Laccocoris limigenus Stål, 1865

Mbogho, Aaron Y. & Sites, Robert W., 2013, Naucoridae Leach, 1815 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Tanzania, African Invertebrates 54 (2), pp. 513-513 : 524-525

Laccocoris limigenus Stål, 1865

Figs 18 , 30

Laccocoris limigenus: Stål 1865: 178 ; Linnavuori 1987: 479–480 ( L. aurivillii synonymy).

Laccocoris aurivillii Montandon, 1897 b: 50–52 .

Diagnosis: Laccocoris limigenus can be distinguished from its two known congeners in Tanzania by the triangular or acuminate labrum nearly as long as wide and the low, broad, and rounded mesosternal tubercle. Body length is variable across the range of this species and was reported as 7.0– 9.5 mm (Linnavuori 1987). Our specimens measured 7.8–9.0 mm in length. This species has broadly rounded or truncated posterolateral corners of the pronotum ( Fig. 18 ). All of our specimens have macropterous hindwings; however, if a different wing morph is discovered, the posterolateral corners of the pronotum probably will be of a different shape.

Material examined: TANZANIA: Dodoma Region: Lukali hot spring, 5°43.936'S 35°30.082'E, 991 m, 8.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho,warm spring with algae and Typha angustifolia , L-1223 ( UMC; 2♂, 2♀) . Iringa Region: Silunga River at Chikuyu , 5°52.223'S 35°04.568'E, 842 m, 8.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A.Mbogho, dead twigs in muddy river, L-1224 ( UMC; 1♀) ; Mwiriwa River at Kimamba, 7°39.657'S 36°05.275'E, 1312m, 6.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, pooled stream with algae and overhanging grasses, L-1215 ( UMC; 3♀, 9 nymphs). Kagera Region: Kagera / Kigoma border, Muvozi River , 3°11.331'S 31°02.129'E, 1156 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, rocky stream with dense filamentous vegetation,L-1158 ( UMC; 1♀) . Kigoma Region: 40 km N of Kigoma , 4°53.201'S 29°52.190'E, 952 m, 27.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, rapid stream with slab rock, gravel, marginal vegetation, L-1165 ( UMC; 6♂, 3♀, 2 nymphs) ; Kibaoni stream, 5°03.974'S 30°20.666'E, 1026 m, 30.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, pooled areas of slow stream, L-1183 ( UMC; 1♂, 1 nymph). Manyara Region: Yayeda River at Bagheti , 4°00.158'S 35°20.470'E, 1974 m, 9.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, marginal overhanging grasses, L-1232 ( UMC; 1♂, 1♀) ; Tiawi, Kwaanseri Lake, 3°54.600'S 35°27.739'E, 1940 m, 9.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, wetland with heavy vegetation, L-1234 ( UMC; 1♀, 15 nymphs). Morogoro Region: Ruaha River at Mbuyuni , 7°27.922'S 36°30.973'E, 527 m, 6.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, large river with sparse marginal vegetation, L-1216 ( UMC; 3♂, 3♀, 1 nymph) ; Magole River at Dumila , 6°23.221'S 37°21.629'E, 436 m, 7.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, marginal veg in shallow sandy river, L-1222 ( UMC; 8♂, 7♀, 73 nymphs) ; Mzombe River at Mzombe , 7°29.428'S 37°02.000'E, 367 m, 7.viii.2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho & G. Rwegasira, shallow sandy stream, L-1622, ( UMC; 1♂, 4♀) ; Kiberege River at Kiberege , 7°56.871'S 36°51.378'E, 299 m, 8.viii.2013, R.W. Sites, A. Mbogho & G. Rwegasira, vegetated margins of sandy stream, L-1628 ( UMC; 1♂, 1♀) ; Ndawiachi River at Itete, 8°39.065'S 36°25.927'E, 324 m, 9.viii.2013, R.W.Sites & G. Rwegasira, muddy pasture stream, L-1634 ( UMC; 2♀, 1 nymph). Mwanza Region: Kisesa , ca 20 km NE Mwanza, 2°33.266'S 33°03.767'E, 1222 m, 24.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, vegetation in pooled cattle stream, L-1145 ( UMC; 1♂, 6♀) . Rukwa Region: 57 km N of Mpanda, Masito / Ogala , 5°56.742'S 30°57.812'E, 1144 m, 30.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, slow stream, coarse roots at margin, L-1187 ( UMC; 1♀) ; 1 km E of Karema , 6°48.473'S 30°26.315'E, 782 m, 31.vii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, algal mat at margin, L-1190 ( UMC; 2♂, 1♀, 17 nymphs) ; Mpanda, Kasimba River , 6°21.602'S 31°04.382'E, 1064 m, 1.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, grasses hanging into river, L-1195 ( UMC; 1♀) ; Kamawe River at Puwi, 8°21.029'S 31°50.054'E, 1598 m, 3.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, clear stream, marginal vegetation, some rocks, L-1205 ( UMC; 2♂, 1♀, 17 nymphs). Singida Region: Kipumbuiko River , 5°05.667'S 34°45.940'E, 1516 m, 8.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, shallow silty stream with algae & Typha angustifolia , L-1225 ( NMSA, UMC; 66♂, 71♀, 114 nymphs) ; Kindai Reservoir at Singida, 4°50.065'S 34°44.173'E, 1484 m, 8.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, tall grasses, L-1226 ( UMC; 1♂, 2♀, 4 nymphs) ; Singidan Reservoir at Singida, 4°47.568'S 34°44.570'E, 1483 m, 8.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, Typha angustifolia roots & submergent vegetation, L-1227 ( UMC; 10♂, 4♀, 1 nymph) ; Mtinko stream at Mtinko , 4°33.525'S 34°50.649'E, 1552 m, 9.viii.2010, R.W.Sites & A. Mbogho, pooled temp stream with algae, L-1229 ( UMC; 5♂, 4♀, 12 nymphs). Tanga Region: Mazinde stream at Mazinde, 4°48.209'S 38°12.615'E, 433 m, 13.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, narrow stream with tall emergent macrophytes, L-1252 ( UMC; 1♀) ; Kwamaluli River at Mbagai , 4°58.561'S 38°23.154'E, 465 m, 14.viii.2010, R.W. Sites & A. Mbogho, shaded narrow stream with overhanging vegetation and undercuts, L-1256 ( UMC; 1♂) .

