Laccophilus productus Regimbart , 1906

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 17-18

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus productus Regimbart, 1906 Figs 17-18, 219-221, 382, 527

Laccophilus productus Régimbart 1906: 249 (original description, faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a: 25 (catalogue); Peschet 1921: 6 (discussion, description, faunistics); Zimmermann 1926: 23 (faunistics); Guignot 1946c: 284, 313 (description, faunistics); Guignot 1957b: 73 (discussion, faunistics); Guignot 1959a: 585, 586 (redescription, faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 249 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 216 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Kenya: Samburu.

Type material studied

(5 exs.). Lectotype (by present designation): male: "Afrique Orle Anglaise Samburu (Wa-Nyika) Dr. Alluaud IV. 1904 / Museum Paris coll. Ch. Alluaud / TYPE / Laccophilus productus Rég. sp. n. typ" (MNHN; top specimen on pin with two additional paralectotypes). - Paralectotypes: Similar data and on same pin as lectotype (2 exs. MNHN); "Samburu Wa-Nyika / Afr. Orle Angl. Alluaud / Museum Paris coll. Maurice Régimbart 1908 / productus Rég.” (2 exs. MNHN; habitus in Fig. 382).

Additional material studied

(3 exs.): Tanzania: "Kwakiyembe D.O.Afr. April 1916 Methner / Laccophilus productus Rég. det. Brancucci 1982" (1 ex. ZMHB); "Narobi b. Tanga 5. 1915 Methner" (1 ex. ZMHB); "Nord-Rabeho D.O. Afr. leg. Methner" (1 ex. ZMHB).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus productus is characterized by quite large but slender body and by peculiar dorsal colour pattern and male genitalia (penis apical half slightly twisted; extreme apex bent leftwards). The species resembles most of Laccophilus morondavensis which occurs in Madagascar; diagnostic features are given under diagnosis of Laccophilus morondavensis on p. 22.

Description.

Body length 4.1-4.9, width 1.9-2.5 mm. Elytra with distinct colour pattern (Fig. 382); only minor variation exhibited.

Head: Pale ferrugineous. Submat, finely and densely microsculptured. Reticulation simple; only with small, distinct meshes. Impunctate, except at eyes with scattered, fine, punctures.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, mediobasally with a vague ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous marking. Submat, finely and densely microsculptured. Reticulation simple; only with small, distinct meshes. Impunctate, except at margins; with fine, somewhat sparse and irregular punctures. Mediobasally punctures absent or indistinct.

Elytra: Dark ferrugineous, with subbasal, preapical and apical, pale ferrugineous area (Fig. 382). Colour pattern stable and exhibits only minor variation. Submat, finely and densely microsculptured. Reticulation simple; only with small, distinct meshes. Fine, sparse and somewhat irregular punctures form a discal row. Dorsolateral and lateral rows indicated by scattered, fine punctures. Laterally with a comparatively long, finely pubescent, pre-apical furrow.

Ventral aspect: Dark ferrugineous to ferrugineous; colour pattern vague, indistinct. Rather shiny, finely microsculptured. Abdomen with fine, curved striae. Almost impunctate, except for apical ventrite; with scattered irregular punctures and shape symmetric (Fig. 17). Metacoxal plates with 13-15 almost transverse, fine, shallow furrows which in part are rather indistinct. Prosternal process slightly enlarged; apex moderately extended, pointed.

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

Male genitalia: Apical half of penis in dorsal aspect slightly sinuate; extreme apex slightly bent to left (Figs 219-221).

Female: Apical ventrite apically extended (Fig. 18). Pro- and mesotarsus slender, somewhat extended.

Distribution.

Kenya, Tanzania (Fig. 527).

Collecting circumstances.

Unknown.