Abstract
Two new species of the genus Lebistina Motschulsky, 1864 are described: Lebistina rehagei Assmann, Starke & Terlutter, sp. n., type locality: Kenya: north of Ngomeni. Members of this macropterous species are distinguished from all other known species of the genus by their elytral coloration pattern, large body length, shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus, and shape of the mentum with one tooth showing two small tips. Lebistina petersae Assmann, Drees & Zumstein, sp. n., type locality: Kenya, Tsavo East National Park. Members of this macropterous species differ from all other Lebistina species by their elytral coloration, short body length, shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus, and shape of the mentum with its sinuosity and two blunt teeth. We provide photographs and discuss the characters, including the shape of the mentum which deviates from the classical delineation of the genus Lebistina.
Highlights
The tribe Lebiini is one of the most species-rich higher taxa of Carabidae (Lorenz 2005), though many aspects of taxonomy and biology of many of its members are poorly known
Lebistina petersae Assmann, Drees & Zumstein, sp. n., type locality: Kenya, Tsavo East National Park. Members of this macropterous species differ from all other Lebistina species by their elytral coloration, short body length, shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus, and shape of the mentum with its sinuosity and two blunt teeth
Lebistina petersae sp. n. lives sympatrically with L. rehagei sp. n., L. picta (Dejean, 1825), L. sanguinea (Boheman, 1848) and/or L. unicolor (Putzeys, 1880), L. neuvillei Alluaud, 1918 and L. peringueyi Liebke, 1928. Both new species belong to the genus Lebistina, established by Motschulsky in 1864, and best characterized by Chaudoir (1877)
Summary
The tribe Lebiini is one of the most species-rich higher taxa of Carabidae (Lorenz 2005), though many aspects of taxonomy and biology of many of its members are poorly known. The members of the genus Lebistina are large and are ectoparasites (Lindroth 1971) of alticine leaf beetles which are used by the Kalahari-San as an efficient arrow poison for hunting (Mebs et al 1982, Neuwinger 2004). As members of the genus Lebistina are an object of interest in ethno-biological, biochemical and ecological studies, we describe the given species in an attempt to stimulate research on the host-predator-relationship with its possible mimicry and toxicological properties
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
