The genus Anthia Weber in the Republic of South Africa, Identification, distribution, biogeography, and behavior (Coleoptera, Carabidae)
Author
Mawdsley, Jonathan R.
Author
Erwin, Terry L.
Author
Sithole, Hendrik
Author
Mawdsley, James L.
Author
Mawdsley, Alice S.
text
ZooKeys
2011
143
47
81
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.143.2075
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.143.2075
1313-2970-143-47
Genus
Anthia Weber, 1801
Anthia
Weber (1801:17).
Carabus sexguttatus
Fabricius (1775:236); subsequent designation by Latreille (1810:426). Type Species.
Pachymorpha
Hope (1838:51); synonymized by Basilewsky (1950:80).
Thoracolobus
Gistel (1857:50); synonymized by Csiki (1929:377).
Diagnosis.
Body large and massive, adults of South African species always 40 mm or greater in length; body black or dark brown, usually with yellow or white setae and
pubescence
. Prothorax cordiform, distinctly expanded laterally and usually with large lateral flanges. Mandibles and prothorax sexually dimorphic: mandibles elongate in males, shorter in females; base of pronotum with two posterior flanges or flattened extensions in males, tumescent without extensions in females. Elytra smooth with rows of minute punctures or feebly striatiopunctate, never markedly striatiopunctate in South African species (although other species in the genus do have striatiopunctate elytra).
Recognition from sympatric genera.
Specimens of southern African species of
Anthia
may be readily distinguished from those of allied genera by the presence of broad lateral flanges on the pronotum and the sexual dimorphism in the structure of the mandibles and pronotal base. Most other South African
Anthiini
also have the elytra markedly striatiopunctate, at least in part. The only sympatric genus with which species of
Anthia
might be confused is
Termophilum
Basilewsky, that contains several large species that are similar in overall appearance and markings with those of the genus
Anthia
. However, species of
Termophilum
have a much simpler pronotal structure that lacks the large lateral flanges and secondary sexual characteristics present in
Anthia
species. Species of
Termophilum
also lack the sexual dimorphism in the mandibles that is seen in species of
Anthia
.
Notes on Taxonomy.
Basilewsky (1950)
was the first to point out that the generic names
Anthia
Weber and
Pachymorpha
Hope have the same type species,
Carabus sexguttatus
Fabricius. The name
Anthia
clearly has priority over
Pachymorpha
.
Basilewsky (1950)
noted that a replacement name for
Pachymorpha
was not necessary, as the species formerly classified in that genus fit readily within his restricted concept of the genus
Anthia
, a generic concept which we follow here.
Thoracolobus
was proposed by
Gistel (1857)
for the two species
Anthia maxillosa
(F.) and
Anthia thoracica
(Thunberg) and is clearly synonymous with
Anthia
Weber as treated here.
Key to South African species of
Anthia
Weber 1801
Anthia maxillosa
|
Anthia cinctipennis
|
Figure 28 |
Anthia thoracica
|
Figure 31 |
Anthia circumscripta
|