Epicauta Dejean 1834
Creators: name: Bologna, Marco A.
name: Amore, Valentina
name: Pitzalis, Monica
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Meloidae
Epicauta

description: Genus Epicauta Dejean, 1834
The Afrotropical species of this genus, all belonging to the nominate subgenus, were taxonomically revised by Kaszab (1953c), who divided them in phenetic groups of species that we prefer do not consider here, being the phylogenetics of this genus totally unclarified.
Epicauta (Epicauta) designata (Péringuey, 1892) (Fig. 2N)
Cantharis designata Péringuey, 1892
Distribution. Angola, Mozambique, northern Namibia, and northern South Africa.
Material examined and literature records. [Caprivi] Katima Mulilo Urban: Katima Mulilo, 17.5000°S 24.2667°E (CB). [Omusati] Anamulenge: (Uutapi) 100 km ESE Ruacana (road C46), 17.5333°S 15.1167°E (CB). Ogongo: C46, Ruacana-Oshakati 5 km E of Ombalantu (=Uutapi), 17.5405°S 15.0403°E (CB). [Oshikoto] Oniipa: (Tsumeb) B1, 20 km SE Ondangwa, 17.9833°S 16.1333°E (CB). [Otjozondjupa] Okahandja: Okahandja, 21.9833°S 16.9167°E (ab. breyeri: Kaszab, 1953c).
Other records: Damaraland (Kaszab 1956) (ab. breyeri: Kaszab 1956); Ovampoland (Péringuey 1909); Namibia (Bologna 2000a; Pitzalis et al. 2014).
Remarks. Types of this species were examined at SAMC.
This species belongs to the group “III. oculata ”, as defined by Kaszab (1953c).
Epicauta (Epicauta) ovampoa (Péringuey, 1899) (Fig. 2O)
Lytta ovampoa Péringuey, 1899 Lytta damarina Péringuey, 1904
Distribution. Northern Namibia (endemic).
Material examined and literature records. [Oshikoto] Guinas: Brakpan, Outjo, 18.7833°S 17.8167°E (SMWN). [Kunene] Opuwo: C 35, 110 km NW Kamanjabroad, 18.9167°S 14.3833°E (CB). [Otjozondjupa] Grootfontein: Grootfontein, 19.5333°S 18.10°E (SMWN); Grootfontein, 19.5667°S 18.1167°E (SMWN). Otavi: Askavold 316. Kombat, 19.7052°S 17.5923°E (SMWN). Otjiwarongo: D2430, 25 km N Otjiwarongo, 20.2667°S 16.6167°E (CB). Omatako: Okosongomingo 148, 20.6167°S 17.1333°E (SMWN). [Okahandja] Ovita: 21.5228°S 16.2539°E (SMWN).
Other records: Northern Damaraland (Péringuey 1904, 1909); Ovampoland (Péringuey 1899, type locality, 1909); Namibia (Bologna 2000a; Pitzalis et al. 2014).
Remarks. Types of this species were examined at SAMC.
As the previous one, also this species belongs to the group “III. oculata ”, as defined by Kaszab (1953c).
Epicauta (Epicauta) rufifrons (Fåhraeus, 1870) (Fig. 2P)
Lytta rufifrons Fähraeus, 1870
Distribution. Northeastern Namibia (new species for this country), northeastern South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Material examined. [Kavango] Ndiyona: Kaudom-Camp, 18.5167°S 20.7167°E (CB; MNB). Remarks. Types of this species were not examined but specimens compared with them were studied at HMNH.
This species belongs to the group “I. canescens ”, as defined by Kaszab (1953c).
description: Published as part of Bologna, Marco A., Amore, Valentina & Pitzalis, Monica, 2018, Meloidae of Namibia (Coleoptera): taxonomy and faunistics with biogeographic and ecological notes, pp. 1-141 in Zootaxa 4373 (1) on pages 36-37, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4373.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1151722