Laccophilus hyalinus (De Geer, 1774)

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 22-25

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus hyalinus (De Geer, 1774) Figs 6, 9-10, 24-25, 225, 386, 528

Dytiscus hyalinus De Geer 1774: 406 (original description, faunistics).

Laccophilus hyalinus (De Geer), Reiche 1872: 23 (faunistics, list.); Sharp 1882: 301 (description, faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a:19 (catalogue); Zimmermann 1930: 14 (description, faunistics); Normand 1938: 343 (catalogue); Guignot 1946b: 186 (discussion, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1970: 286 (faunistics, discussion); El Alaoui 1983: 133, 135 (faunistics); Brancucci 1983b: 268 (faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 244 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 212 (catalogue, faunistics).

Laccophilus testaceus Aubé, Reiche 1872: 23 (faunistics, list); Nilsson 2015: 212 (catalogue, faunistics, list synonymy).

Laccophilus interruptus var. testaceus Aubé, Severin 1892: 472 (type material deposition); Régimbart 1895: 132 (faunistics, Laccophilus interruptus = Laccophilus hyalinus , synonymy).

Laccophilus hyalinus var. testaceus Aubé, Bertrand 1928b: 46 (larva description); Guignot 1946b: 186 (faunistics, discussion).

Laccophilus hyalinus testaceus Aubé, Zimmermann 1920a:19 (catalogue); Lindberg 1939: 11, 13, 29 (biology, faunistics); Angelini 1982: 82 (faunistics); Nilsson 2003: 76 (faunistics, list); Bennas and Sàinz-Cantero 2006: 58, 62 (faunistics, list).

Laccophilus hyalinus ab. testaceus Aubé, Legros 1972: 467 (faunistics).

Laccophilus hyalinus var. inflatus Wollaston, Machado 1987: 50 (description, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 212 (catalogue, faunistics, list synonymy).

Laccophilus hyalinus inflatus Wollaston, Balke et al. 1990: 361, 369, 370 (discussion, faunistics, biology).

Comment on synonymy.

The present list of references is incomplete; selected references with association to Africa and Canary Islands are included. Synonymy of different taxa is based on earlier studies (see World Catalogue, Nilsson 2001, 2015).

Type locality.

Sweden.

Type material, studied

(1 ex.). Laccophilus hyalinus : Syntype (unique?): (NHRS). [Comments: no original text labels attached with the specimen; specimen provided with orange label; severely damaged by dermestids.]

Type material, not studied.

Laccophilus testaceus : "France, Italy, Spain" (in Brussels).

