Omophron (Omophron) distinctum Bänninger, 1918: 108

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 : 205-206

Omophron (Omophron) distinctum Bänninger, 1918: 108

Typ. Loc.: unspecified.

= Omophron lippensi Deleve, 1924: 104 Loc. Typ. : Djoko-Punda (Kasaï).

Material examined. CAMEROON: Younde [3.859642, 11.512660] (2 ♀, MRAC) . DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Kondue [-4.952389, 23.332472] (Holotype ♁, ETHZ) ; Kondue (1 ♁, Cotype, ETHZ) ; Mai— Ndombe Province , Inongo, Lake Mai-Ndombe, 11.- 24.06.1925, Prince Leopold leg. [-1.921241, 18.282125] (1 ♁, ETHZ; 1 ♁, ISNB) ; Environs Lac Leopold II, 11-24.juin 1925, Prince Leopold (1ex, ISNB) ; Sankuru , Kondue, Luja leg. (1 ♁, MRAC); Kasai Province, Djokopunda , 10.08.1921, Schouteden leg. [-5.459859, 20.977676] (Holotype ♀ of O. lippensi, MRAC ) ; Djokopunda , 10.08.1921, Schouteden leg. (1 ♀, 1 unsexed, Paratypes of O. lippensi, MRAC ) ; Congo Belge Centr., Kassai, 1904, Tayman leg. (1 ♀, Cotype, MNHN) ; Congo Belge Centr. Kassai, 1904, Tayman leg. [-4.370733, 20.571214] (5 ♀, 2 ♁, MNHN) ; Congo belge, Libenge , 04.01.1948, R. Cremer & M. Neuman leg. [3.657719, 18.627791] (1♁, ISNB) .

Differential diagnosis. Similar to O. africanum , but differ by less rounded sides of the pronotum, narrower epipleura, convex elytral intervals and more strongly punctate striae.

Redescription. Body length 4.82–4.93 mm; width 3.49–3.53 mm. Habitus ( Fig. 2 ).

Color: head, pronotum, elytra, legs and antennae pale brown. Elytral pattern brown. Mandibles brown, the apex dark brown, almost black. Venter excluding epipleura brown; epipleural sides of elytra and pronotum lighter.

Head fairly flat, faintly wrinkled, impunctate; light brown, with paler anterior half. Sub-ocular ridge well developed, curved upwards and slightly rounded. Clypeus flat, bisetose, with curved upwards sides. Labrum with bi-sinuate anterior margin and six setae, sides moderately rounded. Anterior angles of labrum rounded. Antennal scape bisetose at apex, antennomeres 3 and 4 with setae along lateral margin, 5–11 covered with thin setae. Gena weakly wrinkled. HW: 1.68–1.71 mm.

Pronotum (PL: 1.28–1.33 mm, PW: 2.76–2.80 mm.) moderately convex, base bi-sinuate on each side, sides rounded near anterior angles and curved near base, with moderately wide edge expanding toward the anterior angles. Anterior angles nearly acute, strongly prominent forward. Pronotum longitudinally verrucate. Median impression well developed but shallow. Prosternum faintly wrinkled, proepisternum smooth, sternum faintly wrinkled laterally.

Elytra (EL: 3.19–3.25 mm, EW: 3.49–3.53 mm.) moderately convex, oval. Elytra with 15 striae. Striae well developed, distinctly punctate, punctures broad and moderately deep. Intervals flattened on disc, convex on sides. In the apical two thirds of the elytra, the striae remain evanescent, but extend to the apex. Metasternum and mesosternum smooth; mesepisternum, metepisternum faintly wrinkled, sterna more strongly wrinkled laterally.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 5 ). Median lobe small relatively short, ventral side slightly arcuate in basal half and straight in apical half. Apex straight or slightly upturned in lateral view. Apical lamella very short and wide, in dorsal view widely rounded.

Distribution. Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (Map. 1).

References. Bänninger 1918; Csiki 1927; Dupuis 1911; Deleve 1924.

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.