Copelatus insuetus Guignot, 1941

Ranarilalatiana, Tolotra, Raveloson Ravaomanarivo, Lala Harivelo & Bergsten, Johannes, 2019, Taxonomic revision of the genus Copelatus of Madagascar (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae): the non- erichsonii group species, ZooKeys 869, pp. 19-90 : 19

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.869.33997
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B7C88A64-C06E-4B67-A352-F2F9C8FB0D1C
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/573F0C84-F705-55E7-A4F6-FC4974616368
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Copelatus insuetus Guignot, 1941
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Treatment

Copelatus insuetus Guignot, 1941 Figs 6A View Figure 6 , 9A View Figure 9

Copelatus insuetus Guignot, 1941: 39.

Type locality.

Madagascar, Perinet [= Analamazaotra NP].

Type information from original description.

Based on single male specimen (holotype). Madagascar, Perinet.

Type material studied.

Additional material studied.

Diagnosis.

Body shape elongate oval, elytra brown with basal testaceous band, with six discal and one submarginal stria ( Fig. 9A View Figure 9 ). Copelatus insuetus can be distinguished from the following species based on the penis ventral outline in lateral view with a distinct “shoulder” ( Fig. 6A View Figure 6 ), an apex in left lateral view with a dorsal ridge crossing posterior dorsal margin and medial part longitudinally coarsely sulcate ventrolaterally in right lateral view ( Fig. 6A View Figure 6 ).

Description.

Body length 4.3-5.0 mm. Body shape elongate, weakly oval, some specimens appearing subparalell. Head rufotestaceous anteriorly and posteriorly but infuscated by two blotches inbetween the eyes. Blotches usually meet in middle and form an M-mark, but sometimes infuscation reduced to nearly absent. Pronotum usually with extensive medial infuscation leaving only lateral, anterolateral and posterolateral areas testaceous. Some specimens with less extensive medial infuscation ( Fig. 9A View Figure 9 ). Elytra brown with an irregular testaceous band at base. Testaceous band with longest projection posteriorly in second interval. All appendages testaceous.

Elytra with six clearly impressed discal and one submarginal stria. Fifth and sixth striae abbreviated anteriorly, and also first stria may be somewhat abbreviated. Submarginal stria starting between one third from the base and midway between base and apex. Head, pronotum, and elytra microreticulate and finely micropunctate. Posterolateral corners of pronotum with strioles that extend along posterior surface, reduced or absent medially.

Ventral side ferrugineous brown, except prothorax, epipleura, appendages, and gula of head which are testaceous. Area around metacoxal lines lighter (not all individuals) and also spots laterally on abdominal sternites II–VII and along some sternite margins are lighter. Metacoxa and abdominal sternites II–IV marked with strioles. Prosternal process short, broad, with blunt apex. Lateral parts of metaventrite broad. Metacoxal lines long, abbreviated only slightly before metaventral margin, diverging anteriorly.

Male: first three pro- and mesotarsomeres widened and ventrally equipped with suction cups; number of suction cups per segment for I–III: 7:4:4 for both pro- and mesotarsus. Protibia modified, narrow with a bisinuate angulate ventral margin at base, broadened distally. Pro- and mesotarsal claws unmodified. Penis in ventral view thin and simple, apical part slightly left-turned. Penis in lateral view angled after basal third forming a “shoulder”. Apex in left lateral view with a characteristic dorsal ridge crossing posterior dorsal margin ( Fig. 6A View Figure 6 ). Penis serrated with fine transverse ridges preapically on the left ventral ridge and halfway down the left side. Penis medially strongly longitudinally sulcate ventrolaterally in right lateral view ( Fig. 6A View Figure 6 ). Parameres as in Figure 6A View Figure 6 .

Female: anterior half of elytra finely striolated from second or third elytral interval to external margin. Degree of elytral striolation in females quite variable between specimens. These strioles are finer than the strioles on pronotum found in both sexes.

Distribution.

Endemic to Madagascar. Known with certainty from the eastern escarpment, Ranomafana NP in the south, Analamazaotra NP, and Mantadia NP in the central region, and Zahamena NP and Andilamena further north ( Fig. 12A View Figure 12 ). We have also seen older material including males from Paris museum from lowland Lokobe NP (island of Nosy Be) in NW and Maroantsetra in NE (not reconfirmed) that correspond to the same species. Finally, two females (NHRS) from Ankarafantsika NP is likely this species.

Habitat and ecology.

We have collected this species in Analamazaotra NP in stagnant forest pools with vegetation or with plentiful of dead leaves. Also found in a sidepool next to a river in semi-open degraded area near Moramanga. The eastern escarpment localities range in altitude between 900-1300 m, but if the localities of Nosy Be and Maroantsetra are correct this species can also occur at lowland sea level altitudes. It seems to be most abundant in tropical eastern forests, but if the Ankarafantsika females belong to this species, then it can also occur in western deciduous forests.

Comments.

Eventual older records of C. insuetus should be regarded with caution in light of the habitually very similar new species described below.

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Class	Insecta
Order	Coleoptera
Family	Dytiscidae
Genus	Copelatus

Copelatus insuetus Guignot, 1941

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