Madaglymbus menalamba, Ranarilalatiana, Tolotra & Bergsten, Johannes, 2019

Ranarilalatiana, Tolotra & Bergsten, Johannes, 2019, Discovery of a specialist Copelatinae fauna on Madagascar: highly ephemeral tropical forest floor depressions as an overlooked habitat for diving beetles (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 871, pp. 89-118 : 102-106

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.871.36337
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:56C3FB7D-AF71-4C1B-8BD1-08417883D624
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9D7D7816-63C3-476D-B272-9D326FFF95B5
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:9D7D7816-63C3-476D-B272-9D326FFF95B5
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Madaglymbus menalamba
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Madaglymbus menalamba View in CoL sp. nov. Figs 1F View Figure 1 , 3C View Figure 3 , 12 View Figure 12 , Suppl. material 1: Movie 1

Type locality.

Nosy Mangabe Special Reserve, part of Masoala National Park [15.4845S, 49.7627E] (Madagascar, Analanjirofo region, Maroantsetra)

Type material.

Diagnosis.

A small and robust reddish Madaglymbus species similar to M. kelimaso , but less elongate and elytra concolorous with pronotum and covered with large punctures instead of subrugosity ( Fig. 1F View Figure 1 ). Penis short and robust in ventral view with upturned apex in lateral view ( Fig. 3C View Figure 3 ).

Description.

Body length: 3.7-4.5 mm (♀: 3.7-4.3 mm, ♂: 3.8-4.5 mm).

Body shape subparallell, robust and rather convex anteriorly. A broader body shape compared with M. kelimaso sp. nov. Lateral outline non-continuous between pronotum and elytra. Head broad with small eyes creating a wide interocular distance ( Fig. 1F View Figure 1 ).

Body with a rather uniform reddish coloration, only head partly infuscated between eyes. All appendages testaceous except metatarsus rufotestaceous.

Elytra and pronotum densely covered with large punctures, puncturation reduced posteriorly and towards lateral margins of elytra. Pronotum with a narrow lateral bead not reaching anterior corners. Head covered with finer punctation. Head, pronotum and elytra with same type of microreticulation and micropunctures.

Ventral side entirely testaceous, metacoxal lines absent, suggestion of ridge in their place less distinct compared with M. kelimaso sp. nov., metacoxal plate and abdominal sternites II–IV with fine strioles. Anterior metaventral process broader than in M. kelimaso sp. nov.

Male pro and mesotarsal segments I–III dilated and ventrally equipped with adhesive discs (constellation I:3, 4, II:4, III:4). Segments less dilated than in M. kelimaso and first row with fewer discs. Anterodistal angle of protarsal segment IV with a modified stout seta.

Bilobed penis short and robust with rather blunt apex in ventral view. Ventral lobe twisted around right side of dorsal lobe to a position dorsal of it at apex ( Fig. 3C View Figure 3 ). Apex in lateral view upturned. Parameres with apical extension not as long and thin as in M. kelimaso sp. nov. ( Fig. 3C View Figure 3 ).

Female with similar dorsal puncturation as in male.

Distribution.

Masoala NP including the island of Nosy Mangabe ( Fig. 4C View Figure 4 ).

Ecology and conservation.

The species was found in humid forests at low-altitude between (50-360 m) in dry shallow forest floor depression with dead leaves and soil. In one out of five localities it was collected from a rainwater-filled pit full of dead leaves, the other four places from dry forest floor depressions ( Figs 7 View Figure 7 - 10 View Figure 10 ). Although less pristine and with clear signs of former human settlements, an equal number of specimens were found on Nosy Mangabe Island as compared with Masoala NP proper near Andranobe.

Etymology.

Menalamba in Malagasy means red clothes and the word is associated with the revolt and anti-colonianism movement in Madagascar’s history of independence. Here it refers to the characteristic reddish coloration of the species ( Fig. 12 View Figure 12 , Suppl. material 1: Movie 1).

Notes.

At one locality on Nosy Mangabe (MAD18-57) we videorecorded the terrestrial locomotion and behaviour of this species in the field (Suppl. material 1: Movie 1). It was clearly apt at running and its immediate behaviour following exposure from, e.g. lifting up a dead leaf under which it was hiding, was to run and seek shelter again. This was repeated many times making it difficult to get photos of the species. The Copelatus species had a greater tendency to jump when exposed among the litter, but M. menalamba sp. nov. stayed put initially and then moved by running.