Laccophilus propinquus Omer-Cooper, 1958

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 71-72

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus propinquus Omer-Cooper, 1958 Figs 57-58, 254, 413, 540

Laccophilus propinquus Omer-Cooper 1958b: 37, 43, 45, 46 (original description, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1965: 77, 82 (description, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1970: 288, 289, 290 (discussion, description, faunistics); Pederzani 1988: 107 (faunistics, biology); Nilsson 2001: 249 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 216 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Malawi: Mwanza.

Type material studied

(14 exs.). Holotype: male: "Type / male, female (symbols) Types / River near portuguese border, near Mwanza 9.II. (11?) 1948 / Brit. Mus. 1957-660 / Laccophilus propinquus O-C."(BMNH; habitus in Fig. 413). - Paratype: female: Pinned together with holotype but on separate label (1 ex. BMNH); "Paratype / Nyasaland Zomba Plateau Reservoir 7.11. 1948" (1 ex. AMGS); "Paratype / Nyasaland Reservoir Mwanza 9.11. 1948" (2exs. AMGS); "Paratype / Nyasaland stream longer Lilongwe rd. 20 miles from Dedza 30.9. 1948" (1 ex. AMGS); "Paratype / Nyasaland dam on lower Lilongwe rd. 29.9. 1948" (2exs. AMGS); "Paratype / Nyasaland Cisaiti R. nr. Dedza 28.9. 1948" (1 ex. AMGS); "S. Rhodesia Inganyi River 17.IX. 1948 / Laccophilus propinquus sp. n. det. J. Omer-Cooper" (4 exs. AMGS); Nyasaland Dambo below Livingstonea Lake shore 21.9. 1945 / Paratype / Laccophilus propinquus O.-C., O. Cooper det." (1 ex. IRSNB).

Additional material studied

(20 exx.). Tanzania: "Ruvu North Forest Reserve, waterholes, 3 km SE of Base 6°37'20" S, 38°55'00" E alt. 250 ft 1.11. 1992 / Hynd Collection" (4 exs. BMNH, 1 ex. MZH); "Ruvu North Forest Reserve, Base Camp 6°37'40" S, 38°51'14" E alt. 200 ft 30.10. 1992 / Hynd Collection" (1 ex. MZH); "Zanzibar Pemba Sept. 1955 Fowler" (3 exs. AMGS); "Zanzibar Mangapwani Rd. Sept. 1955 JOC." (5 exs. AMGS). - Malawi: "Dam, Dedza on lower Lilongwe rd. 30.9. 1948" (2exs. AMGS); "Mtiti R. 1.10. 1948" (3exs. AMGS).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus propinquus is very closely related to Laccophilus taeniolatus and externally very similar to this species. Small but distinct differences in shape of penis allow confident separation of the two species; penis short and apical process vague in Laccophilus propinquus (see also diagnosis of Laccophilus taeniolatus ).

Description.

Body length 3.8-3.9 mm, width 1.9-2.0 mm. Pale ferrugineous; dorsal, dark ferrugineous colour pattern of body quite distinct (Fig. 413).

Head: Pale ferrugineous, posteriorly with vague dark ferrugineous area. Submat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation almost of one kind, simple; double reticulation indistinct, weakly developed and difficult to distinguish. At eyes with irregularly distributed, sparse punctures.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, anteriorly and at base with rather narrow, vague blackish ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous markings which are medially connected by a vague ferrugineous area. Submat, finely microsculptured; reticulation indistinctly double but size classes difficult to separate. Laterally and anteriorly with indistinct and sparse punctures.

Elytra: Pale ferrugineous, with rather distinct dark ferrugineous markings formed as irrorations (Fig. 413). Rather shiny, although finely microsculptured. Reticulation indistinctly double; clear size-classes difficult to discern. Discal, dorsolateral and lateral rows of fine and irregular punctures discernible but weakly developed.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous. Rather shiny and very finely (partly indistinctly) microsculptured. Abdomen with fine to very fine striae. Metacoxal plates with fine and shallow transverse furrows. Almost impunctate. Prosternal process slender, pointed. Apical ventrite almost symmetric, lacks lateral knob; apex more angle-shaped than in female (Fig. 57).

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus long, slender, and with suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis In lateral aspect comparatively short, evenly curved and apical process not prominent (Fig. 254).

Female: Externally as male but apex of apical ventrite broader and more rounded (Fig. 58).

Distribution.

Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Zanzibar (Fig. 540). Omer-Cooper (1965) adds Mozambique.

Collecting circumstances.

The species has been collected in streams e.g. with rocks, sand and some vegetation. It is also recorded from standing water in a swamp and a reservoir.