Laccophilus flavopictus Regimbart , 1889

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 241-243

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus flavopictus Regimbart, 1889 Figs 202-203, 371-372. 523, 577

Laccophilus flavopictus Régimbart 1889: 53 (original description, faunistics); Régimbart 1895: 146 (description, faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a:18 (catalogue, faunistics); Guignot 1946c: 262, 312 (discussion); Guignot 1948: 14 (faunistics); Guignot 1956c: 321 (discussion); Legros 1958: 211 (faunistics); Guignot 1959a: 537, 543 (description, faunistics, discussion); Nilsson and Persson 1993: 79, 94 (faunistics, biology); Nilsson 2001: 243 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 211 (catalogue, faunistics).

Laccophilus bergeri Guignot 1953b: 234, 236 (original description, faunistics); Guignot 1959a: 534, 537, 542 (description, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1965: 76 (description, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1967: 58 (discussion, synonymy Laccophilus segmentatus and Laccophilus bergeri ); Nilsson 2001: 240 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 209 (catalogue, faunistics). New synonym.

Laccophilus segmentatus Omer-Cooper 1957: 12, 90 (original description, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1958a: 59 (faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1958b: 37, 38, 39, 40, 42 (description, faunistics, biology, discussion); Omer-Cooper 1965: 80 (list synonym Laccophilus bergeri Guignot); Omer-Cooper 1967: 58 (discussion, list, synonymy); Nilsson 2001: 240 (catalogue, faunistics, list, synonymy); Nilsson 2015: 209 (catalogue, faunistics, list, synonymy, Laccophilus bergeri ). New synonym.

Type localities.

Laccophilus flavopictus : Angola: Humpata.

Laccophilus bergeri : Zaire (DRC): Elisabethville.

Laccophilus segmentatus : South Africa: Transvaal, Ermelo.

Type material studied

(6 exs.). Laccophilus flavopictus : Holotype (monotypy): male: "P.Y. v d Kellen Humpata Afr. trop / Laccophilus flavopictus sp. n. type / type / flavopictus Régimbart sp. n." (RMNH).

Laccophilus bergeri : Holotype: male: "Holotypus / Coll. Mus. Congo Elisabethville lumière XI-50/VI-51 Ch. Seydel / Type / R. Det. J. 6182 / Guignot det. 1953 Laccophilus bergeri Guign. Type, male" (MRAC; habitus in Fig. 523). - Paratypes: Same data as holotype, but: "Paratypus female / R. Det. L. 6182" (1 ex. MRAC); same as holotype, but: "Allotypus female / (A la lumière) X/XI. 1950/R. Det. K" (1 ex. MRAC); same as holotype, but: "Paratypus male / (A la lumière) X/XI. 1950" (1 ex. MRAC).

Laccophilus segmentatus : Holotype: male: "Type, male-symbol / Type / Transvaal, sluggish stream nr Ermelo 7. 12. 1948 J. O-C / Brit. Mus. 1957-660 / Laccophilus sp. n. J. Balfour-Browne det. / Laccophilus segmentatus O-C." (BMNH).

