Diario del proyecto Insects - Southern Africa (identified for the 1st time on iNat or difficult to identify)

This is one of three South African species with the anterior wing margin black/strongly infuscated.

• Anterior spiracle white
• Genae golden
• Proepimeral seta present
• Eyes in male touching; without demarcation between dorsal and ventral facets
• Eyes in female separated at vertex by about 0.5 times eye-width, but frons conspicuously narrowed on lower half, fronto-orbital plate entirely black
• Scutum totally bluish-black coloured

Distribution in southern Africa: Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa (coast from KZN to Eastern Cape)

Habitat: thicket and forest

iNat observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/227856222

Photos of collection specimens:
https://data.nhm.ac.uk/dataset/collection-specimens/resource/05ff2255-c38a-40c9-b657-4ccb55ab2feb?q=chrysomya+inclinata&view_id=6ba121d1-da26-4ee1-81fa-7da11e68f68e&filters=genus%3Achrysomya%7ClifeStage%3Aadult%7Cfamily%3Acalliphoridae&field=associatedMediaCount&value=

References:

Lutz, L. Williams, K. a., Villet, M. H., Ekanem, M. Szpila, K. 2018. Species identification of adult African blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) of forensic importance. International Journal of Legal Medicine.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00414-017-1654-y

Irish, S. R., Lindsay, T, Wyatt, N. 2014. Key to Adults of Afrotropical species of the genus Chrysomya Robineau-Desvoidy. African Entomology 22(2)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276054123_Key_to_Adults_of_Afrotropical_Species_of_the_Genus_Chrysomya_Robineau-Desvoidy_Diptera_Calliphoridae

Richards, C. S., Williams, K. A., Villet, M. H. Predicting geographic distribution of seven forensically significant blowfly species (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in South Africa. African entomology 17.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kirstin-Williams/publication/228343040_Predicting_Geographic_Distribution_of_Seven_Forensically_Significant_Blowfly_Species_Diptera_Calliphoridae_in_South_Africa/links/00b4951b83a0079806000000/Predicting-Geographic-Distribution-of-Seven-Forensically-Significant-Blowfly-Species-Diptera-Calliphoridae-in-South-Africa.pdf

A species with tiny granules on the elytra.

Original description in:
Péringuey, L. 1908. Tenebrionidae und Curculionidae. Denkschriften der Medicinisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft zu Jena 13
Page 204: https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Denkschr-Med-Natwiss-Ges-Jena_13_0391-0424.pdf
Tranlsated from Latin:
Black, shiny, glabrous; antennae brownish, shortly villous; the head punctuated sparsely in front, scarcely behind; prothorax highly humped, the sides slightly widened in the middle, the anterior angles sharply pointed,the posterior angles are subobtuse but distinct, the base is printed transversely at the corners, pronotal disc very thinly and distantly aciculate [needle-like streaks], with smooth sides; sctellum smooth; elytra at the base of the prothorax not wider than shoulders, then greatly enlarged-rounded, very convex, sloping abruptly to the third part of its length, not distinctly ridged, covered with minute granules moderately scattered, epipleura smoothed; scarcely punctate beneath; legs slender, often punctuated, with setae, the femora almost reaching the apex of the last segment of the abdomen.
Length 25 mm; width 13.5 mm.

A very close ally of M. nitida Haag-Rut. The shape is nearly the same but the elytra are more
ampliated, and instead of being quite smooth are covered with very small granules separated by an interval about equal to three times their own diameter -
Hab. Great Namaqualand: Kubub, April 1904. [Karas region, Namibia]

Distribution: Namibia and Northern Cape, South Africa

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/224630986
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/179345130
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/104580907
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/59356313
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/10896461

Spartecerus is a rather common and in Southern Africa widespread genus of flightless terricolous entimine weevils that live under geophytes and stones.

