Revision of the Afrotropical species of the genus Mentophilonthus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Philonthina)
Hromádka Lubomír
Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 49(1): 119-160, 2009
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Abstract: Afrotropical species of the genus Mentophilonthus Levasseur, 1966 (Coleoptera:
Staphylinidae) are revised taxonomically. Twenty species are reco- gnized,
including six new ones: M. crocuta sp. nov. (Ghana), M. equus sp. nov. (Malawi),
M. hystrix sp. nov. (Namibia), M. manis sp. nov. (Gabon), M. struthio sp. nov.
(Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo), and M. vanellus sp. nov. (Democratic
Republic of the Congo). Six species are transferred to Mentophilon- thus from
the genus Philonthus Stephens, 1829: M. curiosus (Tottenham, 1949) comb. nov.,
M. dilucidus (Tottenham, 1962) comb. nov., M. ochrigonalis (Tot- tenham, 1962)
comb. nov., M. reinecki (Schubert, 1902) comb. nov., M. schoutedeni (Bernhauer,
1928) comb. nov., and M. tristichus (Cameron, 1929) comb. nov. Mentophilonthus
bangoranensis (Levasseur, 1980), syn. nov., is synonymized with M. ochrigonalis
Tottenham, 1962; M. seriatipennis (Bernhauer, 1928), stat. restit. is removed
from the synonymy with M. dilutior (Bernhauer, 1928). A lectotype is designated
for Philonthus schoutedeni Bernhauer, 1928 and P. seriatipennis Bernhauer,
1928. All species are (re)described and morphological details of some species
and aedeagi of all species are figured. A key to Afrotropical species of the
genus Mentophilonthus is provided. A list of all Mentophilonthus species is
provided along with their known distribution.
Key words: Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Philonthina, Mentophilonthus, taxonomy, new species, new synonymy, new combination, key, Afrotropical Region