Nebrioporus lanceolatus ( Walker, 1871 )

Toledo, Mario, 2009, Revision in part of the genus Nebrioporus Régimbart, 1906, with emphasis on the N. laeviventris-group (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), Zootaxa 2040, pp. 1-111 : 81-86

Nebrioporus lanceolatus ( Walker, 1871)

Figs 35, 63

Hydroporus lanceolatus Walker (1871: 11) (orig. descr.). Deronectes lanceolatus (Walker) ; Sharp (1882: 799); Branden (1885: 47). Hydroporus (Deronectes) lanceolatus (Walker) ; Peyerimhoff (1907: 11). Deronectes (Potamodytes) lanceolatus (Walker) ; Zimmermann (1919: 189; 1920: 127); Alfieri (1976: 34). Deronectes (Potamonectes) lanceolatus (Walker) ; Zimmermann(1933: 180). Potamonectes lanceolatus (Walker) ; J. Balfour-Browne (1951: 190). Potamonectes (s.str) lanceolatus (Walker) ; Guéorguiev (1965b: 117); Hosseinie (1978: 169); Brancucci (1984: 242). Nebrioporus (s. str.) lanceolatus (Walker) ; Angus & Nilsson (1992: 288); Nilsson (2001: 172; 2003: 66); Zalat et al.

(2000: 34); Angus (2003: 16). Deronectes arabicus Sharp, 1882: 429 (orig. descr.); Branden (1885: 45); Severin (1892: 473); J. Balfour-Browne (1951:

189) (synonymy of insignis Klug ). Hydroporus arabicus (Sharp) ; Régimbart (1895: 17). Hydroporus (Deronectes) arabicus (Sharp) ; Peyerimhoff (1907: 10). Deronectes (Potamodytes) arabicus Sharp ; Zimmermann (1919: 189; 1920: 127); Alfieri (1976: 34). Deronectes (Potamonectes) arabicus Sharp ; Zimmermann (1921: 40; 1933: 176). Potamonectes (s. str.) arabicus (Sharp) ; Guignot (1959a: 456). Hydroporus insignis Klug, 1834 sensu Walker (1871: 10) (misidentification,?partim). Deronectes scutellaris (Sharp) sensu J. Balfour-Browne in Guéorguiev (1965b: 117; 1965c: 256) (synonymy of lanceolatus Walker ). Deronectes islamiticus Sharp (1882) : 430 (orig. descr.); Branden (1885: 47); Peschet (1914: 226).

Deronectes (Potamodytes) islamiticus Sharp ; Zimmermann (1919: 127).

Potamonectes islamiticus (Sharp) ; Gueorguiev (1965b: 117; 1965c: 256); (synonymy of lanceolatus Walker ). Nebrioporus (s. str.) islamiticus (Sharp) ; Nilsson & Angus (1992: 288); Nilsson (2001: 171; 2003: 66) (valid species). Type locality. H. lanceolatus : Sinai> Wady Ferran. D. arabicus: Arabia > Jeddah. D. islamiticus : Kurdistan.

Type material. Hydroporus lanceolatus : Lectotype ( BMNH) designated by Angus (2003). In Zalat et al. (2000: 34) is quoted under Nebrioporus lanceolatus (Walker) " Lectotype male, designated by Mario Toledo (1995) ( Italy)"; this is a mistake as such a designation have never been published. In Angus (2003) this specimen is designated as lectotype to preserve taxonomic stability, but no data are given on type specimens. I here provide data on lectotype and paralectotypes of Hydroporus lanceolatus : Lectotype ♂ labelled "Type [circular BMNH, red bordered label, added secondarily] \ Wady Ferran [hw.] \ Sharp coll. 1905-313 \ Hydroporus insignis [sic!]", plus BMNH circular, blue bordered " Lectotype " label, added by me in 1995. Paralectotypes: ( BMNH): 2 ♀♀ with no type labels, labelled as the lectotype except for " Hydroporus lanceolatus " instead of " Hydroporus insignis ". In Walker’s original description, H. lanceolatus is described on one or plus specimens from "Sinai, Wady Ferran, coll. Lord". These three specimens apparently belong originally to the collection Lord and should be considered as syntypes, although the male bears the wrong identification " Hydroporus insignis ".

Deronectes arabicus : Lectotype ♂ ( BMNH), here designated "Type [red circular label] \ Hedjas [Sharp hw.] \ Sharp coll. 1905-313 \ Jeddah \ type 256 \ Deronectes arabicus [all these last three Sharp hw.]" plus BMNH circular, blue bordered " Lectotype " label, added by me and my red designation label . Paralectotypes: ( BMNH) 2 ♀♀ "Cotype [ BMNH circular, yellow bordered label]", same data of lectotype, plus BMNH circular, light-blue bordered " Paralectotype " label, added by me and my red designation label .

