Laccodytes costae, Braga, 2020

Braga, Rafael Benzi, 2020, Laccodytes costae sp. nov., and new records for the genus from Brazil (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (Pap. Avulsos Zool., S. Paulo) 60 (17), pp. 1-4 : 4

Key to Laccodytes species

The key to Laccodytes species of Toledo et al. (2010) is modified to include L. costae sp. nov., and L. cobreinae Toledo, Megna & Alarie, 2011 .

1. Posterior angles of pronotum produced backwards,acute;prosternal process with very long,needle-shaped tip,reaching caudally beyond mesocoxae for about a fourth or more of its length. L. apalodes -group......................................................................................................................................................................2

— Posterior angles of pronotum rounded;prosternal process with shorter thorn-shaped tip, not or slightly extended caudally beyond mesocoxae. L.phalacroides - group ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4

2. Total length <1.4 mm. Elytron with longitudinal lines......................................................................................................................................... L.costae sp.nov.

— Total length> 1.4 mm. Elytron with large dark transversal bands and spots ............................................................................................................................... 3

3. Dark line along suture complete,reaching the scutellum,fused laterally with humeral dark spots;subbasal band reaching the sides of elytra;dark patterns brown. Median lobe of aedeagus slender and more simple in shape.............................................. L.apalodes Guignot,1955 (French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela)

— Dark line along suture not reaching the scutellum,ending in a lobed shape;humeral spots isolated;subbasal band not reaching the sides of elytra;dark patterns black.Median lobe of aedeagus larger and robust,more complex in shape.................................................. L. rondonia Toledo, Spangler & Balke,2010 ( Brazil)

4. Microreticulation on metacoxae composed of elongate,fine longitudinal cells, visible at high magnification, punctuation not visible; elytra regularly tapering posteriorly,rounded apically....................................................................... L.americanus Peschet,1919 ( Brazil,French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname)

— Microreticulation on metacoxae composed of rounded meshes, together with a more or less visible punctuation of fine dots; elytra rounded or truncate apically......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5

5. Total length> 2.0 mm.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6

— Total length <2.0 mm.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7

6. Median lobe of aedeagus large and robust,apically not emarginated.............................................................................. L. phalacroides Régimbart,1895 ( Brazil)

— Median lobe of aedeagus flattened,apically emarginated.................................................................................. L. cobreinae Toledo, Megna & Alarie,2011 ( Cuba)

7. Apex of each elytron obliquely truncate,almost concave in outline;elytral patterns sharply contrasting:yellow subbasal and apical bands deeply lobate,giving to the dark markings a strongly irregular appearance..................................................................................................... L. takutuanus ( Guyana and Venezuela)

— Apex of each elytron not truncate,otherwise not obliquely;dark patterns less contrasting or,if so,with markings not lobate.................................................... 8

8. Outer metatibial spur truncate at tip. Elytra black,with three small orange-reddish circular spots ...................................... L. olibroides Régimbart,1895 ( Brazil)

— Outer metatibial spur acuminate.Dark patterns of elytra brown,with a transverse sub-basal yellow band,often poorly distinct ............................................... 9

9. Outer metatibial spur flat.Elytra brown with poorly distinct patterns....................................................... L. neblinae Toledo, Spangler & Balke,2010 ( Venezuela)

— Both metatibial spurs conical.Elytra with more or less distinct pale patterns,otherwise coloration dark also on head and pronotum ...................................... 10

10. Head uniformly orange and pronotum of the same color,at most with a dark basal line. Median lobe of aedeagus more robust in lateral view ........................... ....................................................................................................................................... L. bassignanii Toledo, Spangler & Balke,2010 ( Guyana and Venezuela)

— Head and pronotum completely or mostly dark.Median lobe of aedeagus very elongate and thin in lateral view..................................................................... 11

11. Dorsal coloration almost uniformly pitch-brown, with very indistinct paler patterns on elytra. Median lobe,in lateral view,visibly curved downward on apical third. Male with last abdominal ventrite deeply emarginated on hind margin.................................. L. androginus Toledo, Spangler & Balke,2010 ( Venezuela)

— Pronotum paler than head and elytra.Median lobe of aedeagus,in lateral view,completely straight and very thin,slightly curved on apical fifth.Male with last abdominal ventrite not emarginated on hind margin........................................................................ L.obscuratus Toledo, Spangler & Balke,2010 ( Venezuela)