Sepedon (Parasepedon) ruficeps Becker, 1923

Sepedon scapularis Verbeke (nec Adams) in Verbeke 1950 Fig. 13; 62. Misidentification corrected by Verbeke 1963: 59 Sepedon neavei Verbeke (nec Steyskal, 1956) in Verbeke 1961: 44. Misidentification corrected by Verbeke 1963: 59

Sepedon adamsi Steyskal in Steyskal & Verbeke 1956: 3 (South Yemen). Synonymy by Verbeke 1963: 59

Sepedon spectabilis Frey, 1958: 25 (Cape Verde Is.). Synonymy by Verbeke 1963: 59

References to figures: Knutson et al. 1967 (III instar larVae, puparium); Verbeke 1961 (aedeagus, surstylus) (as S. neavei Steyskal); Verbeke 1963 (aedeagus, surstyli); Gbedjissi 1997 (egg, I, II, III instar larVae; puparium).

Holotype: ♂, (♀ according to Verbeke 1963: 59) SUDAN: Tonga, 12.iv.1914, F. Werner (NHMW) .

WEST AFRICA: GAMBIA: Central River Div. (south bank), Lower Fulladu, Jahalty-Pecharr Project, on rice, 10♂ 2♀, 28.viii.1997, D.J. Mann (OUM) ; same data 2♂ 1♀ (NMWC); W. Div., Kombo District, Lamin Bridge, rice field near Lamin Bolan, tidal waterway, on young rice , 2♀, 2.ix.1997, D. J. Mann (OUM); W. Div., Abuko Forest Reserve 1♂, 25.xi.1993, C . E. Dyte (NMWC); Bansang, swept from rice 1♂ 1♀, 17.xii.1974, W. Snow (M. Speight) . GUINEA: Nimba, Yalanzou, 1♂, 11.vi.1942, M . Lamotte (MNHNP); Bissau 1♂ 1♀, ii–iv.1896, Bottego (Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genoa) . CAPE VERDE IS.: S. Antão (Frey, 1958 as S. spectabilis); 1.ii–iv.1896, Bottego (Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Genoa) . IVORY COAST: Lamto, Bandama 1♂ 1♀, 22.ii.1971, D . Lachaise (MNHNP). BURKINA FASO (as UPPER VOLTA): Ouaga, 1♀, 9.viii.1970, J . G. Pointel (MNHNP) . BÉNIN: Calavi, IITA, light trap, fallow, 1♂, 16.ix.1994, H.E. Davis (NMWC); Bas Dahomey, 1♀, xii.1906 (MNHNP). NIGERIA: Zaria, Samaru, 7♂ ♀, pupae coll. 28.iii.1973, emerged 31.iii–3.iv.1973, Deeming & Knutson (USNM); Zaria, Samaru Lake, 39♂ ♀, pupae coll. 23–25.iii.1967, emerged 24–31.iii.1967, Deeming (NHMUK, IARS, USNM) ; Zaria, Samaru Lake, shore 1♂ ♀ in copula, 7.iii.1967, Deeming (USNM) ; same locality 2♂ 1♀, 3.xi.1967; 1♂1♀, 4.xii.1971; 1♀, 29.xi.1971; 5♂1♀, 21.iii.1973; 1♂, 23.iii.1973; 2♂, 26.iii.1973; 6♂♀, 28.iii.1973; 1♂, 2.iv.1973, Deeming (USNM) ; same locality 1♀, 5.iii.1966; 1♂, 23.i.1967, Deeming (CU); same locality 2♂ 1♀, 7,23,24. iii.1967, Deeming (NHMUK) ; Zaria, Samaru, irrig. ditch 1♂2♀, 16.ii.1966, Deeming (CU); Zaria, Samaru, 1♀, 4.ii.1969, Deeming (USNM) ; 1♂, 24.vii.1968 (IARS); Zaria, irrig. ditch 1♂ 1♀, 15.iv.1966, Deeming (CU); Zaria, Kufena pond , 1♂ 2♀, 25.xi.1966, J.C. Deeming (CU) same location and date and collector, 1♂1♀, (IARS); Zaria, Dumbi Wood, pond 2♂, 26.x.1969, Deeming (NHMUK) ; (some 1966 and 1967 records from Zaria also in Knutson (1968)); Bauchi, pond 3♂ 1♀, 5.iii.1997, Deeming (NMWC) ; Ibadan 3♂ 2♀, 30.xi.1976, Deeming (IARS) ; Kaduna, 1♂, 1.xi.1970, Deeming, (NHMUK) ; Nr. Funtua, Maska Fish Farm, 1♂, 15.xi.1970, Deeming (NHMUK); 5 mi. W. Lake Chad, ox-bow lake nr . Yobi River, 1♂ 1♀, 8–10.iv.1967, Deeming (NHMUK) . CAMEROUN: Bille / Meme, 20km. W. Kumba, 2, 14, 21, 23.ii.1968, Disney (1♂ 2♀, CU; 3♂ 3♀, USNM) .

