Laccophilus sordidus Sharp, 1882

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 29-30

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus sordidus Sharp, 1882 Figs 31-32, 228-229, 390, 529

Laccophilus sordidus Sharp 1882: 302 (original description, faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a: 26 (catalogue); Balfour-Browne 1951: 193 (faunistics, discussion, description); Brancucci 1980: 107 (description, faunistics, lectotype designation); Brancucci 1983b: 264, 266 (redescription, faunistics, discussion); Zalat et al. 2000: 39, 40 (description, faunistics, biology); Nilsson 2001: 251 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2003: 77 (catalogue faunistics,); Shaverdo et al. 2013: 21, 22 (faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 218 (catalogue, faunistics).

Type locality.

Saudi Arabia: El Hedjaz.

Type material, studied

(2 exs.). Lectotype: male, designated by Brancucci (1980a): "Syntype / Type / Hedjaz Millingen / Sharp Coll. 1905-313 / Laccophilus sordidus / Laccophilus sordidus Sharp Type (male symbol)" (BMNH; habitus in Fig. 390). - Paralectotype, female: "Hedjaz Millingen / Sharp Coll. 1905-313 / Laccophilus sordidus Sharp Paratype (female symbol) / Syntype" (1 ex. BMNH).

Additional material studied

(1 ex.): Yemen: "Aden Prot., Mukeiras, 85 mls NE of Aden, 7000 ft. 29.12. 1939-6.1. 1940 Hebbert / Laccophilus sordidus Shp det J. Balfour-Browne" (1 ex. BMNH).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus sordidus is closely related to Laccophilus minutus and Laccophilus mateui . From Laccophilus minutus , Laccophilus sordidus is separated by its larger body and by having a clearly longer penis. From Laccophilus mateui , Laccophilus sordidus is separated by its lack of elytral markings - Laccophilus mateui is generally provided with a clearly discernible elytral colour pattern. Additionally, the penis of Laccophilus mateui is distinctly shorter than in Laccophilus sordidus .

Description.

Body length 4.6-5.2 mm, width 2.6-2.8 mm. Dorsal, aspect of body dark ferrugineous to brownish, no distinct colour pattern exhibited (Fig. 390).

Head: Dark ferrugineous to brownish; no colour pattern discernible. Submat to mat, distinctly microsculptured; reticulation double. Large meshes may contain 3-6 small meshes. At eyes with an irregular row of punctures, which extends a short distance towards middle.

Pronotum: Dark ferrugineous to brownish, no colour pattern formed. Submat, distinctly microsculptured. Reticulation double. Large meshes contain 3-6 small meshes. Pronotal disc impunctate; at margins with punctures. Laterally at side margin, punctures form a slightly irregular row. Anteriorly punctures very fine and scattered. Latero-basally with a few fine, irregular punctures; mediobasally pronotum impunctate.

Elytra: Dark ferrugineous to brownish. No distinct colour pattern exhibited (Fig. 390). Submat, distinctly microsculptured. Reticulation double; large meshes contain generally 3-6 small meshes. Three somewhat irregular rows of punctures formed. Discal row is rather distinct while dorsolateral and lateral rows are quite vague and punctures appear more scattered. Posteriorly lateral row become more condensed and it is located in a shallow pre-apical furrow.

Ventral aspect: Dark ferrugineous to ferrugineous, no distinct colour pattern. Submat, finely microsculptured. Microsculpture of abdomen weaker and in part reduced. Abdomen with fine, curved striae. Metacoxal plates lack stridulatory apparatus. Very shallow, rudimentary transverse furrows discernible on metacoxa. Impunctate, except abdomen with scattered, sparse punctures especially apically. Prosternal process medially slightly enlarged, moderately extended and apex pointed. Apical ventrite almost symmetric (Fig. 31).

Legs: Ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous. Pro- and mesotarsus slightly enlarged and provided with suckers.

Male genitalia: In lateral aspect penis comparatively long, evenly curved; extreme apex slightly bent and it ends abruptly (not rounded) (Figs 228-229).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus slender. Apical ventrite as in Fig. 32.

Distribution.

The species has been described from Saudi Arabia. African records include Libya and Egypt ( Zalat et al. 2000). Thus far we have not seen any specimens from Africa, but a few from Arabian Peninsula (Fig. 529).

Collecting circumstances.

The habitat of Laccophilus sordidus is briefly described in Zalat et al. (2000) as follows "The species occurs in shallow water pools with gravel bottom and sparse vegetation, the water either being fresh or brackish. Considered rare and occurs in Eastern desert of Egypt in August".