Lebia (Nematopeza) auberti
Creators: name: Rasool, Iftekhar
name: Abdel-Dayem, Mahmoud S.
name: Felix, Ron F. F. L.
name: Aldhafer, Hathal M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Carabidae
Lebia
Lebia auberti

description: Lebia (Nematopeza) auberti (Fairmaire, 1892)
Nematopeza auberti Fairmaire, 1892: 84
Type locality: Djibouti, Obock.
Type depository: Syntype in MNHN.
Material examined. Total 8 specimens: Al Baha: 1 ♂ “ KSA, Al Makhwa, Shada Al Aala, N19°51.066' E41°18.037' Alt. 1325 m, 02.IX.2015, (LT)., 1 ♀, “ N19°51.762' E41°18.089' Alt. 1225 m, 08.XII. 20114, (LT), H. Al Dhafer, M.S. Abdel-Dayem, H. H. Fadl., A. El Turkey, A. Elgharbawy & I. Rasool ”. Asir: 1 ♀, “ KSA, Abha, Wadi Rayda, N18°11.749' E42°23.345' Alt. 1614 m, 21.II.2014, (LT)., 1 ♀, “ N18°11.679' E42°23.691' Alt. 1851 m 21.II.2014, (LT), Al Dhafer H., M.S. Abdel-Dayem., H. H. Fadl, A. El Turkey, A. Elgharbawy & I. Rasool ”. 3 ♂, “ N18°11.749' E42°23.345' Alt. 1614 m, 24.II.2014, (LT), I. Rasool ”. 1 ♀, N18° 10.293' E42° 22.195' Alt. 1150 m, 16.IV.2016, (LT), H. Al Dhafer, M. S. Abdel-Dayem, B. Daniele, A. Soliman., A. Al Ansi & I. Rasool. ” [KSMA].
Recognition. Large sized species (Fig. 18), TBL 7.50–8.50 mm. Colour: Head, antennomeres IV–XI, pronotum and tarsi rufo-testaceous, head sometimes brunneous; antennomeres I– III and mouthparts testaceous; elytra testaceous with an anchor-shaped brunneous macula in middle, elongate humeral macula and preapical spot testaceous; epipleurae pale testaceous at anterior half and brunneous at posterior half. Microsculpture: Labrum and elytra with isodiametric mesh structures; abdominal sterna with weak microlines medially. Head: As long as wide, HL 1.30–1.35 mm and HW 1.42–1.50 mm, narrower than pronotum, dorsum strongly wrinkled, heavily punctate between eyes; clypeus sculptured, labrum broad with truncate anterior margin, lateral epilobes of mentum divided by suture (Fig. 30). Pronotum: Transverse, PW 1.80–2.00 mm and PL 1.20–1.30 mm, lateral margin rounded anteriorly, straight and explanate at posterior half, not sinuate in front of posterior angles, posterior angles almost right, pronotal base lobate in middle; dorsum strongly wrinkled (Fig. 30). Elytra: Subovoid, EL 4.40–5.25 mm and EW 3.00– 3.60 mm, widest behind middle, lateral margin obliquely convex, apex of elytra finely serrate, striae complete, intervals finely and sparsely punctuated. Legs: Tibiae of mid leg in males crenulated at inner side at apical edge. Abdomen: All sterna pubescent, scattered in the middle, very dense laterally; apical margin of last sternum rounded and bi-setose in male and female. Aedeagus: Elongate with length 1.98 mm (Fig. 38), in lateral view aedeagus is straight ventrally and dorsally, broadened and thickened in the middle; apical lamina abruptly narrowed, apical orificium elongate, sinuate near base.
Affinity: Distinguished from other Saudi Arabian species of the subgenus Nematopeza by serrate apical edge of elytra, crenulated inner side of apical end in male mesotibiae and aedeagus straight ventrally and dorsally, sinuate near the base.
Ecology. Members of this species were found in steep slopes of Rayda and Shada Al Ala nature reserves, at 1225–1851 m altitude. The adults were collected from places covered by different vegetation that dominated by Cactus shrubs Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae) or Acacia spp. The adult beetles were attracted to UV-light during winter in December and February.
Geographical distribution. It is only known from its type locality Djibouti (Fairmaire, 1892; Anichtchenko, 2016) and Saudi Arabia (Mateu, 1986; Kabak, 2003). It is recorded from southwest Saudi Arabia from Baha and Asir provinces (Fig. 43). This range exemplifies AFA Chorotype with Afrotropical affinity.
description: Published as part of Rasool, Iftekhar, Abdel-Dayem, Mahmoud S., Felix, Ron F. F. L. & Aldhafer, Hathal M., 2018, A review of the Subtribe Lebiina Bonelli (Lebiini, Carabidae, Coleoptera) from Southwest of Saudi Arabia, pp. 87-102 in Zootaxa 4379 (1) on pages 90-91, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4379.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/1172356