Laccophilus furthi, 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 : 36-37

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus furthi sp. n. Figs 37, 235-236, 393, 532

Type locality.

Madagascar: Prov. Fianarantsoa, 7 km West of Ranomafana.

Type material

(2 exs.): Holotype: male: "Madagascar: Prov. Fianarantsoa, 7 km W Ranomafana, 1100 m 8-21. October 1988 W.E. Steiner / From stream with mossy rocks and sandy bottom, montane rainforest" (USNM; habitus in Fig. 393). - Paratype: "Madagascar 19-22.1. 2000 Toamasina distr. ( Périnet) Analamazaotra S Andasibe 18°56'09"S, 48°24'48"E, O. Hovorka leg., black light" (1 ex. NMPC).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus furthi resembles most of Laccophilus alluaudi , Laccophilus comes and Laccophilus tigrinus . Distinguishable by study of the penis, the shape of which is almost straight and comparatively broad in Laccophilus furthi , while sinuate and less evenly broad in the three resembling species mentioned above. Vide diagnosis of Laccophilus alluaudi (p. 41).

Description.

Body length 3.7-3.8 mm, width 2.0 mm. Dorsal, colour pattern of body as in Fig. 393. Dark, longitudinal lines on elytra gradually fade away towards base of elytra.

Head: Pale ferrugineous. Submat to rather shiny, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double, but size classes of meshes difficult to distinguish. In part meshes mixed and sculpture appears irregular, consisting of variable shaped meshes. Impunctate, except at eyes; with fine, irregular punctures, which extend a short distance towards middle of head-disc.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous; no distinct colour pattern. Submat to rather shiny, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double but size classes of meshes difficult to distinguish. In part meshes mixed, and sculpture appears irregular, consisting of variable shaped meshes. Impunctate, except frontally and laterally; with very fine, scattered punctures.

Elytra: Pale ferrugineous, with dark ferrugineous to brownish, longitudinal areas, which anteriorly, gradually fade away in the holotype while quite distinct in paratype (Fig. 393). Rather shiny, although finely and densely microsculptured. Reticulation double, but large meshes almost absent because strongly reduced (only rudiments discernible). Very fine, irregular punctures form a somewhat vague, discal row. Dorsolateral and lateral rows indistinct; indicated by some scattered fine punctures. Pre-apical row consists of fine, slightly impressed punctures provided with fine hairs. In apical quarter of elytra fine punctures mixed and no separate rows discernible.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous, except metathorax and -coxal plates; blackish to dark ferrugineous. Shiny to rather shiny, microsculpture almost absent. Only very fine rudimentary microsculpture can sporadically be discerned. Abdomen with very fine, curved striae. Impunctate, except apical ventrite; with some fine, scattered punctures; shape of ventrite almost symmetric (Fig. 35). Metacoxal plates with 3-4, very fine, in part reduced, transverse furrows. Lateral impression on metacoxal plate moderate but clearly discernible. Prosternal process rather slender, posteriorly moderately extended, apically pointed.

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

Male genitalia: Penis exhibits few modifications, being almost straight both in lateral and dorsal aspects (Figs 235-236).

Female: Unknown.

Etymology.

The name is a noun in its genitive form based on the name of Dr. David Furth, Washington D.C., USA, who kindly assured the loan of large African Laccophilus collections for this study, deposited in USNM.

Distribution.

Madagascar (Fig. 532).

Collecting circumstances.

Collecting label informs that Laccophilus furthi has been "collected from stream with mossy rocks and sandy bottom in montane rainforest". The single paratype was collected by black light.