Limnebius speculus, Perkins, Philip D., 2015

Perkins, Philip D., 2015, Taxonomy of the water beetle genus Limnebius Leach in southern Africa (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 3948 (1), pp. 41-59 : 49-50

Limnebius speculus , new species

Figs. 8 (habitus), 19 (aedeagus), 29 (map)

Type material. Holotype (male): South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Hluhluwe Game Reserve, shore washing, 28° 5' S, 32° 4' E, 17 xi 1992, Endrödy-Younga (#2824) ( TMSA). Paratypes (106): South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Hluhluwe Game Res., shore washing, shade, 28° 5' S, 32° 4' E, 27 xi 1992, Endrödy- Younga (#2861) (5 TMSA); Hluhluwe Game Res., shore washing, slow water, 28° 5' S, 32° 4' E, 27 xi 1992, Endrödy-Younga (#2862) (51 TMSA); Hluhluwe Game Reserve, shore washing, 28° 5' S, 32° 4' E, 17 xi 1992, Endrödy-Younga (#2824)(44 TMSA); Mpumalanga Province, c. Transvaal, Roodeplaat Dam, shore washing, 25° 37' S, 28° 23' E, 14 viii 1974, Endrödy-Younga (#359) (6 TMSA).

Differential diagnosis. Habitus as illustrated ( Fig. 8 ); a very small species with body form slightly dropshaped, apically distinctly acuminate, pronotal disc and elytral disc non-microreticulate, strongly shining; the dorsum is brown, head usually darker than pronotum, except light brown laterally on clypeus. Aedeagus ( Fig. 19) with distal ½ widened, especially on left side (ventral aspect); internal capsule located in widened area; setae sparse, three in row on left side, and a cluster on apical lobe; apex with two dissimilarly shaped lobes, only one with setae.

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 0.86/0.45; pronotum 0.19/ 0.45; elytra 0.56/0.43; approximate height, lateral view 0.30.

Dorsum brown, head usually darker than pronotum, except light brown laterally on clypeus. Body form distinctly drop-shaped, apically distinctly acuminate, side margin indented slightly where pronotum joins elytra. Pronotum with disc strongly shining, non-microreticulate, very sparsely finely punctulate, each puncture with very short adpressed seta; area posterior to eye (side view) with few distinctly larger punctures, each puncture with adpressed seta, longer than setae on disc. Elytra with disc non-microreticulate, gradually becoming very weakly microreticulate, almost obsolete, laterally and apically; with punctures and setae similar to those on pronotum. Males with first three pro- and mesotarsal segments slightly enlarged, with adhesive setae. Labroclypeal suture slightly bisinuate in frontal view in both sexes. Labrum simple. Elytral apices slightly more rounded in males than in females.

Etymology. Named in reference to the shining, mirror-like dorsum.

Distribution. Currently known from one locality each in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa ( Fig. 29 ).

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 8. Dorsal and lateral habitus views of holotypes.

FIGURES 28 – 31. Geographical distributions.