Phaenonotum laevicolle Sharp, 1882

Deler-Hernandez, Albert & Fikacek, Martin, 2016, Redescriptions and lectotype designations of Central American species of Phaenonotum Sharp (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae) based on the type material from the David Sharp collection, ZooKeys 579, pp. 83-98 : 88-90

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Hydrophilidae

Phaenonotum laevicolle Sharp, 1882 Figures 1d, 2c, 3c, 4e

Cyclonotum globulosum Mulsant, 1844: 167 (ascribed to Klug). [ “Amérique méridionale”] (cf., Orchymont, 1937). Transferred to Phaenonotum by Knisch (1924: 114).

Phaenonotum laevicolle Sharp, 1882: 99. Considered as synonym of Phaenonotum globulosum by Orchymont (1937: 241). Synonymy not confirmed by subsequent authors.

Type material examined.

Lectotype (designated by Smetana 1976: 213): male (BMNH): " Phaenonotum / laevicolle / Type / D.S. / Cordova Mex Sallé. // B.C.A. I. 2. / Phaenonotum / laevicolle , / Sharp. // Sharp Coll. / 1905.-313.". Paralectotype: male (BMNH): "Cubilguitz / Vera Paz. / Champion. // B.C.A. I. 2. / Phaenonotum / laevicolle , / Sharp".

Other type material.

Sharp (1882) also examined specimens from Nicaragua: Chinandega, Managua and Chontales, all of which have to be considered as paralectotypes. We did not examine these specimens.

Type locality

(following lectotype designation). Cordova, Mexico.

Redescription.

Habitus as in Figs 1d and 2c. Body length 2.5-2.7 mm (lectotype: 2.7 mm). Body form oval in dorsal view (Fig. 1d), elytra evenly convex in lateral view (Fig. 2c). Dorsal surface brown (Fig. 1d). Antennae and maxillary palpi testaceous. Ventral surface reddish brown. Leg reddish, tarsomeres yellowish. Head with fine and sparse punctures. Pronotum with punctures of same size as on head. Elytral punctation strongly impressed, much coarser than pronotal and head punctation. Epipleura very broad throughout. Meso- and metaventral processes fused into a common keel; mesoventral process arrow-head shaped with narrow hood, its base narrower than apex of metaventrite; metaventral process stout, slightly widened subapically, length of metaventrite medially (including metaventral process) ca. three times longer than mesoventral process (Fig. 3c). All tarsi with long setae on ventral surface. Aedeagus (Fig. 4e) 0.5 mm long, with median lobe not reaching apices of parameres; basal portion of median lobe nearly straight laterally, apical portion widely rounded, median lobe narrowing towards apex; shape of the gonopore transversely subtriangular. Parameres wide and curved in median region. Phallobase not examined in detail.

Comments on synonymy.

Orchymont (1937) considered Phaenonotum laevicolle as a junior synonym of Phaenonotum globulosum described from Colombia, based on the study of the type specimens of both taxa. However, he only compared external characters used for diagnosis of Phaenonotum species at that time (i.e. dorsal punctation, length of tarsi), and did not study ventral morphology and male genitalia, which are crucial characters for species identification. Smetana (1976) reexamined the types of Phaenonotum laevicolle including genitalia, but he did not provide any comments on the synonymy proposed by Orchymont (1937), he neither studied the types of Phaenonotum globulosum . For that reason, the synonymy of Phaenonotum laevicolle with Phaenonotum globulosum needs to be confirmed by future studies.