Acylophorus orientalis Fauvel
Creators: name: Lott, Derek A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Staphylinidae
Acylophorus
Acylophorus orientalis

description: Acylophorus orientalis Fauvel
(Figs 1, 28–33, 51, 77, 109)
Acylophorus orientalis Fauvel, 1907: 48; Eichelbaum, 1913: 129; Bernhauer and Schubert, 1916: 439; Bernhauer and Scott, 1931: 588; Scheerpeltz, 1974: 25; Herman, 2001: 3034.
Acylophorus picipennis Bernhauer, 1929: 124; Scheerpeltz, 1933: 1467; Herman, 2001: 3035 (new synonym). Acylophorus marginalis Cameron, 1948: 42; Tottenham, 1961: 205; Herman, 2001: 3033 (new synonym).
Redescription. Length 6.5–7.5 mm. Body black or pitchy, often with iridescent abdomen. Pronotum, elytra and hind margins of abdominal tergites sometimes paler, the elytra in particular sometimes being partly red. Abdominal tergite and sternite VIII both with dark median band between pale base and apex. Legs, antennae and palpi largely pale, but middle segments of antennae sometimes infuscated. The terminal segment of the maxillary palpi is also noticeably darker in most specimens.
Head of average size for the genus (pronotum 1.75x wider than head), nearly as long as wide (<1.1x wider than long) with temples rounded and not very evident (Fig. 1). Mostly shining with sparse micro-punctures more or less confined to front of head and inside eyes, but with dense short pubescence behind eyes. Two pairs of interocular setae arising from foveate punctures much closer to eyes than each other. A line of five postocular setae on each side plus an additional rather short seta out of line on the hind margin of the eye. Underside of head with long, but sparse pubescence, strongly depressed at base. Gular sutures continued to base of head, separate throughout their length, though proximate where they enter the depression at the base of head (Figs 28, 29). Mandibles with one medial tooth on right and two on left (Fig. 33). Maxillary palpi with terminal segment elongate and densely pubescent, slightly more rounded on outer margin than inner margin, but almost symmetric, longer than glabrous penultimate segment which is slightly elongate (Fig. 51). Antennae inserted right on front margin of head with no pigmented area in front of the insertion. First segment of antenna longer than next three. Segments I to VII elongate, IX to XI transverse (Fig. 77).
Pronotum weakly transverse (1.2x wider than long) with rounded sides, widest in basal half. Shining with no micro-punctures. One pair of dorsal setae. One pair of lateral setae. Marginal setae long. Elytra strongly transverse (1.6x wider than long) with long, close pubescence and dense asperate punctures. Hind margins supporting a fringe of bristles that are thicker, but not longer than the remaining pubescence. Abdominal tergites also with long pubescence and strong asperate punctures, but not quite as dense as on elytra and becoming sparser toward the hind margin of each tergite. Punctures on tergite VII as strong as on tergite III except for apical band which is free of punctures. Dorsal aspect of the genital segment as in fig. 30. Apex of male sternite IX slightly incised (Fig. 31). Female gonocoxites as in fig. 32.
Aedeagus narrow with the paramere divided into two closely aligned, but separate parallel lobes, each lobe being straight, narrow and strongly keeled on the dorsal surface so that they are laterally compressed (Fig. 109). The internal pegs are confusedly distributed along the margins of the apical half of each lobe, sometimes more densely packed at the mid-point and the apex giving the appearance of a gap. The median lobe is generally slightly expanded at the apex and normally only just surpasses the paramere.
Type material. Fauvel described the species from specimens collected by Alluaud between June 1903 and May 1904 in Kenya at Voï, Kisoumou, “baie de Kavirondo” and “steppe Masai près Nairobi”. Two specimens in the Fauvel collection can be recognised as belonging to the type series. One specimen carries conflicting labels referring to two separate localities, both conforming to data for the type locality given by Fauvel. The other carries a date label that conflicts with data given by Fauvel, possibly the result of a transcription error. They are conspecific, but one specimen is abnormally pale to the extent that it does not match the original description, so the darker specimen is here designated as the lectotype in order to fix the identity of the species. Lectotype Ƥ: “AFRIQUE OR le ANGLAISE; BAIE DE KAVIRONDO; (VICTORIA-NYANZA N.- E.); CH. ALLUAUD IX–X. 1903 / Voï 1–4; afr. or. angl. / orientalis Fvl. / R.I.Sc.N.B. 17.479; Coll. et det. A. Fauvel / Syntype / LECTOTYPE Acylophorus orientalis Fauvel Ƥ det. DA Lott, 2009” (IRSNB). Paralectotype Ƥ: “MUSEUM PARIS; AFRIQUE ORIENT. ANGL; KISOUMOU; (VICTORIA-NYANZA); CH ALLUAUD 1904 / Oct. / Coll. et det. A. Fauvel; Acylophorus orientalis Fauv.; R.I.Sc.N.B. 17.479 / Syntype / PARALECTOTYPE Acylophorus orientalis Fauvel Ƥ det. DA Lott, 2009” (IRSNB).
