Copelatus Erichson, 1832

Megna, Yoandri S. & Epler, John H., 2012, A review of Copelatus from Cuba, with the description of two new species (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Copelatinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52 (2), pp. 383-410 : 386

Copelatus Erichson, 1832

Copelatus Erichson, 1832: 18 Copelatus: GUÉORGUIEV (1968: 6) , NILSSON (2001: 55), BALKE et al. (2004a: 873), MICHAT & TORRES (2009: 312).

Diagnosis of Cuban species. Adults of the genus Copelatus found in Cuba are characterized by: moderate size, TL = 4.0–7.0 mm, EW = 1.9–3.5 mm ( Table 1); eyes with anterior margin notched on inner margin above base of antenna; clypeus with anterolateral foveae transversely elongate but not contiguous medially; scutellum visible in dorsal view, pronotum distinctly margined laterally; prosternum and its process on same plane in lateral aspect; metacoxal lines strongly convergent anterior to metacoxal lobes, almost touching anterior to metacoxal lobes, then diverging anteriorly; abdominal ventrites with short, curved strioles; pro- and mesotarsi distinctly pentamerous, with tarsomeres 1 to 3 moderately dilated in the male; protibia dilated apically.

Description of Cuban species. Body Shape. Body oval, elongate, slightly attenuated posteriorly, dorsoventrally depressed; broadest near midlength; lateral outline continuous in dorsal aspect.

Color. Variable, dorsal surface yellow, testaceous, brown or rufous to black, with fasciae testaceous or yellow; ventral surface yellow and rufous to black.

Sculpture and punctation. Dorsally with fine widely spaced punctures. Head with a row of coarser punctures along inner margin of each eye and a small depression on clypeal suture. Pronotum with a transverse row of coarser punctures along base, lateral bead abbreviated and not extending onto anterolateral angle. Head and pronotum with short longitudinal strioles in some species. Elytron smooth, densely striate or with a submarginal and 6 or 10 discal striae ( Figs. 4, 8 ). Abdominal ventrites with short curved strioles.

Head. HL = 0.4–0.7 mm; HW = 1.2–1.9 mm. Eyes with anterior margin emarginate above base of antenna. Antenna elongate and slender, with 11 antennomeres subequal in length. Clypeus with anterolateral fovea transversely elongate but not contiguous medially. Labrum subrectangular; anterior margin strongly emarginate medially with numerous setae.

Thorax. Pronotum with hind margin straight, maximum width at level of posterior margin, posterolateral angle obtuse, PL = 0.5–1.0 mm, PW = 1.6–2.9 mm. Scutellum visible in dorsal view. Prosternum convex medially, with anterior margin sinuate; prosternal process short, oval, finely margined laterally, bluntly pointed apically, flattened apically and broadly contacting metaventrite. Metacoxal process with rounded lobe covering base of trochanter. Length of elytron 3.0– 5.5 mm. Hind legs slender; metatibial spurs acute apically; metatarsomeres 1 to 4 flattened ventrally; metatarsal claws equal.

Abdomen. Posterior margin of last ventrite rounded.

Male genitalia. Parameres symmetrical, broad or narrow with setae on apical half; median lobe in some species strongly modified.

Sexual dimorphism. Males with pro- and mesotarsomeres 1–3 moderately enlarged, with rows of adhesive suckers or setae. Protibiae of males of some species with ventrobasal emarginations. Dorsal striation of females of some species different from that of males, with elytra, pronotum and head densely striate.

Figures

Figs.1–8. Habitus and color patterns of Copelatus species from Cuba.1 – C.barbouri Young, 1942; 2 – C. caelatipennis angustatus Chevrolat, 1863; 3 – C. cordovai sp. nov.; 4 – C. cubaensis Schaeffer, 1908; 5 – Copelatus darlingtoni Young, 1942; 6 – C. insolitus Chevrolat, 1863; 7 – C. montivagus Young, 1942; 8 – C. posticatus (Fabricius, 1801).