Laccophilus inornatus Zimmermann, 1926

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 226-229

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus inornatus Zimmermann, 1926 Figs 182-183, 361, 510-511, 574

Laccophilus inornatus Zimmermann 1926: 24 (original description, faunistics); Gschwendtner 1935b: 373 (faunistics); Guignot 1943: 99 (faunistics); Guignot 1946c: 284, 312, 315 (discussion); Guignot 1953b: 237 (discussion); Omer-Cooper 1953: 24 (discussion); Guignot 1955b: 1096 (faunistics); Guignot 1956b: 220, 221 (description, discussion); Guignot 1959a: 579, 581 (description, faunistics); Guignot 1959d: 163 (faunistics, discussion); Guignot 1961b: 238 (faunistics, discussion); Bruneau de Miré and Legros 1963: 874, 888 (faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1967: 60 (discussion, Laccophilus livingstoni O-C. = Laccophilus inornatus Zimm.); Bilardo and Pederzani 1978: 119 (faunistics, description); Medler 1980: 155 (faunistics, list); Forge 1981: 500, 501 (description, faunistics); Bilardo 1982a: 447 (description, faunistics, given as Laccophylus ); Bilardo and Rocchi 1990: 162, 177 (faunistics, biology); Franciscolo and Sanfilippo 1990: 146 (faunistics, description); Nilsson and Persson 1993: 81, 94 (faunistics, biology); Nilsson et al. 1995: 505 (faunistics); Rocchi 2000: 24 (faunistics); Nilsson 2001: 245 (catalogue, faunistics); Bilardo and Rocchi 2002: 164 (discussion, faunistics); Reintjes 2004: 67 (faunistics); van Vondel 2005: 131 (faunistics, biology); Nilsson 2015: 212 (catalogue, faunistics). [Comment: Many of the listed references are to be considered uncertain due to extensive species-confusion.]

Type locality.

Tanzania: Usagara.

Type material studied

(3 exs.). Lectotype (by present designation): male: "Usagara / Typus / Laccophilus inornatus sp. n. Type det. A. Zimmermann / inornatus Zimm. sp. n." (ZMHB). - Paralectotypes: "Daressal. / Type / Samml. A. Zimmermann / Paratypus" (1 ex. ZMSC); "D.O. Afrika / Type / Samml. A. Zimmermann / Paratypus" (1 ex. ZMSC; habitus in Fig. 510).

