Laccophilus grossus, Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 13-14

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus grossus sp. n. Figs 12-13, 212-213, 379, 527

Type locality.

Namibia: Damaraland, Oshikango (15.55E, 17.25S).

Type material

(5 exs.). Holotype, male: "South Africa Damaraland Oshikango, v. 1948 15.55E, 17.25S, C. Koch / B. Malkin Coll. BMNH (E) 1956 –234” (BMNH). - Paratypes: Same data as holotype (1 ex. MZH; habitus in Fig. 379); "Angola Rocadas R. Cunene 19-22.2. 1972/at light" (1 ex. CFP); "Angola Rocadas 30.3. 1972" (1 ex. CFP); "Namibia 23.2. 1994 17°26'S / 14°21'E, Kunene, Ruacana Dorp, lux, leg. M. Uhlig" (1 ex. ZMHB).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus grossus belongs to a group of species, characterized by large body-size, by uniform microsculpture, with one kind of meshes (small) and by slender, slightly sinuate penis. The new species is probably closest related to Laccophilus rocchii , another so far undescribed species. The two species are distinguished by difference in body size, by deviating dorsal, colour pattern of body and by details in shape of penis apex (curved in different directions).

Description.

Body: Length 4.9-5.2 mm, width 2.7-2.8 mm. Dorsal colour pattern exhibits only slight variation (Fig. 379).

Head: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous to brownish; posteriorly at pronotum slightly darker than anteriorly; however, change of colour gradual and no colour pattern formed. Submat, entire head finely microsculptured; meshes small and only of one kind. Impunctate, except at eyes, with some fine, irregular punctures. Anteriorly, close to edge of head with a few transverse impressions formed by elongated punctures.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous to ferrugineous, medially broadly, distinctly darker; basal area blackish. Submat, finely and densely microsculptured. Meshes of microsculpture small, uniform and of one kind only. Impunctate, except at margins, finely and somewhat irregularly punctate. Broad area basally in middle lacking punctures.

Elytra: Pale ferrugineous, with blackish to dark ferrugineous, slightly variable marking (Fig. 379). Submat, with fine, uniform, evenly distributed microsculpture. Meshes of microsculpture quite small, of one kind. Fine, irregular punctures form a discal row of punctures, which spread out and disappears posteriorly. Scattered, fine punctures indicate presence of a vague, dorsolateral and lateral row of punctures. Pre-apical, lateral row of punctures comparatively long, forms a, in part, distinct furrow with some setae.

Ventral aspect: Blackish to dark ferrugineous; no distinct colour pattern formed. Submat, finely to very finely microsculptured. Abdominal ventrites with dense, curved striae. Metacoxal plates with some transverse furrows, which posteriorly fade away. Apical ventrite lacks asymmetric knob/process (Fig. 12). Prosternal process rather slender, apex moderately, posteriorly extended, apically pointed. Almost impunctate, apical ventrite with some scattered punctures.

Legs: Pale ferrugineous, hindlegs slightly darker, ferrugineous to brownish. Pro- and mesotarsus slightly enlarged, with fine suckers.

Male genitalia: Apical half of penis slightly sinuate and when viewed from above; tip of penis slightly curved right (Figs 212-213).

Female: Pro- and mesotarsus rather slender. Apical ventrite as in Fig. 13.

Etymology.

The species name grossus is a Latin adjective meaning “big”. It here associates with the body size of the new species.

Distribution.

Angola, Namibia (Fig. 527).

Collecting circumstances.

Almost unknown. In Angola collected at light.