISNB; 1 ♁, MRAC) ; Kondue (1 ♁, Paratype, MRAC; 2 ex, ETHZ; 2 ♁, ISNB) ; Condue (1 ♀, ZMHB) ; Haut Zaire Province, Bambesa, Alipago , 02.1935, Leroy leg. [3.563908, 25.750691] (1 ♁, MRAC) ; Congo belge, Libenge , 04.01.1948, Cremer & Neuman leg. [3.657208, 18.627767] (5 ♁, 11 ♀, ISNB) ; Congo belge, Libenge, Zambi , 06.01.1948, Cremer & Neuman leg. [3.166873, 18.633864] (18 ♁, 1 ♀, ISNB; 4 ♁, 8 ♀, MRAC) ; Sankuru, 09.1924, Ghesquiere leg. [-4.147332, 22.921506] (21 ♁, 46 ♀, MRAC; 1 ♀, MNHN) .? TANZANIA: Lake Victoria , 1923, Rosoum leg. (1 ♁, ISNB) .

Differential diagnosis. Similar to O. distinctum , but differ by broadly and evenly rounded sides of pronotum, widened epipleura, intervals 1–5 flat on the disc and striae weakly punctate.

Redescription. Body length 4.15–5.14 mm; width 2.97–3.6 mm. Habitus ( Fig. 1 ).

Color: head, pronotum, elytra, legs and antennae light brown. Elytral pattern brown. Mandibles pale brown, their apical part dark brown, almost black. Venter, except epipleura, brown; proepipleura and elytral epipleura paler.

Head relatively flat, gently wrinkled, without punctuation; light brown, with paler anterior half. Subocular ridge well developed, curved upwards and slightly rounded. Clypeus gently wrinkled, bisetose, with upwardly curved anterior margin. Labrum with inwardly curved anterior margin and six setae, sides moderately rounded. Anterior angles of labrum rounded. Antenomere 1 bisetose at apex, antennomeres 3 and 4 with setae along lateral margin, 5–11 pubescent. HW: 1.3–1.65 mm.

Pronotum (PL: 1.03–1.22 mm, PW: 2.64–3.12 mm.) moderately convex, base bi-sinuate on each side, sides broadly and evenly rounded, with wide border expanded towards the anterior margin. Anterior angles almost acute. Pronotum with dense, long longitudinal wrinkles, slightly effaced on the disc. Median impression well developed but shallow. Prosternum and pro-episternum smooth, sterna wrinkled laterally.

Elytra (EL: 2.67–3.12 mm, EW: 2.97–3.61 mm.) moderately convex, ovate. Elytron with 15 striae. Elytral pattern with indistinct boundaries. Striae shallow, weakly punctate, punctures small and shallow; evanescent in apical two-thirds. Intervals flat on the disc, laterally convex. Metasternum smooth; proepisternum and met-episternum faintly wrinkled, more strongly on the sides. Elytral epipleura clearly widened at shoulders.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 4 ). Median lobe small and relatively thick, ventral side evenly arcuate from base to apex. Apex slightly downturned in lateral view. Apical lamella moderately long, apically rounded.

Distribution. Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo,? Tanzania (Map. 1).

References. Csiki 1927; Deleve 1924; Dupuis 1911, 1912; Rousseau 1908.

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Habitus of Omophron africanum- species group, dorsal view: 1—O. (O.) africanum; 2—O. (O.) distinctum; 3—O. (O.) pallidum sp. n. (Paratype). Scale bar 5 mm.

FIGURES 4–6.Aedeagus structure. a—apex in dorsal view, b—right lateral view: 4—O. (O.) africanum; 5—O. (O.) distinctum; 6—O. (O.) pallidum sp. n. (Paratype). Scale bar 1 mm.