Laccophilus tschoffeni Regimbart , 1892

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 160-161

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus tschoffeni Regimbart, 1892 Figs 130-131, 318-319, 464, 562

Laccophilus tschoffeni Régimbart; Severin 1892: 472 (type material in IRSNB; no description); Régimbart 1895: 139 (original description, faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a: 27 (catalogue, faunistics); Guignot 1943: 98 (faunistics); Guignot 1952e: 168 (discussion, correction of earlier misidentification); Guignot 1953d: 1 (discussion); Guignot 1954: 26 (discussion); Guignot 1955b: 1096 (discussion); Guignot 1956b: 219 (discussion, faunistics); Guignot 1959a: 533, 535, 537, 564 (descrip tion, discussion, faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 252 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 218 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Zaire: Boma.

Type material studied

(7 exs.). Lectotype (by present designation): male: "Banana Boma M. Tschoffen 91 Det. Régimb. 91 / 11176 / Régimbart det, 1891 Laccophilus tschoffeni Rég.” (IRSNB). - Paralectotypes: Same data as lectotype (3 exs. IRSNB; habitus in Fig. 464); "Boma M. Tschoffen / Laccophilus tschoffeni Rég.” (1 ex. IRSNB); "Matadi M. Tschoffen / Laccophilus tschoffeni Rég. Typus / Régimbart 1895 Laccophilus tschoffeni Rég. / Type" (1 ex. IRSNB); "Severin Banana Africa / Banana Boma M. Tshoffen 91 Dét. Régimb. / Laccophilus tschoffeni Type Régimb. / Type" (1 ex. RMNH).

Additional material studied

(2 exs.). Zaire:"Congo Boma M. Tshoffen" (2 exs. SAMC; possibly type material).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus tschoffeni is particularly distinguished by the volumnious male genitalia, and therefore it is not to be confused with any other African Laccophilus species; penis in lateral aspect curved, apically provided with membranous, rather narrow flaps.

Description.

Body length 4.3-4.5 mm, width 2.40 mm. Habitus and dorsal colour pattern of body as in Fig. 464.

Head: Pale ferrugineous. Submat, rather finely but distinctly microsculptured. Reticulation double; large meshes only slightly more strongly developed than fine meshes. In part, large meshes indistinct. When discernible, large meshes contain 4-8 small meshes. Almost impunctate, except at eyes, with sparse, fine punctures. Punctate area extends towards middle of head.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, basally with vague darker marking. Submat, finely microsculptured. Extensively with double reticulation but difference between mesh-categories in part indistinct. At margins, pronotum with scattered fine punctures.

Elytra: Dark ferrugineous to ferrugineous, with irrorations, except on pale ferrugineous, basal transverse area (Fig. 464). Irrorations are sparser on a somewhat vague, transverse area posterior to middle. Finely reticulated; reticulation extensively double. Punctures fine and scattered; clear rows cannot be distinguished. Pre-apical, lateral furrow punctate and finely pubescent.

Ventral aspect: Ferrugineous to pale ferrugineous. Prosternal process slender, apically pointed. Almost impunctate; irregularly distributed, hardly visible, punctures are discernible. Rather shiny, very finely microsculptured. Basal ventrites finely striated. Apical ventrite with a minute ridge, as in Fig. 130.

Legs: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous. Protarsus rather slender, claws slightly curved and somewhat prolonged. Tarsi provided with suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis large, voluminous; in lateral aspect medially bent, curved, apically provided with membranous, rather narrow flaps (Figs 318-319).

Female: Apical ventrite symmetric, lacks ridge (Fig. 131).

Distribution.

Zaire (Fig. 562).

Collecting circumstances.

Unknown.