Original genus description in:
Schoenherr, C.J. 1834. Genera et species Curculionidum, cum synonymia hujus familiae. Species nova ant hactenus minus cognitae, descriptionibus a Dom Leonardo Gyllenhal, C.H. Boheman, et entomologis allis illustratae
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/37662#page/437/mode/1up

The last and only comprehensive treatment was in 1948 (descriptions, key, records):
Marshall, A. K. (2009. On the curculionid genus Sparteceus Schönherr (Col.) Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London. Series B, Taxonomy, 17(11-12), 137–141. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.1948.tb00879.x
https://sci-hub.se/https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.1948.tb00879.x

A modern diagnosis of the genus is hidden in a paper on Philetaerobius:
Borovec, R., Oberprieler R. G., Meregalli, M. 2018. The Enigmatic Weevil Genus Philetaerobius from Southern Africa: Definition, Affinities and Description of Three New Species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae)

taken from there, the genus can be easily recognized by:

• globose shape
• tesselate scales
• tuberculate sculpture
• apically broadened rostrum
• squamose mandibles
• dorsal transverse sulcus separating rostrum from head
• flattened eyes, situated under a distinct ridge ('eyebrow')
• elevated frons, posteriorly shraply carinate
• pronotum with ocular lobes
• claws lang and free

Life history: Larvae feed on the underground bulbs of small geophytic monocotyledons.

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/198409293
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/191185401
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/10836502
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/11160876

More or less unmistakable due to the grey scales on the pronotum and 11 antennal segments.

Original description and illustrations in:
Kadej, M. & Háva, J. 2006. Description of two new species of Anthrenus O. F. MÜLLER, 1764 from southern Africa (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Megatominae: Anthreninii)
https://www.cassidae.uni.wroc.pl/Anthrenus%20stelma.pdf
[...]
Dorsal and ventral surface of integument dark brown, slightly punctate, covered with grey, dark brown and yellowish to almost red scales (Figs 12, 13).
Pronotum (PL: 0.5-1.05; PW: 1.0-1.4) in male: covered with dark brown scales in the central part, grey scales on the angles and lateral parts, in female: covered with dark brown scales only on the anterior lateral margin, central part with light brown scales, lateral margins and the angles of the pronotum with grey scales.
Elytra covered with grey, dark brown and yellowish to almost red scales, forming transverse, nearly complete bands. The anterior part of the elytra covered with dark brown scales. Inferiorly yellowish scales form thin and irregular transverse band. Middle part of elytra covered with three transversal bands of grey, yellowish, and mixture of grey and yellowish scales. The terminal parts covered with grey and dark brown scales forming two distinctive spots, surrounded by yellowish scales.

Distribution: Namibia

iNat observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/194676019

_{Male specimen of Anthrenus stelma © Sebastian Hatt, CC-BY-NC}

_{Holotype Attagenus pardus Arrow 1915
Photo: Meixia Yang - Natural History Museum, UK - CC BY 2.0}

Original description in:
Arrow, G., J., 1915. Notes on the Coleopterous family Dermestidae, and descriptions of some new forms in the British Museum. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 15
https://zenodo.org/records/2488315/files/article.pdf
Niger, pedibus ruffs, corpore supra et subtus dense flavo-cinereo-pubeseenti, singuli elytri maculis tribus (aliaque communi media) magnis subcircularibus denudatis, maculis posticis duabus conjunctis, apicalibus, majoribus, medio cinereo-pupillatis; corpore oblongo-ovali, valde convexo.
Long. 3.5-4.5 mm. ; lat. 2-2.5 mm.

This very distinctively marked species is entirely covered with greyish-yellow hair, with the exception of seven nearly round areas upon the elytra, which are quite black, bare or clothed with much finer pubescence than the rest of the upper surface. One of these patches is placed at the middle of the elytral suture and the others are arranged in a circle round it, one behind the scutellum on each side, one at the outer margin and one occupying the sutural angle, the last larger than the rest and having a central spot of grey pubescence.
It is a convex insect of elongate-oval shape. The club of the antenna is three-jointed and short, the terminal joint not longer than it is broad.

