Laccophilus transversovittatus, Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 247-249

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus transversovittatus sp. n. Figs 207-208, 377, 526, 580

Type locality.

Madagascar: Isalo, Menamaty River.

Type material

(32 EXS.). Holotype: male: "MAD: FIAN: Isalo Menamaty R, degraded river with lots of vegetation, used by women to wash clothes in P41AM01, 11.5. 2006 N-22° 33.001 E 45°24.074, 757 m leg. Bergsten et al / BMNH(E) 741824" (NHRS). - Paratypes: Same as holotype (5 exs. NHRS, 2 exs. NMW, 2 exs. MZH); "MAD, FIAN. Isalo, Running water, P41B, N -22.546, E 45.397, 773 m, 11.5. 2006 Bergsten / BMNH(E) DNA voucher" (6 exs. NHRS); "MAD, FIAN. Isalo, Menamaty R, degraded river, N -22.55, E -45,401: 757 m, 11.5. 2006 Bergsten et al. leg / BMNH(E) voucher" (5 exs. NHRS); "Madagascar: Mahajunga Melaky btw. Morafenobe-Ambohijanahary S18.19091, E045.19986, 290 m.a.o. 19.12. 2009 water net, field# MAD09-74 leg. J. Bergsten, N. Jönsson, T. Ranarilalatiana, H.J. Randriamihaja" (5 exs. NHRS; habitus in Fig. 526); same data, add "NHRS-JLKB 0000000720" (1 ex. NHRS); "Madagascar: Mahajunga Melaky: Tsingy de Bemaraha NP. S19.13260, E044.80891, 62 m.a.o., 14.12. 2009, water net, field# MAD09-54, leg. J. Bergsten, N. Jönsson, T. Ranarilalatiana, H.J. Randriamihaja" (1 ex. NHRS); "Madagascar (102) 6.10. 2001 Ankaratra (Antananarivo) Reserve Manjakatompo / Helocrene at left border of affluent to Lac Froid, 1700 m asl. 19.5-25.0°C, 0.010-0.100 mS/cm / Gerecke et Goldschmidt collectors BMNH(E)2004-46" (1 ex. BMNH); "Sambirano, Ankaramy env., J. Moravec leg. 4.11. 2000" (1 ex. NMPC); "Antsabe Lat. -13.648 Lon 48.721, 21.11. 2004 Balke Lees & Monaghan / DNA voucher BMNH <672773>" (1 ex. NHRS); "MAD FIAN, Isalo Antsabe source of Piscine Naturelle, Waterhole N-22.553, E 45.368, 859 m, 12.5. 2006 Bergsten et al." (1 ex. NHRS).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus transversovittatus is closely related to Laccophilus laeticulus and Laccophilus occidentalis . Diagnostic characters for all three species are found in the shape of penis apex. Apex in Laccophilus laeticulus is distinctly more slender than in the two other species. Penis of Laccophilus occidentalis is straighter than in Laccophilus transversovittatus and apical dent is almost absent while distinct in Laccophilus transversovittatus . Laccophilus transversovittatus resembles externally also of Laccophilus luctuosus , which is also a species solely recorded thus far in Madagascar. The male genitalia of Laccophilus luctuosus is, however, clearly different in comparison with Laccophilus transversovittatus .

Description.

Body length 3.2-3.5 mm, width 1.7-1.9 mm. Body appears somewhat flattened. Colour pattern exhibits only minor variation; basal, pale, transverse marking on elytra moderately broad but always distinct and only broken narrowly at suture (Fig. 526).

Head: Pale ferrugineous; posteriorly head becomes slightly darker. Change of colour-intensity is vague. Slightly mat, finely to very finely microsculptured. Reticulation double; small meshes in part reduced and almost absent. Large meshes contain, when discernible, 3-5 small meshes. Almost impunctate. At eyes with some irregular punctures. Area of punctures continues towards middle of head as a sparse, irregular row of punctures.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous. Basally with a broad but quite narrow, distinct, dark ferrugineous marking. Anteriorly with a somewhat vague, dark ferrugineous to ferrugineous spot. Rather shiny, although finely to very finely microsculptured. Reticulation double. Small meshes in part reduced and almost absent. Large meshes contain, when discernible, 3-5 small meshes. Almost impunctate; laterally and anteriorly with fine but irregular punctures.

Elytra: Dark ferrugineous, with a distinct, subbasal, pale ferrugineous marking. In addition, laterally with a narrow pale area and posterior to middle and apically with some irregular, small pale spots (Fig. 526). Rather shiny, although finely microsculptured. Reticulation double. Anteriorly small meshes in part reduced and almost absent while large meshes clearly discernible. Posteriorly small meshes dominate and large meshes become rather indistinct. Almost impunctate. Fine, irregular, punctures form a discal row of punctures. Dorsolateral row of punctures simply indicated by a few, fine and irregular punctures. Lateral row consists of sparse punctures. Lateral, preapical row of punctures located in a shallow and pubescent furrow.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous; abdomen becomes gradually darker towards apex; dark ferrugineous. Rather shiny, although finely microsculptured. Reticulation of abdomen strongly reduced and extensively absent. Abdomen with fine, curved striae. Almost impunctate. Apical ventrite provided with a sharp knob on one side (Fig. 207). Metacoxal plates with very fine, shallow furrows which in posterior half are reduced and largely lacking. Stridulatory apparatus somewhat vague; consists of a number of fine striae, arranged close to each other. Prosternal process slender, apex slightly extended and pointed.

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

Male genitalia: Penis in lateral aspect quite broad, distinctly angled with a small but distinct apical dent (Fig. 377).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus slender. Apical ventrite lacks knob (Fig. 208).

Etymology.

The name transversovittatus is a Latin adjective based on a verb meaning "provided with transverse stripes". It here refers to the transversely located, subbasal, pale area on the elytra.

Distribution.

Madagascar (Fig. 575).

Collecting circumstances.

Collected in a degraded river with lots of vegetation, used by women to wash clothes in.