Copelatus insolitus Chevrolat, 1863

Megna, Yoandri S. & Epler, John H., 2012, A review of Copelatus from Cuba, with the description of two new species (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Copelatinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52 (2), pp. 383-410 : 396-398

Copelatus insolitus Chevrolat, 1863

( Figs. 6 , 14, 18 , 31 )

Copelatus insolitus Chevrolat, 1863: 201 .

Copelatus insolitus: GUNDLACH (1891: 37) , YOUNG (1942: 83), SPANGLER (1981: 153), NILSSON (2001: 66), PECK (2005: 44).

Type locality. Cuba, La Habana Province. The type locality of C. insolitus is Havana, but doubt exists on the occurrence of this species there due to the fact that all material examined previously from Cuba, Jamaica and Central America has been from rather high mountains ( YOUNG 1942).

Material examined. CUBA: SANCTI SPÍRITUS: Tope de Collantes , 29.vi.10, Y. S. Megna leg., 19 exs. ; Codina , 01.vii.2010, Y. S. Megna leg., 13 exs. SANTIAGO DE CUBA: La Majagua, 14.viii.2004, Y. S. Megna leg., 74 exs. ; La Platica , 12.vi.2004, Y. S. Megna leg., 3 exs. ; La Estrella , 01.xii.2005, Y. S. Megna leg., 22 exs. ; La Cubana , 02.xii.2005, Y. S. Megna leg., 25 exs. ; Las Candelarias , 16.xi.2005, Y. S. Megna & A. Deler-Hernández leg., 3 exs. ; Gran Piedra , 01.v.2005, Y. S. Megna, Y. Alarie & A. Deler-Hernández leg., 3 exs., 03.viii.2005, Deler-Hernández leg., 32 exs. ; El Olimpo , 04.viii.2005, Deler-Hernández leg., 7 exs. ; Los Morones , 18.vi.2008, Y. S. Megna leg., 1 ex. ; Loma del Gato , 25.vi.2009, Deler-Hernández leg., 8 exs. GUANTÁNAMO: Monte Iberia, 07.ii.2004, Y. S. Megna leg., 1 ex. ; 04.x.2003, Y. S. Megna leg., 2 exs.

Diagnosis. TL 5.3–5.9 mm; EW 2.5–2.9 mm; see Table 1 for remaining body measurements. Female unlike male, with elytral striae undulating/anastomosing; male protibia with two ventrobasal emarginations, and median lobe in lateral aspect as in Figure 14a . See under C. darlingtoni .

Ecology. All material examined previously from Cuba, Jamaica and Central America has been from rather high mountains ( YOUNG 1942). The species was frequently collected in backwaters of small streams with muddy-stony bottoms, abundant detritus, located in highlands with a low exposure to sun and without aquatic vegetation.

Distribution. This species is known from Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola and Central America ( YOUNG 1942). It is widely distributed in Cuba ( Fig. 31 ).

Remarks. The type locality of C. insolitus is Havana, but doubt exists on the occurrence of this species there due to the fact that all material examined previously from Cuba, Jamaica and Central America has been from rather high mountains ( YOUNG 1942). The widespread C. insolitus is joined in Cuba by three other rather similar species apparently endemic to Cuba: C. barbouri , C. darlingtoni and C. montivagus . These Cuban species are not known to occur together. YOUNG (1942: 90) hypothesized that these species represented “developing endemic forms on the various isolated mountain ranges.” The males all lack well defined striae and possess similar, but different, color patterns; they can be separated by the shape of their protibiae and their genitalia. Females of C. darlingtoni , C. insolitus and C. montivagus are very similar and are best separated with comparative material or by association with males; the female of C. barbouri lacks elytral striae.

Figures

Figs.1–8. Habitus and color patterns of Copelatus species from Cuba.1 – C.barbouri Young, 1942; 2 – C. caelatipennis angustatus Chevrolat, 1863; 3 – C. cordovai sp. nov.; 4 – C. cubaensis Schaeffer, 1908; 5 – Copelatus darlingtoni Young, 1942; 6 – C. insolitus Chevrolat, 1863; 7 – C. montivagus Young, 1942; 8 – C. posticatus (Fabricius, 1801).

Figs. 12–19. Male genitalia (12–15) and left protibia (16–19) of Cuban species of Copelatus. 12, 16 – C. barbouri Young, 1942; 13, 17 – C. darlingtoni Young, 1942; 14, 18 – C. insolitus Chevrolat, 1863; 15, 19 – C. montivagus Young, 1942. Parts of male genitalia: a – median lobe of the aedeagus in left lateral view, b – same in ventral lateral view, c – left paramere in lateral view.

Figs. 28–31. Known distribution of Copelatus species in Cuba. 28 – C. cubaensis Schaeffer, 1908; 29 – C. danyi sp. nov.; 30 – C. darlingtoni Young, 1942; 31 – C. insolitus Chevrolat, 1863. See Appendix 1 for additional information on the localities reported in each map.