Laccophilus luctuosus Sharp, 1882

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 223-225

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus luctuosus Sharp, 1882 Figs 180-181, 359-360, 503-505, 572

Laccophilus luctuosus Sharp 1882: 307 (original description, faunistics); v. d. Branden 1885: 21 (catalogue, faunistics); Régimbart 1895: 145 (description, faunistics); Régimbart 1903: 14 (faunistics); Zimmermann 1919: 123 (faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a: 21 (catalogue, faunistics); Guignot 1959a: 533, 537, 538 (description, discussion, faunistics); Bertrand and Legros 1971: 244 (faunistics, biology); Rocchi 1991: 79, 86 (faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 246 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 213 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Madagascar.

Type material studied

(1 ex.): Lectotype (by present designation): male: "Type / Madagascar / Sharp Coll. 1905-313 / Type 614 Laccophilus luctuosus " (BMNH).

Additional material studied

(88). Madagascar: "Ampamoho nr Andilamena, 1200-1300 m a.s.l., 18-20.1. 1995 Dunay & Janák leg." (4 exs. NMW, 1 ex. MZH); "5 km S Ampamoho nr Andilamena, 950-1000 m Dunay & Janak leg." (1 ex. NMW); same data but "foret humide 18-20.1. 1995 lux" (2 exs. ZMHB); "Ambatombe, near Andilamena 900 m a.s.l., 17.1. 1995 Dunay & Janák leg." (17 exs. NMW, 4 exs. MZH; habitus in 503-504); "E Sakahara, Manindray 30.1. 1995 700-800 m Dunay & Janak leg." (1 ex. NMW); "Manindray, W Sakahara 700-800 m asl, 30.1. 1995 Dunay & Janak leg." (2 exs. NMW); "Tanandava, lumièrè 1963-1964 Schmitz" (2 exs. MRAC, 1 ex. MZH); "Betsiboka Bas, Loc. Ambohimanatrika, Kamoro Riv., 47°10'06"E / 16°28'55"S, alt. 40 m, 1.4. 1993" (3 exs. NHRS); "Betsiboka Bas. Loc. Ambalambongo, afl. de Betsiboka Riv. 47°00'30"E / 16°48'00"S, 30.3. 1993"(2 exs. NHRS); "Betsiboka Bas. Loc. Fiadanana Ikopa Riv. 46°56'58"E / 18°10'03"S, Alt. 975 m 18.4. 1991" (1 ex. NMW; habitus in Fig. 505); "Bas. Cotier Fort Dauphin / Manampanihy Bas 4.2. 1996 leg. Gibon" (1 ex. NHRS); "Antserarana distr., Sambirana Riv., Marovato vill. 5-12.12. 2001 Horak leg." (6 exs. NHRS); same data but "J. Rolcik leg." (6 exs. NMPC, 2 exs. MZH); "Toli, NW Ft Dauphin, rice paddies, N: -24.824; E46.866: 34.44 m 19.5. 2006 Bergsten leg. / BMNH(E) <794169> DNA voucher / Laccophilus luctuosus Shp. det. J. Bergsten" (1 ex. NHRS); "Ambilobe; Anjiabe Ambony Antsabe. ¾ moon, dry, many water beetles, near camp alt. 49 m, N -13.6518, E 48.7267, 21.11. 2004 Balke & al leg / BMNH(E) <794162; 794163; 794164> DNA voucher / Laccophilus luctuosus Shp. det. J. Bergsten" (3 exs. NHRS); "Toa, Maroantsetra: Maroantsetra, light trap N: -15.424, E: 49.738. 12 m, 20.12. 2006 Isambert et al. leg. / BMNH(E) <831014/831015> DNA voucher MSL 402:D11/MSL 402:D12 / Laccophilus luctuosus Shp. det. J. Bergsten" (2 exs. NHRS); "Toli, Morondava, les Baobabs Amoureux / BMNH(E) <794165> DNA voucher / Laccophilus luctuosus Shp. det. J. Bergsten" (1 ex. NHRS); "Toliara, Menabe, Menabe RS, S19.92773, E045.52253, 102 m.a.o. 10.12. 2009, Water net. field, Bergsten et al. NHRS-JLKB 000000488" (1 ex. NHRS); "Mahajanga Boeny Ankarafantsika NP, N-16.30341, E046.81073, 74 m.a.o. 29.11. 2009, 22 W black light, field Bergsten et al" (2 exs. NHRS); same data, add "NHRS-JLKB 000000490" (1 ex. NHRS); same data, add "NHRS-JLKB 000000485" (1 ex. NHRS); same data but " S16.31418, E046.81731, 30.11. 2009, handpicking, field / NHRS.JLKB 000000489" (1 ex. NMHR); same data but " S16.30270, E046.80996, 75 m.a.o., 30.11. 2009, 22 W black light, field / NHRS-JLKB 000000481" (1 ex. NHRS); same data " S16.30271, E046.80995, 75 m.a.o., 29.11. 2009 water net, field / NHRS-JLKB 000000487" (1 ex. NHRS); "Mahajanga Melaky, Tsingy de Bemaraha NP, S18.75724, E044.71239, 72 m.a.o. 17.12. 2009, waternet, fields, Bergsten et al./000000478" (1 ex, NHRS); same data, but " S18.75797, E044.71289, 81 m.a.o. 17.12. 2009, 22W black-light, field / NHRS-JLKB 000000482" (1 ex. NHRS); "Mahajanga Melaky btw. Morafenobe-Ambohijanahary S18.19091, E045.19986, 290 m.a.o. 19.12. 2009 Water net, field, Bergsten et al" (6 exs. NHRS); same data, add "NHRS-JLKB 000000483" (1 ex. NHRS); "Majunga Prov., 25 km SW Ambalanjankomby 3-11.11. 1962 Cashatt" (1 ex. USNM); "Madagascar Ambanja, R. Sambirano 29.11. 1952 E.S. Brown / Slow flowing river, sandy bottom, little vegetation (with Chara ) / Brit. Mus. 1953-146 / Laccophilus luctuosus Shp. J. Balfour-Browne det. III. 1953" (1 ex. BMNH); "Sambirano, Ambodidimaka, Ambanja, 25 km SE,15-16.12. 2002, Ivo Jenia" (1 ex. NHMB); "Mad. E, Sambava 0-20 m Janak & Moravec lgt / 3.3. 1996 Riv. Anovona env. lux, rizières, bord de la foret" (2 exs. NMPC); "Mad. B, d’Antongil / Régimbart 1908 " (1 ex. NHMB); "Maroansetra 10. 1936" (1 ex. MNHN); "Antakotako 2. 1936" (1 ex. MNHN).