Additional material studied

(25 exs.). Zaire: "Elisabethville ( à la lumière) 1957-1958 Seydel" (1 ex. MRAC). - Zambia: "Mwinilunga District, Ikelenge, nr Kalene, Zambezi Rapids / Pinhey 3.5. 1963 M.V. light trap" (4 exs. BMNH, 1 ex. MZH); "NC, Mkushi env. E 16-18.12. 2004 Snizek leg." (1 ex. NHPC); "Northern Province 15 km E Luwingu 3-4.12. 2007 1400 m Kudrna Jr. leg. / Laccophilus bergeri Guign. det. Pederzani" (2 exs. CFP); "100 km SW Serenje 7.12. 2002 Kantner" (1 ex. NHMB). - Malawi: "Dedza Sept. 1948 O-C. / small stream" (1 ex. AMGS); "Dedza Sept. 1948 O-C."(4 exs. AMGS); "Dedza dam, lower Lilongwe rd 29.IX. 1948" (1 ex. AMGS); "Dedza Hotel, dam 29.IX. 1948" (1 ex. AMGS). - Zimbabwe: "Inyanga N. 1948 JOC. / Laccophilus segmentatus O-C. = Laccophilus bergeri Guign. Det. J. Omer-Cooper" (1 ex. AMGS); "Stream Rusapi 13.XI. (?) 1948 / Laccophilus segmentatus O-C. det. J. Omer-Cooper" (1 ex. AMGS); "Marandellas 2.11. 1948 J. Omer-Cooper" (3 exs. MNHN). - Swaziland: "Mbabane 5.XII. 1948 J.O.C. / Laccophilus segmentatus O-C. = Laccophilus bergeri Guign. Det. J. Omer-Cooper" (1 ex. AMGS). - South Africa: "Natal Durban Umgeni Tragardh" (1 ex. AMGS); " Laccophilus sp. n. J. Balfour-Browne / Paratype / Vlei nr Wasserman’s Beacon 6.12. 1948 / Laccophilus segmentatus O-C." (1 ex. AMGS).

Comments on synonymy.

Male holotypes of the three involved taxa, Laccophilus flavopictus , Laccophilus bergeri , and Laccophilus segmentatus , have been examined and found to be conspecific. Because Laccophilus flavopictus is the oldest available name, it is also the valid name of the species.

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus flavopictus is characterized by the following combination of features: Elytra almost black to blackish ferrugineous; basally provided with a quite narrow but distinct, transverse, pale ferrugineous marking and by non-hooked penis apex. Externally it resembles of some species not located in this species group, eg. Laccophilus luctuosus and Laccophilus secundus . Presence of a stridulation apparatus and shape of male genitalia, however, shows that Laccophilus flavopictus belongs to another species group than these two species.

Description.

Body length 3.4-3.7 mm, width 1.9-2.0 mm. Colour pattern generally distinct and exhibits only minor variation; sometimes in part, dark areas with somewhat vague delimitation (Fig. 523).

Head: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous; posteriorly at pronotum darker; dark ferrugineous. Slightly mat, finely microsculptured; reticulation double (in part indistinct). Large meshes when discernible, contain 2-5 small meshes. At eyes and in a narrow, transverse area between eyes with very fine, somewhat irregular punctures; medially punctures indistinct and hardly visible.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, frontally and basally with a medial, dark marking (Fig. 518). Submat to rather shiny, fienly microsculptured; reticulation in part double (partially indistinct). Large meshes generally contain 2-5 small meshes. At margins with fine, in part indistinct and sparse punctures.

Elytra: Blackish ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous, with distinct pale ferrugineous markings (Fig. 523). Submat to rather shiny, finely microsculptured. Reticulation in part double but double reticulation somewhat indistinct; large meshes, when discernible, contain 2-5 small meshes. Punctation very fine and form three rather irregular, longitudinal areas.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous, abdominal ventrites at least in part darker, ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous. Stridulatory apparatus consists of about 30 fine ridges. Submat, finely microsculptured. Abdomen provided with fine, slightly sparse, curved striae. Apical ventrite provided with a sharp knob on one side (other side lacks knob) (Fig. 202). Prosternal process narrow, posteriorly slightly extended and apically pointed.

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

Male genitalia: Penis comparatively long, slightly angled; apical outline rounded to almost straight (Figs 371-372).

Female: Externally as male but apical ventrite almost symmetric, lacking sharp knob (Fig. 203), Pro- and mesotarsus slender.

Distribution.

Zaire, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland (Fig. 577). Only verified records are used in the map.

Collecting circumstances.

Omer-Cooper (1958b) reports the species from different kinds of water bodies, as ponds, pools, streams, bogs and an artificial dam. Often in association with some vegetation as water lilies, rushes, weeds etc. Collected at light.