Distribution: This species occurs throughout Africa and is known specifically from Algeria, Ethiopia ( Linnavuori 1971), Sudan (Linnavuori 1987), Chad, Nigeria (Linnavuori 1981) and Niger (Poisson 1950), west to Benin (Poisson 1951 a; Linnavuori 1981) and Togo (Poisson 1951 a), south through Central African Republic (Linnavuori 1981),

Kenya (Poisson 1963) , Democratic Republic of the Congo (Poisson 1949, 1951 a, 1954; Linnavuori 1987), Tanzania (Poisson 1960 b, 1963), Zambia (Poisson 1963; Linnavuori 1987), Mozambique ( Poisson 1934), and South Africa (Poisson 1963; Linnavuori 1987). In Tanzania, it has been recorded from Arusha Region (as Maji ya Chai ) , Tanga Region , and Usambara North (Poisson 1963). We found this species to be widespread and collected it from 24 localities in 10 regions: Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma, Manyara, Morogoro, Mwanza, Rukwa, Singida , and Tanga.

Discussion: Laccocoris limigenus is arguably the most widespread and common species of Laccocoris in Africa. L. aurivillii Montandon was considered by Poisson (1949) to be a race of L. limigenus , differing from the latter by having a larger body size and more slender phallosoma. Because of high variability in both characters, Linnavuori (1987) formally synonymized L. aurivillii with L. limigenus . Naturally, this species is in the limigenus group (Poisson 1949), which is characterized as being macropterous with alary dimorphism rare, and with the posterolateral angles of the pronotum rounded. Linnavuori (1987) added that the membranes of the hemelytra are roundedly truncate. The species is common in oligotrophic rivers with a sandy bottom (Linnavuori 1981) and has been recorded in shallow pools in river sandbanks with dead leaves and detritus ( Weir 1966). We collected this species most frequently in shallow streams with sandy or silty bottoms and in association with vegetation. It occurred syntopically with L. limicola at L-1158 and L-1165.

Figures

Figs 17–19. (17) Laccocoris limicola female from L-1158, (16) Laccocoris limigenus male from L-1225, (19) Laccocoris spurcus congoensis female from L-1207. Sizes are proportionate among figures.

Fig.30.Distribution maps of13 speciesof Naucoridae known from Tanzania.Notincluded is Neomacrocoris usambaricus, which was recorded from West Usambara. (Map for N. bondelaufa and N. vuga is reproduced from Sites & Mbogho (2012), with permission by Magnolia Press.)