Pterotiltus femoratus Ramme, 1929

9. Pterotiltus femoratus Ramme, 1929 View in CoL

Figs 25–27 View Fig View Fig View Fig ; Table 7 View Table 7

Pterotiltus femoratus Ramme, 1929: 314 View in CoL .

Pterotiltus femoratus View in CoL – Johnston 1956: 259. — Dirsh 1965: 236. — Hollis 1975: 226. — Mestre & Chiffaud 2009: 105.

Type material

Holotype (designated by Ramme 1929)

CAMEROON • ♂; Victoria (now Limbe ); [4°01′ N, 9°13′ E]; Jul. 1916 – Aug. 1917; Cdr. F.H. Fitzroy, leg.; NHMUK ( Fig. 25A–B View Fig ).

GoogleMaps

Paratype (designated by Ramme 1929)

CAMEROON • 1 ♀; Moliwe, nr Victoria, Vorwerk Wirmannshöhe ; [4°13′07″ N, 9°18′22″ E]; Freifrau G. von Malzan leg.; 10–20 Jun. 1907; MfN, DORSA BA000030S01 .

GoogleMaps

Other material examined

CAMEROON • 1 ♂; Isongo ; [4°4′14″ N, 9°1′8″ E]; 27 Feb.–7 Mar. 1938; S.G. Eisentraut leg.; NHMUK ( Fig. 25C View Fig ) GoogleMaps .

Redescription

Pterotiltus femoratus is readily recognized by its distinctive colouration ( Figs 25–26 View Fig View Fig ). The head and anterior part of the body are blue-black, with paired yellowish patches on the pronotal disc and first abdominal tergite. The lower half of the frons and the genae are yellow (probably white in life). Antennae green in basal segments, then brown distally with paler yellow-brown tips. Abdominal tergites 1–5 blue-black. The hind margin of the 5 th abdominal tergite is red, and this colour continues distally to the tip of the subgenital plate. The posterior margin of the male 10 th abdominal segment has a single medial projection, probably derived from the fusion of the two processes of the furcula, as seen in several other species of the genus. Male cerci green, with a fine acuminate tip. Fore and middle legs green, hind femora red in basal third, then green, with a red knee. Condyle of hind tibae red, then the shaft is green distally, darkening to blue green and blackish at the tip. Hind tarsi green. Note: there are no photographs of living individuals of this species available, it may be that the natural colouration, here assessed from dry pinned specimens, is not accurately described.

PHALLIC COMPLEX. The male holotype (NHMUK) has been dissected, and has a phallus typical of the genus. The epiphallus ( Fig. 27A View Fig ) is distinctive: the bridge is reduced in width but provided with large anterior processes. The lophi are large, lobular, and curved forwards, and there is a slight sugggestion of an “inner lophus” (sensu Hollis 1975), a secondary peak on the lophal ridge, medial to the lophi proper. The “oval” sclerites of the epiphallus are long and strap-like. The paucity of material prevented us from dissecting out the valvular plate and other phallic sclerites.

Measurements

See Table 7 View Table 7 .

Distribution

All three examined specimens come from the southern edge of Mt Cameroon, S and W of Buea. Moliwe is/was a village a few km due south of Buea. Isongo is on the SW corner of the Buea peninsula, SW of Mt Cameroon, and is now an offshore oil prospecting site. There seem to be no other published records, but photographs ( Fig. 27B–C View Fig ) taken by Dr G. Goergen (IITA) of a specimen from Mbalmayo, South Central Cameroon, also appears to be this species. The base of its hind femur is red, a trait found only in this species. Note, however, some differences: the Mbalmayo insect has green hind knees, not red ones; the basal red patch on the hind femur is less extensive, and the pronotum is longitudinally striped in paler colour. This specimen may indicate the existence on the Central plateau of a local colour variant of femoratus , similar to the situation in inuncatus and coeruleocephalus . Or, it might be a different (as yet undescribed) taxon.

Status of taxonomic material

Moderate. Both sexes are known, but very few specimens are available. The status of the Central Cameroon (Mbalmayo) form is unclear – this requires more collecting.