Laccophilus eboris, 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 : 232-234

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus eboris sp. n. Figs 188-189, 364, 515, 577

Type locality.

Ivory Coast: Bingerville.

Type material

(26 exs.). Holotype: male: "Coll. Mus. Tervuren, Cote d’Ivoire: Bingerville VI. 1962 J, Decelle (MRAC; habitus in Fig. 515). - Paratypes: Same data as holotype (5 exs. MRAC, 2 exs. MZH); same data as holotype but “1961” and “à la lampe U.V." (3 exs. MRAC, 1 ex. MZH); same data as preceding but lacks text on UV lamp (1 ex. MRAC); same as preceding but "XII. 1961" (1 ex. MRAC); same data as preceding but "VIII. 1962" (6 exs. MRAC, 1 ex. CGW); same data as preceding but "XI. 1962" (1 ex. MRAC); same data as preceding but "IX. 1963" (1 ex. MZH); same data as preceding but "XI. 1963" (1 ex. MZH); same data as preceding but "1-18.III. 1963" (2 exs. CGW).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus eboris is also a species close to Laccophilus inornatus , Laccophilus canthydroides and Laccophilus minimus . Laccophilus eboris belongs to the smaller species among them and it has unicoloured, dark elytra without any signs of paler spots. Additionally the apical grove at internal edge of penis distinguishes Laccophilus eboris from the other species, which lack a similar feature on penis apex.

Description.

Body length 3.2-3.3 mm, width 1.6-1.7 mm. Dorsal, colour pattern quite uniform with minor variation (Fig. 515).

Head: Pale ferrugineous; posteriorly sometimes slightly darker. Dark area not distinctly delimited but vague. Slightly mat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double. Large meshes very fine and weakly developed; in part rudimentary. Large meshes, when discernible, may contain 2-5 small meshes. Impunctate, except at eyes; with fine irregular punctures. Areas of punctures extended inwards but leave a distinct gap without punctures in middle of head-disc.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, basally with a distinct, blackish to dark brown area. Frontally at area between eyes, generally, with a vague darker area, which may be rather indistinct. Slightly mat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double. Large meshes weakly developed, in part rudimentary. When discernible, large meshes may contain 2-5 small meshes. Almost impunctate. Along margins except at base in the middle, with fine to very fine, scattered, irregular punctures.

Elytra: Blackish ferrugineous, posteriorly slightly paler but with no distinct colour pattern (Fig. 515). Slightly mat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double. Large meshes weakly developed, in part rudimentary. When discernible, large meshes may contain 2-5 small meshes. Fine, irregularly distributed, sparse punctures form a discal row. Outside discal row fine punctures appear scattered and irregular. No distinct rows of punctures formed. Pre-apical, lateral furrow provided with hairs.

Ventral aspect: Ferrugineous, abdomen slightly darker; ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous. Prothorax distinctly paler; pale ferrugineous. Rather shiny, although finely microsculptured. Ventrites with fine, slightly curved striae. Almost impunctate; apically on abdomen with fine, irregular punctures. Apical ventrite quite strongly modified, asymmetric with a sharp, lateral knob and rude grooves on one side and fine surface-structures on the other side (Fig. 188). Stridulatory apparatus on metacoxal plates quite broad and curved; consists of rather narrow ridges out of which about 25 are clearly discernible. Anterior half of metacoxal plate with about 10 almost transverse, shallow furrows. Prosternal process slender, posteriorly slightly extended; apex pointed.

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

Male genitalia: Outline of frontal edge of penis almost straight; apex with a small but clearly discernible cavity (in part seen in illustration) (Fig. 364).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus slender. Apical ventrite as in Fig. 189.

Etymology.

The Latin noun ebur means ivory and the species name eboris is the genitive form of it, simply associating the species with the Ivory Coast.

Distribution.

Ivory Coast (Fig. 577). Laccophilus eboris is only known from the type locality.

Collecting circumstances.

Almost unknown. A number of labels give light collection with a UV lamp.