Deronectes islamiticus : Lectotype ♂ ( BMNH), here designated, "Type [red circular label] \ Kurdistan [Sharp hw.] \ Sharp coll. 1905-313 \ Type 257 ♂ \ Deronectes islamiticus [both Sharp hw.]", plus BMNH circular, blue bordered " Lectotype " label, added by me and my red designation label . Paralectotypes: ( BMNH) 2 ♀♀, same data as holotype, both with BMNH circular yellow bordered labels with, respectively, " Paratype " and "Cotype", plus BMNH circular, light-blue bordered " Paralectotype " label, added by me and my red designation label .

Additional material examined. Egypt: Suez, fontains de Moises, 1889 (6 exs. BMNH) ; Sinai, W. Arbeein, 29.VIII.1977, leg. Barkai (1 ex. NMW) ; Sinai, El-Ghardaa , 3.VIII.1993, leg. R. Salah Ahmed (12 exs. RAL) ; Sinai 29.VI. 88 W. Taibe (2 exs. GWW) .

Iran: Kerman, nr. Sargad [= Sarband?], 19–20.VIII.1898, N. Zarudni (5 exs. NMPC, MIZIT); Kerman, 5 km NE Deh Bakri (29°05’N, 57°55’E), 1925 m, 7–8.IV.2000 , Iran 2000 Czech Biological expedition, leg. J. Hàjek & M. Mikàt (1 ex. JHP); Bushehr, road. Kangan to Khormuj [=Khvormuj] 54 km W Kangan, river 80 m, 31.III.1990, leg. K. Elmi (4 exs. MTP); S . Iran, Bushehr, Jashak, 60 km SE Kharmuj [= Khvormuj ?], 20- 21.IV.1977, Loc. no. 304 Exped. Nat. Mus. Praha, Potamonectes lanceolatus Wck. Det. V. Gueorguiev 1982 (5 exs. NMPC); S . Iran, Hormozgan, Hassan Langi [= Hasan Langi, nr. Bandar –e Abbas], 24.V.1973, Loc. no. 211 Exped. Mus. Nat. Praha (13 exs. NMPC); Fars, Shiraz, 15.5.69, Eckerlein (5 exs. NMW); Fars, Bamoo Nat. Park , Cheshmeh-Ghanbari , 60 km NE Shiraz, stream 1860 m, 29.VIII.1993, leg. K. Elmi (4 exs. MTP); Sistan va Baluchestan, Gegan env., 640 m (28°23’N, 59°26’E), 8–9.IV.2000 , Iran 2000 Czech Biological expedition, leg. J. Hàjek & M. Mikàt (2 exs. JHP); in addition I have seen in CBSU specimens from a number of localities of the following provinces: Khuzestan (75 exs. from 8 localities); Esfahan (1ex.); Kahkiluyeh va Boyrahmad (23 exs. from 5 localities); Fars (993 exs. from 39 localities); Bushehr (302 exs. from 16 localities); Kerman (28 exs. from 4 localities); Hormozgan (46 exs. from 5 localities); Sistan va Baluchestan (21 exs. from 4 localities) .

Iraq: "Assur, Pietschm., Mesopot. Ex. Nat. O. V.1910 " (14 exs. NMW, GWW) .

Israel: Ein Nen Ahmed , col. 28, 14.VII.1969, leg. Margslit (1 ex. NMW) ; Totes Meer , Ein mishmar, 20.XII.79, col. 25, leg. Mothami (5 exs. GWW) ; Westl. Negev, N. Shigma , 1.IX.79, leg. Margalit (1 ex. GWW) ; Central Negev , En Avedad, 12.IV.81, leg. Wewalka (2 exs, GWW) ; Dead Sea Area , Nahal Arugot, 13.4.1981, leg. Wewalka (2 exs. PMB) ; Dead Sea Area , En Zafzafa, 7.IV.81, leg. Wewalka (10 exs. GWW) ; Dead Sea area , En Hahrkan, 7.III.1985, leg. Jäch (1 ex. NMW) ; En Zah , Arara, 17.VIII.1985, leg. Jäch (2 exs. NMW) ; M. Ramon, Ein Sacharonim , 1.VI.1985, leg. Jäch (1 ex. NMW) ; M. Ramon, Gwanim Ramon , 1.VI.1985, leg. Jäch (1 ex. NMW) ; En Avdat , 16.II.1985, leg. Jäch (3 ex. NMW) ; Hlan Yunus , 12 Km S.W. de Gaza, VI. 1917, Major E.E. Austen 1919-52 (1ex. BMNH) .

