Laccophilus lateralis Sharp, 1882

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 175-177

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus lateralis Sharp, 1882 Figs 145-146, 330-331, 476-477, 568

Laccophilus lateralis Sharp 1882: 307 (original description, faunistics, discussion); Kolbe 1883: 401 (description, faunistics); v. d. Branden 1885: 21 (catalogue, faunistics); Severin 1892: 472 (discussion); Régimbart 1895: 140 (description, faunistics); Régimbart 1903: 14 (description, faunistics, discussion); Zimmermann 1920a:21 (catalogue, faunistics); Guignot 1942: 15 (description, discussion); Guignot 1946c: 264, 267, 281, 316 (description, faunistics); Guignot 1947: 26 (discussion); Guignot 1948: 13 (discussion); Guignot 1952d: 5, 6 (discussion, description); Omer-Cooper 1957: 10 (discussion, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1958b: 40: (discussion); Guignot 1959a: 551, 553, 555 (discussion, description, faunistics); Bertrand and Legros 1971: 244 (faunistics, biology); Rocchi 1991: 86 (faunistics, list); Nilsson and Persson 1993: 80 (faunistics, discussion); Nilsson 2001: 245 (catalogue, faunistics); Pederzani and Rocchi 2009: 95 (faunistics, list); Nilsson 2015: 213 (catalogue, faunistics).

Laccophilus lateralis var. polygrammus Régimbart 1903: 14 (original description, faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a:21 (catalogue, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1931: 756 (description, biology, faunistics); Guignot 1946c: 264 (description, given as Laccophilus lateralis ab. polygrammus); Guignot 1948: 14 (faunistics, given as Laccophilus lateralis polygrammus); Balfour-Browne 1950: 360 (faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1957: 10 (discussion, given as Laccophilus lateralis var. polygrammus ); Guignot 1959a: 552, 553, 554 (discussion, description, faunistics); Nilsson and Persson 1993: 80 (list, synonymy, discussion); Nilsson 2001: 245 (catalogue, faunistics, list, synonymy); Nilsson 2015: 213 (catalogue, faunistics, list, synonymy). Confirmed synonym.

Type localities.

Laccophilus lateralis : Madagascar.

Laccophilus lateralis var. polygrammus : Madagascar: Centre-Sud.

Type material studied

(3 exs.). Laccophilus lateralis : Lectotype (by present designation): male: "Madagascar / Sharp Coll. 1905-313 / rivulosus Klug / Type 572 Laccophilus lateralis sp. n. Madagascar" (BMNH).

Laccophilus lateralis var. polygrammus : Lectotype (by present designation): male: "Madagascar Centre-Sud Alluaud 1901 67 / male symbol / Cotype / cotype of polygrammus " (MNHN). - Paralectotype: "Madagascar Centre-Sud Alluaud 1901 66 / Museum Paris coll. Maurice Régimbart 1908 " (1 ex. MNHN).

Additional material studied

(37 exs.). Madagascar: "Madagascar P. Camboué / Museum Paris, coll. Maurice Régimbart 1908 " (1 ex. MNHN; could belong to type material?); "Antsianaka / Museum Paris coll. Maurice Régimbart 1908 / var. polygrammus Rég.” (1 ex. MNHN; could belong to type material?); "Madagascar Ambijoroa Tsaremandroso E.M.C. Callan / Laccophilus lateralis Shp. Det. J. Omer-Cooper" (1 ex. AMGS); "Foret de Fito, ex. coll. Breuning" (4 exs. MRAC, 1 ex. MZH; habitus in Fig. 476); "Suberbieville ex. coll. Breuning" (1 ex. MRAC); "F. Dauphin 13.9. 2001 Mandena (QMM area) / Pond at right border of Riv. Amendano, 10 m asl / Gerecke & Gold schmidt leg." (1 ex. BMNH); "Toli Zombitse, Andranomena R. Pool N:-22.64, E: 44.864, 577 m, 15.5. 2006 Bergsten et al. / BMNH(E) <794176> DNA voucher / Laccophilus lateralis Bergsten det." (1 ex. NHRS); "Toli Zombitse, Ambiamena: stagnant marshland N: -22.86, E: 44.617. 533 m, 14.5. 2006 Bergsten et al. / BMNH(E) <794191> DNA voucher / Laccophilus lateralis Bergsten det." (1 ex. NHRS); "Mah/Tol: Melaky/Menabe, Ambohijanahary NP., S18.26842, E045.46352, 906 m.a.o., 19.12. 2009, 22 w black light, field Bergsten et al. / NHRS-JLBK 0000000722" (1 ex. NHRS); "Fian, Andringitra, Zomandao R.: River edge, bottle trap, N: -22.104, E: 46.92, 1420 m, 9.5. 2006 Bergsten et al. / BMNH(E) <794183> DNA voucher / Laccophilus lateralis Bergsten det." (4 exs. NHRS); "Fian, Ambavalavao, Sendrisoa, Hygropetric, 1164 m, 7.5.2006, Bergsten et al./BMNH(E) <830775> DNA voucher / Laccophilus lateralis Bergsten det." (1 ex. NHRS); Fian, Col des Tapias, Rte Tana-Fianarantsoa: Pond, N: -20.772, E: 47.179, 1717 m, 6.5. 2006, Bergsten et al. / BMNH(E) <794188> DNA voucher / Laccophilus lateralis Bergsten det." (1 ex. NHRS); same data but " N: -20.771, E: 47.18, 1686 m" and <794177> DNA voucher" (1 ex. NHRS); "Mahajanga Melaky betw Morafenobe-Ambohijanahary, S18.19091, E045.19986, 290 m.a.o., 19.12. 2009, water net, field Bergsten et al. NHRS-JLKB" (1 ex. NHRS); "Mahajanga Boeny, Ankarafantsika NP, S16.30271, E046.80995, 75 m.a.o., 8.12. 2009, water net, field, Bergsten et al. / NHRS-JLKB 000000480" (1 ex. NHRS); "Ampamoho near Andilamena 1200-1300 masl, 18-20.1. 1995 Dunay & Janak" (1 ex. NMW, 1 ex. MZH; habitus in Fig. 477); "Prov. Fianarantsoa 7 km W Ranomafana, 1000 m 23-28.2. 1990 Steiner W. E." (4 exs. USNM, 1 ex. MZH); "Pr. Tamatave, Foret de Perinet 17.7. 1970 / Laccophilus lateralis Sharp det. Pederzani" (3 exs. NHMB); “Diego” (Diego Suarez?) (1 ex. NMW); "Madagascar / Laccophilus tenuivittis Rég. type unique / in litt" (1 ex. IRSNB; taxon not described); "Madagascar Goud." (2 exs. ZMHB).

