Les Pheropsophus d’Afrique (Caraboidea, Brachinidae) [African Pheropsophus]

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Language: French

The ground beetle genus Pheropsophus remains poorly known and great confusion reigns here because the only comprehensive work concerning it is that of Chaudoir, published in 1876, which mainly uses colouring to distinguish species. The present revision, which focuses only on African species (including Madagascar), aims to revise and facilitate the identification of the species.

The characters allowing generic cuts and separation of species are first reviewed. Four subgenera, including a new one, are retained and defined, three of which are represented in Africa (Pheropsophus s. str. present only in South America, Aptinomorphus, Stenaptinus and Pheropyrus n. subgen.). The types have been examined for most of the taxa of the species group and 42 lectotypes are designated to establish their identity. Twelve species and one subspecies are described, and a new replacement name is proposed. The status of twenty-eight taxa is modified. At the end of this revision, the genus Pheropsophus counts 92 species in Africa and Madagascar, with seven subspecies.

Two identification keys to species are presented for the subgenera Stenaptinus and Pheropyrus (the subgenus Aptinomorphus is monospecific) as well as eleven simplified keys by groups of countries. For each species, the examined type material or that used as a reference is indicated, with the location of its conservation, a brief diagnosis is given, and photographs are presented. The habitus and labelling of 222 specimens are shown, including 115 photographs of holotypes or lectotypes and 35 photos of paratypes, paralectotypes or syntypes, as well as 120 photos of aedeagus and 56 photos of coxites 1 and 2. Plates with anatomical details are also presented.

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