Laccophilus grammicus Sharp, 1882

Bistroem, Olof, Nilsson, Anders N. & Bergsten, Johannes, 2015, Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 542, pp. 1-379 : 196-198

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Dytiscidae

Laccophilus grammicus Sharp, 1882 Figs 162-163, 344-346, 491, 565

Laccophilus grammicus Sharp 1882: 306, 307 (original description, faunistics, discussion); v. d. Branden 1885: 21 (catalogue, faunistics); Régimbart 1895: 141 (description, faunistics); Régimbart 1905: 208 (faunistics); Régimbart 1906: 249 (faunistics); Régimbart 1908 a: 5 (faunistics); Zimmermann 1920a: 19 (catalogue, faunistics); Régimbart 1922: 532 (faunistics); Omer-Cooper 1931: 758 (description, discussion, biology, faunistics); Gschwendtner 1938a: (faunistics, discussion); Guignot 1946c: 263, 264, 265, 279, 312 (description, faunistics, discussion); Legros 1954: 268 (discussion); Guignot 1959a: 544, 548, 549, 550, 552 (description, faunistics, discus sion); Omer-Cooper 1970: 286, 287 (description, discussion); Nilsson and Persson 1993: 79, 94 (faunistics, discussion, biology); Nilsson 2001: 244 (catalogue, faunistics); Nilsson 2015: 212 (catalogue, faunistics). [Comments: information on Laccophilus grammicus outside Ethiopia and Eritrea is considered uncertain.]

Type locality.

Ethiopia: Abyssinia.

Type material studied

(3 exs.). Lectotype (by present desgination): male: "Type 569 / Type / Abyssinia / Sharp Coll. 1905-313 / Laccophilus grammicus sp. n. Abyssinia" (BMNH). - Paralecotytpes: "569 / Co-type / Abyssinia/Sharp Coll. 1905-313 / Laccophilus grammicus Shp Co-type"(1 female ex. BMNH); "Co-type / Abyss. Raffray / Abyssinia A. Raffray / Laccophilus grammicus Shp Co-type"(1 male ex. BMNH).

Additional material studied

(16 exs.). Ethiopia: "Stream W of Zaguala 6000 ft. 27.10. 1926 JOC." (5 exs. AMGS); "Abyss. Raffr. / Laccophilus grammicus Shp det. M. Brancucci" (3 exs. NHMB); "Tigray Province ca. 20 km E Axum 2000 m 17.4. 2006 leg. Wewalka" (4 exs. CGW; habitus in Fig. 491). - Eritrea: "Adi-Ugri 5. 1901 Andreini / Laccophilus grammicus Sharp det. Rocchi 1995" (2 exs. CSR); "Asmara-Decamere 25.5. 1963 Linnavuori" (1 ex. MZH); "Ghinda Levander" (6 exs. MZH).

Diagnosis.

Laccophilus grammicus resembles a number of species in the same species group and can therefore be difficult to identify solely using external features as appearance of body colour pattern. The species is, however, easily separated by examination of male genitalia; penis in apical half tapers gradually towards apex; in lateral aspect, penis very strongly curved.

Description.

Body length 4.1-4.3 mm, width 2.2-2.4 mm. Dorsal, colour pattern of body distinct and quite uniform (Fig. 491).

Head: Pale ferrugineous. Slightly mat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation double: number of fine meshes in one large mesh varies from 2-5. In part, double reticulation weakly developed and rather indistinct: fine and large meshes difficult to distinguish. At eyes and medially from eyes towards middle of head finely and sparsely punctured. Head extensively impunctate.

Pronotum: Pale ferrugineous; mediobasally with narrow blackish ferrugineous marking. Submat, finely microsculptured; reticulation double: large meshes contain 2-6 fine meshes. At margins with irregular, sparse row of fine punctures. At base, row of punctures in part absent.

Elytra: Pale ferrugineous, with distinct blackish to dark ferrugineous, longitudinal markings, which are in part reduced basally, slightly posterior to middle and apically (Fig. 491). Submat, finely microsculptured. Reticulation predominantly simple; large meshes discernible but vague and weakly developed. Three rather indistinct rows of sparse punctures are discernible.

Ventral aspect: Pale ferrugineous to dark ferrugineous. Almost impunctate. Very finely microsculptured; in part fine reticulation indistinct or absent. Metacoxal plates in anterior half with shallow, transversely located, in part rather indistinct furrows. Abdomen with fine, curved striae. Apical ventrite with sharp knob on one side (Fig. 162). Prosternal process slender, pointed.

Legs: Pro- and mesotarsus quite long, slightly enlarged, provided with suckers.

Male genitalia: Penis in apical half tapers rather evenly and gradually towards apex; in lateral aspect, penis very strongly curved (Figs 344-346).

Female: Apical ventrite lacks sharp knob (Fig. 163). Pro- and mesotarsus slender.

Distribution.

Ethiopia, Eritrea (Fig. 565). Records outside Ethiopia and Eritrea are considered doubtful.

Collecting circumstances.

Collected at high altitudes ( Omer-Cooper 1931, Nilsson and Persson 1993).