Differential diagnosis:
Hermann, A. & Háva, J. 2014. Description of two new species of the genus Attagenus Latreille, 1802 from the Afrotropical Region (Dermestidae: Attageninae). Studies and Reports, Taxonomical series 10(1).
https://sar.fld.czu.cz/cache/article-data/SaR/Published_volumes/2014-1/93-98_herman_press.pdf
Antenna: with a yellow shaft and a smaller club, the last segment is only slightly larger than remaining segments of the club
Pubescence: pronotum and elytra entirely covered with dense yellow-brown hairs, except 7 distinct black spots on the elytra
Legs: yellow-brown

Type locality: Harare, Zimbabwe

Distribution: Known from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe.

Photos:
Holotype: NHMUK https://www.flickr.com/photos/53906044@N04/50156566611/
Hermann & Hava 2014:
https://sar.fld.czu.cz/cache/article-data/SaR/Published_volumes/2014-1/93-98_herman_press.pdf
Holloway et al 2024: https://www.africanentomology.com/article/view/16250/21224

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/192080465
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151290494

Primary carinae appear continuous, although they are deeply punctate; secondary carinae, however, less elevated and granularly fragmented

Detailled description, distribution map and photo in:
Endrody-Younga, S. 1988. Revision of the genus Anomalipus Latreille, 1846. Page 80
http://the-eis.com/elibrary/sites/default/files/downloads/literature/Revision%20of%20the%20genus%20Anomalipus%20Latreille.pdf
Plate 22B: https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA090799001_18

Distribution: NE South Africa ('Transvaal'), KZN, Botswana.

Original description in:
Fåhraeus, O. I. 1870. Coleoptera Caffrariae, annis 1838–1845 a J. A. Wahlberg collecta. Heteromera descripsit. Öfversigt af Kongliga Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar 27. Page 293.
Fåhraeus OI (1870) Coleoptera Caffrariae, annis 1838–1845 a J. A. Wahlberg collecta. Heteromera descripsit. Öfversigt af Kongliga Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar 27

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/229532647

(Identification & info provided by @andrewdeacon - thank you!)

Notabene:

• This is a treatment for species recorded from Southern Africa only. Distribution data is for Southern Africa only, most species listed here do occur beyond the subregion.
• iNat calls the genus Craspedophorus "Yellow-spotted" Ground Beetles which is very apt for some species, less so or misleading for other species. Some species have patches or fascia rather than spots, some are unicolor without maculae. Some species have yellow patches, others have orange-reddish patches.
• The best known and perhaps most common species is Craspedophorus bonvouloirii, but it is hardly identified to species level on iNat, the iNat community seems to be not brave enough to make a call and determine a species or some users are overenthusiastic and Id them all as C. bonvouloirii not being aware that there are numerous similar species known from the region. This species was given the common name "Yellow-spotted Ground Beetle" in several editions of Picker et al. Field Guide to insects of South Africa, which is an okayish name, as the beetle has four yellow large patches, but this is true for the entire complex of the*erichsoni* and nobilis groups. The shape of the spots is however distinctive for several groups or species: roundish, subquadrate, transverse, fascia-like, serrated, rounded or straight edge of the patches, small to large.
• Distinguishing characters are: shape of pronotum, pronotum pedunculate or not, shape and size of elytral markings, colour of elytral markings, lack of elytral markings.
• Identification: All listed species are illustrated in the five Häckel papers. Carefully compare to the photos and known distribution and make a call. I am optimistic that we can determine most of the observations to species level provided the photos show enough detail.

References:
Häckel, M. & Farkač, J. 2012. A check-list of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 of the World (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Studies and Reports, Taxonomical series. 8. 67-116.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265964033_A_check-list_of_the_subfamily_Panagaeinae_Hope_1838_of_the_World_Coleoptera_Carabidae/link/5421a1740cf2a39f4af5d845/download?_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIiwicGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIn19

Häckel, M. 2016. A contribution to the knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 1. Revision of the Craspedophorus reflexus group (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4061.5.3
https://www.tesble.com/10.11646/zootaxa.4061.5.3

Häckel, M. 2017. A contribution to the knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 2. Revision of the Craspedophorus leprieuri and C. regalis groups (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Zootaxa
https://www.academia.edu/116731584/A_contribution_to_the_knowledge_of_the_subfamily_Panagaeinae_Hope_1838_br_from_Africa_Part_2_Revision_of_the_Craspedophorus_leprieuri_and_C_regalis_groups_Coleoptera_Carabidae_&nav_from=1122ed86-b6c0-4a82-ac68-c4c7a4884f58&rw_pos=0

