Laccotrephes pfeiferiae ( Ferrari, 1888 )

Polhemus, Dan A. & Polhemus, John T., 2013, Guide To The Aquatic Heteroptera Of Singapore And Peninsular Malaysia. X. Infraorder Nepomorpha-Famlies Belostomatidae And Nepidae, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 61 (1), pp. 25-45 : 40

Laccotrephes pfeiferiae ( Ferrari, 1888)

( Figs. 31 , 38 )

Nepa robusta var. pfeiferiae Ferrari, 1888: 187

Laccotrephes robustus: Lundblad, 1933 (in part)

Laccotrephes pfeifferae: Nieser & J. Polhemus, 1998: 22 , unjustified emendation

Laccotrephes pfieferae: J. Polhemus & Keffer, 1999: 2 , unjustified emendation

Material examined. — SINGAPORE: 2 females, Nee Soon Swamp Forest , 16 Apr.1994, coll. P. K. L. Ng ( ZRC) ; 1 male, 1 female, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve , 6 Dec.1995, coll. H. K. Lua et al. ( ZRC) ; 1 male, 1 female, Nee Soon Swamp Forest , track from firing range to pumphouse, in mud paddies, 29 Jul.1993, coll. H. H. Tan & S. H. Tan ( ZRC) . MALAYSIA, Johor: 2 males, Kota Tinggi, eastern foothill of Gunung Panti (track 266), 22 Oct.1991, coll. P. K. Ng et al. ( ZRC) ; 1 female, Johor, Kota Tinggi, Sungai Mupor, along Johor Bahru–Mersing road, 10 Mar. 1991, coll. P. K. L. Ng ( ZRC) . Selangor: 1 male, 1 female, 7 immatures, Genting Highlands , 14 Jan.2002, coll. T. M. Leong, THH0203 ( ZRC) ; 3 males, 3 females, Kepong, Templer Park , 16 Jan.2002, coll. B. L. Lim, THH0206 ( ZRC) . Perak: 1 male, Sungai Kenderong at Gerik , 17 Feb.1997, LHK0324, coll. H. K. Lua ( ZRC) ; 1 male, near Perlis State Park , 18 Dec.2000, LHK0438, coll. H. K. Lua ( ZRC) . Pahang: 1 male, Kuala Lipis , pool by mud track, 12 Apr.1997, YKL901M, coll. K. L. Yeo ( ZRC) ; 1 male, Kuala Tahan, stream on Bukit Sumpur , 7 Jul.1957, coll. D. S. Johnson ( ZRC) ; 1 female, Cameron Highlands, Tapah , 4 Jan. 1995, W. G. Ullrich coll. ( USNM) . Terengganu: 1 female, Sekuyu waterfall, 18 Mar.1992, LHK 178, coll. P. K. Ng et al. ( ZRC) . Malacca: 1 female, freshwater stream at Tanjung Bidara, in Camp Terendak , 6 Feb.1985, coll. P. K. L. Ng ( ZRC) .

Extralimital material examined. — BURMA, Shan Division : 1 male, Ywangan, tea plantation at foot of mountain, Sep. 1995, T. Subefelt ( USNM) . THAILAND, Nakhon Ratchasima Prov.: 1 female, Sakaerat Exp. Sta., 60 km. S. of Nakhon Ratchasima, 300– 600 m ., 14°30'N, 101°55'E, 2–4 Mar.1971, P. & P. Spangler coll. ( USNM) . LAOS, Vientiane Prov.: 4 males, 2 females, Ban Van Eue, 15 May 1966, native collector ( BPBM) ; 1 male, Phou Kou Khouei, 31 Oct.1966, native collector ( BPBM) . Sayaboury Prov.: 1 male, Sayaboury, 5 May 1966, native collector ( BPBM) . Khammouane Prov.: 1 male, Phon Tiou, 7 Jun.1965, native collector ( BPBM) . VIETNAM, Dak Nong Prov.: 1 male, Dak Song, 76 km. SW of Ban Me Thuot , 870 m ., 19–21 May 1960, light trap, S. & L. Quate ( BPBM) .

Diagnosis. — Male body length 35–47 mm, maximum width (across abdomen) 11–14 mm, length of respiratory siphon 34–39 mm. Female body length 36–45 mm, maximum width (across abdomen) 11–14 mm, length of respiratory siphon 32–40 mm. Colouration dark brown to black; all femora bearing a single irregular dark yellow annulation distally, a similar annulation present near base of fore femur; venter of abdomen rusty brown, spiracles dark yellow. Antennal segment III slightly shorter than segment II, outer margin bearing numerous long setae, the lengths of these setae approximately twice as long as the width of the segment, inner margin bearing a dense and regularly spaced row of shorter setae, these setae about one-half the width of the segment. Prosternal keel raised to form a somewhat acute tumescence set back slightly from anterior margin when viewed laterally ( Fig. 31 ). Length of respiratory siphon less than the length of the body. Male paramere with apex bearing a massive, blunt, recurved distal hook with an acute apex ( Fig. 38 ).

Distribution. — Originally described from India ( Ferrari, 1888), and subsequently recorded from Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, the Lesser Sunda Islands, and China (Nieser & J. Polhemus,1998; Chen et al., 2005). We provide new records from Laos, Burma, and Singapore, as well as the first specific records from the Malaysian states of Johor, Selangor, Perak, Pahang, Terengganu, and Malacca.

Remarks. — This is a very large, dark-colored Laccotrephes species that can be easily recognised within the regional fauna on the basis of size alone, as well as the characters provided in the diagnosis above. Based on comparison of holotypes, Nieser & Polhemus (1998) determined that Laccotrephes specimens formerly treated as L. robustus Stål from the Australasian region exclusive of the Philippines should be properly referred to L. pfeiferiae (Ferrari) , and this was reflected in the distributional table provided in their paper. The status of L. pfeiferiae was further discussed by Polhemus & Keffer (1999), who provided a useful table of morphological comparisons within the Laccotrephes grossus group. As such, the Laccotrephes specimens from Singapore and peninsular Malaysia formerly treated as L. robustus (see Fernando & Cheng, 1974) are treated herein under L. pfeiferiae (see also Zettel, 2008, Nieser et al., 2009).

Figures

Figs. 31–34. Laccotrephes species, prosterna, left lateral views (FC = fore coxa, PS = prosternum, PP = propleuron). 31, L. pfeiferiae. 32, L. archipelagi, specimen from Malaysia, Johor. 33, L. simulatus, specimen from Malaysia, Johor. 34, L. longicaudatus, specimen from Malaysia, Johor.

Figs. 35–38. Laccotrephes species, male parameres, left lateral views (all to same scale). 35, L. longicaudatus, specimen from Malaysia, Johor. 36, L. simulatus, specimen from Malaysia, Johor. 37, L. archipelagi, specimen from Malaysia, Johor (paramere apex only). 38, L. pfeiferiae, specimen from Laos, Vientiane Prov. (paramere apex only).