Paussus (Paussus) curtisii Westwood 1864

This beetle is best identified by comparing to high qualitiy images (figures 1F, 3, 4E) in:
Robertson J. A. & Moore W. (2016). Phylogeny of Paussus L. (Carabidae: Paussinae): Unravelling morphological convergence associated with myrmecophilous life histories. Systematic Entomology 42(1) DOI:10.1111/syen.12205
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308749117_Phylogeny_of_Paussus_L_Carabidae_Paussinae_Unravelling_morphological_convergence_associated_with_myrmecophilous_life_histories

Original description Westwood 1864 (translated from Latin):
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/100203#page/892/mode/1up
Elongated, subcylindrical; smooth, sub-opaque, all dark red; antennae and legs granulated; head above with two angled-elevated longitudinal anterior lines, and the another two vertical oblique lines (the middle tubercle including) carinated; antennal club slender, cylindrical, tip thickened, subclavate and 3-toothed; prothorax bipartite, the anterior part with suture in the middle, and the posterior margin acute; with a large median square impression produced on both sides; each elytron near the lateral margin furnished with two glabrous tubercles (one in front of the middle, the other towards the posterior angles);
all the tibiae are sub-narrow, sub-cylindrical.

Illustrated in Westwood 1874:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/49351#page/273/mode/1up

Distribution: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe

Type locality: Natal

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/196435989

Posted on January 13, 2024 06:25 AM by traianbertau