Acylophorus picipennis Bernhauer. The species was described from material collected by Schouteden at Luebo on 16th September 1921. Only one specimen conforming to these details has been located, here designated as the lectotype in order to fix the identity of the species. Lectotype 3: “ MUSÉE DU CONGO / Luebo; - IX – 1921; Schouteden / picipennis Brh. Typ / Acylophorus picipennis Brh. Typus. / Chicago NHMus M. Bernhauer Collection / LECTOTYPE Acylophorus picipennis Bernhauer 3 det. DA Lott, 2009 / Acylophorus orientalis Fauvel 3 det. DA Lott, 2009” (FMNH). Bernhauer separated A. picipennis from A. orientalis on colour, head shape, pronotum shape, punctation on the elytra and iridescence on the abdomen. In fact, all these characters in the type fall within the range of variation exhibited by A. orientalis. Consequently, A. picipennis is here synonymised with A. orientalis.
Acylophorus marginalis Cameron. The species was described from specimens collected in Chad. In his description Cameron indicated that the type was collected from the Rivière Gribingui in the Bassin du Chari, but he also referred to the locality Fort Archambault in the Moyen Chari. I have had the opportunity to examine a specimen from the second locality. Under article 72.4.6 of the nomenclatural code (ICZN, 1999), this specimen cannot be considered to be part of the type series, but it was part of the material studied by Cameron when defining the species and is likely to be conspecific with the type. Material studied 13: “ Paratype / MUSEUM PARIS; MOYEN CHARI; FORT ARCHAMBAULT; BOUNGOUL (BA-KARÉ); MISSION CHARI-TCHAD; DR J. LECORSE 1904 / JANVIER / M. Cameron Bequest B.M. 1955-147 / Acylophorus marginalis Cam. Paratype / Acylophorus orientalis Fauvel 3 det. DA Lott, 2009” (BMNH). The specimen is a typical A. orientalis. There is no reason to doubt that this identity applies to the type. Consequently, A. marginalis is here synonymised with A. orientalis.
Further material examined. ANGOLA: Cunene: R. Cunene, Rocadas, 19–22. ii.1972, 29 (BMNH). BURKINA FASO: Bam: L. Bam, 13 O 18’N 1 O 31’W, DA Lott, 28.x.2004, 433Ƥ (cLott); Tikare: Bge de Soukoundougou, 13 O 31’N 1 O 40’W, DA Lott, 24.x.2003, 433Ƥ (cLott); Bge de Bagara, 13 O 19’N 1 O 43’W, DA Lott, 28. x.2004, 14 (cLott); Bge de Tikare, 13 O 17’N 1 O 44’W, DA Lott, 29. x.2004, 1 Ƥ (cLott); Comoe: Bge de Bounouna, 10 O 39’N 4 O 44’W, DA Lott, 20.x.2004, 43 3Ƥ (cLott); Lerikoseni, 10 O 40’N 4 O 55’W, DA Lott, 20. x.2004, 23 2Ƥ (cLott); Karfiguela, 10 O 43’N 4 O 49’W, DA Lott, 22.x.2004, 33 1Ƥ (cLott); Siniéna, 10 O 33’N 4 O 46’W, DA Lott, 22. x.2004, 2 Ƥ (cLott); R. Comoe, 10 O 28’N 4 O 47’W, DA Lott, 22. x.2004, 13 (cLott); Ioba: clay pit by R. Mouhoun, 11 O 1’N 2 O 49’W, DA Lott, 15. x.2004, 5 (cLott); Djipologo, 10 O 56’N 3 O 6’W, DA Lott, 15. x.2004, 1 Ƥ (cLott); Gnagna: Botou, C Alluaud & PA Chapuis, xii.1930 – iv.1931, 1 (FMNH); Naouri: Nazinga Park: Bge de Barka, 11 O 8’N 1 O 37’W, DA Lott, 29.x.2003 & 11. x.2004, 22 (cLott); Bge de Bouzounga, 11 O 8’N 1 O 36’W, DA Lott, 30. x.2003, 1 Ƥ, (cLott); buffalo wallow, 11 O 9’N 1 O 34’W, DA Lott, 11.x.2004, 63 2Ƥ (cLott); Bge de Naguio, 11 O 8’N 1 O 35’W, DA Lott, 12. x.2004, 8 (cLott); Mare Nagale, 11 O 9’N 1 O 38’W, DA Lott, 12. x.2004, 13 2Ƥ (cLott); Bge de Kalieboulou, 11 