Häckel, M. 2017. A contribution to the knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 3. Revision of the Craspedophorus strachani and C. brevicollis groups (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Zootaxa 4330.
https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4330.1.1
https://www.tesble.com/10.11646/zootaxa.4330.1.1

Häckel, M. 2020. A contribution to knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 4. Revision of the Craspedophorus erichsoni and nobilis groups (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Studies and Reports Taxonomical Series 16 (1): 21-71, 2020
https://ia600602.us.archive.org/15/items/sar18055648-16-1-021-072/sar18055648-16-1-021-072.pdf

Häckel, M. 2022. A contribution to knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 5. Revision of the Craspedophorus festivus group (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Studies and Reports Taxonomical Series 18(1).
https://sar.fld.czu.cz/cache/article-data/SaR/Published_volumes/2022-1/7-66_hackel.pdf

Craspedophorus species wihout yellow maculae on the elytra:
C. impictus (Boheman, 1848) - reflexus group
Distribution: Mozambique: Maputo Province; South Africa: Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Western Cape Provinces; Zimbabwe.
C. unicolor (Chaudoir, 1879) - regalis group
Distribution: Zimbabwe

leprieuri species group
Craspedophorus leprieuri peringueyi Csiki, 1929
Distribution: Mozambique: Niassa Province; eastern Zimbabwe
Head short, not constricted behind eyes. Pronotum more transverse. Smaller species: 13-18 mm.

Craspedophorus merus merus Péringuey 1904.
Distribution: Zimbabwe.
Pronotum with anterior angles weakly lobed and protruded anteriorly, base weakly extened posteriorly. Elytra with maculae transverse, more-or-less fragmented (Plate 3, Figs 26, 27).

Craspedophorus pretiosus (Chaudoir, 1837), as Panagaeus.
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape Provinces.

strachani group
Craspedophorus sciakyi Häckel 2022
Distribution: South Africa: Namaqualand, Northern Cape.

brevicollis group
Craspedophorus abnormis Bates 1886.
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo; Zimbabwe.

erichsoni group
Craspedophorus ornatus (Boheman 1848)
Distribution: South Africa: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal.

Craspedophorus rikatlensis (Péringuey, 1896)
Distribution: Mozambique (Maputo province)

nobilis group
Key to nobilis group in Southern Africa:

Craspedophorus bonvouloirii (Chaudoir 1861)
Original description in:
Chaudoir, M. de 1861. Revision des espèces qui rentrent dans l`ancien genre Panagaeus. Bulletin da la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou 34(4).
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/152369#page/1070/mode/1up
Redescription in:
Chaudoir, M. de 1879. Essai monographie sur les Panagéides (part II). Annales de la Société Entomologique des Belgique 21
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46150#page/139/mode/1up
Distribution: Botswana, Mozambique: Maputo Province; South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo,
Mpumalanga; eSwatini.
Pronotum more triangular than hexagonal, with maximum width behind midlength and base always with at least minor lateral emarginations (pedunculate).
Antenna from 4th antennomere on always flattened.
Shape wider and more convex, elytra more ovoid, each elytron with two rectangular to quadrate yellow maculae.
Larger species, 15-20 mm.

Craspedophorus gratiosus (Chaudoir 1879)
Original description in:
Chaudoir M. de 1879: Essai monographie sur les Panagéides (part II). Annales de la Société Entomologique des Belgique 21
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46150#page/138/mode/1up
Distribution: Mozambique: Maputo Province; South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga.

Craspedophorus gratiosus drakensis Häckel 2020
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu Natal, Drakensberg Mountains.

Craspedophorus nobilis (Dejean 1826)
Distribution: South Africa: Eastern, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West.

Craspedophorus opulentus (Péringuey 1898)
Distribution: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal

to host deutsch

Craspedophorus subgratiosus Basilewsky 1987
Distribution: South Africa: Limpopo

festivus group
Craspedophorus galla (Raffray, 1886), as Eudema
Distribution: South Africa: Mpumalanga; eSwatini.
Pronotum with lateral margins more straight narrowing to the neck, anterior pronotal angles vide open, rounded but slightly distinct (Fig. 48 j, k), elytral maculae with a strongly serrated margin in both sexes (Plate 3: Figs. 29, 30).

