Thyreocephalus africanus ( Bernhauer, 1913 ) Bernhauer, 1913

Janák, Jiří & Bordoni, Arnaldo, 2015, Revision of the genus Thyreocephalus and description of Afrus gen. nov. of Africa south of the Sahara (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Zootaxa 4038 (1), pp. 1-94 : 21

Thyreocephalus africanus ( Bernhauer, 1913) comb. nov.

( Figs. 29 , 35–39 )

Eulissus africanus Bernhauer, 1913: 230 ; Bernhauer & Schubert, 1914: 310; Tottenham, 1956: 255; Herman, 2001: 3625.

Type locality. Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukaika-Mawambi.

Type material examined. Lectotype (by present designation) ♀: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: “Ukaika-Mawambi, 1911 Grauer”, “ Eulissus , africanus, Brh. ”, “ Typus ” ( NHMW). The specimen is chosen as lectotype. The labels: “ Lectotypus Eulissus africanus Bh., Janák & Bordoni des. 2014” and “ Thyreocephalus africanus (Bh.) , Janák & Bordoni det. 2014” was attached to this specimen.

Additional material examined. CAMEROON: 2 spec.: N-Kamerun, Johann Albrechtshöhe, L. Conradt ( MFNB, JJRC); 1 spec.: N-Kamerun, Johann Albrechtshöhe, 29.viii–13.ix.1899, L. Conradt ( ABFI); 1 spec.: Neu Kamerun, S. Tessmann ( MFNB); 1 ♀: Mt Kala, 1150m, iii.1972, Darge ( MRAC); 2 spec.: Lolodorf ( DEI, ABFI). GABON: 1 ♀: Gabon, semirufus Fvl. , Eulissus, Coll. et det. A. Fauvel ( IRSNB). DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 2 ♂, 4 ♀: Zaïre, Kisangani, xi.1972, J. Taverniers ( MRAC, JJRC); 1 spec.: Ukaika-Mawambi, 1911, Grauer ( NHMW); 1 spec.: W Albert-Nyansa, Jturi Fähre, 26.viii.1891, S. Stuhlmann ( ABFI); 1 spec.: Belg. Congo, Rwindi Camp, 5.v.1948, A. Emerson ( FMNH); 2 ♂, 1 ♀: Congo, Oubanghi-Chari, Bangui, i–iii.1968, ex coll. Breuning ( MRAC, JJRC); 1 ♀: Zaïre, Etata, Tshuapa, ix.1970, J. Hauwaerts ( MRAC); 1 ♀: Congo, Haut-Uelé: Moto, L. Burgeon 1923, “ Thyreocephalus n. sp. near Eulissus semiflavus Bernh. ” ( MRAC); 2 spec.: Haut-Uelé, Moto, 1922, L. Burgeon ( MRAC); 1 ♂: Haut-Uelé, Moto, 1923, L. Burgeon ( MRAC); 1 ♀: Haut-Uelé, Watsa, L. Burgeon 1922 ( MRAC); 1 ♂, 1 ♀: Watsa à Niangara, vii.1920, L. Burgeon ( MRAC); 1 ♀: Uele, Dingila, v.1933, H. J. Brédo ( MRAC); 1 ♂: Congo, Bangu, xi.1927, R. Mayné ( MRAC). REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 2 ♂, 1 ♀: Soil Zoological Exp. Congo-Brazaville, Lefinie reservation, Mbéokala forest, 10.i.1964, Endrödy-Younga ( HNHM, JJRC); 1 ♂: Soil Zoological Exp. Congo-Brazaville, Lefinie reservation, Mbéokala forest, 13.i.1964, Endrödy- Younga ( HNHM); 6 ♂, 4 ♀: Soil Zoological Exp. Congo-Brazaville, Lefinie reservation, Nambouli river, 12.i.1964, Endrödy-Younga ( HNHM, JJRC); 1 ♀: Soil Zoological Exp. Congo-Brazaville, Lefinie reservation, Nambouli river, 2.i.1964, Endrödy-Younga ( HNHM); 1 ♂, 1 ♀: Soil Zoological Exp. Congo-Brazaville, Lefinie Reservation, Nambouli river, 7.i.1964, Endrödy-Younga ( HNHM, JJRC); 2 ♂: Soil Zoological Exp. Congo- Brazaville, Lefinie reservation, Nambouli river, Endrödy-Younga 11.i.1964 ( HNHM)

Redescription. Body length 17–23 mm; length from anterior margin of head to posterior margin of elytra: 7.5– 8.5 mm. Head and pronotum black, metasternum, elytra and scutellum reddish brown, abdomen yellowish; antennae and legs brown. Body shiny, massive. Head with micro-punctation. Head and pronotum and related punctation as in Fig. 35 ; labrum as in Fig. 36 . Elytra slightly longer and wider than pronotum, scarcely dilated posteriad, with marked humeral angles. Surface with very fine and sparse punctation, most punctures arranged in four series, two irregular near suture, one median and one lateral. Abdomen with extremely fine and dense, transverse micro-striation and very fine punctation, arranged in numerous series on each segment.

Male. Lateral parts of temples densely and rather coarsely punctate. Tergite 10 and sternite 9 of the male genital segment as in Figs. 37, 38 . Aedeagus ( Fig. 39 ) large, 2 mm long, with very long and narrow, sub-ovoid median lobe; parameres symmetrical, diaphanous; inner sac ribbon-like, long and narrow, covered with sparse little scales.

Female. Lateral parts of temples impunctate.

Differential diagnosis. Thyreocephalus africanus differs from the most similar T. pseudoafricanus sp. nov. in unicolored yellow abdomen and longer and narrower median lobe of aedeagus and longer paramere.

Distribution. The species is distributed Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon and Republic of Congo ( Fig. 29 ).

Bionomics. Some specimens were collected in excrement of elephants and fruits.

Remarks. As the superior line of pronotal hypomeron is turning downwards well before middle, joining or almost joining inferior line next to front margin of procoxae and continuing onto anterior margin of pronotum, the species was transferred from Eulissus to Thyreocephalus . In the description Bernhauer also cites Cameroon.

Figures

FIGURE 29. Distribution of species in Thyreocephalus pilosus group (● = T. africanus (Bernhauer), Δ = T. brunneiventris (Tottenham), ▲ = T. pilosus (Roth), ☆ T. pseudoafricanus sp. nov., ○ = T. secretus (Bernhauer), ★ = T. tsingidianus sp. nov.).

FIGURES 35 – 39. Thyreocephalus africanus (Bernhauer); 35, head and pronotum (iop—interior ocular puncture; poppostocular punctures); 36, labrum; 37, male tergite 10; 38, male sternite 9; 39, aedeagus.