Laccophilus contiro Guignot, 1952

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 192-194

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus contiro Guignot, 1952 Figs 158-159, 341-342, 487-488, 570

Laccophilus contiro Guignot 1952d: 5 (original description, faunistics); Guignot 1953b: 234 (faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1957: 10 (discussion, description); Omer-Cooper 1958b: 37, 38, 39, 40 (description, faunistics, biology); Guignot 1959a: 550, 554 (description, discussion, faunistics); Guignot 1959d: 161 (discussion); Guignot 1961b: 238 (discussion); Omer-Cooper 1962: 295 (faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1965: 76, 77, 78 (description, discussion, faunistics); Bilardo and Pederzani 1978: 119 (faunistics, description); Medler 1980: 155 (faunistics, list); Bilardo 1982a: 447 (given as Laccophylus , description, faunistics); 1982b: 251 (faunistics); Pederzani and Rocchi 1982: 72 (faunistics); Pederzani 1988: 107 (faunistics, biology); Nilsson and Persson 1993: 80: (faunistics); Bilardo and Rocchi 1999: 232, 234 (faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 242 (catalogue, faunistics); Bilardo and Rocchi 2002: 174 (list, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 210 (catalogue, faunistics). [Comment: in the original description Guignot (1952d: 6) also distinguishes a separate morph and gives it the name Laccophilus contiro ab. nigrovirgatus. This name is, however, infrasubspecific and has no value in nomenclature.]

Type locality.

Ethiopia: Mt Chilalu.

Type material studied

(4 exs.). Holotype: male: "Abessinia 7,000 ft. Mt. Chilalu 8.xi. 1926 J. Omer-Cooper / male symbol / Type" (MNHN). - Paratypes: "Abyssinia Mount Chillálo ponds 7,000-8,000 ft. 8-9.xi. 1926 J. Omer-Cooper / female symbol / Allotype / contiro " (1 ex. MNHN); "Abyssinia 7000 ft. Mt Chilalu 8.xi. 1926 J. Omer-Cooper / male symbol / Paratype" (1 ex. MNHN; habitus in Fig. 487). - Uganda: "Uganda Kampala K 11? IX. 1929 H. E. Hopkins / female symbol / paratype" (1 ex. MNHN; habitus in Fig. 488).

