Copelatus betampona, 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 : 96-97

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/35880EF1-1719-48F5-B8D2-D71BBC4B4D17
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:35880EF1-1719-48F5-B8D2-D71BBC4B4D17
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Copelatus betampona
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Copelatus betampona View in CoL sp. nov. Figs 1C View Figure 1 , 2C View Figure 2

Type locality.

Betampona Réserve Naturelle Intégrale (RNI) [17.9160S, 49.1999E] (Madagascar, Atsinanana region, Toamasina II)

Type material.

Diagnosis.

A slightly smaller species than preceding two and in fact the smallest of all known species of the Copelatus erichsonii group from Madagascar. Penis diagnostic in lateral view, lacking a sinuation between the ventral hump and the apical blade and with a long extended and narrow apical blade ( Fig. 2C View Figure 2 ). Copelatus gabonicus Bilardo & Pederzani, 1978 and Copelatus evanidus Bilardo & Rocchi, 1995 (see figures in Bilardo and Rocchi 2015), both described from Gabon, have superficially similar type of genitalia, but differs in habitus and coloration as well as several genitalic details; the hump in lateral view is higher and more robust in C. evadinus and C. gabonicus have subapical transverse sulcation also in left lateral view.

Description.

Body length: 4.2-4.8 mm (♀: 4.2-4.6 mm, ♂: 4.6-4.8 mm).

Very similar in all respects to the two preceding species and only differences noted below.

Slightly smaller than both preceding species and somewhat less elongate ( Fig. 1C View Figure 1 ).

The lightest testaceous species of all three. Elytra with very faint to no infuscation medially and infuscation between eyes on head essentially lacking (faint traces present).

Possibly more extensive striolation on pronotum, but individual variation likely to overlap between the species.

Metacoxal lines projecting anteriorly longer than in preceding two species but does not reach metaventral suture.

Male genitalia as in Figure 2C View Figure 2 . Penis in lateral view diagnostic compared to preceding two species, with a ventral hump extending longer towards apex and without a sinuation between end of hump and beginning of apical blade. Apical blade lanceolate in shape with an evenly curved ventral margin. The large anterior portions of the asymetrically right-leaning hump also diagnostic in ventral view.

Distribution.

Only known from Betampona RNI, eastern lowland Madagascar ( Fig. 4A View Figure 4 ).

Ecology and conservation.

Copelatus betampona sp. nov. was found in lowland humid forests (300-550 m alt.) in dry shallow depressions of the forest floor with dead leaves and soil ( Fig. 5 View Figure 5 ). Betampona RNI is managed through collaboration between Madagascar National Parks (MNP) and Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group (MFG). Betampona is one of the better-preserved low altitude parcels of rainforest on the eastern coast of Madagascar ( Gehring et al. 2010; Rosa et al. 2012). It covers 2228 ha today, was until the late 1950s continuous with nearby forests but has since diminished and it is currently estimated that only around 50% of the area remains as primary forest ( Britt 2002). Incursion by slash-and-burn agriculture likely represents the greatest threat to the biodiversity in the reserve. The fact that neither the Madaglymbus nor the Copelatus species found here were conspecific with those of lowland humid forests further north in Masoala indicates that Betampona, despite its small size, has a high conservation value for endemic eastern lowland fauna.

Etymology.

Named after the type locality and protected area where it was found, Betampona Réserve Naturelle Intégrale. The epithet is a noun in apposition.