Laccophilus flaveolus Regimbart , 1906

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 106-109

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus flaveolus Regimbart, 1906 Figs 79-80, 269, 425, 548

Laccophilus flaveolus Régimbart 1906: 249 (original description, faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a:18 (catalogue, faunistics); Gschwendtner 1930: 88 (faunistics, description, discussion); Guignot 1943: 98 (faunistics, discussion); Guignot 1946c: 265, 268, 272, 273, 312, 315 (discussion, description, faunistics); Guignot 1948: 15 (faunistics); Guignot 1950a: 262, 263 (faunistics); Guignot 1952e:167 (discussion); Legros 1954: 268 (discussion); Guignot 1955e: 2 (discussion); Guignot 1956b: 220 (discussion); Omer-Cooper 1958b: 37, 48, 49 (discussion, description, faunistics, biology); Guignot 1959a: 557, 561, 562 (description, faunistics); Guignot 1959d: 161 (discussion, faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1965: 77, 87 (description, faunistics); Legros 1972: 466 (faunistics); Bameul 1984: 94 (faunistics); Pederzani 1988: 107 (faunistics, biology); Rocchi 1991: 86 (faunistics, list); Nilsson 2001: 243 (catalogue, faunistics); Pederzani and Reintjes 2002: 38, 40 (discussion, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 211 (catalogue, faunistics).

Laccophilus pampinatus Guignot 1941: 35 (original description, faunistics); Guignot 1946c: 269, 273, 274, 276, 313 (description, faunistics, discussion); Guignot 1959a: 558, 562, 564, 565, 566, 568 (redescription, discussion, faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 248 (catalogue, faunistics); Pederzani and Reintjes 2002: 38, 40 (discussion, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 215 (catalogue, faunistics). New synonym.

Comment on identity.

Confusion in determination of species has been a common problem. Accordingly, records and data from old literature must be considered carefully.

Type localities.

Laccophilus flaveolus : Kenya: Baie de Kavirondo.

Laccophilus pampinatus : Uganda: Central Uganda.

Type material studied

(37 exs.). Laccophilus flaveolus : Lectotype (by present designation) male: Kenya "Lac Victoria Nyanza Baie de Kavirondo IX-X. 1903 / male symbol / Cotype" (MNHN). - Paralectotypes: Same data as lectotype (2 exs. MNHN; habitus in Fig. 425); "Cotype / Victoria Nyanza Kavirondo-Bay / Brit. Mus.1905-199 / Laccophilus flaveolus Rég. sp. n. type" (1 ex. BMNH); "Cotype / Lac Victoria Nyanza Baie de Kavirondo IX-X-1903" (1 ex. IRSNB); " Laccophilus flaveolus Baie de Kavirondo Lac Victoria Nyanza Alluaud IX-X. 1903" (4 exs. IRSNB); same data and on same pin (1 ex. IRSNB; belongs to Laccophilus pallescens Régimbart); Afr. Orle Anglaise Baie de Kavirondo (Victoria Nyanza N-E.) Ch. Alluaud IX-X-1903 / Museum Paris coll. Maurice Régimbart 1908 / Laccophilus flaveolus Rég. sp. n. type / Type" (20 exs. MNHN); "Baie de Kavirondo (Alluaud) / Museum Paris coll. Maurice Régimbart 1908 / flaveolus Rég.” (3 exs. MNHN).

Laccophilus pampinatus : Holotype: male: Uganda, "Ouganda Central Alluaud I-II. 1909 / male symbol / Type / Det. Dr. Guignot Laccophilus pampinatus Guign. Type" (MNHN). - Paratypes: Uganda, Same as holotype, but labelled as “Paratype” (1 ex. MNHN). - Kenya, "Lac Victoria Baie de Kavirondo Alluaud IX. 1903 / male symbol / Laccophilus pampinatus Guignot Paratype / Paratype" (1 ex. MNHN); "Afr. Or. Angl. (Lac Victoria) Baie de kavirondo Alluaud & Jeannel Déc. 1911 - 1112 - St. 22 et 23 / female symbol / Laccophilus pampinatus Guignot Allotype female / Allotype" (1 ex. MNHN).