Additional material studied

(162 exs.). Sudan: "W. Nile IX. 1929" (2 exs. AMGS); "Gallery Forest Jebel Marra 12°55'N, 24°08'E, 7. 1984 Ruse P. light trap" (8 exs. BMNH, 1 ex. MZH). - Ethiopia: "Suc-Suci Lake Zwai 5,500 ft 12.11. 1926 JOC." (1 ex. AMGS); "7000 ft Mt. Chilalu 8.11. 1926 JOC." (5 exs. AMGS); "West Marsh Lake Zwai 5,500 ft 2-3.11. 1926 JOC." (3 exs. AMGS); "March N of Lake Zwai ca 5,500 ft. 4.11. 1926" (1 ex. AMGS); "Kattere River Lake Zwai 6,000 ft 5.11. 1926 JOC." (1 ex. AMGS); "Water Hole N of Makki River 6,000 ft 28.11. 1926 JOC." (1 ex. AMGS); "C Abyssinia, Abesata Wajju, Bull Bullo 6.3. 1915 Lovacs leg." (1 ex. BMNH); "Belleta Forest 13-14.6. 1963 Linnavuori" (1 ex. MZH). - Sierra Leone: "Freetown 1945/Walton G.A." (1 ex. BMNH). - Nigeria: "NC St. Malumfashi 26-30.7. 1973 Linnavuori leg."(2 exs. MZH); "W St. Ife 7-8.7. 1973 Linnavuori leg." (1 ex. MZH); "Stream crossing Kaduna rd. nr Zaria 4.4. 1963 JOC." (2 exs. AMGS); "Zaria 1969 Brancucci" (1 ex. NHMB); "Stream & reservoir Jos 10.4. 1963 JOC." (3 exs. AMGS); "Stream nr Bakori en rte Katsina 5.4.1963 JOC." (1 ex. AMGS); "Stream nr Zaria 4.4. 1963 JOC" (1 ex. AMGS); "Ponds in dry stream bed Kontagora 5.4. 1963" (2 exs. AMGS); "Kontagora stream 3.4. 1963 JOC." (6 exs. AMGS). - Cameroon: "20 km NW Ban-Gante Forest, savannah at river, at light 15.1. 1978 / Gärdenfors, Hall & Samuelsson" (1 ex. MZLU); "Kamerun int. Satsche 10-14.5. 1909 Riggenbach" (5 exs. ZMHB); "Koza 1.7.1974"(1 ex. NHMB). - Uganda: "Prov. d’Ounyoro, Albert Nyanza S-E, Riv. Mousisi, Alluaud 1909 / Type" (1 ex. MNHN; ”type” of ab. nigrovirgatus); "Kampala 13.7. 1929 G.H.E. Hopkins" (1 ex. AMGS); same but "15.9. 1929" (1 ex. AMGS); same but "28.2. 1929" (1 ex. AMGS); same but 28.11. 1929" (1 ex. BMNH); same but "29.11. 1929" (1 ex. BMNH); same but "21.2. 1930" (1 ex. BMNH); same but "5.12. 1929" (1 ex. MZH); same but "21.8. 1929" (1 ex. BMNH); same but 9. 1929/Paratype" (1 ex. MNHN; not type material); same but "Kitante Swamp 26.9. 1969" (1 ex. BMNH); "Madi 5. 1927 G.D.H. Carpenter" (1 ex. AMS). - Kenya: "Nyeri 2.12. 1989 Jäch” (1 ex. NMW); "Ngong Forestry Sta., 13.4, 1968 Spangler" (7 exs. USNM, 2 exs. MZH); "Nairobi 3.11. 1967 / Reichert collector" (1 ex. USNM). - Tanzania: "?stream Mbeya-Tunduma rd. 18.10. 1948 JOC." (3 exs. AMGS); "Mpemba stream Mbeya-Tunduma 16.X. 1948" (2 exs. AMGS); "D.O.A. W Ruangwa 1.9. 1911, 1850 m Sumpf H. Meyer S.G." (2 exs. ZMHB). - Zambia: "Mbesuma Ranch (Isoka) 9-10.12. 2004 Werner & Smrz" (2 exs. NHRS); "Watergreen Farm Chongwe Valley 60 km E Lusaka 4.8. 1986 Pederzani / Laccophilus contiro Guignot det. Pederzani" (1 ex. CSR); "Kapiri Mpushi env. 13.12. 2002 Kantner" (6 exs. NHMB, 2 exs. MZH). - Malawi: "Swamp Dally’s Hotel nr Ft Johnstone 23.8. 1948" (6 exs. AMGS); "Swamp Hawkes Bay 25.9. 1948" (2 exs. AMGS); "Dambo below Livingstonia lake shore 21.10. 1948" (15 exs. AMGS); “Dally’s 18.12. 1946 R.H. Lowe" (2 exs. BMNH); "Ft. Johnston Dally’s swamp nr L. Nyasa 7.6. 1946" (1 ex. BMNH); "Selima env., 4.1. 2002 Kantner" (1 ex. NHMB); "Selima env., 60 km E Lilongwe 5-8.1. 2002 Kantner" (1 ex. NHMB); "Dedza env., 85 km SE Lilongwe 7-13.1. 2002 Kantner" (1 ex. NHMB). - Namibia: "East Caprivi Katima Mulilo 17°29'S- 24°17'E, 3-8.3. 1992 Uhlig leg., lux" (8 exs. ZMHB, 2 exs. MZH, 1 ex. NMNW); same but "Deckert leg." (1 ex. ZMHB). - Zimbabwe: "Mashunald Salisbury" (1 ex. SAMC). - South Africa: "Gauteng, RAU system, Germiston Lake 12.8. 1997 Reavell" (1 ex. AMGS); "Natal Umlazi R. 19.9. 1962" (1 ex. AMGS); "Kw. Natal S, Port Shepstone 20 km W, 2.2. 2000 Halada leg." (1 ex. NMW); "Kw. Natal, Barringtonia Swamp For., Amotikela Nat. Res., 24.2. 1991 Reavell" (1 ex. AMGS); "Natal, Durban, Stamford Hill Umgeni Trägårdh leg. / Laccophilus contiro Guign. det. Omer-Cooper" (1 ex. MZLU); "ECPR. St. Johns 16.2. 1956 JOC. / Laccophilus contiro Guign. det. Omer-Cooper" (6 exs. AMGS); "ECPr. 6 km S of port of St Johns, outside Silaka Nature Res., pond, S31°38.862, E29°30.551, alt. 90 m 26-27.1. 2005 Bergsten leg." (4 exs. NHRS); "EC, East London, Gorncie Park, coastal pond 18.3. 1955" (2 exs. AMGS); "EC., Pond on Hwy 344 at Adelaide 17.5. 2005 Challet" (3 exs. CGC, 1 ex. MZH); "EC, Groot R., Humansdorp 19.2. 1947 JOC." (11 exs. AMGS).