Additional material studied

(283 exs.). Gambia: "Abuko Nat. Res., at light at the bamboo pool 18.30-20.30 18.11. 1977 UTM 28PCK2181 / Cederholm & al leg. / Laccophilus inornatus Zimm. Brancucci det." (1 ex. MZLU); "Central R. Div. Lower Fulladu, Sapo Agric. St. 27.8. 1997, MV light, Woodcock" (1 ex. NHMB); "Bathurst jan. 1968 Palm / Laccophilus inornatus Zimm. Persson det." (5 exs. MZLU); "Tanji R, 3 km SW Brufut, at light 19-21.00, 28.2. 1977 Cederholm & al." (1 ex. NHMB). - Guinea: “Sérédou, lux 4.4. 1975 Zott" (26 exs. ZMHB, 5 exs. MZH; habitus in Fig. 511); same data but "4.5. 1975" (16 exs. ZMHB); same data but “5.4.1975” (1 ex. MZH); same data but "7-8.4. 1975" (13 exs. ZMHB, 1 ex. MZH). - Liberia: "Suakoko 10.3. 1953 light trap Blickenstaff" (1 ex. USNM); "Suakoko 14.3. 1952 / 6-9 pm light trap Blickenstaff" (1 ex. USNM). - Ivory Coast: “Comoé Nat. P., N8,5°, W3,5° Reintjes leg. / 11.1. 1999" (3 exs. NHMW); same but "15.4. 1999" (1 ex. NHMW); "Bingerville 8. 1963 J. Decelle" (1 ex. MRAC, 1 ex. MZH); same but "12. 1961" (1 ex. MRAC); same but "9. 1963" (1 ex. MRAC); “Danané 26.7. 1966 Thys & Verheyen" (1 ex. MRAC); "Divo 28.11. 1963 J. Decelle" (3 exs. MRAC, 1 ex. MZH); same but "4.12. 1962" (1 ex. MRAC); "Toumodi / 12. 1930-IV. 1931 Alluaud & Chappuis / Laccophilus inornatus Zimm. det. Gschwendtner" (2 exs. MNHN, 1 ex. OLML); "Touba, à la lumière 4. 2002 Moretto / Laccophilus inornatus Zimm. det. Rocchi 2002" (3 exs. CSR). - Ghana: "Ashanti Reg. Kwadaso, agric. st. 6°42'N, 1°39'W / light trap 26.2. 1969 Endrödy-Younga” (4 exs. TMSA, 1 ex. MZH); "Northern Region Damongo Game Res., 9°04'N, 1°48' / 12.11. 1970" (1 ex. TMSA); "N.R., Damongo Mole game res. 220 m, 9°04'N, 1°48' S. Endrödy-Younga / on light 12.8. 1971" (1 ex. OLML); "Ghana Ashanti Kumasi, 330 m N 6.43 - W 1.36 / 15.9. 1967 at light, Endrödy-Younga” (1 ex. TMSA); "Kumasi 12.5. 67 Endrödy-Younga / Laccophilus inornatus Zimm. det. Wewalka 76" (18 exs. MHNG); same data but "16.6. 67" (10 exs. MHNG); same data but "18.5. 67" (13 exs. MHNG). - Benin: "Dep. du Zou, commune de Zogbodomè 29.1.2006 Goergen / Lokoli Forest 07°03'N / 02°15'E, 17 m a.s.l. light trap" (7 exs. MZH); "Dep. du Zou, commune de Zogbodomè, Lokoli (forest) Hlanzoun riv. 6.2.2006, Goergen, Komarek & Hounguè / 07°30'N, 02°15'E muddy stream" (1 ex. MZH); "Dep. Atlantique, Allada, Glotomè (village) 31.1. 2006 Goergen, Komarek & Hounguè / 06°41'06"N, 02°02'36"E, 17 m a.s.l., slowly running stream" (1 ex. MZH); "Dep. Mono, Comé, Sè (village) 2.2.2006, Goergen, Komarek & Hounguè / 06°30'14,5"N, 01°49'49,2"E, ca. 20 m a.s.l. pond with muddy ground" (1 ex. MZH); "Dep. Littoral, Toho near Pahou (village) 2.2. 2006, Goergen, Komarek & Hounguè / 06°23'11,3"N, 02°12'30,2"E lake with rich riparian vegetation" (2 exs. MZH); "Dep. Littoral Cotonou City, pond, 8.2. 2006, Goergen, Komarek & Hounguè” (1 ex. MZH); "Dep. Atlantique Toffo, near Toffo (village) 1.2. 2006, Goergen, Komarek & Hounguè / 06°48'51,8"N, 02°07'38,6"E, 25 m a.s.l. muddy stream" (1 ex. MZH). - Nigeria: "NW St. Badeggi rice field 8-9.8. 1973 Linnavuori" (54 exs. MZH); "NW St. Yelwa 23.7. 1973 Linnavuori" (1 ex. MZH); "W St. Ife 7-8.7. 1973 Linnavuori" (1 ex. MZH); "EC St. Norcap nr Abakaliki 29.6. 1973 Linnavuori" (2 exs. MZH); same, but "ad lucem" (1 ex. MZH); "Ibadan ca. Jan. - Juni 1954 Stenholt Clausen" (9 exs. ZMUC, 1 ex. MZH); "Ibadan, light trap: campus, Dec. 2003 Goergen" (1 ex. NHMW); "Ibadan at light 26.9. 1956 / G.H. Caswell" (1 ex. BMNH); same data but "27.11. 1955" (1 ex. BMNH); "Kontagora stream 3.IV. 1963" (4 exs. AMGS); "River crossing rd to Erugo about 79 miles from Makurdi 24.4. 1963 JOC." (4 exs. AMGS); "Marsh, Katsina-Daurra rd. 6.IV. 1963" (1 ex. AMGS); "Stream 64 mi. From Bida on Jebba rd. 12.IV. 1963 JOC." (1 ex. AMGS); "Stream crossing Kaduna rd. Nr. Zaria 4.IV. 1963 JOC." (2 exs. AMGS); "Zaria, à la lumière 1969 Roberts H."(4 exs. MRAC, 2 exs. MZH); "River, Kaduna rd. 13,5 mi. From Jos 13.IV. 1963" (3 exs. AMGS); "R. Kaduna 4,5 mi. from Jos 13. IV. 1963 JOC." (2 exs. AMGS); "Pools in dry stream bed, Kontagora 5.IV. 1963" (1 ex. AMGS); "Stream, reservoir Yom, Jos Plateau 11.IV. 1963 JOC." (1 ex. AMGS). - Sudan: "R. Malia 30,57E 40,39N 29.1. 1954 JJOC." (1 ex. AMGS); "Minkammon 31,31E 6,2N 16-17.1. 1954 JJOC." (1 ex. AMGS); "Equatoria Nimule 11-13.3. 1963 Linnavuori" (1 ex. MZH). - Cameroon: "Yaounde, Bor to Kosti by boat 3-14.3. 1978 Perkins" (3 exs. USNM, 1 ex. MZH); "Minkama 15.4. 1970" (3 exs. NHMB). - Central African Republic: "Bozo 21.5. 1981 / Degallier" (10 exs. NHMB); same but "11. 1981" (2 exs. NHMB); same but "12. 1981" (2 exs. MZH). - Kenya: "Shimba Hills 10.12. 1989 Jäch leg." (1 ex. NHMW). - Tanzania: "Dar es Salaam Tendangiri (?) Exp. / Laccophilus inornatus Rég. det. M. Brancucci 81" (1 ex. ZMHB); “Daressal.” (1 ex. ZMHB). - South Africa: "E Transvaal Hazyview 25.04S- 31.07E / 3.4. 1990 E-Y: 2778 UV light trap leg. Endrödy-Younga” (2 exs. TMSA); "Natal, Waterton Timber Co. 3. 1985 N-28.20.5, E32.14, at light Atkinson" (1 ex. NHMB); "ECPr., 6 km S of Port of St Johns, outside Silaka Nature Reserve, pond, S31°38.862, E29°30.551, alt.90 m, 26.1. 2005 Bergsten" (1 ex. NHRS).

