Laccophilus biai Bilardo & Rocchi, 1990

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 155-156

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus biai Bilardo & Rocchi, 1990 Figs 122-123, 311-312, 459, 563

Laccophilus biai Bilardo and Rocchi 1990: 161, 176, 177, 187 (original description, faunistics, biology); Leonardi et al. 1995: 192 (list types MSNM); Bilardo and Rocchi 1995: 140 (faunistics, list); Bilardo and Rocchi 1999: 232, 234 (faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 241 (catalogue, faunistics); Bilardo and Rocchi 2002: 173 (list, faunistics); Bilardo and Rocchi 2004: 286 (discussion); Nilsson 2015: 209 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Gabon: Makokou.

Type material studied

(4 exs.). Holotype: male: "Gabon Makoukou 23.8.1987 A. Bilardo / 4.05. x 2.20 / Holotypus / Laccophilus biai Bil. & Rocchi det. A. Bilardo" (MSMN; habitus in Fig. 459). - Paratypes: "Paratypus / Gabon Makokou 23.8.87 A. Bilardo / Laccophilus biai sp. n. Bil. & Rocchi" (1 ex. MSMN); "Gabon Makoukou 15 km Ouest 23.8. 87 A. Bilardo / Laccophilus biai sp. n. Bil. & Rocchi" (2 exx. CSR).

Additional material studied

(5 exs.). Gabon: "Bissok (Oyem) F. Lara 8.8. 1991 Bilardo leg" (5 exx. MZH).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus biai resembles most of Laccophilus concettae , Laccophilus deceptor , Laccophilus bilardoi and Laccophilus decorosus . From Laccophilus deceptor , Laccophilus bilardoi and Laccophilus decorosus , Laccophilus biai is distinguished by the transverse pale area at base of elytra, which in Laccophilus biai is unbroken or almost unbroken, while in the three other the pale basal area is divided into separate, pale spots. Laccophilus biai and Laccophilus concettae is separated by differences in the shape of penis; Laccophilus biai has pointed penis apex (Fig. 312) while in Laccophilus concettae penis apex is obtuse (Fig. 310).

Description.

Body length 3.9-4.0 mm, width 2.0-2.1 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 459. Elytra extensively dark coloured; at base with transverse paler area. Posterior to transverse pale area with dark irroration.

Head: Pale ferrugineous. Submat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double; of two kinds but difference between coarse and fine meshes in part vague. Large meshes contain 2-5 fine meshes. At eyes with dense, irregular punctures.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous. Frontally, often with indistinct, vague, darkened area. Basally, with medial, somewhat vague dark marking. Submat to rather shiny, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double, of two kinds; large meshes contain 2-5 fine meshes. At margins with fine, somewhat irregular punctures.

Elytra: Extensively with dark irrorations. Basally, with pale ferrugineous, transverse marking. Towards apex, elytra with dark irroration slightly sparser (Fig. 459). Submat, finely microsculptured. Anteriorly, reticulation of two kinds; division of size classes fades away posteriorly. Very fine, irregular punctures form a discal, dorsolateral and lateral row of punctures.

Ventral aspect: Dark ferrugineous to ferrugineous. Prothorax pale ferrugineous. Metacoxal plates with a few, indistinct transverse (almost obliterated) furrows. Rather shiny, although finely reticulate. Abdomen basally with distinct but sparse, curved striae. Impunctate. Prosternal process slender, apically pointed. Apical ventrite with pointed apex and minor knob (Fig. 122).

Legs: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous. Pro- and mesotarsi rather long, basally slightly enlarged, with distinct suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis in lateral aspect strongly undulate; posterior to middle penis quite slender and at base provided with a soft flap. Apex of penis in lateral aspect extended to a small, obtuse extension; in dorsal aspect extreme apex bluntly pointed (Figs 311-312).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus slender. Apical ventrite apically rounded; minor knob absent (Fig. 123).

Distribution.

Gabon (Fig. 563).

Collecting circumstances.

Original description gives some information of the collecting localities in Gabon ( Bilardo and Rocchi 1990). This information, however, relates to the general description of the collecting sites and overlooks specific data on Laccophilus biai .