Laccophilus garambanus Guignot, 1958

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 240-241

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus garambanus Guignot, 1958 Figs 200-201, 370, 522, 576

Laccophilus garambanus Guignot 1958: 7 (original description, faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 244 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 212 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Zaire: Parc National Garamba.

Type material studied

(7 exs.). Holotype: male: "Holotypus / Congo Belge, P.N.G. Miss. H. De Saeger II/gd/14s, 4-VIII-1951 Réc. H. De Saeger, 2209 / Coll. Mus. Congo (ex. coll. I.P.N.C.B.) / Guignot det., 1957 Laccophilus garambanus sp. n." (MRAC; immature specimen). - Paratype: male and female: "Congo Belge, P.N.G. Miss. H. De Saeger II/gc/10, 28-VIII-52 H. De Saeger. 3987 / Paratype / F. Guignot det., 1959 Laccophilus garambanus sp. n." (1 ex. IRSNB; habitus in Fig. 522); same data, but "II/gd/11, 24-VI-1952, 3963" (1 ex. IRSNB); same data, but "II/fd/14, 23-VIII-52, 3966 / F. Guignot det., 1958 Laccophilus inornatus garambanus Guignot, paratype" (1 ex. IRSNB); same data, but "II/fd/12, 10-III-1952, 3180" (3 exs. IRSNB); same data, but "II/gd/10, 14-IX-1952, 4099" (1 ex. IRSNB).

Additional material studied

(11 exs.). Zaire: "PNG II/fd/12, 10.3. 1952, 3180" (1 ex. MRAC); "P.N.G. II/gd/10, 14-IX-52, 4099" (3 exs. IRSNB); "Tshuapa, Mbandaka ca. 0.03N - 18.28E, 1964 Stam" (2 exs. RMNH); "Tshuapa, Mbandaka ca. 0.03N - 18.28E, 3-4.4. 1964 Stam" (1 ex. RMNH); "Thsuapa-Mbandaka ca. 0.03N - 18.28E, a.l. 1964 Stam (1 ex. RMNH); "Quqilhatville 3-4.4. 1963 Stam 3-4.4. 1963 / at light (2 exs. RMNH); "Quqilhatville 20-21.1. 1962 Stam 3-4.4. 1962 / at light (1 ex. MZH).

Specimen with uncertain determination.

Cameroon: “Ngoundéré 27.7. 1969" (1 female ex. NHMB).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus garambanus is characterized by distinct, although somewhat variable, elytral colour pattern. It is distinguished from other species in this species group by the appearance of male genitalia (penis is quite robust, short, apical external outline almost straight), besides characteristic, elytral colour pattern.

Description.

Body length 2.9-3.2 mm, width 1.6-1.8 mm. Elytral colour pattern variable (Fig. 522); subbasal, pale markings sometimes confluent and form a transverse pale marking. Preapical pale spots also variable in size; often confluent.

Head: Pale ferrugineous, partly often slightly darker but lacks clearly delimited, dark area. Submat, finely microsculptured; reticulation simple and dense. At eyes, finely and irregularly punctate.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, medially with large area slightly darker; ferrugineous (delimitation of area generally vague). Submat to rather shiny, finely microsculptured; reticulation fine and dense; indistinct traces of double reticulation discernible. When discernible large meshes contain 3-6 small meshes. Almost impunctate.

Elytra: Dark ferrugineous to blackish ferrugineous, with variable, ferrugineous to pale ferrugineous markings (Fig. 522). One female (uncertain determination) has slightly paler elytra. Submat, rather shiny, finely microsculptured; reticulation fine, rather distinct. Double reticulation indistinct and fragmentary. Longitudinal areas with fine, rather indistinct and irregular punctures. Lateral, pre-apical furrow shallow, finely pubescent.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous, abdomen slightly darker in comparison with rest of ventral aspect. Submat to rather shiny, extensively with very fine microsculpture. Almost impunctate. Stridulatory apparatus fine but clearly discernible; consisting of about 25 narrow but quite long ridges. Apex of prosternal process slender, somewhat extended and pointed. Apical ventrite as in Fig. 200. Transversely located, shallow furrows on metacoxal plates fine (discernible in anterior half). Basal ventrites with fine, distinctly reduced, curved striae.

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

Male genitalia: Penis quite robust, short, apical external outline almost straight; extreme external apex broadly rounded (Fig. 370).

Female: Apical ventrite simple (Fig. 201). Pro- and mesotarsus slender.

Distribution.

Zaire (Fig. 576). Uncertain record from Cameroon.

Collecting circumstances.

Almost unknown. Sampled at light collection.