Laccophilus rocchii, 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 : 14-15

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus rocchii sp. n. Figs 14-15, 214-215, 380, 527

Type locality.

Mozambique: Manica Province, 60 km W Chitobe.

Type material

(15 exs.). Holotype: male: "Mozambique Manica Province 60 km W Chitobe, 16.12. 2005 P. Schüle leg." (SMNS). - Paratypes: "Tanzania Dodoma Pr. 40 km N Dodoma 14-16.12. 2006, 1100 m A. Kudrna Jr. lgt." (1 ex. CFP); "Botswana: Chobe Dist., Savute Drift Camp site, 18°34'S, 24°04'E, 29. Dec. 1988 R.D. Ward / Robert D. Ward Collection / Laccophilus productus Rég. det. S. Rocchi 92" (1 ex. CSR; habitus photogr. Fig. 380); Similar label data as holotype (6 exs. SMNS, 1 ex. MZH); "Mocambique Prov. Inhambane 15 km SE Save, 18-21.12. 2005, A. Kurdna Jr. lgt." (3 exs. CFP, 1 ex. MZH); "Namibia Exp. ZMB 1992 East Caprivi: Katima Mulilo, lux, 17°29'S / 24°17'E, 3-8.3. 1992 leg. M. Uhlig" (1 ex. ZMHB).

Diagnosis.

See diagnosis of Laccophilus grossus (p. 19).

Description.

Body: Length 4.3-4.9 mm, width 2.3-2.6 mm. Body dorsally pale ferrugineous, with quite distinct and uniform blackish ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous marking (Fig. 380).

Head: Pale ferrugineous. Submat, finely microsculptured; reticulation simple. Meshes small, of same size and shape. Impunctate, except at eyes where head is provided with fine, somewhat irregularly distributed punctures. Anteriorly, close to frontal edge with some punctures, forming slightly irregular transverse impression.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, basally in middle with distinct blackish ferrugineous spot. Submat, finely microsculptured; reticulation simple. Meshes small, of same size and shape. Impunctate, except along margins, with irregular, fine punctures, however, punctures lacking basally in middle.

Elytra: Pale ferrugineous, with quite distinct, quite uniform blackish ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous marking (Fig. 380). Submat, finely microsculptured; reticulation simple, of one size-category. Meshes small, size and appearance uniform. Discal and dorsolateral row of punctures consist of irregular, fine punctures. Rows are diffuse and mixed posterior to middle of elytra. Lateral row indicated by some scattered, fine punctures. Preapical, lateral row of punctures located in a distinct furrow provided with some hairs.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous, no distinct colour pattern formed. Submat, very finely microsculptured, except abdomen basally, rather shiny, microsculpture indistinct. Apical ventrite of male (Fig. 14). Ventrites with fine, curved, and quite dense striae. Metacoxal plates with shallow, transverse furrows, which posteriorly, gradually become weaker. Prosternal process rather slender, posteriorly slightly extended, apex pointed.

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus somewhat enlarged, with suckers.

Male genitalia: Apical half of penis in dorsal aspect only slightly sinuate, almost straight; extreme tip slightly curved to left (Figs 214-215).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus slender, not enlarged. Apical ventrite as in Fig. 15.

Etymology.

The name is a noun in its genitive form based on the name of Mr. Saverio Rocchi, Florence, Italy, who kindly provided us with a part of the type material of the new species besides various other interesting materials.

Distribution.

Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique (Fig. 527).

Collecting circumstances.

In Namibia collected at light.