Craspedophorus jeanneli Alluaud, 1930.
Distribution: South Africa: Limpopo.
Pronotum strictly semilunar-shaped, not narrowing anteriorly, but widely and regularly rounded, anterior angles completely indistinct, flanks arcuate to anterior pronotal margin (Fig. 48o), elytral maculae with a less serrated margin in some females (Plate 3, Figs. 27, 28).

Craspedophorus schuelei Häckel 2022.
Distribution: Mozambique: Sofala Province.

Craspedophorus selenoderus (LaFerté-Sénectere, 1851), as Isotarsus. =Epigraphus fuscicornis (Kolbe 1883).
Distribution: Zimbabwe.

The subgenus S. (Podoneura) can be recognised by the fork of the last longitudinal wing vein A1. Wing venation of. S. anthracogramma is illustrated in MAD2, page 456 fig. 91.
Only one species known from Southern Africa (Western Cape, KZN and Harare).

Thorax with three dark longitudinal lines. Legs variegated, all femora with a subterminal yellow ring, remainder black. Wings subhyaline and spotted; fork of vein A1 large and sprawly.

Original description & illustration of wing in:
Bergroth, E. 1888. On some South African Tipulidae. Entomologisk Tidskrift. Volume 9
Figure 2: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12256099#page/141/mode/1up
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12256099#page/143/mode/1up

Key (Erioptera) in:
Alexander, C. P. 1956. Tipulidae. Ruwenzori Expedition 1934-1935. Volume 1. London British Museum (Natural History) pp. 129 - 380. Page 347
https://ccw.naturalis.nl/documents/Alexander,_1956f.pdf

iNat observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/102514965

Slender fly with yellowish abdomen and all femora yellowish. Antennae (illustrated in Lyneborg 1978 and 1987): Scape with only short pile dorsally. First flagellomere entirely black. Palpi dark brown.

Original description in:
Lyneborg, L. 1978. The Afrotropical species of Phycus Walker (Diptera: Therevidae). Entomologica Scandinavica 9. Also in: Insect Systematics & Evolution, 9(3), 212-233. https://doi.org/10.1163/187631278X00467
https://www.tesble.com/10.1163/187631278x00467

Male:
Total length. 7.2 mm.
Head: Frons at level of antennae c.35 % as wide as head, and at level of anterior ocellus c. 30% as wide as head. Antennal segment I c. 34% as long as depth of head, and c. 160% as long as maximal width. Antennal segment 3 c. 520% as long as segment 1, and c. 650% as long as maximal width. - Frons largely black and shining, but not polished, upper half depressed and with an extremely thin tomentum, lower lateral parts with thick, whitish tomentum.
Frons and face entirely bare. Palpi dark brownish. Antennal segments I and 2 brownish, segment 3 blackish. Segment 1 with extremely short pile and some strong setae on ventral surface.
Thorax. n = 2-3, sa = 1, pa = 1, dc = 0, sc = 1.
Mesonotum black, intensively tomentose, the tomentum forming a pattern of two narrow, brownish-grey stripes on middle and broader lateral bands of same coloration, areas between these brownish-grey portions are pure greyish.
Mesonotal pile very short and black. Mesopleuron black, shining; however, not polished due to a very thin tomentum, but clearly different in coloration from sternopleuron, which is intensively greyish tomentose.
Wings uniformly brownish-hyaline. Knob of halteres dark brownish.
Legs. All coxae greyish-black. F 1 and f2 yellowish-brown; f3 missing. T 1, t2 and their tarsi black.
Abdomen yellowish-brown with extremely short, black pile.

Female: Total length. 8.6 mm.
Head. Frons at level of antennae c. 38 % as wide as head, and at level of anterior ocellus c. 31 % as wide as head. Antennal segment 1 c. 28% as long as depth of head, and c. 160% as long as maximal width. Antennal segment 3 c. 400 % as long as segment 1, and c. 650 % as long as maximal width. -Coloration as in male. Thorax and wings as in male. Coxae paler than in male, largely brownish and with only slight grey tomentum. Also f3 yellowish-brown. Abdomen entirely yellowish-brown as in male.