Other new records: EGYPT: Baharia Oasis, 2♂, 16–23.ii.1938, H.C.E. (Univ. Cairo); same location, no other data (CU). ETHIOPIA: Bahar Dar, 1♂, i.1969; 1♀ vi–vii.1969, 1 ♂, xii.1968, P. Schäuffele; same locality 2♂, 11.x.1968, K.W. & H. Harde (SMS). REPUBLIC OF CONGO (formerly French Equatorial Africa (part), French Congo, Middle Congo): Haut-Ituri, Nioka, 1750m., 3♂, i–ii.1975, P. Schäuffele (SMS). CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Entre Sam-Quito et N’Jolé, 1♂, 1900, J. Bouyssou (NMWC). KENYA: Naivasha, 14–17.i.1972, A. Freidberg (1♂, USNM, 1♂, TAU). TANZANIA: Lake Victoria, Mwanza, 16 ex. 1–5.vii.1969, P. Ardö (RD); Malagarsi, 100 mi. E. Kigoma, 3730ft. 1♀, 7.xi.1947, M. Steele (NHMUK); Dar-es-Salam, 1 ex. vii.1969, P. Ardö (RD). ZAMBIA: nr. Lake Bangweulu, N. Salushi Is. 1♂, 16.xi.1946, M. Steele (NHMUK). ANGOLA: (A 24), 3 mi. N. Santa Corriba, 1♂, 7–8.iii.1972, B. Cogan (NHMUK); Hulla Distr., Rio Coroca, 8 mi. N. Porto Alexandre, 5♂ 5♀, 23.vi.1954, J. Balfour Browne (NHMUK). SOUTH WEST AFRICA: (W49) Rietfontein, 23 mi. S.W. Grootfontein, 1♀, 3.iv.1972, B. Cogan (NHMUK). BOTSWANA: (BB) nr. Moremi Reserve, 19°27ʹS, 23°45ʹE, 2♂ 1♀, 20.iv.1972, B. Cogan (NHMUK). MOZAMBIQUE: Luabo, no sex, number, i.1956, P. Usher (NM, D. Barraclough, in litt.).

Published records. TANZANIA (Verbeke 1962b): SUDAN (Becker 1923); DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: (Verbeke 1950, 1961, 1962b, 1963); CHAD: (Verbeke 1962b); RWANDA: (Verbeke 1950): SOUTH YEMEN: (Steyskal & Verbeke 1956): WEST ADEN PROTECTORATE: (Steyskal & Verbeke 1956): ETHIOPIA: (Steyskal & Verbeke 1956; Knutson et al. 1967); CAPE VERDE IS.: S. Antão (Frey 1958 as S. spectabilis); BÉNIN: (Vala et al. 1994); SAUDI ARABIA: (Deeming & Dawah 2015).

Biology. Knutson et al. 1967; Gbedjissi 1997; Gbedjissi et al. 2003; Gbedjissi & Vala 2014. Primarily predators of freshwater snails, opportunistic predators of freshwater oligochaetes.