Laccophilus occidentalis, Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 246-247

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus occidentalis sp. n. Figs 205-206, 375-376, 525, 579

Type locality.

Sierra Leone: Makeni.

Type material

(96 exs.). Holotype: male: "Sierra Leone: Makeni 12°03'W, 8°53'N, 27.XI. 1993 loc. 9 light trap 18-21 / Lund University Sierra Leone Expedition 1993 leg. L. Cederholm-R. Danielsson-R. Hall / Laccophilus laeticulus Régimbart Det. AN Nilsson -94" (MZLU). - Paratypes: Same data as holotype (7 exs. MZLU, 6 exs. MZH; habitus in Fig. 525). - Gambia: "Gambia Bathurst jan. 68. Palm / Laccophilus laeticulus Rég. det. Sven Persson" (1 ex. MZLU). - Senegal: "Niokolo Koba NP, 13°01.13'N, 13°18.48'W 15.7. 2004 leg. Marek Halada" (2 exs. NMPC). - Mali: "Soudan francais Bamako" (1 ex. MNHN). - Guinea: “République de Guinea PNHN8 10°28'40"N, 10°26'42"W, Faranah F. Niger, Somorya17-21.1. 1996 leg. M. Mei / Laccophilus laeticulus Rég. det. S. Rocchi 96" (2 exs. CSR); "Seredou 4.4. 1975 lux, Zott" (5 exs. ZMHB, 1 ex. MZH); same data but "5.4. 1975" (1 ex. ZMHB); same data but "4.5. 1975" (4 exs. ZMHB, 1 ex. MZH); same data but "7-8.4. 1975" (9 exs. ZMHB, 3 exs. MZH); "Kindia Villiers 1954" (1 ex. MNHN). - Ivory Coast: "Cote d’Ivoire Comoé NP, N8,5° W3,5° leg. N. Reintjes, det. F. Pederzani / 11.1. 1999 KB8A Kongo River / KR in Koleopt. Rdsch. 74: 45-74 / Laccophilus laeticulus Régimbart, 1895" (2 exs. NMW). - Ghana: "Ghana: Northern Reg. Damongo Game res. 9.04N- 1.48W / 11.11. 1970: no. 440 leg. Endrödy-Younga” (5 exs. TMSA, 2 exs. MZH); "Ghana Kumasi 12.6. 67 S. Endrödy-Younga” (2 exs. MHNG, 1 ex. MZH); "Volta Region, R. Volta at Kpong 28.11. 1993 Andersen, light trap" (1 ex. MZH). - Benin: "Benin, Pénésseoulou, pond: forest area Oct. 2003 Leg. G. Georgen / 37 / Laccophilus laeticulus Rég. det. Wewalka 2005" (1 ex. NMW); "Parakou at light 29.9.1988 leg. C. v. Houdt / Laccophilus laeticulus Rég. det. S. Rocchi 2000 " (1 ex. CSR). - Nigeria: "Nigeria NW St. Badeggi rice fields 8-9.8. 1973 R. Linnavuori leg." (2 exs. MZH); "Ibadan, Nigeria ca, Jan.-Juni 1954 H. Stenholt-Clausen / Laccophilus laeticulus Rég. J. Balfour-Browne det. VII. 1961" (2 exs. ZMUC, 1 ex. MZH); "Ibadan at light 27.XI. 1955" (2 exs. BMNH, 1 ex. MZH); "Coll. Mus. Tervuren Nigeria Zaria, à la lumière 1969 Dr. H. Roberts" (7 exs. MRAC, 2 exs. MZH); "Stream, Enugo-Makurdi rd. 26.4. 1963 J.O-C." (1 ex. AMGS); "R. Kaduna 4.5 mi from Jos 13.4. 1963 JOC" (16 exs. AMGS). - Central African Republic: "Bozo 7. 1981 Degallier" (1 ex. NHMB); same data but "21.5. 1981"(1 ex. NHMB). - Zaire: "Congo Belge PNG Miss. H. De Saeger/II/fd/12, 10.3. 1952, 3180" (1 ex. MNHN).

Diagnosis.

Very close to Laccophilus laeticulus and Laccophilus transversovittatus . Correct determination requires study of male genitalia. Diagnostic features for separation of the three species is given under diagnosis of Laccophilus laeticulus (p. 258) and Laccophilus transversovittatus (p. 260).

Description.

Body length 2.8-3.3 mm, width 1.6-1.9 mm. Dorsal, colour pattern distinct, quite uniform (Fig. 525).

Head and pronotum: As in Laccophilus laeticulus .

Elytra: As in Laccophilus laeticulus but pale basal marking generally somewhat narrower in Laccophilus occidentalis . Pale markings posterior to middle often reduced to small, separate spots (Fig. 525).

Ventral aspect: Apical ventrite (Fig. 205)

Legs: As in Laccophilus laeticulus .

Male genitalia: Penis in apical half broad, narrows only moderately towards apex (Figs 375-376).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus slender. Apical ventrite lacks sharp knob (Fig. 206). Female has similar appearance of stridulatory apparatus as in male.

Etymology.

The name occidentalis is a Latin adjective meaning “western”. It here refers to the wide range of the new species in western part of Africa, south of Sahara.

Distribution.

Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Zaire (Fig. 579).

Collecting circumstances.

Almost unknown. Sometimes collected at light.