Limnebius transversus, 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 : 47

Limnebius transversus , new species

Figs. 5 (habitus), 16 (aedeagus), 24 (map)

Type material. Holotype (male): South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Mtubatuba, sandy shore washing, 28° 22' S, 32° 19' E, 4 iv 1974, Endrödy-Younga (#318) ( TMSA). Paratypes (83): Namibia: Kaokoveld, Kunene River, Swartbooisdrift, shore washing, 17° 19' S, 13° 49' E, 10 ii 1975, Endrödy-Younga (#645) (22 TMSA); South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Mtubatuba, 28° 22' S, 32° 19' E, 24–25 iii 1968, P. J. Spangler (2 USNM); Mtubatuba, muddy shore washing, 28° 22' S, 32° 19' E, 4 iv 1974, Endrödy-Younga (#319) (18 TMSA); Mtubatuba, sandy shore washing, 28° 22' S, 32° 19' E, 4 iv 1974, Endrödy-Younga (#318) (11 TMSA); Limpopo Province, Kafferboom, unnamed spruit, gravel & sand, 23° 36' S, 28° 32' E, 17 iv 1954, J. Balfour-Browne (169a) (17 BMNH); N. Transvaal, Waterberg, Farm 223, Mogol River, flood debris, 24° 11' S, 27° 50' E, 13 ii 1976, A. Strydom, Endrödy-Younga (#1039) (1 TMSA); Mpumalanga Province, Kruger Nat. Pk., Letaba River below dam, shore washing, 23° 46' S, 31° 30' E, 1 iii 1995, Endrödy-Younga (#3122) (6 TMSA); Kruger Nat. Pk., Punda Maria Ngotsodam, shore washing, 21° 26' S, 31° 14' E, 7 ii 1994, Endrödy-Younga (#2984) (1 TMSA); N. Transvaal, Entabeni - L. Trich., air plankton, 23° 5' S, 30° 12' E, 21 iv 1976, Endrödy-Younga (#1138) (2 TMSA); Zambia: Kafue NP, Chunga Camp, lux, 15° 2' S, 26° 0' E, 29 iii 1993, M. Uhlig (1 ZMHB); Zimbabwe: Matapos [Matobo] National Park, 20° 33' S, 28° 30' E, 1–2 iv 1968, P. J. Spangler (2 USNM).

Differential diagnosis. Habitus as illustrated ( Fig. 5 ); a small species with body form distinctly drop-shaped, apically distinctly acuminate, pronotal disc non-microreticulate, elytra weakly microreticulate; the dorsum is brown, head usually darker than pronotum, except light brown laterally on clypeus. The aedeagus ( Fig. 16) with distal ½ distinctly widened in both ventral and lateral views, the capsule contained within this area; setae basically in three groups, a row on the left side (ventral view) and two apical clusters, as illustrated; apex in lateral view widened and trilobate, two of the lobes having setae.

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 0.95/0.51; pronotum 0.23/ 0.51; elytra 0.58/0.51; approximate height, lateral view 0.34.

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 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 very weakly microreticulate, almost obsolete, with punctures and setae similar to those on pronotum. Males with first three pro- and mesotarsal segments slightly enlarged, with adhesive setae. Labroclypeal suture bisinuate in frontal view in both sexes. Labrum of both sexes similar. Elytral apices more rounded and with lateral angles more nearly rectangulate in males; apices more oblique, less rounded, and sutural angle more acute in females.

Etymology. Named in reference to the transverse body form.

Distribution. Currently known from one locality each in Namibia and Zimbabwe, and a population in northeastern South Africa ( Fig. 24).

Figures

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