Laccobius (Glyptolaccobius) pluvialis Gentili, 2006

Gentili, Elio & Fikaček, Martin, 2009, Taxonomic notes on Laccobius, subgenus Glyptolaccobius, with new records and description of four new species (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 49 (2), pp. 607-623 : 616

Laccobius (Glyptolaccobius) pluvialis Gentili, 2006

( Fig. 5 )

Type locality. INDIA NE, Meghalaya State, SW of Cherrapunjee, 25°13′–14′N 91°40′E, 900 m.

Additional material examined. INDIA: MEGHALAYA: E Khasi Hills, 11 km SW of Cherrapunjee, Laitkynsew, 25°13′N, 91°39′E, 810 m, Fikáček, Podskalská, Šípek leg., 21.–24.iv.2008, seepage: wet rock with algae, blue algae, moss, ca. 1.5–2 km via rd. from “Cherrapunjee Holid. Resort” in direct. Cherrapunjee , exposed’, 109 spec. ( KSEM, NMPC, MSNV) ; E Khasi Hills, 11 km SW of Cherrapunjee, Laitkinsew , 25°12′N, 91°40′E, 460 m, Fikáček, Podskalská, Šípek leg. 21–24.iv.2008, wet rock with algae, blue algae and fallen leaves at side of waterfall on small river surrounded by tropical forest, ca. 200 m upstream from living bridge [= bridge made of living roots of large Ficus trees], 1 J ( NMPC) ; SW of Cherrapunjee , 25°13′–14′N 91°40′E, 900 m, P. Pacholátko leg., 5.–24.v.2005 (same data as holotype), 80 spec. ( NHMW, MSNV) .

Note. The aedeagus was illustrated by GENTILI (2006); the illustrations in this paper are based on new slides.

Bionomics. Laccobius pluvialis has been repeatedly found in large numbers on loamy seepages as well as wet rocks below these seepages and at sides of small temporary streams on the southern slopes of the Meghalaya Plateau. Most of the specimens collected in 2008 were found at sides of roads in exposed microhabitats sparsely covered with moss, algae and bluegreen algae ( Fig. 12 , see also FIKÁČEK & ŠÍPKOVÁ 2009, SHORT 2009). Only one specimen of L. pluvialis was found on partly shaded wet rocks at the side of a larger waterfall surrounded by a dense secondary rainforest (see Bionomics of L. sipeki sp. nov. and Fig. 11 for details).

Figures

Figs. 4–6. Aedeagus (a – dorsal view, b – ventral view, c – lateral view). 4 – L. moriyai Kamite, Ogata & Hikida, 2007; 5 – L. pluvialis Gentili, 2006; 6 – L. sipeki sp. nov. Scale bar: 0.25 mm.

Figs. 11–13. Habitats of Glyptolaccobius species.11 – India, Meghalaya, Laitkynsew env., 460 m a.s.l.: type locality of L. sipeki sp. nov., locality of L. pluvialis and L. eliogentilii (arrow indicates the position of the microhabitat where the specimens were collected); 12 – India, Meghalaya, Laitkynsew env., 810 m a.s.l.: exposed seepages at the side of a road, locality with common occurrence of L. pluvialis; 13 – India, Arunachal Pradesh, 1 km N of Bhalukpong: seepages at the road side, type locality of L. hanka sp. nov. and L. josefi sp. nov. Photos by M. Fikáček.