Nebrioporus vagrans ( Omer-Cooper, 1953 )

Toledo, Mario, 2009, Revision in part of the genus Nebrioporus Régimbart, 1906, with emphasis on the N. laeviventris-group (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), Zootaxa 2040, pp. 1-111 : 102

Nebrioporus vagrans ( Omer-Cooper, 1953)

Fig. 45

Potamonectes vagrans Omer-Cooper (1953: 29) (orig. descr); Omer-Cooper (1957: 62; 1965: 140).

Nebrioporus (Zimmermannius) vagrans (Omer-Cooper) ; Nilsson & Angus (1992: 287); Nilsson (2001: 174).

Type locality. South Africa > Eastern Cape Province> Colesberg distr.> Novals Pont [Norvalspont] .

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( BMNH), dissected "Type [red circular BMNH label] \ E Cape Province, Orloors Port, Novals Pont, Colesberg distr. 24.2.47, J. Omer-Cooper. \ Type ♂ Potamonectes vagrans O-C." . Paratype: ( BMNH) 1 ♀ " Allotype " [Omer-Cooper designation] same data as holotype .

Additional material examined. South Africa: Gauteng, Johannesburg, stream, 29.V.1952, Rev. E. J. Pearce coll., Brit. Mus. 1953-124. (9 exs. BMNH); North–West, Farm Dam, 450 ft. nr. Mooi riv., 2.IV.1954, Mud with Juncus and Nitella, J. Balfour-Browne, Brit. Mus. 1954 -759 (4 exs. BMNH); Worcester (Cape Prov.), XII.1969, coll. Mus. Tervuren (2 exs. GWW); Kwazulu-Natal, Reservoir next to "Pickle Pot" (store) on R 617, 100 m, 2.II.1997, leg. C.R. Turner (1 ex. CTP).

Description. TL 5.1–5.8 mm; MW. mm 2.8–3.0 mm. Oval, rather flat; pale.

Head yellow, with a narrow dark postocular band. Mouthparts reddish, antennae testaceous.

Pronotum wide, maximum width near the base. Sides slightly rounded, indistinctly bordered, posterior angles rounded. Posterior margin slightly broader than elytra, angle between pronotum and elytra visible.

Elytra oblong-oval, with maximum width behind middle, covered by a fine pubescence. Longitudinal rows of punctures hardly visible.

Dorsal colouration ( Fig. 45a) yellow, pronotum with a fine dark line on anterior and posterior sides and two discal maculae; each elytron with five, longitudinal lines, not fused together, and from one to four lateral short stripes.

Underside reddish, covered by a dense and impressed punctuation. Prosternal process flat, smooth, not bordered and without central keel, rounded apically. Sternites without apical comb of setae.

Legs testaceous, with pro and mesotarsi darkened. Metafemora densely punctate.

Male: Protarsi dilated. Anterior claws modified ( Fig. 45c,d): the inner longer and broader than the outer, with a little expansion on ventral side. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 45f) rather slender; parameres ( Fig. 45e) triangular, narrow apically.

Female: Externally as male.

Habitat. The specimens of C.R. Turner were collected from the shallow margins (ca. 30 cm) of a man made but mature reservoir that had vegetated margins and an abundant aquatic flora located in the Natal foothills (C.R. Turner, personal communication, 2007).

Distribution ( Fig. 57): South Africa (Gauteng, North-West, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Kwazulu-Natal), Lesotho.