Type locality: South Africa, N. E. Transvaal, Olifants River, Grootdraai (holotype male) - Female paratype from Pretoria, South Africa.

Key to species of southern African Phycus in:
Lyneborg, L. 1987. Notes on the Phycini of southern Africa with the description of a new genus and two new species (Diptera: Therevidae: Phycinae). Annals of the Natal Museum 28 (2): 467-474.
https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA03040798_396

iNat observation:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/225381602

Diagnostic description by @beetledude

Meloe (Meloe) hottentotus -- Eastern ZA Oil Beetle
Six or seven species, belonging to two subgenera, of Meloe oil beetles occur in southern Africa. The genus is unmistakeable: fairly large, black beetles, some of them with a greenish, bluish, purplish sheen, sometimes metallic; all flightless, with shortened elytra; and mostly with a hugely distended abdomen.

Three Meloe species are known from KwaZulu-Natal and from the Eastern Cape, two species of the subgenus Afromeloe and the third in the subgenus Meloe. The subgenus Meloe is easily told apart from the Afromeloe therein that the middle antennal segments (Nos 5, 6, 7) are modified, but unmodified in Afromeloe. In the males [this observation] those segments are crooked and enlarged; in females those segments are broader than the other segments.

The single species of subgenus Meloe known from this area is Meloe (Meloe) hottentotus. This species can be distinguished from other southern African Meloe by the following combination of characters:
• Middle antennale segments modified [as above].
• Head and pronotum with coarse, deep and dense punctures.
• Pronotum elongate, longer than wide.
• Punctures on head and pronotum dense but distinctly separated from each other.
• Distribution ECape, KZN, Free State, Lesotho, Mpumalanga.

Reference
Bologna MA, Pinto JD (1998) A review of the Afrotropical species of Meloe Linnaeus 1758 (Coleoptera Meloidae) with descriptions of first instar larvae, a key to species and an annotated catalogue. Tropical Zoology 11(1): 19–59.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03946975.1998.10539352.
OPEN ACCESS.

Oringinal description in:
Péringuey, L. 1885. First contribution to the South-African coleopterous Fauna. Transactions of the
South African Philosophical Society 3 (1885). doi:10.1080/21560382.1881.9526176
https://www.tesble.com/10.1080/21560382.1881.9526176

Tranlsated from Latin:
Cyan, shiny, antennae long, joints 5-7 thickened in male, compressed; prothorax elongate, deeply punctate; elytra aciculate [=marked with fine irregular streaks like needle scratches].

Length 13-22mm, width 4-7 mm.
The head is deeply punctured and separated from the epistome by a longitudinal impression; the antennae are long reaching as far as the middle of the elytra; in the male the 5 and 7 article are enlarged and compressed, the 6, the largest of the three is hollowed; the palpi are black and slightly infuscated at the tips.
The prothorax is deeply punctured, slightly convex on the upper side, attenuated near the base the margin of which is slightly sinuated; above the basal margin is a slight depression, and the outer sides are perpendicular.
The elytra are broader than the prothorax and three times as long. They diverge greatly from the middle and are finely aciculated.
The abdomen and underside are finely punctured.
The legs are coppery dark-blue, the tarsi are very slightly hirtose underneath.
From Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony, and Leydenberg, Transvaal.
In the Collection of the South-African Museum.

Redescription and illustration of male in:
Péringuey, L. 1909. Descriptive catalogue of the Coleoptera of South Africa. Family Meloidae.
Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 1
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/181696#page/243/mode/1up
Plate 22, figure 4

Photos of museum specimens in Bolgna Pinto 1998: figures 25 and 30.

Pérenguey 1909, page 170 explains the common name of the genus Meloe: "When seized they exude through the joints of the legs, especially the knees, a yellow fluid, much in the same manner as in the genus Horia. It is this peculiarity which has gained for them the popular name of " oil beetles." "

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/187603452
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/198365786