Macrocheilus proximus Péringuey, 1896

Figs. 9f, g, 10c, 14a

Studied material. 1 male: “ Barberton \ 14–18.X.1951 \ A.J.T. Janse leg.” (MRAC) ; 1 female: “ Katanga: Kasenga \?. IV.1971 \ don A. Allaen leg.” (MRAC) ; 1 female: “ Ethiopia, 25/ 27.IV.1998 \ near Negele Borana\ Sidamo, leg. Werner ” \\ “Collection\ Th. Assmann \ Bleckede, CAB” (yellow label)\\ “ Macrocheilus \ pr oximus Péring.” [h]\ “det. Th. Assmann, 2006” [t] \\ “ Macrocheilus \ proximus \ Péringuey, 1896 ” [h]\ “ A.Serrano det. 2021” [t] [h] .

Remarks. The species was originally described from Natal (D`Urban) (Republic of South Africa) (Péringuey 1896) (Fig. 9f). The MRAC specimens were determined by P. Basilewsky. The elytral black spot pattern of M. proximus is slightly similar to that of the M. basilewskyi, but the pronotum conformation and the aedeagus of both species are quite different (see Figs. 11‒12, 13‒16, 18 in Serrano 2000). The known distribution in Republic of South Africa and the new records for Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia points to a scattered distribution in Africa.

Male genitalia. Drawings of median lobe in lateral and dorsal views and left paramere were provided by Serrano (2000, Figs. 15, 16). Median lobe short, slightly knee shaped at the base, dilated in the middle, apical lamella very short, slightly acuminated at apex (dorsal view), downward (lateral view), ostium with one pair of very large scaled and sclerotized stripes on latero-dorsal region, bending downward near apex (Serrano 2000, Fig. 15); left paramere rounded, slightly longer than wide, without a tooth in postero-dorsal edge (Serrano 2000, Fig. 16).

Female genitalia (Fig. 14a). Gonocoxite 1 subtriangular; gonocoxite 2 sickle shaped, apex hardly pointed; dorsal surface concave, almost all covered with numerous setae, inner margin with eight setae, outer margin with a sub marginal setose longitudinal rib; ventral surface slightly convex, some minor setae on surface.

Distribution. Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Republic of South Africa.