Philonthus leptophilus Hromadka 2006

(Figs. 49–53)

Philonthus leptophilus Hromádka, 2006: 65

Type locality. Sierra Leone, Western area, Freetown Faurah Bay.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE: J, ‘ Sierra Leone, Western area, Freetown Faurah Bay, College Botanical reserve, 9.xii.1992, W. Rossi leg. // HOLOTYPUS Philonthus leptophilus sp. nov. Hromádka det., 2006 [red oblong printed label]’. (ABFC). PARATYPES: 1 J 2 ♀♀, same label data as in holotype [all specimens with red oblong printed type label] (ABFC, LHPC).

Redescription. Length: 8.4–8.6 mm, length of fore body (to end of elytra) 3.8–3.9 mm.

Colouration. Black, maxillary palpomere 3 and labial palpomere 3 yellow, remaining palpomeres brown-yellow, antennae black, legs brown-yellow, medial face of all tibiae infuscate.

Head hardly longer than wide (ratio 23: 21), slightly narrowed behind eyes, posterior angles obtusely rounded, each with one long black bristle, eyes flat, shorter than temples (ratio 10: 15). Distance between medial and lateral interocular punctures about 3 times as large as distance between medial and lateral interocular puncture. Four punctures at posterior margin of each eye, postocular seta situated at half distance between posterior margin of eye and base of head, several fine punctures between postocular seta and base of head, surface with very irregular, almost indistinct microsculpture.

Antennae long, reaching posterior margin of pronotum when reclined. Antennomere 1 distinctly longer than antennomere 11, antennomere 2 vaguely shorter than antennomere 3. Relative lengths of antennomeres: 1 = 8; 2 = 5; 3 = 6; 4–6 = 4; 7–8 = 3.5; 9–10 = 3; 11 = 5.

Pronotum longer than wide (ratio 30: 27), hardly narrowed anteriad, posterior angles markedly rounded, each dorsal row with 5 punctures, each sublateral row with 2 punctures; surface with very irregular, almost indistinct microsculpture here and there.

Scutellum finely and coarsely punctate, punctures hardly larger than eye-facets, distance between punctures smaller than their diameter, surface without microsculpture; setation black.

Elytra as long as wide, slightly widened posteriad. Punctation relatively coarse, punctures hardly larger than eye-facets, separated mostly by 2 puncture diameters in transverse direction, surface between punctures without microsculpture; anterior angles each with several, variably long, dark bristles; setation brown-yellow.

Legs. Metatibia a little shorter than metatarsus (ratio 22: 25), metatarsomere 1 distinctly longer than metatarsomere 5. Relative length of metatarsomeres: 1 = 9; 2 = 4; 3 = 3.5; 4 = 2; 5 = 6.

Abdomen parallel-sided anteriorly, from tergite VI slightly narrowed toward apex, first three visible abdominal tergites with two basal lines, elevated area between basal lines densely and irregularly punctate, base of all tergites with punctation finer and denser than that on elytra, becoming gradually finer and sparser towards posterior margin of each tergite; surface between punctures without microsculpture, shiny; setation brown-yellow.

Male. Protarsomeres 1–3 strongly dilated, sub-bilobed, densely covered with modified pale setae ventrally, protarsomere 4 distinctly narrower than preceding ones. Sternite VIII (Fig. 52), sternite IX (Fig. 53), aedeagus (Figs. 49–51).

Female. Protarsomeres 1–3 similar to those of male, but less dilated, protarsomere 4 narrower than preceding ones.

Differential diagnosis. This new species is very similar to P. aminius, from which it differs by shorter eyes and somewhat sparser punctation of scutellum and abdomen. The species differs from all species of the P. caffer species group by the different shape of the aedeagus.

Bionomics. Unknown.

Distribution. Sierra Leone.