Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 93. (Budapest 2001)

Kirejtshuk, A. G.: Notes on the systematics of the African Nitidulidae (Coleoptera)

Variability - Length 2.2-3.2 mm. Many paratypes from Tanzania, Namibia and Madagascar have coloration and spots on elytra similar to the holotype, i.e. they look rather like C. (C.) bifenestratus MURRAY, 1964 or C. (C.) binotatus MURRAY, 1864, while the remaining paratypes are more similar to C. (C.) hemipterus (LINNAEUS, 1758) or C. (C.)quadrisignatusERlCHSON, 1843, i.e. they are brownish with humeral yellowish humeral spots and lightened elytral apices. Last labial palpomcre is rather variable and very frequently somewhat longer than wide at truncate or oblique apex. Antennái club is usually darker than stem (flagellum), however, sometimes very light, and with shape subtriangular to suboval. Prosternai process is usually with a distinct and shining carina, although sometimes the carina is somewhat smoothed. The ridges of distal plate are somewhat variable in both shape and level of development, paramedian depressions are almost round to slightly transverse. Diagnosis -This new species in its aedeagal characters is rather similar to the species closely related to C. (C.) ligatns MURRAY, 1864: C. (C.) delkeskampi HlSAMATSU, 1963; C. (C.) indiens HlSAMATSU, 1963; C. (C.) jelineki AUDISIO et KIREJTSHUK, 1988 than to other species of the hemipterus group, including both externally similar mentioned species [C. (C.) hemipterus or C. (C.) quadrisignatus] and the species with the only small yellow spot on each elytron: C. (C.) bifenestratus; C. (C.) bipustulatus (HEER, 1841); C. (C.) bisignatus BOHEMAN, 1851 ; C. (C.) binotatus; C. (C.) spinosusKIREJTSHUK, 1995 and C. (C.) tegmenalis KIREJTSHUK, 1995. The variability of the new species seems to be as great as in C. (C.) delkeskampi (KIREJTSHUK, in press). In contrast to the first four species mentioned above, this new species usually has a very small yellow spot at inner subapical corner of each elytron as well as lateral lobes of tegmen with subrectilinear inner outline and with weakly externally projecting subapical expansion, meanwhile the 4 other species, as a rule, have larger spots on elytra as well as the inner outline of lateral lobes of tegmen in C. (C.) delkeskampi and C. (C.) indiens are rarther concave at apices, but these lobes of C. (C.) jelineki are rather peculiar and and only apices of tegmen of C. (C.) ligatus are similar in shape to those of the new species, although the entire tegmen of C. (C.) ligatus is much longer and distinctly less curved. The lateral lobes of tegmen of the new species have an outline more parallel than those in other compared species (in dorsal view). Many paratypes of • Figs 1-19. Species of subgenus Carpophilus sensu stricto of genus Carpophilus [Carpophilinae] (orig.). 1-7: C. (C.) africanus sp. n., 1 = elytron with dotted outline of yellow spot, dorsal; 2 = mentum with labial palpus, ventral; 3 = prosternai process and distal plate of mesosternum, ventral; 4 = ventral plate and spiculumgastrale; 5 = tegmen, ventral; 6 = tegmen, lateral; 7 = ovipositor, ventral. 8-15: C. (C.) celisi sp. n., 8 = body, dorsal; 9 = anterior part offrons; 10 = mentum with labial palpus, ventral; 11 = prosternai process and distal plate of mesosternum, ventral; 12 = ventral plate and spiculum gastrale; 13 = tegmen, ventral; 14 = tegmen, lateral; 15 = ovipositor, ventral. 16-19: C. (C.) bistigma Grouvellc, 1908, 16 = mentum with labial palpus, ventral; 17 = prosternai process and distal plate of mesosternum, ventral; 18 = tegmen, ventral; 19 = tegmen, lateral. Scales: A - to Figs 1, 8; B to Figs 2-3, 9-11, 16-17; C- to Figs 4-7, 12-15, 18-19