Laccophilus livingstoni Omer-Cooper, 1958

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 237-238

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus livingstoni Omer-Cooper, 1958 Figs 196-197, 368, 519, 576

Laccophilus livingstoni Omer-Cooper 1958b: 37, 41, 45 (original description, faunistics, biology); Omer-Cooper 1967: 60 (discussion, Laccophilus livingstoni , junior synonym Laccophilus inornatus Zimmermann); Medler 1980: 155 (faunistics, list); Nilsson 2001: 245 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2012: 212 (catalogue, faunistics, list, synonymy, Laccophilus inornatus ). Restored species.

Type locality.

Malawi: Monkey Bay, Dambo.

Type material studied

(6 exs.). Holotype: male: "Paratype / Nyasaland, swamp, Monkey Bay 28.1. 1948 / Laccophilus livingstoni O-C. (AMGS; by mistake labelled as paratype)." - Paratypes: "Holotype / Nyasaland Livingstonia, stream by homestead 22.10. 1948 J.O.C. / Laccophilus livingstoni O-C. / Brit. Mus. 1957-660 / Laccophilus livingstoni J. O.C., M.E Bacchus det. 1978, Holotype/Brit. Mus. 1978-308" (1 ex. BMNH); same, but labelled as “Allotype” (1 ex. BMNH). [Comment: The specimens are pinned together. Label information fits with paratypes, but does not fit with what is given for the holotype in the original description.]; "Paratype / Nyasaland stream 20 mi. From Dedza on lower Lilongwe rd. 30.9. 1948 / Laccophilus livingstoni sp. n. Det. J. Omer-Cooper" (2 exs. AMGS); (Tanzania)"Zanzibar Pemba 6. September 1955 J.R. Fowler" (1 ex. AMGS).

Additional material studied

(13 exs.): Tanzania: "Lake Malawi Matema 1.7. 1979 M. Stoltze leg. / Laccophilus bergeri Guignot Holmen det." (2 exx. ZMUC); "Zanzibar, Manganpwani Rd. 13.9. 1955 JOC." (2 exs. AMGS). - Malawi: "Mulanje Mnts env. 22-28.12. 2001 Kantner" (3 exs. NHMB, 1 ex. MZH; habitus in Fig. 519); "Selima env. 5-6.1. 2002 60 km E of Lilongwe Kantner" (3 exs. NHMB, 1 ex. MZH). - Mozambique: "Prov. Manica 20 km NW Chimoio 21-23.12. 2003 Kudrna jr. lgt." (1 ex. CFP).

Comments on synonymy.

Examination of holotype reveals that Laccophilus livingstoni is a good species and not a junior synonym of Laccophilus inornatus Zimmermann.

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus livingstoni is closest related to Laccophilus insularum . There are, however, some differences in shape of apex of penis; anterior outline of it being almost straight in Laccophilus livingstoni and clearly curved in Laccophilus insularum . Laccophilus livingstoni also resembles quite much of Laccophilus garambanus regarding colour pattern of body. Laccophilus garambanus is, however, smaller and have more extensive pale colour on posterior half of elytra.

Description.

Body length 3.3-3.6 mm, width 1.8-2.0 mm. Dorsal colour pattern quite uniform, exhibits only some variation (Fig. 519).

Head: Pale ferrugineous; posteriorly at pronotum narrowly, slightly darker. Discally, with two, small, dark spots which sometimes are vague. Punctation slightly irregularly distributed, at eyes and from there towards central part, fine to very fine. Submat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double, but in part this is rather indistinct. Large meshes contain 2-6 finer meshes.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous, with vague darker areas. At margins with fine to very fine, irregularly distributed punctures. Reticulation double; large meshes in part lack small meshes, and in part, contain 2 to 5 small meshes.

Elytra: Blackish ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous. Anteriorly with an irregular, subbasal series of pale spots which often are in part confluent. Posteriorly, with vague, pale and irregular stripes (Fig. 519). Rather shiny, although densely microsculptured. Reticulation frontally double; towards apex division into two kinds of reticulation becomes indistinct. Three, (a discal, a dorsolateral and a lateral one) sparse and irregular rows of punctures (or narrow punctured areas) discernible.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous; ventrites laterally somewhat darker. Rather shiny, although very finely reticulated. Ventrites with sparse but distinct striae pointing inwards and backwards. Almost impunctate. Ventrite posterior to apex of abdomen with a few rather irregular punctures; on one side provided with a sharp knob (Fig. 196). Metacoxal plates with about 10 almost transversely located, shallow furrows. Prosternal process narrow and pointed.

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

Male genitalia: Penis angled (not evenly curved); external outline apically extended and sharp (Fig. 368).

Female: Externally as male but pro- and mesotarsus fairly long and slender. Apical ventrite lacks sharp knob (Fig. 197).

Distribution.

Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique (Fig. 576). Record from Nigeria is incorrect, and refers to earlier accepted synonymy.

Collecting circumstances.

Insufficiently known. The species has been collected from both running and standing waters.