Laccomimus spangleri, Toledo, Mario & Michat, Mariano C., 2015

Toledo, Mario & Michat, Mariano C., 2015, Description of Laccomimus gen. n. and eleven new species from the Neotropical region (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Laccophilinae), Zootaxa 3990 (3), pp. 301-354 : 322-323

Laccomimus spangleri sp.n.

( Figs 66 ; 72; 104; 114; 128)

Type locality. Mexico, Sinaloa, Mazatlan.

Type material. Holotype male ( USNM): dissected by us; median lobe of aedeagus and parameres included in DMHF on plastic label, pinned under the holotype “ Mexico, Sinaloa, Mazatlan, VII.17 –23.1963, P. & P. Spangler” [rectangular, white label, printed], “ HOLOTYPE Laccomimus spangleri Toledo & Michat” [red, rectangular, printed label].

Paratypes (6 exs, all bearing red, printed label “ PARATYPE Laccomimus spangleri Toledo & Michat”): Mexico: same data as holotype; two specimens bearing the following additional label “Collected in blk litetrap” [smaller white, rectangular, printed label] (3 exs USNM). Costa Rica: “16 Mi. S La Cruz, VII.13.1965, Paul J. Spangler”, “ Laccomimus det. PJ Spangler” (2 exs USNM).

Diagnosis. Externally very similar to most of the species of the genus, but visibly smaller. Median lobe of aedeagus distinctive, distal portion straight, almost parallel-sided up to abruptly narrowed apex, ending in a small button-like expansion ( Fig. 104 a).

Description. Habitus ( Fig. 66 ). TL: 1.8–2.1 mm; MW: 0.9–1.0 mm (holotype: TL: 1.9 mm; MW: 1.0 mm); A- TL: 1.9 mm; A-MW: 1.1 mm (NUM: 6 exs); smaller than any other Laccomimus species; body quite broad, regularly tapering to elytral apex.

Colour. Head and pronotum paler than elytra. Head testaceous or reddish-brown, often darker between eyes; pronotum testaceous, with more or less defined dark, elongate marking along hind margin. Elytra chestnut-brown, with quite defined pale subbasal band, fragmented in irregular spots; subapical lateral yellow area reduced to a narrow lateral band or completely obsolete. Whole underside testaceous or pale-brown. Antennae and mouthparts testaceous. Legs testaceous.

Structures and sculpture. Head smooth, shiny, with fine microreticulation of rounded cells. Pronotum with microreticulation as on head, shiny, with faint iridescence. Surface with few scattered punctures. Elytra gradually tapering, with subapical sinuation obsolete; smooth, with poorly impressed reticulation but visible and quite intense iridescence. Prosternal process slightly elevated, almost acuminate at tip. Lobes of metacoxal processes regularly rounded in both sexes.

Male. Last abdominal ventrite tectiform, pointed, with anterolateral sides rectilinear. Outer claw of forelegs scimitar-shaped ( Fig. 72 ). Median lobe of aedeagus, in left lateral view ( Fig. 104 a), elongate, slender, base and distal portion forming an angle of about 100°; distal portion straight, almost parallel-sided up to abruptly narrowed apex, ending in a small button-like expansion. In dorsal view ( Fig. 114 ) straight and slender, with almost parallel sides, then gradually narrowed and turned to right; apex quite dilated; dorsal lamina covering distal half of ejaculator groove. Left paramere ( Fig. 104 b) sabre-shaped, gradually tapering to apex.

Female. Not duller than male. Last abdominal ventrite subtruncate, with small medial notch at apex. Genital pieces as in L. pumilio .

Distribution. Mexico, Costa Rica ( Fig. 128 ).

Etymology. Dedicated to the late Paul J. Spangler, who collected this species from both known localities. The specific epithet is a noun in the genitive case.

Notes on variability. The only specimen seen from Costa Rica (the second one is known only from a single elytron) is the smallest known specimen of Laccomimus (TL: 1.8 mm; MW: 0.9 mm).

Remarks. Laccomimus spangleri is close to L. pumilio and similar species, sharing with them external male characters, similar prosternal and metacoxal processes, and similar female genitalia. It is, however, well characterised by aedeagal features and by its very small size.

Figures

FIGURES 59 – 66. Subschematic body shape and colour patterns in Laccomimus species: 59) L. distinctus; 60) L. malkini, a) typical specimen from Colombia, b) specimen from Piracicaba, Brazil; 61) L. variegatus (Perú); 62) L. amazonas; 63) L. pumilio (Florida, USA); 64) L. alvarengi, a – b) variation in colouration patterns; 65) L. bordoni; 66) L. spangleri.

FIGURES 103 – 106. Male genitalia in Laccomimus species, left lateral view: 103) L. bordoni, a) median lobe, b) magnification of apex of median lobe, c) left paramere, showing apex in different positions, d) right paramere; 104) L. spangleri, a) median lobe, b) left paramere; c) right paramere; 105) L. bolivari (holotype), a) median lobe, b) magnification of apex of median lobe, c) left paramere, d) right paramere; 106) L. bolivari (Suriname), a) median lobe, b) magnification of apex of median lobe.

FIGURES 67 – 83. Prosternal process and claws in Laccomimus species. 67 – 69) P rosternal process: 67) L. pumilio (Florida, USA); 68) L. pumilio (Cuba); 69) L. alvarengi (Perú). 70 – 83) M ale left protarsal claws: 70) L. bordoni (Paraguay); 71) L. malkini (Madre de Dios, Perú); 72) L. spangleri (holotype); 73) L. distinctus (holotype); 74) L. bolivari (Trinidad); 75) L. amazonas (holotype); 76) L. variegatus (Colonia Calleria, Perú); 77) L. alvarengi (holotype); 78) L. alvarengi (Loreto, Perú); 79) L. alvarengi (Guayaramerin, Bolivia); 80) L. alvarengi (Esmeraldas, Ecuador); 81) L. alvarengi (Albrook, Panamá); 82) L. pumilio (Cayo District, Belize); 83) L. pumilio (Cayamas, Cuba).

FIGURES 107 – 115. Median lobe of aedeagus in Laccomimus species, dorsal view: 107) L. distinctus; 108) L. malkini; 109) L. variegatus; 110) L. amazonas; 111) L. alvarengi; 112) L. improvidus; 113) L. bordoni; 114) L. spangleri; 115) L. bolivari.

FIGURES 126 – 129. Distribution maps of Laccomimus species: 126) L. bordoni in South America; 127) L. bolivari (full circles), L. youngi (single open square in Brazil); 128) L. pumilio (open circles), L. alvarengi in Central America (single triangle in Panamá), L. spangleri (stars), L. bordoni in Central America (asterisks); 129) L. improvidus.