Laccophilus tavetensis Guignot, 1941

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 13

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus tavetensis Guignot, 1941 Figs 11, 209-211, 378, 527

Laccophilus tavetensis Guignot 1941: 36 (original description, discussion, faunistics); Guignot 1946c: 283, 285, 313 (redescription, faunistics); Guignot 1959a: 585, 587 (redescription, faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 251 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 218 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Kenya: Taveta.

Type material studied

(1 ex.). Holotype: male: "Afrique Orient. Anglaise Taveta Alluaud & Jeannel mars 1912 - 750 m St. 65 / male symbol / Type / Det. Dr. Guignot Laccophilus tavetensis Guign. Type" (MNHN).

Additional material studied

(11 exs.). Sudan: "Prov. N Darfur El Geneina / ad lucem Ibrahim M. Abuzinid 20.8. 1979" (1 ex. CGW). - Kenya: "S, Voi 11. 1997 leg. Snizek" (4 exs. CFP, 4 exs. CSR); "Kenya eastern Sosoma ca. 200 km E of Thika 27.11. 2011, light trap" (1 ex. NMPC). - Botswana: "Chobe NP Savuti-Camp 18°33'55"S- 24°03'53"E, 11.3. 1993 lux leg. Uhlig" (1 ex. ZMHB; habitus in Fig. 378).

Diagnosis.

A deviate species, separated from the other species in this species group by having small body size in combination with peculiar shape of penis; somewhat sinuate and distinctly enlarged posterior to narrow apex. Note also differently shaped male apical ventrite in comparison with other species in the species group (Fig. 11).

Description.

Body length 3.1-3.4 mm, width 1.6-1.7 mm. Pale ferrugineous, dorsal colour pattern ferrugineous and sometimes vague and slightly variable (Fig. 378).

Head: Pale ferrugineous, no colour pattern. Submat, with fine, dense microsculpture. Reticulation simple; only with small, uniform meshes. Impunctate, except at eyes; with fine, irregularly located punctures.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, no distinct colour pattern. Submat, with fine, dense microsculpture. Reticulation simple; only with small, uniform meshes. Impunctate, at margins with fine to very fine, somewhat irregular punctures. Mediobasally punctures absent.

Elytra: Pale ferrugineous, sometimes with vague, ferrugineous, longitudinal markings (Fig. 378). Elytral colour pattern sometimes rather indistinct. Submat, with fine, dense microsculpture. Reticulation simple; only with small, uniform meshes. Fine, somewhat irregular punctures form a discal row. Dorsolateral and lateral rows of punctures indistinct; indicated by scattered, fine punctures. Laterally with a quite long, sparsely pubescent, pre-apical furrow.

Ventral aspect: Abdomen dark ferrugineous to ferrugineous, metathorax and -coxal plates ferrugineous, and prothorax pale ferrugineous. Submat, finely microsculptured. Abdomen with fine, curved striae. Impunctate, except a few fine punctures on apical ventrite; symmetric (Fig. 11). Prosternal process quite narrow, apex somewhat enlarged, short, apically pointed (arrow-shaped). Transverse shallow furrows reduced; 2-3 indistinct, reduced furrows discernible.

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus slightly enlarged, extended, provided with suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis in dorsal aspect clearly sinuate with narrow tip; in lateral aspect almost evenly curved Figs 209-211.

Female: Unknown.

Distribution.

Sudan, Kenya, Botswana (Fig. 527).

Collecting circumstances.

In Botswana collected with light.