Copelatus zanatanensis, Ranarilalatiana, Tolotra & Bergsten, Johannes, 2019

Ranarilalatiana, Tolotra & Bergsten, Johannes, 2019, Discovery of a specialist Copelatinae fauna on Madagascar: highly ephemeral tropical forest floor depressions as an overlooked habitat for diving beetles (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 871, pp. 89-118 : 94-96

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.871.36337
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:56C3FB7D-AF71-4C1B-8BD1-08417883D624
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/4170CE38-15A3-4432-82EA-DF62700D935A
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:4170CE38-15A3-4432-82EA-DF62700D935A
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft (2019-08-12 19:14:05, last updated 2024-11-27 23:19:14)
scientific name	Copelatus zanatanensis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. Figs 1B View Figure 1 , 2B View Figure 2

Type locality.

Masoala National Park [15.6703S; 49.9715E] (Madagascar, Analanjirofo region, Maroantsetra)

Type material.

-4♂ GP, 6♀, 6 ex. (Alc.) (NHRS, DEUA & PBZT/MBC): // NHRS-JLKB |000065655, 65787, 66018, 66302-6, 65437-8, 11228 (Alc.) // Madagascar: Toamasina: Analanjirofo: | Masoala NP: lowalt. rainforest | MAD18-45: small muddy depression | on path ~2 km NE. of Andranobe camp | 15.6703S, 49.9715E, 360 m, 16.II.2018 | Leg. J. Bergsten & T. Ranarilalatiana // Paratype | Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. | Det. Ranarilalatiana | & Bergsten, 2019 //

Diagnosis.

Habitus very similar to C. amphibius sp. nov. but penis diagnostic with a more distincly offset and higher ventral hump in lateral view and apical blade with a stright to almost concave ventral margin and spine-like acuminate apex ( Fig. 2B View Figure 2 ).

Description.

Very similar in all respects to C. amphibius sp. nov. and only differences noted below.

Body length: 4.4-5 mm (♀: 4.4-4.8 mm, ♂: 4.7-5 mm).

On average slightly smaller and elytra less infuscated and therefore appearing more unicolorous lighter testaceous, but variation overlap between the species both in infuscation and body size ( Fig. 1B View Figure 1 ).

Ventral side slightly lighter testaceous and therefore infuscation on metacoxal plate more contrasting.

Male genitalia as in Figure 2B View Figure 2 . Penis diagnostic in lateral view with a straight to concave ventral margin of apical blade and an acuminate spine-like apex. Copelatus amphibius sp. nov. has a weakly convex ventral margin of the apical blade and apex pointed but not spine-like acuminate. Also, the ventral medial hump higher and more distinctly offset in C. zanatanensis sp. nov.

Distribution.

Only known from Masoala National Park, northeastern Madagascar ( Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ).

Ecology and conservation.

Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. was found in forest floor depressions with leaf litter in pristine humid lowland (360-630 m alt.) forests in Masoala NP ( Figs 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 ). Most specimens were found in dry depressions at two different localities; however, the third place was in proximity of a stream, but still in a terrestrial microhabitat. Masoala National Park covers 230 000 ha of originally primary lowland humid forest, but deforestation rates surged following the political instability of 2009 ( Allnutt et al. 2013).

Etymology.

Latinisation of the Malagasy word “zana-tany” litterally translated to "child of the land", with the meaning to be native of a country. The new species is endemic and a native of Madagascar.

References

Allnutt, TF, Asner, GP, Golden, CD, Powell, GVN, 2013. Mapping recent deforestation and forest disturbance in northeastern Madagascar. . Tropical Conservation Science 6: 1 - 15

Figures

Figure 1. Habitus, dorsal view. A Copelatus amphibius sp. nov. (female) B Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. (female) C Copelatus betampona sp. nov. (female) D Madaglymbus semifactus sp. nov. (female) E Madaglymbus kelimaso sp. nov. (male) F Madaglymbus menalamba sp. nov. (female).

Figure 2. Male genitalia. From left to right aedeagus in right lateral, ventral, left lateral views, and left paramere. A Copelatus amphibius sp. nov. B Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. C Copelatus betampona sp. nov.

Figure 4. Maps of Madagascar with species distributions and administrative divisions. A Copelatus amphibius sp. nov. (circle), Copelatus betampona sp. nov. (square) B Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. (circle), Madaglymbus semifactus sp. nov. (square) C Madaglymbus kelimaso sp. nov. (circle), Madaglymbus menalamba sp. nov. (square) D current 22 regions and six former provinces of Madagascar.

Figure 6. Habitat photo of locality MAD 18 - 43, Masoala NP where Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. was found.

Figure 7. Habitat photos of locality MAD 18 - 45, Masoala NP. The two new species Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. and Madaglymbus menalamba sp. nov. were found in this habitat.