Additional material studied

(155 exs.). Sudan: "Kawrajena 20.3. 1947" (2 exs. ZMUC). - Zaire: "PNA 23.8. 1957 Vanschuytbroeck / Secteur Nord, rive dr. Semliki, rte Muramba, 905 m" (6 exs. MRAC, 1 ex. MZH); "PNA 26.8. 1957 Vanschuytbroeck / Secteur Nord, marais Buyansha sur r. dr. Semliki, 905 m" (6 exs. MRAC); "PNA 27.8. 1957 Vanschuytbroeck / Secteur Nord, rive Ihunga, af dr. Semliki 1300 m" (2 exs. MRAC); "PNG Ndelele K. 117/14s 19.3. 1952 H. De Saeger" (2 exs. MRAC); "PNG Ndelele/14s 1.8. 1952 H. De Saeger" (2 exs. MRAC); "PNG PpK.14/g/14s, 4.4. 1952 H. De Saeger 3290" (4 exs. MRAC, 1 ex. MZH); PNG II/gd/14, 30.7. 1952 H. De Saeger" (1 ex. MRAC); "PNG II/gd/4, 29.5.1952 De Saeger" (1 ex. IRSNB). - Uganda: "Uganda Central Alluaud I-II. 1909 / Cotype" (1 ex. MNHN; not type material); "Butiaba Flats 2.9. 1967 Brown" (1 ex. BMNH). - Kenya: "Dam at Kaloleni Mission, Kilifi Distr. 15.9. 1976 Holmen" (1 ex. ZMUC). - Tanzania: "Ukerewe I. Father Conrad" (5 exs. BMNH, 1 ex. MZH); "Tanganyika Ukerewe / Laccophilus pampinatus Guignot det. Wewalka 1979" (7 exs. OLML); "Mwanza nr Lake Victoria 1957 / Marginal pools and ditches" (2 exs. BMNH, 1 ex. MZH); "Mwanza nr Lake Victoria / Sweet potato channels" (1 ex. BMNH); "Stream, Mbeya-Tunduma rd., 18.10. 1948 JOC" (1 ex. AMGS); "Foothills of Kilimandjaro 14.2. 1954" (2 exs. AMGS); "Zanzibar Pemba, Sept, 1955 Fowler" (2 exs. AMGS). - Zambia: "S Luangwa NP, Mfuwe Crocodile Farm 23.3. 1993 13°06'03"S- 31°47'32"E, 450 m, lux Uhlig leg." (1 ex. ZMHB); "Lusaka 5.11. 1973 Lange" (1 ex. CGC). - Malawi: "River nr Portuguese border nr Mwanza 9.2. 1948" (1 ex. AMGS); "Zomba plateau, stream 6000 ft 7.3. 1948" (2 exs. AMGS). - Mozambique: "Magude16.8. 1915 C.J. Sw. / Laccophilus adspersus Boh. det. Gschwendtner" (8 exs. TMSA). - Zimbabwe: "Small stream Halfway Hotel Salisbury-Gatooma 14.9. 1948" (1 ex. AMGS); "Salisbury 14.9. 1948 J. Omer-Cooper" (2 exs. NHMB); "Wankie Game Res. Masumu Dam Sept. 1948 JOC." (4 exs. AMGS); "Wankie Game Res. Waterhole Sept. 1948 JOC." (1 ex. AMGS); "5 mi SE Wankie 7.4. 1968 Spangler" (25 exs. USNM, 5 exs. MZH); "Pool Lundi 22. N. 1948 JOC." (20 exs. AMGS); "Sinkukwe 30.12. 1948 J.O.C." (6 exs. AMGS). - Botswana: "Tsotsorogo Pan 17.6.-9.7. 1930 V.-L. Kal. Exp. / Laccophilus adspersus Boh. Gschwendtner det." (9 exs. TMSA, 1 ex. MZH); same data but " Laccophilus pampinatus Guignot det. Wewalka 1979" (1 ex. OLML); "Kabulabula Chobe River 11-24.7. 1930 V.-L. Kal. Exp. / Laccophilus adspersus Boh. Gschwendtner det." (1 ex. TMSA); “N’Kate Makarikari 6-23.8. 1930 V.-L. Kal. Exp. / Laccophilus adspersus Boh. Gschwendtner det." (2 exs. TMSA); "Metsimaklaba 7-12.3. 1930 V.-L. Kal. Exp. / Laccophilus adspersus Boh. Gschwendtner det." (3 exs. TMSA). - South Africa: "Kruger Nat. Pk, Skukuza res. camp, 25.00S- 31.35E /19.2.1995 UV-light & trap E-Y: 3102, Endrödy-Younga leg." (1 ex. TMSA); "Kruger Nat. Pk, Skukuza 12 km, 25.04S- 31.37E / 6.3. 1996 UV-light E-Y: 3217, Endrödy-Younga leg." (1 ex. TMSA, 1 ex. MZH); "Trsvl Kruger National Pk, Leeu Pan NE Skukuza 1.5. 1951 / Brinck-Rudebeck / Laccophilus flaveolus Régb. det. J. Omer-Cooper" (1 ex. MZLU); "Mpumalanga, 7 km upstream from Skukuza, Sabie R. N-24.970, E31.540, 25.10. 1990 de Moor" (1 ex. AMGS); "Kruger Nat. Pk, Levuvu River 22.27S- 31.10E / 12.2. 1994 E-Y: 2998 shorewashing" (1 ex. TMSA); "Trsvl., Naboomspruit Torino Ranche 24.37S- 28.38E / 15.1. 1989 E-Y: 2774, UV light, vlei edge Endrödy-Younga leg." (1 ex. TMSA). - Madagascar: "Zombitse Ankilemiletsy, muddy waterhole N- 22.868, E 44.576, 544 m 14.5. 2006 Bergsten/BMNH(E) <794187> DNA voucher / Laccophilus flaveolus Régb. det. Bergsten" (1 ex. NHRS); same data, but "<794193> DNA voucher" (1 ex. NHRS).

