Copelatus sp.

Jiang, Zhuo-Yin, Zhao, Shuang, Yang, Zhen-Yu, Jia, Feng-Long & Hájek, Jiří, 2022, A review of Copelatus Erichson, 1832 of Mainland China, with description of ten new species from the japonicus complex (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Copelatinae), Zootaxa 5124 (3), pp. 251-295 : 276

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5124.3.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:67D4C618-C7C2-4FFC-925B-B260E11CD7B4
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6412791
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/291CAA4F-BF44-FF84-1DC5-FDC29C91FA93
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Copelatus sp.
status

Treatment

Copelatus sp.

( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 25–28 )

Material examined. CHINA: Hongkong: 6 ♀, Lantau Isl. , Ngong Ping vill., Po Lin Monastery env., 22°15.2-5′N 113°54.6′E, 480-590 m, stream, 26.-28.vi.2007, J. Hájek & J. Růžička leg. ( NMPC) .

Diagnosis. Medium sized (TL: 4.5–4.8 mm), oblong-oval species. Head testaceous, with dark band along eyes and infuscation on frons between eyes; pronotum brown blackish, laterally broadly testaceous; elytra yellow orangish with two irregular transverse blackish bands, one medially and one subapically. Pronotum with short longitudinal strioles laterally. Each elytron with six complete discal striae and one submarginal stria: all striae beginning at base; stria 1 longest; striae 2–5 shorter, ending subapically; stria 6 shortest ending at apical fourth; submarginal stria long, beginning before elytral mid-length ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 25–28 ).

Comments on the classification. Based on presence of six discal and a submarginal stria on each elytron, the species can be included in the C. irinus species group. With the distinctive yellow-black colour pattern of elytra, it could not be associated with any species currently known from the Sino-Japanese region and may represent an undescribed species. However, without a male available for the study, we prefer to leave this taxon unidentified at the species level.

Collection details. All specimens were collected at night in a small, shaded stream flowing in subtropical broadleaved forest ( Fig. 80 View FIGURES 79–80 ). Despite considerable efforts of our colleagues, the species was never collected again; most streams in the area are currently captured in pipes and dried (P. Aston, pers. comm.).

Distribution. The species is known only from one locality on Lantau Island, Hongkong.