Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) dauensis Obenberger 1924

Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) dauensis Obenberger, 1924

(Figs. 7, 13)

Anthaxia dauensis Obenberger, 1924: 106.

Anthaxia daouensis: Obenberger, 1928: 231 (unjustified emmendation); 1930: 540. Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) dauensis: Bílý, 1997: 19, 63, 157.

Type locality: Ethiopia [“Abessynia”], Dire Daoua [Diré Dawa, Ahmar Mts.].

Type specimen examined. Syntype (Ψ, NMPC) labelled: “Dire Daoua, Abessyn. [h] // TYPUS [p] [red label] // A. daouensis [sic!] m. Type [h], Det. Dr. Obenberger [p]”.

Additional specimens examined. SOMALIA: Berbera (1 Ψ, NMPC); Benadir, Mogadiscio 70 km, ex larva Acacia sp., ix.1987, R. Mourglia leg. (2 ɗɗ, NMPC).

Diagnosis. Small to medium-sized, robust, moderately convex, dark bronze, sometimes with green lustre; dorsal surface asetose, frons with short, rather dense, white pubescence, ventral surface with very short, sparse, white pubescence, metepisterna with dense, white pubescence. Head large, frons convex, eyes large, not projecting beyond outline of head; antennae short, hardly reaching midlength of lateral pronotal margins. Pronotum convex, 1.8–1.9 times as wide as long, somewhat wider than elytra with small, shallow lateroposterior depressions; lateral margins nearly regularly rounded, anterior margin strongly bisinuate; scutellum pentagonal, as wide as long. Elytra short, 1.7–1.8 times as long as wide, uneven with wide, transverse depression at anterior 1/3 and deep, lateral, longitudinal depression at posterior 1/2; elytra subparallel at anterior 2/3, strongly acumined at posterior 1/3, somewhat caudiform apically with very fine lateral serration. Ventral surface mat, punctato-ocellate, anal ventrite apically narrowly truncate (ɗ) or finely emarginate (Ψ); inner margin of male metatibiae with postmedial, obtuse tooth (Fig. 7); aedeagus without dorsal field of bristles (Fig. 13). Length: 5.5–6.2 mm; width: 2.2–2.4 mm.

Bionomy. Two specimens from Somalia were reared from Acacia sp. (Mimosaceae).

Distribution. Ethiopia, Somalia.

Comments. This species was most probably described from a single female and is the only species of the group without the dorsal field of bristles on the parameres. Nevertheless, the shape of the male genitalia (Fig. 13), the form of male metatibiae (Fig. 7), the pronotal and elytral sculpture as well as the form of anal ventrite and general body-shape enable the attribution of this species to A. kheiliana species-group.