Ant Nest Beetles of the Carnegie Museum (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Paussinae, Paussini)

Paussini (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Paussinae) from the collections of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History were studied and identified. Thespecies are mainly from Africa with one each from the Middle East and India. The collection consists of long series from different localities butis especially rich in specimens from Malawi with eight species recorded from there for the first time. The paper also presents first records formany other African countries. In the framework of a revisionary treatment of the Paussus cucullatus Group sensu stricto, type material ofPaussus semicucullatus Wasmann, Paussus pseudocucullatus Nagel, and Paussus conradti Kolbe were studied. It is shown that Paussus elizabethaePéringuey, 1897, is a valid species and not a synonym of P. conradti Kolbe, 1896. Paussus phyllocerus Reichensperger, 1925, isrecognized as a new synonym of Paussus excavatusWestwood, 1833. Two species from Malawi are described as new to science: Paussus buettikeri,new species, and Paussus rawlinsi, new species. One key each is provided for ease of identification of species closely related to P. cucullatusWestwood and Paussus manicanus Péringuey, respectively. All available type specimens and many other species are shown in drawings.