Jordan: West Jordan, Wadi el Hasa, 30°58’N 35°47’E, 400 m, 6.IV.1994, leg. Becvar (15 exs. MTP, PMB); 12 km. S Suweima, 31° 40’N 35°34’E, 300 m, 31.III.1994, leg. Becvar (30 exs. MTP)

Syria: Euphrat, 50 km SE Dair at–Zuri, 2 km SE Qal’aar Rabba , 14.III.79, leg. Kinzelbach (6 exs. GWW) .

Description. TL 5.6–6.0 mm; MW 2.5–3.3 mm. Oval or oblong-oval, rather convex. Colouration reddish on head and pronotum and yellow on elytra, with characteristic black patterns.

Head reddish-yellow, with a narrow dark postocular band. Mouthparts reddish, with last article of maxillary palpi dark; antennae testaceous with articles 4 - 11 apically darkened. Genae black.

Pronotum transverse, maximum width near the base. Sides slightly rounded, distinctly but finely bordered, posterior angles almost acute. Posterior side sinuate, angle between pronotum and elytra almost invisible.

Elytra oblong-oval, with maximum width near or just above the middle of the length, covered by a fine yellow pubescence. Longitudinal rows of punctures hardly visible.

Dorsal colouration ( Fig. 35a–d): pronotum reddish-yellow, with a black band on posterior margin from which two discal spots are more or less extended. Each elytron yellow, with more or less extended sharp, black, broad pattern composed by a sutural line and a shorter discal one, both joined by a transverse band; additional markings are present in lateral side and subapically.

Underside black, prosternal process and distal portion of sternites reddish. Surface covered by a dense but poorly impressed punctuation. A reticulation is hardly visible between the punctures. Sternites with an apical comb of setae.

Legs reddish-yellow; pro and mesotarsi reddish-yellow or darkened. Metatarsal segments darkened apically.

Male: Subapical spines on elytra poorly developed, in some cases almost invisible ( Fig. 35e). Protarsi slightly dilated. Anterior claws ( Fig. 35f–h) extremely unequal: outer very long and straight, acuminate, twice or twice and half the length of last tarsal segment; inner less straight, less than half the length of the outer claw. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 35j) only slightly sinuate apically in lateral view; parameres ( Fig. 35i) with large, elliptical apical disc and strongly sinuate in dorsal view.

Female: Often duller and with a more rounded body outline. Lateral sides of pronotum more rounded and more finely bordered. Subapical spines on elytra more developed than in males and elytral apex slightly produced.

Variability. Very variable species, especially in the extent of the dorsal dark patterning. Typical specimens, from Sinai and Mediterranean coasts of its range, have a reduced black pattern, as in Fig. 35a, and darker pro- and mesotarsi; and male outer foreclaws very long, two and a half times or more the length of last article of the protarsi. Specimens from southern Iran share the tendency to have a more extended dark pattern on elytra ( Fig. 35 c-d) and pale pro- and mesotarsi; male outer foreclaws are in most cases shorter, often no more than twice the length of last article of protarsi. The types of Deronectes islamiticus are very similar to specimens from these Iranian poulations. The majority of specimens examined from Iraq (Assur) appear intermediate between typical N. lanceolatus and those from Iran.

Notes on synonyms. J. Balfour-Browne (in Gueorguiev 1965c) put Deronectes scutellaris Sharp in synonymy with N. lanceolatus . This is incorrect, as D. scutellaris is synonym of N. laeviventris (see above).

Habitat. Species typical of wadis in arid or semi-desert environments, where it occurs mainly in the lowlands. Locally it can be very abundant.

Distribution ( Fig. 51). This species is common in Israel, Jordan, Sinai, Syria, southern Iran and, apparently, Iraq. In Zalat et al. (2000) it is recorded also for other parts of Egypt (western and eastern desert, coastal strip). Except for the type locality of Deronectes arabicus (Jeddah) , no other records - at least as far as I have been able to find - are known for the Arabian Peninsula. This species has not been cited in Brancucci’s papers (1979; 1980; 1981; 1984), except in the final check-list, where the data of " Saudi Arabia " are given (1984: 242). This agrees with J. Balfour-Browne (1951), who affirms that this species was not taken by any of the several expeditions into western Arabia, after the description of D. arabicus . It seems likely that N. lanceolatus is very rare or even sporadic in the west of Saudi Arabia. It is not inconceivable that the data from Jeddah could be the consequence of mislabelling. The citation for Yemen in Zalat et al. (2000) should be considered erroneous. Data for Cyprus given in Gueorguiev 1965c —referring to the incorrect synonymy with N. scutellaris —must be rejected.