Revision of the Haliplidae of the Afrotropical region, including North Africa (Coleoptera)

Abstract

The continent of Africa is in terms of biogeographic regions divided in the Afrotropical region south of the Sahara and the Palaearctic region north of the Sahara with a transition zone in the eastern part. Zimmermann (1924) divided Africa in northern Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Egypt), western Africa, eastern and southern Africa, Madagascar and recorded 20 species of Haliplidae in total. The last revision of the African Haliplidae dates from 1959 (Guignot 1959). He recorded 29 species. In the World Catalogue of van Vondel (2005b) 37 species are recorded from Africa. The present study aims to describe all species known from Africa, with special attention to the Afrotropical fauna. Based on this study 44 species are now known from Africa, of which nine are new to science (Table 1). Material and methods This study is based on about 1180 specimens preserved in museums and private collections and the author’s own material collected in Benin (van Vondel 2005a). Full label data for all specimens are given and individual identification labels have been placed with all specimens examined. Drawings of genitalia were made using a Swift universal microscope with a camera lucida. The orientation of the genitalia is defined according to van Vondel (1991). Measurements were made by using the ocular-micrometer of a Zeiss stereomicrosope. Morphological terms follow van Vondel (1997) with the exception of the use of “metaventrite”/“metaventral” instead of “metasternum”/“metasternal”. Distribution maps are based on material examined and literature records. Countries are used with their present name and boundaries. Locality names are given according to the labels, but for clarity sometimes the name as Revision of the Haliplidae of the Afrotropical region, including North Africa (Coleoptera)