Specimen with uncertain determination.

"NP Ankarrafantsika 5-12.91(?) 2002 Andreev, Dolin & Andreva" (1 female ex. NMPC).

Comments on synonymy.

Examination of type material reveals that earlier established synonymy is valid.

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus lateralis is an externally, variable species, which resembles many of the species located in same species group. Shape of penis is, however, characteristic and separates Laccophilus lateralis from all species being externally quite similar. Penis with distinct, asymmetric apex, which is not separated from basal part of penis by a distinct contraction. Instead penis apex merged to basal part and simply divided by a vague incision. Laccophilus lateralis (Madagascar) is generally slightly larger than resembling species, occurring in mainland of Africa.

Description.

Body length 3.9-4.4 mm, width 2.2-2.4 mm. Dorsal, aspect of body with variable colour pattern (Figs 476-477). Elytra and pronotum dark ferrugineous with minute and vague, paler areas. Pronotum often medially with broad pale area. Elytra with variable, dark ferrugineous, longitudinal markings, which often are rather vague.

Head: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous, posteriorly at pronotum a little darker. Submat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double; in part the two kinds of meshes difficult to distinguish. Larger meshes (when discernible) contain 2-5 small meshes. At eyes (and from eyes towards centre of head) with fine, irregularly distributed punctures.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, frontally and basally in middle with dark ferrugineous to blackish, somewhat vague areas. Pronotum sometimes only with vague, slightly paler medial area. Submat, rather finely microsculptured. Reticulation distinctly double, large meshes contain 2-5 small meshes. Laterally and anteriorly with fine to rather fine, irregularly distributed punctures.

Elytra: Extensively blackish to dark ferrugineous, with moderate, ferrugineous markings. Often, however, with longitudinal dark markings. There is a gradual change between a morph with distinct, dark, elytral markings and an almost totally dark coloured morph, with reduced pale areas (Figs 476-477). Submat, distinctly microsculptured. Reticulation almost simple; two kinds of reticulation are solely distinguished frontally at pronotum and at suture. Separation in two mesh-size-classes obscure because feature very weakly developed. Punctures very fine: four indistinct rows of irregular punctures may be discerned: at suture (punctures very indistinct), a discal, a dorsolateral and a lateral row.

Ventral aspect: Blackish ferrugineous to blackish. Basal segments of abdomen paler; pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous. Rather shiny, although very finely microsculptured. Transverse furrows of metacoxal plates very fine, shallow and hardly discernible. Abdomen in basal half distinctly striated. Almost impunctate. Apex of prosternal process slender and pointed. Apical ventrite asymmetric, as in Fig. 145.

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus slightly enlarged, with fine but distinct suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis long, in lateral aspect slightly sinuate and in apical half with a distinct enlargement; extreme apex moderately sized, separated by narrow incision (Figs 330-331).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus slender, slightly extended. Apical ventrite lacks lateral knob (Fig. 146).

Distribution.

Madagascar (Fig. 568). Guignot (1946c) reports, besides from Madagascar, the species from some countries on mainland of Africa. Régimbart (1903) gives also Ethiopia. Records outside Madagascar are, however, to be considered uncertain.

Collecting circumstances.

Almost unknown. Literature information and available label data are very superficial; collected in pools and ponds.