Clypeodytes (s. str.) bufo ( Sharp, 1890 )

Mai, Zuqi, Jiang, Zhuoyin, Hu, Jian, Hendrich, Lars & Jia, Fenglong, 2022, A new species of Clypeodytes Régimbart, 1894 from China (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae: Bidessini), Zootaxa 5124 (1), pp. 50-60 : 56-59

Clypeodytes (s. str.) bufo ( Sharp, 1890)

( Figs 14–21 )

Bidessus bufo Sharp, 1890: 344 (original description).

Clypeodytes bufo ( Sharp, 1890) : Régimbart, 1899: 217 (comb. nov.); Vazirani 1969: 325 (key, taxonomy); Vazirani 1971: 481 (key, taxonomy); Biström 1988b: 30 (systematics, check list); Ghosh & Nilsson 2012: 28 (catalogue); Shaverdo et al. 2021: 186 (faunistics); Senthil Kumar et al. 2017: 335 (ecology); Senthil Kumar et al. 2018: 11 (ecology); Gosh et al. 2016: 22 (ecology).

Material examined (China and Laos). China, Guangdong: 3 exs ( SYSU), “ Xingyi District (信fi), 1960. VI.7, Zhe-long Pu leg.” ; 2 exs ( SYSU), “ Gaozhou District (š州), Dongzhen (东đ), 1960.VI.7, Zhe-long Pu leg.” ; Guangxi: 1 ex. ( SYSU), “ Shangsi County (上思), 1997. VI.24, Zhi-he Huang leg.” ; Guizhou: 1 ex. ( SYSU): “Guizhou Dushan (Ė州â山)” / “ 1940.10.10 ” // “ Clypeodytes bufo (Sharp) ” / “ Det. Hong Zeng ” ; Hainan: 1 ex. ( SYSU): “Guangdong Hainan (广东海南)” / “ 1957.12.16 ” / “ Cui-ying Li ” // “ Clypeodytes bufo (Sharp) ” / “ Det. Hong Zeng ” / “1988.XI”. Laos: 3 exs ( ZSM), “Laos centr. Kham Mouan Prov. Nakai village env. ca. 70 km NNE Muang Khammouan, 500–600m 17°43’N 105°09’E, M. Strba leg.” ; 1 male ( NMPC), “ LAOS, Vientiane prov., LAO PAKO env., 200 m, 55 km NE Vientiane, 1.-5.IV.2004, J. Bezděk leg.” .

Remarks. Clypeodytes bufo is widespread in the Oriental region, occurring as far as southern China in the Palearctic. Since the species was described from Sri Lanka and the authors could not study the types or freshly collected specimens from that island, a detailed re-description of the species is not possible. Based on the literature available to us, however, we have come to the conclusion that the specimens of the second Clypeodytes species from China should be attributed to C. bufo . However, it must be mentioned here that no lateral keel on elytron at all could be found in specimens of C. bufo from Laos, so that these specimens differ significantly morphologically from the Chinese ones. Only further morphological studies, including molecular data, from different countries could finally clarify the systematic position of C. bufo , and whether this taxon in its entire distribution area is only one species or must be treated as a species complex.

Diagnosis. The present diagnosis is based on specimens from China and Laos: Total length 2.0– 2.3 mm. Body robust and comparably elongate, with broad pronotum. Lateral outline distinctly discontinuous between pronotum and elytra. Anterior lateral margins of pronotum conspicuously rounded, nearly parallel-sided laterally. Body dark brown throughout, without any patterns ( Fig. 14 ). Body surface with dense coarse punctures. Anterior margin of clypeus with thick bead; posterior margin of eye attached with occipital line. Basal pronotal striae distinct ( Fig. 18 ). Elytron without sutural line but with basal stria ( Fig. 18 ). Each elytron with a weak keel laterally ( Fig. 19 ). Epipleuron with a weak subhumeral, almost transverse carina ( Fig. 20 ). Metaventrite medially with a pair of coarse serial punctures ( Fig. 21 ). Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and ventral view as in Figs 15–16 ; paramere twosegmented, with pointed hook-shaped apex ( Fig. 17 ).

Clypeodytes bufo can be easily recognized from C. limpidus sp. nov. by its larger size ( C. bufo total length = 2.0– 2.3 mm, C. limpidus sp. nov. total length = 1.7–2.0 mm), the throughout reddish brown dorsal coloration, the very broad pronotum, the more elongate habitus, and the shape of the median lobe ( Figs 15–17 , 5–7 ).

Distribution. China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hubei, Hunan), India, Nepal,? Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam ( Ghosh & Nilsson 2012; Nilsson & Hájek 2021; Shaverdo et al. 2021; Vazirani 1969, 1971) and Laos (first record).

Habitat. The collecting circumstances of the Chinese specimens are unknown. The few specimens from Laos were collected at light. In India it was collected in exposed and partly shaded lentic sites of mainly alkaline ponds and smaller lakes ( Senthil Kumar et al. 2017, 2018). At Rambha, near the brackish Chilika Lake in Odisha ( India), the species was found in fresh water ( Ghosh et al. 2016).

Figures

FIGURE 14. Dorsal view of Clypeodytes bufo (Sharp, 1890).

FIGURES 15–17. Male genitalia of Clypeodytes bufo (Sharp, 1890). 15: ventral view of median lobe (15b: tapered tip of median lobe), 16: lateral view of median lobe, 17: lateral view of paramere.

FIGURES 18–21. SEM of Clypeodytes bufo (Sharp, 1890). 18: head, pronotum and basal elytra (white arrows indicate the basal pronotal striae; black arrows indicate the basal striae on elytra), 19: lateral view of elytron (arrows indicate the lateral carina), 20: basal epipleuron with a transverse carina, 21: metaventrite with a line of coarse punctures left and right of discrimen.

FIGURES 5–7. Male genitalia of Clypeodytes limpidus sp. nov. 5: ventral view of median lobe, 6: lateral view of median lobe, 7: lateral view of paramere.