Comments on synonymy.

The lectotype of Laccophilus flaveolus and the holotype of Laccophilus pampinatus have been examined and compared. No morphological features, which would justify separation of two species were detected. Accordingly, they are synonyms and Laccophilus flaveolus being the older name is the valid name for the species.

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus flaveolus is separated from resembling species by study of elytral colour pattern in combination with peculiarly shaped penis. Externally it resembles most of Laccophilus nodieri but there is clear difference in shape of penis: Penis of Laccophilus flaveolus lacks sharp knob on inner outline. Additionally, penis long, medially somewhat bent and extreme apex hooked with extreme tip sharp (Fig. 269).

Description.

Body length 4.2-4.6 mm, width 2.3-2.4 mm. Pale coloured except elytra. Elytral colour pattern is formed by quite extensive irrorations; irrorations somewhat sparse and in part reduced (Fig. 425).

Head: Pale ferrugineous. Rather shiny to submat, reticulation double but difference between size-categories small. Large meshes contain 2-10 finer meshes when they are discernible. Almost impunctate; at eyes with fine and irregularly distributed punctures. Area of punctures at each eye extends towards middle but areas are not connected.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, base in middle often with narrow darkened area. Rather shiny although finely microsculptured; reticulation double. Large meshes contain 2-10 meshes; sometimes fine meshes indistinct and hardly visible. At margins with very fine, scattered punctures; pronotum discally impunctate.

Elytra: Pale ferrugineous, extensively with dark brown to dark ferrugineous, rarely slightly variable irrorations (Fig. 425). Same groundplan of irrorations discernible, although slight reduction sometimes present. Rather shiny to submat, finely microsculp tured; reticulation double. Large meshes only slightly coarser than fine meshes. Large meshes contain between 2-7 fine meshes. Posteriorly fine and large meshes are mixed so that separate size categories are not discernible. Impunctate, except for three irregular longitudinal rows of very fine and scattered punctures, located discally, dorso-laterally and laterally. Lateral, pre-apical furrow rather shallow, distinctly pubescent.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous. Slightly mat, very finely microsculptured. Metacoxal plates with some very indistinct transverse furrows. Ventrites basally sparsely striated; striae curved. Almost impunctate. Apex of prosternal process slender and pointed. Apical ventrite with a minute but distinct asymmetric knob. A minor knob can also be detected on the other side (Fig. 79).

Legs: Pale ferrugineous. Pro- and mesotarsus slightly enlarged and extended, with suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis long, medially somewhat bent and extreme apex hooked with extreme tip sharp (Fig. 269).

Female: Apical ventrite as in Fig. 80. Pro- and mesotarsus slender. Epipleuron slightly enlarged posterior to middle and external edge can sometimes be detected when specimen is studied from above.

Distribution.

Sudan, Zaire, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Madagascar (Fig. 548). Confusion in the determination of species frequent. Accordingly only verified records are mapped. Additional country records, not verified, are Ivory Coast and Mali ( Omer-Cooper 1965) and Senegal ( Legros 1972).

Collecting circumstances.

Insufficiently known. Omer-Cooper (1958b) reports the species from various minor water bodies, as streams and ponds. Label data give as collection technique UV light collection, light trap and shorewashing. Detailed information is not available.