Laccophilus conjunctus Guignot, 1950

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 189-190

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus conjunctus Guignot, 1950 Figs 154-155, 337-338, 483-484, 567

Laccophilus lineatus ab. conjunctus Guignot 1946c: 264 (description, faunistics).

Laccophilus conjunctus Guignot 1950b: 272 (original description, faunistics, discussion); Guignot 1953b: 236 (discussion); Guignot 1954: 24 (faunistics); Guignot 1959a: 534, 537, 541, 542, 578 (description, discussion, faunistics); Medler 1980: 155 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 242 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 210 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Cameroon: Yaoundé.

Type material studied

(4 exs.). Lectotype (by present designation): male: "Cameroun Yaoundé Vadon! / male symbol / Type" (MNHN). - Paralectotypes: Same data as lectotype but "female symbol / Paratype" (1 ex. MNHN; habitus in Fig. 484); same data as preceding paralectotype but labelled “Ebolowa” (1 ex. MNHN); "Nanga-Eboko Cameroun II. 1937 - Andr. / female symbol / Paratype" (1 ex. MNHN; habitus in Fig. 483).

Additional material studied

(7 exs.). Zaire: "PNG, Morubia/9, 12.3. 1952 De Saeger, 3187" (3 exs. MRAC, 1 ex. MZH); same data but "II/gd/11, 10.4. 1952, 3314" (1 ex. MRAC, 1 ex. MZH); same data but “Pali’’ /11, 25.7. 1952, 3831" (1 ex. MRAC).

Diagnosis.

Close to Laccophilus necopinus and especially to Laccophilus adjutor , from which Laccophilus conjunctus is separated by smaller body size and by dorsal colour pattern; elytral pale areas strongly reduced in Laccophilus conjunctus . Penises of Laccophilus adjutor and Laccophilus conjunctus are almost similar, but minor differences exhibited in shape and outline of extreme apex; almost obtuse in Laccophilus conjunctus vs. rounded in Laccophilus adjutor . External outline of membranous area in apical half of penis shows also minor differences, being slightly sinuate in Laccophilus adjutor . Further studies will show if the two species are conspecific.

Description.

Body length 3.2-3.5 mm, width 1.7-1.9 mm. Dorsal, colour pattern of body slightly variable; pale areas reduced to a few spots and a subbasal area (Figs 483-484).

Head: Ferrugineous, frontally narrowly slightly paler. At eyes with irregular, fine punctures. Submat, densely microsculptured. Reticulation indistinctly double. Coarser meshes in part strongly obliterated; indistinct. Coarse meshes, when discernible, contain 2-6 fine meshes.

Pronotum: At base and anteriorly darkened, blackish to dark ferrugineous; laterally and towards frontal corners pronotum paler; pale ferrugineous. Change of colour sometimes gradual. Pronotum discally impunctate. At margins with very fine, hardly discernible punctures. Submat, finely and densely microsculptured. Reticulation double. Large meshes distinct; contain 2-6 fine meshes.

Elytra: Extensively black to blackish ferrugineous, with somewhat variable pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous markings (Figs 483-484). Discally, dorsolaterally and laterally with scattered very fine punctures (not forming distinct rows). Submat, distinctly microsculptured. Reticulation double but large meshes fine, in part (laterally and posteriorly) hardly discernible or absent.

Ventral aspect: Black to dark ferrugineous, prothorax pale, ferrugineous to pale ferrugineous. Almost impunctate. Rather shiny, extensively with very fine, in part indistinct, microsculpture. Metacoxal plates with about 10 indistinct and shallow furrows, most of which are transversely located. Abdomen in basal half with curved striae. Apical ventrite asymmetric, with one, distinct, lateral knob (Fig. 154). Prosternal process slender, apex extended and pointed.

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus rather long and slender. Tarsi provided with suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis delicate, in lateral aspect slightly curved; apically penis ends in a small extension (Figs 337-338).

Female: Apical ventrite lacks knob; as in Fig. 155. Pro- and mesotarsus slender.

Distribution.

Cameroon, Zaire (Fig. 567). Medler (1980) gives Nigeria.

Collecting circumstances.

Unknown.