Laccobius (Glyptolaccobius) affinis Knisch, 1927

Gentili, Elio, 2006, Revisional notes on the genus Laccobius. I. Subgenus Glyptolaccobius (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 46, pp. 57-76 : 61

Laccobius (Glyptolaccobius) affinis Knisch, 1927

( Figs. 5-7 )

Laccobius (s. str.) affinis Knisch, 1927: 132 .

Laccobius (s. str.) affinis: D’ ORCHYMONT (1928) : 140.

Laccobius (Platylaccobius) affinis: GENTILI (1979) : 31.

Laccobius (Glyptolaccobius) affinis: GENTILI (1989) : 36; GENTILI (1995): 253; HANSEN (1999): 130; HEBAUER (2002): 12.

Type locality. India, Uttar Pradesh, Kumaon, Gori Valley, 2300 m a.s.l.

Type material examined. LECTOTYPE: J, 2.0 × 1.1 mm ( NHML): ‘Gori Valley, Kumaon, India, 7000 ft H.G.C. / Knisch det. 1925 Laccobius s.str. affinis Kn. [handwritten] / Coll. A.Knisch COTYPUS’. PARALECTOTYPES: 6 spec. (3 NHML, 3 ISNB). The three paralectotypes from NHML are mounted on separate cards, with labels as for the lectotype. Two of the three paralectotypes from ISNB (male and female) are mounted on one card, with labels: ‘Coll. R.I.Sc.N.B., Inde, Gori Valley, Kumaon, India, 7000 ft H.G.C. / Knisch det. 1925 Laccobius s.str. affinis Kn. / Coll. A.Knisch COTYPUS’. The last specimen is a male of L. egregius (see under that species).

Following the text of KNISCH (1927): ‘Typus im British Museum, London’ I designated one of the specimens in NHML as a lectotype (GENTILI 1978). The three specimens from ISNB come from the Knisch collection: ‘Sieben Exemplare liegen nur durch Güte des Herrn G. C. Champion vor, von welchen drei freundl. meiner Sammlung überlassen wurden’ [‘There are seven specimens available due to the kindness of Mr. G. C. Champion, three of which were kindly donated for my collection.’] ( KNISCH 1927).

Additional material examined. INDIA: UTTAR PRADESH, Gori Valley, Kumaon 7000′, H. G. Champion leg., 1 J 1 ♀ ( MSNV). NEPAL: Annapurna Mts., Baglung Lekh, ca 18 km W Baglung, upp. Okhle village, 2300 m a.s.l., 13.v.2004, J. Schmidt leg., 1 J 2 ♀♀ ( NHMW); Sankua Sabha Distr., above Pahakhola, 2600-2800 m a.s.l., Quercus semecarpifolia , Rhododendron , 31.v-3.vi.1988, Martens & Schawaller leg., 1 J ( CFHG); Solukhumbu Distr., above Nunthala, 2300-2500 m a.s.l., 13.v.1997, W. Schawaller leg., 1 J ( CFHG).

Material not examined. NEPAL: ‘Prov. GANDAKI, Distr. Kaski, Ghorepani nr. Tatapani, 2800- 2500 m, leg. Wolf 23.4.2000 ( NMEG)’ ( HEBAUER 2002).

Differential diagnosis. Laccobius affinis belongs to species with unordered elytral punctures and curved hind tibiae. It resembles L. egregius and L. incisus by the dark elytral colour without clear spots and stripes. From these species it is chiefly distinguished by its aedeagus ( Figs. 5-7 ) with simple parameres, i.e. not excised or hooked at apices. Externally, L. affinis differs from the latter two species by the lack of shagreen and black hairs on the head and pronotum, arrowhead-shaped anterior margin of the mesosternal keel, and the parasutural furrow reaching elytral apex.

Distribution. India (Uttar Pradesh), Nepal.

Figures

Figs. 5-11. 5-7 – Laccobius affinis Knisch, 1927, aedeagus. 5 – paralectotype, dorsal view; 6 – lectotype, lateral view; 7 – lectotype, ventral view. 8-11 – L. egregius Gentili, 1995, holotype. 8 – aedeagus, dorsal view; 9 – ditto, lateral view; 10 – ditto, ventral view; 11 – genital segment.