Laccophilus immundus Sharp, 1882

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 79-81

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus immundus Sharp, 1882 Figs 65-66, 258, 417, 543

Laccophilus immundus Sharp 1882: 304 (original description, faunistics, discussion); v. d. Branden 1885: 21 (catalogue, faunistics); Régimbart 1895: 131 (description, faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a: 20 (catalogue, faunistics); Guignot 1959a: 579 (description, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1962: 294, 296 (faunistics, discussion); Omer-Cooper 1965: 76, 81 (description, faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 244 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 212 (catalogue, faunistics).

Laccophilus spadix Omer-Cooper 1953: 23 (original description, faunistics, biology); Omer-Cooper 1965: 81 (list, synonymy); Nilsson 2001: 244 (catalogue, list, synonymy); Nilsson 2015: 212 (catalogue, faunistics, list, synonymy). Confirmed synonym.

Type localities.

Laccophilus immundus : South Africa: Cape Town.

Laccophilus spadix : South Africa: Cape Province, Caledon district.

Type material studied

(4 exs.). Laccophilus immundus : Holotype: female: "Type / S. Africa / Sharp Coll. 1905-313 / Type 595 Laccophilus immundus sp. n. Capetown" (BMNH). - Laccophilus spadix : Holotype: male: "Type / W Cape P., stream with pools in pine wood, Caleda dist. 18.XI. 1947 J. Omer-Cooper / Brit. Mus. 1957-660 / Laccophilus spadix O-C. det. J. Omer-Cooper" (BMNH). - Paratypes: female: "Type / Cape Peninsula, small vlei nr Cape Town 18.XI. 1947 J. Omer-Cooper / Brit. Mus. 1957-660 / Laccophilus spadix O-C. det. J. Omer-Cooper female allotype" (1 ex. BMNH); "W. Cape Pr., stream with pools in pine wood Caledon distr. 18.XI. 1947 JOC. / Laccophilus spadix O-C." (1 ex. AMGS).

Additional material studied

(945 exs.). South Africa: "Western C. Pr. stream with pools in pine wood Caledeon Dist. 18.XI. 1947 Omer-Cooper" (1 ex. AMGS); "Pools in Caledon 11. 1947" (14 exs. AMGS); "WC. Prov. Princess vlei Cape Town 13.IV. 1947"(1 ex. AMGS); "Cap. b. sp. De Vylder / Laccophilus immundus Shp det. A. Zimmermann" (5 exs. NHRS); "Cape Prov., Cape Flats, Varden Vlei 2 mi E Ottery, 2.2. 1951 / Laccophilus spadix = Laccophilus immundus det. J. Omer-Cooper" (3 exs. MZLU; habitus in Fig. 417); "Cape prov., Silversand, 8 mi W Kleinmond 19.12. 1950" (1 ex. MZLU); "Cape Good Hope Nature Reserve 7-10.3. 1968 Spangler" (422 exs. USNM, 20 exs. MZH); "CPr., Cape of Good Hope 8.1. 1994 Wewalka" (2 exs. CGC); "WC, Cape point Res., Cape peninsula 28.8. 2007, dam, Pryke leg., 34.30947S, 18.44977E " (2 exs. CCT); "WC, Cape of Good Hope 20.3. 2001, pond 2 km N field museum, Ribera et Cleslak" (1 ex. CIR); "WC, Cape of Good Hope Reserve, pond, 26.2. 1997 Turner" (60 exs. CCT, 6 exs. MZH); same data but "16.2. 1997" (100 exs. CCT); "WC, Cape Point Reserve, S341436, E182306, 30.8. 2003, seasonal pool with fibrous vegetation, Turner, Mann & Reavell" (46 exs. CCT, 6 exs. MZH); "WC, Cape Point Res., seasonal pool, 3418S, 182631E, alt. 87 m, Turner, Mann & Reavell" (25 exs. CCT); "WC, Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope Res., pond 26.2. 1997 Turner" (166 exs. CCT); same data but "Reservoir on roadside to Bordjlesri 15.2. 1997 Turner" (55 exs. CCT); "WC, Kromrivier at roadsite, Cape G.H. Res. 15.2. 1997 Turner" (1 ex. CCT); "WC, Schusters Kraal, stream, netted between footbridge and dam, 341223S, 182237E, 13.9. 2003, Turner, Mann & Reavell" (8 exs. CCT).

Comments on synonymy.

Holotypes of both involved taxa have been examined and compared. No diagnostically important differences detected and accordingly, earlier introduced synonymy is confirmed. Laccophilus immundus , being older than Laccophilus spadix , is the valid name of the species.

Diagnosis.

A peculiar species, which is especially characterized by shape of penis apex (harpoon-like) and by body, being almost one-coloured, piceous to dark brownish or dark ferrugineous.

Description.

Body length 4.3-4.5 mm, width 2.3-2.5 mm. Dark ferrugineous to ferrugineous, dorsal colour pattern of body is vague, reduced and rather indistinct (Fig. 417).

Head: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous, posteriorly and at eyes dark ferrugineous; delimitation of colour pattern vague. Rather finely to finely and densely punctate. Close to eyes with a few coarser punctures. Submat, distinctly microsculptured. Meshes double; larger meshes include 2-5 fine meshes.

Pronotum: Ferrugineous, basally in middle with a dark ferrugineous marking. Punctures fine to very fine, rather dense and slightly irregularly distributed. At margins with a partly irregular row of punctures. (In part, row frontally replaced by rather narrow area of fine punctures.) Microsculpture distinct, dense and double: coarser meshes include 2-6 finer meshes.

Elytra: Dark ferrugineous, vague darker markings sometimes discernible but form no distinct colour pattern (Fig. 417). Finely and densely punctate. Very sparse (indistinct) longitudinal rows of slightly coarser punctures discernible. Laterally in posterior half along the edge of elytron punctures form a narrow furrow. Submat, microsculpture double; coarse meshes include 2-6 fine meshes.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous. Almost impunctate. In part, very finely microsculptured. Metacoxal plates, especially in frontal part with rather distinct furrows. Apical ventrite lacks “one-side” asymmetric knob (Fig. 65). Ventrites with curved striae. Prosternal process slender and pointed.

Legs: Pro-and mesotarsus slightly enlarged, provided with suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis quite long and slender, slightly sinuate and apex “harpoon-like” (Fig. 258).

Female: As male but apical ventrite slightly different in shape (Fig. 66). Pro- and mesotarsus slender.

Distribution.

South Africa (Fig. 543).

Collecting circumstances.

Poorly documented. Label data gives various water bodies as pond, stream with pools in pinewood as a collecting sites, but available information is generally quite superficial.