Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus villiersi Bertrand & Legros, 1975 Figs 192-193, 366, 517, 576

Laccophilus villiersi Bertrand and Legros 1975: 671, 681 (original description, faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 253 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 219 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Congo Brazzaville: Odzala.

Type material studied

(5 exs.). Holotype: male: "Data in NHRS JLKB 000030290 / Odzala Congo Octobre / Museum Paris Mission A. Descarpentries et A. Villiers 1963-1964 / Type / R. Mouchamps det. 65 Laccophilus villiersi nsp" (MNHN). - Paratypes: Same data but "JLKB 000030291 / Allotype" (1 ex. MNHN); same data, but "JLKB 000030292-000030294 / Paratype" (3 exs. MNHN; habitus in Fig. 517).

Additional material studied

(4 exs.). Central African Republic: "La Maboke 6-9.6. 1973 Linnavuori leg." (1 ex. MZH). - Gabon: "Lagune Iguéla Ntchongorovié (Savane) 22-24.8. 1998 Bilardo" (1 ex. CSR); "Libreville 3.8. 1973 Bilardo & Pederzani" (2 exs. NHMB).

Diagnosis.

Besides Laccophilus melas, Laccophilus villiersi is characterized by mainly dark body colour in this species group. Laccophilus villiersi is smaller than Laccophilus melas . In both species diagnostic, important features are exhibited by apex of the penis; provided with processes in Laccophilus villiersi while almost smooth in Laccophilus melas .

Description.

Body length 2.8-3.0 mm, width 1.6 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 517. Elytra dark brownish to dark ferrugineous, apically slightly paler. Elytron with a small but distinct, pale ferrugineous, humeral spot. Dorsal colour pattern exhibits only minor variation.

Head: Ferrugineous to pale ferrugineous. Slightly mat, with fine reticulation which is double. Larger meshes weakly developed; when discernible they contain 2-6 fine meshes. Impunctate, except in small area at eyes where punctation is fine and irregularly distributed.

Pronotum: Ferrugineous to pale ferrugineous; lacks distinct colour pattern. Slightly mat although finely microsculptured. Reticulation double; large meshes discally in part weakly developed, when discernible they contain 2-5 fine meshes. Impunctate, except at anterior margin where fine, irregular punctures discernible.

Elytra: Blackish ferrugineous, with pale, small, humeral spots (Fig. 517). Slightly mat, finely microsculptured. Large meshes (especially on disc) in part reduced and hardly discernible. When discernible large meshes contain 2-5 small meshes. Very fine, irregular, row of punctures indicate a discal row. Elytra laterally with fine, pre-apical, row of punctures, which is finely pubescent. Other rows indistinct.

Ventral aspect: Ferrugineous to pale ferrugineous; abdomen slightly darker but no distinct colour pattern formed. Slightly mat, finely microsculptured. Almost impunctate. Metacoxal plates with a few, shallow, transverse furrows. Abdomen with a few, fine, somewhat curved striae. Prosternal process slender, posteriorly somewhat extended, apically pointed. Apical ventrite with an asymmetrically located knob (Fig. 192).

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus slightly enlarged, provided with fine suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis small; anterior edge somewhat rounded and internal edge of apex with a small extension (Fig. 366).

Female: Externally almost as male. Pro- and mesotarsus narrow. Apical ventrite shape almost symmetric (Fig. 193).

Distribution.

Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo Brazzaville (Fig. 576).

Collecting circumstances.

Not known.