Diagnosis.

Dorsal colour pattern of Laccophilus contiro is variable. Extremes are represented by specimens with almost totally confluent dark, longitudinal lines of elytra (dark lines only discernible posterior to middle) or specimens with separate dark, longitudinal lines. Fortunately penis is quite characteristic, the apex being “harpoon-shaped”, and this character distinguishes Laccophilus contiro from all other Laccophilus species. Morphological variation is still quite extensive and further study will reveal if Laccophilus contiro must be split up in different species.

Description.

Body length 3.5-3.9 mm, width 1.9-2.1 mm. Elytral colour pattern variable; separate, dark, longitudinal areas almost absent because merged to larger dark areas, or elytral colour pattern consists of distinct longitudinal, dark areas, which sometimes are reduced (Figs 487-488).

Head: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous; no distinct colour pattern. Impunctate, except at eyes; with fine, dense and irregular punctures. Area of punctures extended towards middle of head-disc but they are not connected. Submat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double but difference in delimitation of size classes very small; in part hardly discernible. Large meshes, when discernible, contain 2-5 fine meshes.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous, frontally and basally in middle with a distinct blackish to dark ferrugineous area. Submat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation quite distinctly double; large meshes contain generally 2-5 small meshes. Almost impunctate. At margins, except basally in middle, with fine, sparse and scattered punctures.

Elytra: Colour pattern variable. Dark elytral lines, to a variable degree discernible; sometimes distinct and sometimes almost absent (Figs 487-488). Submat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation indistinctly double. Large meshes almost absent because strongly reduced (delimiting lines of meshes have often vanished); sometimes indistinctly visible as fine fragments in frontal parts of elytra. Almost impunctate; very fine, sparse punctures form a discal, dorsolateral and lateral row of punctures.

Ventral aspect: Dark ferrugineous to ferrugineous, prosternum paler, pale ferrugineous. Almost impunctate. Rather shiny; scattered very fine, in part indistinct microsculpture may be discerned. Metacoxal plates with approximately 10 shallow and transversely placed furrows. Base of abdomen with curved striae. Prosternal process rather slender, apex somewhat extended and pointed. Apical ventrite with a lateral, sharp knob (Fig. 158).

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus somewhat extended, provided with distinct suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis in lateral aspect quite broad; from base to apex slightly curved. Extreme apex broad, only slightly extended (Figs 341-342).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus slender, somewhat extended. Apical ventrite lacks knob (Fig. 159).

Distribution.

Sudan, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa (Fig. 570). Additional country records are Zaire, Rwanda-Burundi ( Omer-Cooper 1965), the Ivory Coast ( Bilardo and Pederzani 1978), Congo (Brazzaville) ( Pederzani and Rocchi 1982) and Gabon ( Bilardo and Rocchi 1999).

Collecting circumstances.

Label data gives limited information on ecological preferences; collected in pools, streams and swamps and sometimes at light. Literature data are considered rather poor.