Copelatus schereri Wewalka, 1981

Sheth, Sayali D., Ghate, Hemant V. & Hájek, Jiří, 2018, Copelatus Erichson, 1832 from Maharashtra, India, with description of three new species and notes on other taxa of the genus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Copelatinae), Zootaxa 4459 (2), pp. 235-260 : 248-250

Copelatus schereri Wewalka, 1981

( Figs 12 , 29–30 )

Copelatus schereri Wewalka, 1981: 65 .

Type locality. " Indien: Mysore [Karnataka]: Shimoga ".

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( ZSMG), labelled: South India / Mysore State / Shimoga 1936 / P. S. Nathan [printed] // R. Mouchamps det [printed]/ Copelatus / indicus shp [hw] // HOLOTYPUS / Copelatus ♂ / schereri n sp. / Wewalka 80 [hw].

Additional material examined. India: Maharashtra: 1♂, Satara distr., Sadawaghapur , 17°26.2′N, 73°55.7′E, 1093 m, 31.viii.2013, S.D. Sheth lgt. ( HVGC).

Diagnosis. Medium sized (TL: 5.0– 5.4 mm), oblong oval species. Species variable in elytral coloration: elytra of holotype largely yellow with blackish subbasal transverse band extending somewhat posteriad between striae 4– 6, black sutural area between suture and stria 2, and with narrow blackish stripes along elytral striae; elytra of recently collected Maharashtra specimen with only vaguely delimited infuscation on disc of elytra ( Fig. 12 ). Elytral striae well impressed: all striae starting at elytral base; striae 2, 3 and 5 shorter than striae 1 and 4—not reaching apex of elytra; stria 6 shortest, ending approximately in apical fifth of elytral length; submarginal stria long, starting at about elytral midlength and terminates in approximately apical fifth of elytral length. Median lobe in lateral aspect sickle-shaped; broad in basal half, narrow, almost regularly curved in apical half, with shallow emargination on ventral side before apex; apex beak-shaped; median lobe after midlength with two distinct 'teeth' on ventral side—broad rectangular lower one, and narrower acute upper one ( Fig. 29 ). Parameres rather broad, 'D'- shaped, with distinct serration on inner margin in apical half; apex short and broad ( Fig. 30 ).

Collecting circumstances. The species was found in a temporary water body ( Fig. 38 ) with rock and mud as substrate, algal vegetation, pH 7.85, temperature 32.5 0C and salinity 29.7 ppm.

Distribution. A species previously known only from the type locality in Karnataka, India. Here, we add the first record from Maharashtra (Satara District) extending the range of species northward ( Fig. 45 ).

Figures

FIGURE 45. Distributional map of Copelatus species in Maharashtra.

FIGURES 9–12. Habitus of Copelatus. 9–11. C. neelumae: 9. male, pale form (Karnataka); 10. male, dark form (Maharashtra, Lonavala); 11. female, immature specimen of dark form (Maharashtra, Mulshi); 12. C. schereri, male (Sadawaghapur).

FIGURES 23–30. Male genitalia of Copelatus. 23–24. C. bezdeki sp. nov.; 25–26. C. indicus; 27–28. C. neelumae; 29–30. C. schereri. 23, 25, 27, 29. median lobe in lateral view (27a. redrawn from original description of C. neelumae); 24, 26, 28, 30. paramere. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 35–40. Habitat of Copelatus. 35. temporary pool (Tableland); 36. temporary pool (Medha-Panchagani road; photo M.R. Kulkarni); 37. ephemeral pool (Sadawaghapur); 38. temporary pool (Sadawaghapur); 39. remnant pool in stream (Tamhini); 40. side pool of a stream (Tamhini).