The Meligethes of the M-pubescens species-group from Southern Africa (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae, Meligethinae)

The known Southern African species of the pubescens species-group in the genus Meligethes Stephens, 1830, are revised. A diagnosis of the M. pubescens species-group is given and eight new species are described from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana: M. argentarius sp. n. (Eastern Cape Province, Kwa-Zulu Natal), M. aurivestis sp, n.( Western Cape Province), M. eremita sp. n. (Namibia, Northern Cape), M. hermanniae sp. n. (Western Cape Province), M. massivus sp. n. (Northern Transvaal), M. namakwaensis sp. n. (Namaqualand, Western Cape Province, and southern Namibia), M pecten sp. n. (Western Cape Province, Free State), and M. rufofuscus sp. n. (Namibia, Botswana, and northern South Africa). Redescriptions and line drawings of male and female genitalia, legs and habitus of M. pubescens Reitter, 1872, M. translatus Grouvelle, 1913, M. confertus Reitter, 1872, M. plumbeus Reitter, 1872, M.fuerschi Spornraft & Audisio, 1995 (= M. antlia Kirejtshuk, 1996, syn. n.), M. marshalli Grouvelle, 1915, and ecological data on most of the species dealt with (all probably using Sterculiaceae of the genus Hermannia as larval host-plants) are also included.