Copelatus kopetzi, Hájek & Sheth, 2024

Hájek, Jiří & Sheth, Sayali D., 2024, A review of the Oriental Copelatus latipes complex, with the description of two new species (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Copelatinae), Zootaxa 5481 (1), pp. 119-130 : 125-126

Copelatus kopetzi sp. nov.

( Figs 4 , 13–14 )

Type locality. Nepal, Sudurpashchim Province , Kanchanpur District , ca. 9 km SE of Bhimdatta, Shuklaphanta Nature Reserve, Dsauda river, 28°53’51’’N 80°13’39’’E .

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( NMPC), labelled: “NEP: Mahakali / Kanchanpur vic. / Mahandranagar, Shuklaphanta / Nature Res., Dsauda river , LFF / N28°53’51”, E80°13’39”, 160m / 1.VII.2017,leg. A.Kopetz #17–19 [p] // HOLOTYPUS ♂ / COPELATUS / kopetzi sp. nov. / Hájek & Sheth det. 2024 [red label, p]”.

Description of holotype. Habitus oblong-oval, with continuous outline, broadest at mid-length of elytra, slightly convex. Dorsal surface submatt.

Colouration. Head reddish brown, blackish around eyes and medially between eyes, lighter on clypeus, labrum and medially on vertex. Pronotum brown blackish, laterally reddish, pale colouration extending anteriorly. Elytra black, with orange apex and sides laterally from elytral stria 6, and orangish pattern consisting of: irregular basal transverse band split into three spots, somewhat extending between striae 1–2 and 4–5; and longitudinal orange stripes between striae 3–4, in posterior fourth between striae 4–5 and in posterior 2/3 between striae 5–6. Ventral surface reddish brown. Appendages orange to red ( Fig. 4 ).

Head. Moderately broad, ca. 0.63× width of pronotum, transversely elliptical. Anterior margin of clypeus slightly concave. Antenna with antennomeres long and slender. Reticulation consisting of fine, well impressed isodiametric polygonal meshes. Punctation double; several large setigerous punctures present in fronto-clypeal depressions, frontal depressions at level of anterior margin of eyes, and in depressions along inner margin of eyes; fine punctures smaller and sparser on clypeus, becoming larger and denser posteriorly.

Pronotum. Transverse (width/length ratio = 2.9), broadest between posterior angles, lateral margins moderately curved. Lateral sides with beading thin but distinct, except at anterior angles. Reticulation similar to that of head. Punctation similar to that of head; rows of coarse setigerous punctures present along anterior margin, laterally close to sides, several punctures present also in shallow basolateral depressions along basal margin. Centre of disc with shallowly impressed medial longitudinal smooth line (without reticulation).

Elytra. Elytral striation consisting of six well impressed discal striae and one submarginal stria on each elytron: stria 1 beginning subbasally, striae 2–6 beginning at base of elytra; striae 1 and 4 ending close to apex; striae 2, 3 and 5 shorter than striae 1 and 4—not reaching apex of elytra; stria 6 shortest, ending approximately in apical fifth of elytral length; submarginal stria long, starting at about elytral mid-length and terminating shortly before apex, at same level as dorsal striae 2, 3 and 5. Reticulation similar to that of head and pronotum, but less impressed. Punctation consisting of coarse setigerous punctures present along elytral striae and lateral margins of elytra, and scattered very fine sparse punctures.

Legs. Protibia modified, angled near base, distinctly broadened anteriorly, club shaped. Pro- and mesotarsomeres 1–3 distinctly broadened, with four rows of adhesive setae on their ventral side; claws simple. Longer spur on metatibia indistinctly sinuate in apical third.

Ventral side. Prosternum sinuate anteriorly, obtusely keeled medially. Prosternal process shortly lanceolate, in cross-section convex, apex obtuse; process distinctly bordered laterally; reticulation not perceptible. Metaventrite with microsculpture consisting of polygonal meshes; lateral parts of metaventrite (‘metasternal wings’) tongueshaped, slender. Metacoxal lines incomplete, absent in ca. anterior fifth of metacoxal length. Metacoxal plates covered with long oblique strioles; reticulation consisting of elongate, oblique, polygonal meshes. Metacoxal processes rounded at posterior margin. Abdominal ventrites I–II with longitudinal strioles; ventrites III–IV with oblique strioles laterally. Tuft of setae present medially on ventrites III–V; ventrite VI with setigerous punctures laterally on either side. Abdominal reticulation consisting of elongate polygonal meshes, longitudinal on ventrites I–II, oblique on ventrite III and transverse on ventrites IV–VI. Punctation consisting of fine, sparsely distributed punctures.

Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view ( Fig. 13 ) broad in basal 2/3; apical third sickle-shaped, evenly curved, subapically narrowed to pointed apex; at 2/3 of its length with two distinct ‚teeth‘ on ventral side— broad blunt proximal one, and bilobed distal one. Parameres moderately broad, ‚D‘ shaped, with distinct lobe on inner margin, apex short and broad; apical lobe long, club-shaped ( Fig. 14 ).

Female. Unknown.

Measurements. TL: 5.7 mm; Tl-h: 5.1 mm; MW: 2.9 mm.

Differential diagnosis. Based on the presence of six dorsal striae and a submarginal elytral stria, Copelatus kopetzi sp. nov. can be classified within the Copelatus irinus group sensu Guignot (1961). The characteristic shape of the median lobe with two ‘teeth’ on the ventral side ( Fig. 13 ) places the new species into the newly proposed C. latipes complex. Within this species complex, the new species is most similar to the sympatric C. brivioi ; both species can be distinguished from each other by the shape of the median lobe of aedeagus—especially by the shape of the apex and the shape of processes on the ventral side (see Figs 11 and 13 ).

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to its collector, Andreas Kopetz (Amt Wachsenburg, Germany), well known specialist on soldier beetles ( Cantharidae ). The specific name is a noun in the genitive case.

Distribution. The species is so far only known from the type locality in south-western Nepal ( Fig. 19 ).

Figures

FIGURE 19. Map of distribution of Copelatus latipes species complex.

FIGURES 3–6. Habitus of Copelatus latipes species complex. 3. C. brivioi (♂; West Bengal, India); 4. C. kopetzi sp. nov. (holotype ♂; Nepal); 5. C. lanxangensis sp. nov. (holotype ♂; Laos); 6. C. latipes (♂; Pahang, Malaysia). Scale bar 2 mm.

FIGURES 7–18. Male genitalia of Copelatus latipes species complex. 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17. median lobe in lateral (a) and ventro-lateral (b) view; 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18. paramere. 7–8. C. bezdeki (holotype; Maharashtra, India); 9–10. C. schereri (Sri Lanka); 11–12. C. brivioi (paratype; Bangladesh); 13–14. C. kopetzi sp. nov. (holotype; Nepal); 15–16. C. lanxangensis sp. nov. (holotype; Laos); 17–18. C. latipes (Pahang, Malaysia). Scale bar 0.5 mm.