Stictonectes epipleuricus (Seidlitz, 1887)

Bilton, David T., 2012, Stictonectes rebeccae sp. n. from the Iberian Peninsula, with notes on its phylogenetic position (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), Zootaxa 3188, pp. 42-54 : 51

Notes on Stictonectes epipleuricus (Seidlitz, 1887)

Type locality. Spain, Granada, Sierra de Alfacar.

Lectotype (present designation): Female specimen mounted on card together with last abdominal sternite, gonocoxae and gonocoxosternae mounted on separate card below on same pin. “Hisp. 8 Sz”; “Samlung v. Seidlitz”; “nov. sp.” [handwritten]; “punctis elytromajoris” [handwritten]; “ Type von epipleuricus Seidl. ” [handwritten]; “ Lectotype Hydroporus epipleuricus Seidlitz , des. D T Bilton 2011” [red] ( ZSM).

Stictonectes epipleuricus is widespread in Spain and Portugal (see Fig. 8 ), and is also reported from southern France (Guignot 1932: 440, under Stictonotus Zimmermann, 1930 ). I have examined over 500 specimens of S. epipleuricus from around 70 localities in Iberia and southern France. Iberian localities from which material has been studied and confirmed are indicated on Fig. 8 , which also displays additional, unconfirmed records of S. epipleuricus present in the ESACIB database of Iberian water beetles maintained by David Sánchez-Fernández (see Sánchez-Fernández et al. 2008). Whilst it is possible that a limited number of these may in fact be S. rebeccae sp. n., they are retained here since the map gives an accurate reflection of the distribution of S. epipleuricus which is genuinely widespread in Iberia. As can be seen from the map, material has been confirmed by reference to male genitalia from almost all major areas of the species distribution. Characters on which S. epipleuricus can be distinguished from S. rebeccae sp. n. are listed above. So far, the two species, whilst broadly sympatric, have not been discovered in the same locality.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Distribution of Stictonectes rebeccae sp. n. (red circles), S. epipleuricus (green circles) and S. occidentalis (blue circles). Data on S. epipleuricus and S. occidentalis from ESACIB, a database of records of Iberian water beetles (Sánchez- Fernández et al. 2008). In the case of S. epipleuricus, larger, light green circles indicate specimens of S. epipleuricus whose identity has been confirmed by reference to male genitalia during this study. Smaller, dark green circles represent unconfirmed records of S. epipleuricus present in the ESACIB database of Iberian water beetles (cf. notes in text).