Laccodytes rondonia, Toledo, Mario, Spangler, Paul J. & Balke, Michael, 2010

Toledo, Mario, Spangler, Paul J. & Balke, Michael, 2010, Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical diving beetles genus Laccodytes Régimbart, 1895 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), Zootaxa 2347, pp. 37-58 : 44-45

Laccodytes rondonia sp.n.

Figs (1, 26, 29, 42, 45, 55, 62)

Type locality. Brazil: Rondônia , 62 km SW Ariquemes.

Type material. Holotype 3 ( NMW): Brazil, Rondônia , 62 km SW Ariquemes, near Fz. Rancho Grande, 8.–20.XI.1994, Eger & O´Brien. Paratypes: same data as holotype (15 exs CLH, CMT, NMW, BMNH, ZSM).

Diagnosis. Habitus ( Figs 1 , 29 ). Close to the preceding species, from which differs principally for the less extended and sharper dark patterns and aedeagal features. Body length 1.7 mm. Body slightly drop-shaped, tip of elytron truncated. Hind angle of pronotum slightly produced backwards, faintly needle-shaped.

Color. Head and pronotum yellow, middle of base a bit darker. Elytron black with contrasting yellow pattern as in Fig. 29 , entire marginal area yellow except for tiny darker area at base, below pronotal hind angle. Appendages and venter yellow to orange.

Sculpture. Dorsal and ventral surface of the beetle with a faint MR, except for base of metaventrite as well as posterior part of metacoxal process. Rather regular, honeycomb shaped on head and pronotum; more irregular, slightly elongate and horizontally orientated on elytron, apparently with very small punctures (100x). Metaventrite with MR of larger polygonal meshes posteriorly and few punctures; metaxcoxal process with MR anteriorly, posteriorly only with punctures; metacoxa with numerous diagonally orientated longish cells, giving the impression of a dense diagonal striation or dense punctation depending on angle of observation.

Structures. Pronotum with narrow lateral bead; posterior angle produced backwards, acute, but less developed than in L. apalodes . Prosternum with ridge, prosternal process not ridged; prosternal process carinate and with a very long, needle shaped tip ( Fig. 42 ). Epipleuron broad up to level of sternite 6 or 7. Metatibia very short and compact, only about 1/2 as long as metafemur. Metatarsomeres 1–4 with apicolateral angle distinctly lobed. Hind lobes of metacoxal process wing shaped, with a large and wide V-shaped notch in between.

Male. Pro- and mesotarsi slightly dilated. Hind margin of sternite 7 truncate, middle slightly convex ( Fig. 55 ). Aedeagus ( Fig. 45 ): median lobe similar to the preceding species, but larger, shorter and more robust, straight; the widened central portion is more extended and a rounded membraneous process emerges. Parameres different in size, both with more than one apical very long seta.

Female. Sternite 7 ( Fig. 55 ) rounded on both sides, hind margin with a small and shallow V-shaped emargination in the middle.

Distribution ( Fig. 62). Southwestern Brazil, State of Rondônia .

Biology. Found in a stream.

Derivatio nominis. Named for the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Habitus of: 1) Laccodytes rondonia sp. n.; 2) L. bassignanii sp. n.

FIGURES 28 – 39. Subschematic body shape and colour patterns: 28) Laccodytes apalodes; 29) L. rondonia; 30) L. americanus; 31) L. phalacroides; 32) L. takutuanus; 33 a – 33 b) L. neblinae (variation of elytral patterns); 34) L. bassignanii; 35) L. obscuratus; 36) L. olibroides; 37) L. androginus; 38) Laccodytes sp. 1.; 39) Laccodytes sp. 2.

FIGURES 40 – 43. Line drawings of prosternal process: 40) Laccodytes takutuanus; 41) L. phalacroides; 42) L. rondonia; 43) L. olibroides.

FIGURES 54 – 61. Last abdominal segment (left male; right female) in Laccodytes species: 54) L. apalodes; 55) L. rondonia; 56) L. americanus; 57) L. phalacroides; 58) L. takutuanus; 59) L. neblinae; 60) L. bassignanii; 61) Laccodytes sp. 1 female.

FIGURES 44 – 47. Male genitals in Laccodytes species: 44) L. apalodes: a) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view, b – c) right and left parameres; 45) L. rondonia: idem; 46) L. americanus: idem; 47) L. phalacroides: a) apical half of median lobe of aedeagus in dorsal view, b) median lobe in lateral view, c – d) right and left parameres;