Copelatus zanatanensis, Ranarilalatiana, Tolotra & Bergsten, Johannes, 2019

Ranarilalatiana, Tolotra & Bergsten, Johannes, 2019, Discovery of a specialist Copelatinae fauna on Madagascar: highly ephemeral tropical forest floor depressions as an overlooked habitat for diving beetles (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 871, pp. 89-118 : 94-96

Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. Figs 1B , 2B

Type locality.

Masoala National Park [15.6703S; 49.9715E] (Madagascar, Analanjirofo region, Maroantsetra)

Type material.

Holotype ♂ GP (NHRS): NHRS-JLKB | 000011229 // Madagascar: Toamasina: Analanjirofo: | Masoala NP: lowalt. rainforest | MAD18-45: small muddy depression | on path ~2 km NE. of Andranobe camp | 15.6703S, 49.9715E, 360 m, 16.II.2018 | Leg. J. Bergsten & T. Ranarilalatiana // Holotype | Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. | Det. Ranarilalatiana | & Bergsten, 2019 //

Paratypes: -4♂ GP, 3♀, 17 ex. (Alc.) (NHRS, DEUA & PBZT/MBC): // NHRS-JLKB | 000065653, 66019, 66333-7, 11239(Alc.) // Madagascar: Toamasina: Analanjirofo: | Masoala NP: lowalt. rainforest | MAD18-43: dried out rainwater pool | on path ~3.5 km E. of Andranobe camp| 15.6681S, 49.9835E, 630 m, 16.II.2018 | Leg. J. Bergsten & T. Ranarilalatiana // Paratype | Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. | Det. Ranarilalatiana | & Bergsten, 2019 //

-5♂ GP, 5♀, 13 ex. (Alc.) (NHRS, DEUA & PBZT/MBC): // NHRS-JLKB | 000011237, 65654, 66017, 66326-32, 11238 (Alc.) // Madagascar: Toamasina: Analanjirofo: | Masoala NP: lowalt. rainforest | MAD18-44: pristine foreststream | 3 h walk (4 km) E of Andranobe camp | 15.6735S, 49.9886E, 500 m, 16.II.2018 | Leg. J. Bergsten & T. Ranarilalatiana // Paratype | Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. | Det. Ranarilalatiana | & Bergsten, 2019 //

-4♂ GP, 6♀, 6 ex. (Alc.) (NHRS, DEUA & PBZT/MBC): // NHRS-JLKB |000065655, 65787, 66018, 66302-6, 65437-8, 11228 (Alc.) // Madagascar: Toamasina: Analanjirofo: | Masoala NP: lowalt. rainforest | MAD18-45: small muddy depression | on path ~2 km NE. of Andranobe camp | 15.6703S, 49.9715E, 360 m, 16.II.2018 | Leg. J. Bergsten & T. Ranarilalatiana // Paratype | Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. | Det. Ranarilalatiana | & Bergsten, 2019 //

-6♂ GP, 4♀, 97 ex. (Alc.) (NHRS, DEUA & PBZT/MBC): // NHRS-JLKB | 000011235, 65656, 66325, 66362-8, 11236 (Alc.) // Madagascar: Toamasi na: Analanjirofo: | Masoala NP: lowalt. rainforest | MAD18-49: small muddy depression | on path ~2 km NE. of Andranobe camp | 15.6703S, 49.9715E, 360 m, 18.II.2018 | Leg. J. Bergsten & T. Ranarilalatiana // Paratype | Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. | Det. Ranarilalatiana | & Bergsten, 2019 //

Diagnosis.

Habitus very similar to C. amphibius sp. nov. but penis diagnostic with a more distincly offset and higher ventral hump in lateral view and apical blade with a stright to almost concave ventral margin and spine-like acuminate apex ( Fig. 2B ).

Description.

Very similar in all respects to C. amphibius sp. nov. and only differences noted below.

Body length: 4.4-5 mm (♀: 4.4-4.8 mm, ♂: 4.7-5 mm).

On average slightly smaller and elytra less infuscated and therefore appearing more unicolorous lighter testaceous, but variation overlap between the species both in infuscation and body size ( Fig. 1B ).

Ventral side slightly lighter testaceous and therefore infuscation on metacoxal plate more contrasting.

Male genitalia as in Figure 2B . Penis diagnostic in lateral view with a straight to concave ventral margin of apical blade and an acuminate spine-like apex. Copelatus amphibius sp. nov. has a weakly convex ventral margin of the apical blade and apex pointed but not spine-like acuminate. Also, the ventral medial hump higher and more distinctly offset in C. zanatanensis sp. nov.

Distribution.

Only known from Masoala National Park, northeastern Madagascar ( Fig. 4B ).

Ecology and conservation.

Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. was found in forest floor depressions with leaf litter in pristine humid lowland (360-630 m alt.) forests in Masoala NP ( Figs 6 , 7 ). Most specimens were found in dry depressions at two different localities; however, the third place was in proximity of a stream, but still in a terrestrial microhabitat. Masoala National Park covers 230 000 ha of originally primary lowland humid forest, but deforestation rates surged following the political instability of 2009 ( Allnutt et al. 2013).

Etymology.

Latinisation of the Malagasy word “zana-tany” litterally translated to "child of the land", with the meaning to be native of a country. The new species is endemic and a native of Madagascar.

Figures

Figure 1. Habitus, dorsal view. A Copelatus amphibius sp. nov. (female) B Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. (female) C Copelatus betampona sp. nov. (female) D Madaglymbus semifactus sp. nov. (female) E Madaglymbus kelimaso sp. nov. (male) F Madaglymbus menalamba sp. nov. (female).

Figure 2. Male genitalia. From left to right aedeagus in right lateral, ventral, left lateral views, and left paramere. A Copelatus amphibius sp. nov. B Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. C Copelatus betampona sp. nov.

Figure 4. Maps of Madagascar with species distributions and administrative divisions. A Copelatus amphibius sp. nov. (circle), Copelatus betampona sp. nov. (square) B Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. (circle), Madaglymbus semifactus sp. nov. (square) C Madaglymbus kelimaso sp. nov. (circle), Madaglymbus menalamba sp. nov. (square) D current 22 regions and six former provinces of Madagascar.

Figure 6. Habitat photo of locality MAD 18 - 43, Masoala NP where Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. was found.

Figure 7. Habitat photos of locality MAD 18 - 45, Masoala NP. The two new species Copelatus zanatanensis sp. nov. and Madaglymbus menalamba sp. nov. were found in this habitat.