O 12’N 1 O 30’W, DA Lott, 13. x.2004, 1 Ƥ (cLott); R. Akwazena, 11 O 9’N 1 O 36’W, DA Lott, 13. x.2004, 13 1Ƥ (cLott); Poni: near Tioyo, 10 O 37’N 3 O 14’W, DA Lott, 16. x.2004, 5 (cLott); near Houli, 10 O 16’N 3 O 14’W, DA Lott, 16. x.2004, 13 3Ƥ (cLott); 43 1Ƥ, Sissili: Sissili, 11 O 11’N 2 O 1’W, DA Lott, 14.x.2004, 43 1Ƥ (cBord, cJanak & cLott); Bourbye, 11 O 1’N 2 O 29’W, DA Lott, 15. x.2004, 15 (cLott); R. Yali, 11 O 13’N 1 O 58’W, DA Lott, 14. x.2004, 7 (cJanak & cLott). R.D. CONGO: Haut-Uelé: Moto, L. Burgeon, 1920, 1Ƥ (MRAC); Ituri: Mahagi, H Schouteden, 5. v.1925, 13 (MRAC); Kasai: Luebo, H Schouteden, 17. viii.1921, 13 (MRAC); Katanga: Katompe, P. Gérard, 1 – 15/6/1930, 1 (FMNH). CÔTE D’IVOIRE: Riv. Leraba, C Alluaud & PA Chapuis, xii.1930 – iv.1931, 131Ƥ (FMNH). GHANA: near Addah, W Rossi, 22. iv.1984, 13 (teneral) (cBord). NIGERIA: Kano: Kano, ROS Clark, iii.1965, 13 (BMNH). SIERRA LEONE: Northern Province: Binkolo / Kamabesi, W Rossi, 13. i.1997, 13 (cBord). TANZANIA: Iringa: Parvagga, xii.1912, 2 (ZMHB); Lower Kihansi Valley, 24. xi.1912, 2 (ZMHB); Moero: Kiambi, P Gérard, vi–vii.1930, 2 Ƥ (MRAC); Ngerengere, Methner, xi.1912, 2 (FMNH); Ussure, Methner, 2. v.1911, 2 (FMNH); Wembare, Methner, 29. vi.1911, 1 (FMNH). ZAMBIA: Mwengwa, 13 O S 27 O 40’E, HC Dollman, 2.vi.1913 & 16. vii.1914, 2 Ƥ (BMNH); Lukanga, HC Dollman, iv.1915, 13 (FMNH); Kashitu N. of Broken Hill, HC Dollman, 20. iii.1915, 1 Ƥ (FMNH).
Distribution and bionomics. A. orientalis is a widespread, relatively frequently collected species in continental Africa. Specimens have been seen from West Africa, Chad, East Africa north to Kenya, Congo, Zambia and Angola (Fig. 140). It has also been recorded in the literature from Sudan (Scheerpeltz, 1974) and Ethiopia (Bernhauer & Scott, 1931). In Burkina Faso, it was found by standing water or slow-flowing rivers on wet mud and clay under litter or at least some vegetative cover, however sparse. It was never found on floating rafts of vegetation. The sparse data on specimen labels from elsewhere suggests a similar microhabitat in other parts of its range. In Burkina Faso it was found commonly in secondary habitats, especially irrigation reservoirs.
Discussion. The variability of this species has led to several manuscript names being applied to various specimens in museum collections and to two published synonyms. Except for one or two areas, the amount of material available from different regions is too sparse to allow a proper evaluation of local races and varieties. However, it appears that some colour varieties may be prominent in certain areas. Specimens from Angola and Zambia were larger than specimens from further north and had correspondingly larger aedeagi. It may be that southern populations deserve subspecific or even specific status, but the absence of specimens from the vast tracts of territory connecting to more northern populations prevents an assessment of any cline in characters, so it would be premature to erect a subspecies at this stage.
description: Published as part of Lott, Derek A., 2010, The species of Acylophorus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) in continental sub-Saharan Africa, pp. 1-51 in Zootaxa 2402 on pages 5-8, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.275907