Additional African material studied

(310 exs.): Morocco: "Tanger 25-29.4. 1926 Lindberg" (7 exs. MZH); "Marrakesh 21-23.5. 1926 Lindberg" (5 exs. MZH); "Marrakech 28.5. 1934, 450 m Ball 20M79 / ab. testaceus " (1 ex. MNHN); "Atlas mai, Reraia 29.5-15.6. 1926 Lindberg" (6 exs. MZH); "Atlas mai., Amismiz 24-25.5. 1926 Lindberg" (1 ex. MZH); "M. Atlas Azrou 1200 m 15.3. 1961 Lindberg" (4 exs. MZH); "Foret de la Mamora 23.3.1961 Lindberg" (1 ex. MZH); "Tiflet-Oulmes 18.2.1961 Meinander" (1 ex. MZH); "Oued Tensift pr., Marrakesh 13.3. 1961 Lindberg" (1 ex. MZH); "nr. Figuig, Defilia 5-20.4. 1966/Hutson" (1 ex. BMNH); "Mar. bor. Tetouan 600 m 25.5. 1994 leg. Majzlan" (14 exs. NMW, 3 exs. MZH); "Ouazaza-Te 12.5. 1975 Eckerlein" (7 exs. NMW, 1 ex. MZH); "Oulad Teima pr. Oued Sous 14.2. 1961 Lindberg" (4 exs. MZH); "Mogador (Essaouira) 12.2. 1961 Meinander" (12 esx. MZH); "Tiferhlal N de Tiznit 18.2. 1961 Meinander" (6 exs. MZH); "Oued Massa N de Tiznit 18.2. 1961 Meinander" (3 exs. MZH); "Maroc sud Torkoz 23-24.2. 1961 Meinander" (7 exs. MZH); "Maroc sud Assa 22.2. 1961 Lindberg" (5 exs. MZH; habitus in Fig. 386). - Algeria: "55 km N of Tamanrasset 16-17.3. 1971 Gruwell leg." (90 exs. USNM, 10 exs. MZH); "Bouqie 17.7. 1955 Lauck leg." (1 ex. USNM). - Tunisia: "Totzeur 5.4. 1924 Lindberg" (1 ex. MZH); "Ichkeulsee 1.8. 1991 Schödl” (2 exs. NMW); "Djeb. Ressas / J. Sahlb." (1 ex. MZH). - Libya: "Libya bor. occ. 653 asl, prov. Yafran 9.5.2002 Ain Az-Zarqa (W of Jadu) / 31°57'21.2"N, 12°00'25.9"E, Reiter A. lgt." (27 exs. NMPC); "Libya Darnah prov. Wadi Darnah, 117 m, 32°42'06.4"N, 22°36'39.9"E, A. Reiter leg. 15.5. 2002" (17 exx. NMPC); "Libya bor. occ. 605 m asl, prov. Yafran-Ghadamis Nana tala, 10 km W Ar Rhaibat 27.5.2002 / 31°47'09"N, 11°47'07.9 " Reiter A. lgt." (3 exs. NMPC); "Libya bor. occ. 336 m asl, prov. Tarhunah 26.5.2002 Ain Sharshara, 3 km N Tarnuah / 32°27'57.7"N, 13°37'04.7" E. Reiter A lgt" (25 exs. NMPC). - Egypt: "Wadi Kujib 12.6. 1994 Ullrich / Laccophilus hyalinus Deg. Hendrich det. 1994" (24 exs. USNM); "Madiba Wala 20.6. 1994 Ullrich / Laccophilus hyalinus Deg. Hendrich det. 1994" (4 exs. USNM). - Canary Islands (Spain): "Tenerife, Valle de Masca 12-13.5. 1947 Lindberg" (1 ex. MZH); "Tenerife, Bco Bufadero 10.8. 1949 Fernandez" (4 exs. MZH); "Gran Canaria, Aldea S. Nicolas 1.3. 1949 Lindberg" (9 exs. MZH); "Gran Canaria, Maspalomas 9-10.3. 1950 Lindberg" (1 ex. MZH).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus hyalinus resembles most among African species of Laccophilus demoflysi , which also has a similar stridulation apparatus as Laccophilus hyalinus . For separation of the two species, see diagnosis of Laccophilus demoflysi (p. 31). Stridulation apparatus located on metacoxal plates distinguishes Laccophilus hyalinus from Laccophilus minutus , Laccophilus mateui and Laccophilus sordidus , all of which lack similar device. Clear differences between the species are also exhibited in shape of the penis.

Description.

Body length 4.7-5.0 mm, width 2.7-2.8 mm. Habitus generally with somewhat paler, longitudinal markings, which often are rather vague, in part indistinct (Fig. 386).

Head: Pale ferrugineous. At eyes, in shallow depression with fine punctures. In short horizontal depressions close to eyes and in connection with shallow depression, with fine punctures. Reticulation double, large meshes contain 2-6 fine meshes. Fine meshes in part weakly developed and indistinct.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous. At foremargin and medially with slightly darker areas (dark areas not on surface but “inside” cuticula). Almost impunctate, with a few irregular punctures at frontal margin. Rather finely microsculptured. Reticulation double. Fine meshes in part largely absent, in part very fine to fine. Large meshes, when discernible, contain 4-6 fine meshes.

Elytra: Pale ferrugineous to pale brown, with slightly paler, in part indistinct markings (Fig. 386). Elytral punctation almost absent; discally, dorsolaterally and laterally with a few, very fine, hardly visible punctures placed in vague rows. Slightly mat due to microsculpture. Reticulation double, large meshes contain 2-6 small meshes.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous. Impunctate. Slightly mat, due to dense, fine microsculpture. Metacoxal plates with about 10 transverse, shallow furrows. Basal segments of abdomen with curved striae. Pronotal process medially slightly enlarged, apex pointed (not strongly extended and sharp). Stridulation apparatus consist of a curved series of about 20 shallow ridges located posteriorly on metacoxa (Fig. 6). Apical ventrite with a shallow depression on one side (Fig. 22).

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus slightly enlarged, provided with distinct suckers (Fig. 10).

Male genitalia: Extreme apex of penis in lateral aspect strongly curved upwards (Fig. 225).

Female: Provided with similar stridulation apparatus as male. Apical ventrite with uneven surface (Fig. 25). Pro- and mesotarsus rather slender.

Distribution.

Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Canary Islands (Fig. 528). Additional, African country record is Senegal ( Legros 1972).

Collecting circumstances.

Information from Africa is rare. In Europe often found in large bodies of running water, in sections with a slow current and some vegetation. Less frequently collected in ponds and lakes ( Nilsson and Holmen 1995).