Copelatus cryptarchoides Régimbart, 1899

Sheth, Sayali D., Ghate, Hemant V. & Hájek, Jiří, 2018, Copelatus Erichson, 1832 from Maharashtra, India, with description of three new species and notes on other taxa of the genus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Copelatinae), Zootaxa 4459 (2), pp. 235-260 : 250

Copelatus cryptarchoides Régimbart, 1899

( Figs 13–14 , 31–32 )

Copelatus cryptarchoides Régimbart, 1899: 293 .

Copelatus nilgiricus J. Balfour-Browne, 1939: 74 ; synonymy by Vazirani (1970: 318).

Type locality. Copelatus cryptarchoides : " Inde: Kanara " (Coastal Karnataka) ; C. nilgiricus : " India: Nilgiri Hills" (Tamil Nadu) .

Type material. Copelatus cryptarchoides : Lectotype ♂, designated by Vazirani (1970: 318), deposited in Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France (not studied); C. nilgiricus : Holotype ♂, deposited in BMNH (not studied).

Additional material examined. India: Maharashtra: 1♂, 1♀, 4 km S Lonavala, Bhushi dam env., 500 m, 24.– 28.ix.2005, J. Bezděk lgt. ( NMPC) ; 3 specimens, same data, but F. & L. Kantner lgt. ( SMNS) ; 2 specimens, same data, but 12.–15.x.2005, F. & L. Kantner lgt. ( SMNS) ; 1♂, 1♀, Tamhini, 18°35.2′N, 73°18.2′E, 70 m, 27.viii.2013, S.D. Sheth lgt. (HVGC); 1♀, Tamhini , 18°26.7′N, 73°25.7′E, 625 m, 29.x.2014, S.D. Sheth lgt. ( HVGC) ; 1♀, Satara distr., Kaas area, 17°43.4′N, 73°49.5′E, 1237 m, 16.vii.2014, S.D. Sheth lgt. (HVGC).

Diagnosis. Small (TL: 3.7–4.2 mm), oblong oval species. Elytra yellowish-brown with blackish median square spot extending laterally to stria 3 and along suture to elytral base and apex, blackish longitudinal band between striae 4–5, indistinct infuscation subbasally between striae 5–6, and with narrow dark stripes along elytral striae ( Fig. 13 ). Elytral striae well impressed: stria 1 starting subbasally; striae 2, 3 and 5 shorter than striae 1 and 4—not reaching apex of elytra; stria 6 shortest, ending approximately in apical fifth of elytral length. Females dimorphic, with or without striolation ( Fig. 14 ). Median lobe sickle-shaped in lateral view, almost evenly curved except for basal fourth; apex narrowly pointed ( Fig. 31 ). Parameres moderately broad, 'C'-shaped; apex short and broad; apical lobes long, club-shaped ( Fig. 32 ).

Collecting circumstances. The species was collected in ephemeral water bodies ( Fig. 43 ).

Distribution. Widely distributed in south-western India. Ghosh & Nilsson (2012) listed the species from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We add records from Maharashtra (Nashik, Pune, Ratnagiri and Satara districts) in the altitudinal range 70–1,237 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 45 ).

Figures

FIGURE 45. Distributional map of Copelatus species in Maharashtra.

FIGURES 13–16. Habitus of Copelatus. 13–14. C. cryptarchoides: 13. male (Lonavala); 14. female (Kaas area); 15–16. C. mysorensis: 15. male (Wai); 16. female (Igatpuri).

FIGURES 31–34. Male genitalia of Copelatus. 31–32. C. cryptarchoides; 33–34. C. mysorensis. 31, 33. median lobe in lateral view; 32, 34. paramere. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 41–44. Habitat of Copelatus. 41. ephemeral puddle (Tamhini); 42. rock puddle (Harishchandragad); 43. puddle (Tamhini); 44. mountain stream (Igatpuri area; photo M. Fikáček).