Limnebius probus, 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 : 45-46

Limnebius probus , new species

Figs. 2 (habitus), 14 (aedeagus), 28 (map)

Type material. Holotype (male): South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Zululand, Dukuduku For. Sta., air plankton, sunset, 28° 22' S, 32° 19' E, 4 iv 1974, Endrödy-Younga (#323) ( TMSA). Paratypes (297): South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Ndumu Game Reserve, shore washing, fresh water, 26° 53' S, 32° 16' E, 12 vi 1989, Endrödy-Younga & Klimaszewski (#2612) (209 TMSA); Ndumu Game Reserve, shore washing, salty water, 26° 54' S, 32° 16' E, 12 vi 1989, Endrödy-Younga & Klimaszewski (#2613) (52 TMSA); Zululand, Dukuduku For. Sta., air plankton, sunset, 28° 22' S, 32° 19' E, 4 iv 1974, Endrödy-Younga (#323) (36 TMSA).

Differential diagnosis. Habitus as illustrated ( Fig. 2 ); a small species with body form distinctly drop-shaped, apically distinctly acuminate, pronotal disc non-microreticulate, elytra weakly microreticulate. The aedeagus ( Fig. 14) is long and slender; distal ½ slightly arcuate in ventral view, bearing two rows of setae, this area slightly widened and internally with the capsule; apex slightly, rectangularly produced.

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 0.90/0.51; pronotum 0.24/ 0.51; elytra 0.53/0.50; approximate height, lateral view 0.37. Dorsum brown to dark brown, head and pronotum usually darker than elytra. Body form distinctly drop-shaped, apically distinctly acuminate, side margin very weakly indented where pronotum joins elytra. Pronotum with disc shining, non-microreticulate, very sparsely finely punctulate, each puncture with very short, very fine, indistinct adpressed seta; area posterior to eye (side view) with field of 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 male with anterior margin slightly thickened over median ½, lateral area on each side excavate; labrum of female simple. Elytral apices slightly more widely rounded in males than in females; apical and sutural margin forming a more acute angle in females.

Etymology. Named in reference to the long, probe-like aedeagus.

Distribution. Currently known from two localities in KwaZulu-Natal Province ( Fig. 28 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Dorsal and lateral habitus views of holotypes.

FIGURES 28 – 31. Geographical distributions.