Diagnosis.

A characteristic species which is confined to Madagascar. Male is easily identified by the combination of distinct, somewhat variable elytral colour pattern in combination with peculiar appearance of penis; robust, curved and not twisted; apex with obtuse extension.

Description.

Body length 3.2-3.6 mm, width 1.7-2.0 mm. Dorsal colour pattern rather distinct, somewhat variable (Figs 503-505).

Head: Pale ferrugineous, posteriorly at pronotum narrowly dark ferrugineous. Slightly mat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation in part double but very indistinctly so; in part of head surface reticulation appears as simple. Punctation very fine and sparse, partially absent.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, mediobasally with blackish marking, and anteriorly with dark ferrugineous marking. Rather shiny. Fine microsculpture in part absent. Reticulation double; large meshes contain 3-6 fine meshes. Punctation fine and irregular.

Elytra: Dark ferrugineous, at base with transverse, pale ferrugineous marking (broken by dark suture). Rarely, pale area enlarged. Additionally, posterior to middle and apically with some vague, slightly variable, paler markings (Figs 503-505). Finely microsculptured and in part submat. Reticulation double, but in part kinds of reticulation difficult to distinguish. When discernible, large meshes may contain 2-6 fine meshes. Punctures irregularly distributed, fine to very fine and in part absent.

Ventral aspect: Dark ferrugineous to ferrugineous; prothorax and abdomen in part paler: ferrugineous to pale ferrugineous. Rather shiny although with very fine, in part absent microsculpture and some curved striae. Almost impunctate. Metacoxal plates with a few, indistinct, transversely located furrows. Prosternal process slender and pointed. Apical ventrite asymmetric; on one side with a sharp knob (Fig. 180).

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus slightly enlarged, provided with fine suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis quite robust and not twisted; in lateral aspect from base to apex curved; apically with an obtuse hook/extension (Figs 359-360).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus slender. Apical ventrite lacks knob (Fig. 181).

Distribution.

Madagascar (Fig. 572). Endemic species of Madagascar.

Collecting circumstances.

Almost unknown. Collected at light.