Hesperus kraatzi EPPELSHEIM 1895

Hromádka, L., 2012, Revision of the Afrotropical species of the genus Hesperus FAUVEL (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina), Linzer biologische Beiträge 44 (1), pp. 551-589 : 563-564

Hesperus kraatzi EPPELSHEIM 1895 (Figs 38-40)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: //Togoland, West Africa , ded. Kraatz , krattzi Epp., c. Eppelsh, Steind. d. [ochre oblong label handwritten], TYPUS [red oblong printed label]. ( NHMW). A d d i t i o n a l m a t e r i a l: Democratic Republic of the Congo:, Massif Ruwenzori, river

(moyenne), affl., Semliki, 1,830m, 29.viii.1956, P. Vanschuytbroeck (LHPC). Kamerun:, Jüh.

Albrechttshütle. 1.vii.-31.viii.1897, L. Conradt. (LHPC).

R e d e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 7.9-8.8 mm, length of fore body (to end of elytra) 3.8-4.7 mm.

C o l o u r a t i o n: Body and antennae black, head and pronotum distinctly goldenbrown iridescent, maxillary and labial palpi, mandibles and legs dark brown.

Head wider than long (ratio 37: 27), slightly narrowed posteriad, posterior angles with one small tooth like in Philonthus morio BOHEMAN 1848 , bluntly rounded, bearing one long and two short black bristles. Clypeus medially with four coarse punctures arranged in shape of a square. With wide impunctate midline, each side with many coarse punc-

tures arranged in shape of a "V". Eyes slightly projecting, shorter than temples (ratio 11: 13). Surface with microsculpture consisting of transverse waves.

Antennae long, reaching posterior sixth of pronotum when reclined. Antennomeres 1-4 and 11 longer than wide, antennomeres 5-6 as long as wide, antennomeres 7-10 wider than long.

Pronotum as long as wide, distinctly narrowed posteriad. Anterior angles obtusely rounded with several punctures, bearing two long and several short black bristles, posterior angles markedly rounded, base straight. With wide impunctate midline, each side with scattered punctures, each dorsal row with ten coarse punctures. Surface with microsculpture similar to that on head.

Scutellum very densely and coarsely punctate, diameter of punctures much larger than eye-facets, interstices very small, punctures mostly contiguous.

Elytra wider than long (ratio 45: 42), parallel-sided, anterior angles and sides with several bristles of unequal length. Punctation much finer than that on scutellum, punctures as large as eye-facets, separated by a puncture diameter or slightly less. Surface without microsculpture; setation brown.

Legs. Metatibia longer than metatarsus (ratio 29: 23), metatarsomere 1 slightly shorter than metatarsomere 5, as long as metatarsomeres 2-3 combined.

Abdomen wide, from visible tergite 3 slightly narrowed posteriad, first three visible tergites with two basal lines, elevated area between basal lines punctate, punctation of remaining tergites slightly coarser and sparser than that on elytra. Surface between punctures without microsculpture; setation similar to that on head.

Male. Protarsomeres 1-3 slightly dilated and sub-bilobed, each covered with modified pale setae ventrally, protarsomere 4 smaler than preceding ones. Aedeagus (Figs 38-40).

Female. Protarsomeres 1-4 similar to those of male, but slightly less dilated.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s Hesperus kraatzi may be distinguished from the similar H. sparsiceps by the shorter eyes and golden-brown iridescent pronotum.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, French Equatorial Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda. ( HERMAN 2001).