Limnebius quantillus, Perkins, Philip D., 2015

Perkins, Philip D., 2015, Taxonomy of the water beetle genus Limnebius Leach in southern Africa (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 3948 (1), pp. 41-59 : 46

Limnebius quantillus , new species

Figs. 4 (habitus), 15 (aedeagus), 33 (map)

Type material. Holotype (male): South Africa: Limpopo Province, N. Transvaal, Mmabolela estate, shore washing, 22° 40' S, 28° 15' E, 6 iii 1973, Endrödy-Younga (#13) ( TMSA). Paratypes (128): South Africa: Limpopo Province, Blauberg, Beauly River, from boulder and fine gravel, fast water, elev. 1143 m, 23° 8' S, 28° 56' E, 18 iv 1954, J. Balfour-Browne (173) (1 BMNH); Magalakwen River, Platjaan, in sand and gravel along sides, elev. 230 m, 22° 41' S, 29° 5' E, 22 iv 1954, J. Balfour-Browne (57 BMNH); N. Transvaal, Mmabolela estate, shore washing, 22° 40' S, 28° 15' E, 6 iii 1973, Endrödy-Younga (#13) (56 TMSA); Mpumalanga Province, E. Transvaal, Blyderiver Canyon, shore washing, 24° 35' S, 30° 49' E, 2 v 1981, Endrödy-Younga (#1765) (2 TMSA); Kruger Nat. Park, Pafuri, 22° 25' S, 31° 17' E, 12 ii 1994, Endrödy-Younga (#2998) (1 TMSA); Mathlakusapan, shore washing, 22° 37' S, 31° 22' E, 4 ii 1997, Endrody-Younga (#2991) (2 TMSA); Zimbabwe: Marandellas, M. V. light, 18° 10' S, 31° 36' E, 1–28 ii 1962, J. S. Weir (3 BMNH); Umzingwane River 11 mi. W of Beit Bridge, 22° 5' S, 29° 54' E, 1–30 v 1960, J. Weir (5 BMNH).

Differential diagnosis. Habitus as illustrated ( Fig. 4 ); a very small species with oval body form, pronotal disc non-microreticulate, elytra weakly microreticulate. The aedeagus ( Fig. 15) is slender in the proximal ½ and, in ventral view, arcuate; the distal ½ is widened in ventral view and has three patches of setae (as illustrated); the widened area houses the capsule; the apex is produced in a short lobe.

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 0.84/0.41; pronotum 0.22/ 0.42; elytra 0.51/0.42; approximate height, lateral view 0.26.

Dorsum brown, head darker, except paler laterally on clypeus. Body form slightly drop-shaped, apically moderately acuminate, side margin indented slightly where pronotum joins elytra. Pronotum with disc shining, non-microreticulate, very sparsely finely punctulate, each puncture with very short adpressed seta; area posterior to eye (side view) with few larger punctures, each puncture with adpressed seta, longer than setae on disc. Elytra very weakly microreticulate, almost obsolete, with punctures and setae similar to those on pronotum. Males with first three pro- and mesotarsal segments slightly enlarged, with adhesive setae. Labroclypeal suture bisinuate in frontal view in both sexes. Labrum simple. Elytral apices slightly more widely rounded in males than in females.

Etymology. Named in reference to the very small body size.

Distribution. Currently known from northeastern South Africa, plus one moderately disjunct locality in Zimbabwe ( Fig. 33 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Dorsal and lateral habitus views of holotypes.

FIGURES 32 – 34. Geographical distributions.