Specimen with unclear labelling.

Egypt: "Kairo / Trägårdh / Laccophilus restrictus var.?" (1 ex. NHRS).

Comments on synonymy.

Examination of type material reveals that Laccophilus inornatus is not synonymous with Laccophilus livingstoni O-C., as stated by Omer-Cooper (1967).

Diagnosis.

Externally Laccophilus inornatus resembles much of Laccophilus canthydroides . The two species can be separated by examination of anatomical details exhibited by penis apex; external corner of penis apex distinctly extended in Laccophilus inornatus while less so in Laccophilus canthydroides . In general, Laccophilus canthydroides has small, pale spots on elytral base while Laccophilus inornatus lacks spots on elytral base or has in humeral region, a vague, pale spot.

Description.

Body Length 2.9-3.4 mm, width 1.5-1.9 mm. Dorsal colour pattern of body absent or vague; sometimes elytra with slightly paler base (Figs 505-506). From Ghana I have seen some totally black specimens - possible artefacts?

Head: Pale ferrugineous; posteriorly often, close to eyes slightly darker. Finely microsculptured. Reticulation almost simple; difficult to separate two kinds of meshes. Reticulation in part slightly irregular; shape of meshes variable. At eyes and in a narrow medial area between eyes with fine, irregular punctures.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous, frontally and medially at base often with vague, a little darker markings. Finely microsculptured; in part double reticulation discernible. A part of large meshes do not contain small meshes. Difference between large and small meshes indistinct or almost absent. Punctation rather indistinct. Fine, irregular punctures discernible at least at base and laterally.

Elytra: Ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous. Sometimes elytra slightly paler in anterior half than posteriorly but change of colour is gradual and vague (Figs 510-511). Rather shiny, although finely microsculptured. Reticulation double, but posteriorly in particular, size-classes indistinct and difficult to discern. Anteriorly two kinds of meshes in general present; larger meshes which contain two to six fine meshes. Number of fine meshes sometimes difficult to count. Fine, rather indistinct and scattered puncture discernible. An irregular row of punctures laterally discernible (in posterior half of elytron distinct).

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous, abdomen, particularly posteriorly somewhat darker, ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous. Rather shiny, finely microsculptured except on abdomen where microsculpture is indistinct. Abdomen, basally with sparse, curved striae. Metacoxal plates with a number of mostly transversely located shallow furrows. Almost impunctate. Apex of prosternal process slender and pointed. Apical ventrite with a small knob on one side (Fig. 182).

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus rather slender, provided with fine suckers.

Male genitalia: External apex of penis extended and sharp (Fig. 361).

Female: Apical ventrite lacks knob (Fig. 183). Pro- and mesotarsus slender.

Distribution.

Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Sudan, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa (Fig. 574). Only verified records are mapped. One specimen labelled Kairo (Egypt) is considered uncertain.

Collecting circumstances.

Label data contains some information of the ecology of Laccophilus inornatus . Accordingly, it has been collected both in running waters ("muddy stream, slow running stream") and standing waters ("muddy pond, pools in dry stream bed, in lake with rich riparian vegetation"). Often captured at light collection.