Laccophilus uncletan, Hájek & Šťastný, 2005

Hájek, Jiří & Šťastný, Jaroslav, 2005, Two new species of Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) from India and Borneo with notes on other species of the genus, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 45, pp. 51-58 : 53-54

Laccophilus uncletan sp. nov.

( Figs. 2, 4 )

? Laccophilus chini Balke, Mazzoldi & Hendrich, 1998: 72 (partim).

Type locality. Malaysia, Sabah, Kinabatangan river, Uncle Tan’s camp.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, ‘ Malaysia, Sabah / Kinabatangan riv.[er] / 8.-15.6.[20]03, Uncle Tan’s / camp, J. Šťastný lgt. [printed] // HOLOTYPE / LACCOPHILUS / uncletan sp. nov. / J. Hájek & J. Šťastný det. 2005’ [printed, red label] ( NMPC) . PARATYPES: 2JJ 5♀♀, same label data as holotype ( JSCL, NMPC, NMW). Each paratype is provided with a red label similar to that of the holotype, except ‘PARATYPE’ instead of ‘HOLOTYPE’, the respective sex symbol and collection number.

Description. Oval and oblong; head testaceous, pronotum testaceous with blackish basal band and two subbasal spots, elytra blackish with testaceous pattern as depicted in Fig. 2 . Ventral parts and appendages testaceous.

Measurements. Body length 3.50-3.80 mm (mean value = 3.62 mm, holotype 3.65 mm), width 1.83-1.95 mm (mean value = 1.88 mm, holotype 1.85 mm).

Head. Coloration testaceous with indistinct darker spots. Reticulation double, composed of almost imperceptible polygonal meshes, and microreticulation of fine isodiametric meshes. Frons between eyes and clypeus with several large punctures. Mouthparts testaceous.

Pronotum. Coloration testaceous with thin basal blackish band and two subbasal blackish spots. Reticulation double, composed of slightly impressed large polygonal meshes and microreticulation of fine isodiametric meshes similar to that of head. Anterior margin, basal margin and posterior angles with numerous setigerous punctures.

Elytra. Coloration blackish with testaceous markings comprising subbasal transverse sinuous band, mediolateral spot, subapical transverse sinuous band and apical spot. Sutural part of elytra blackish; in some specimens all testaceous markings connected in epipleural part. Reticulation on whole elytra distinctly double, similar to that of pronotum. Each elytron with sutural, discal and lateral row of large serial setigerous punctures.

Ventral side. Testaceous and microreticulated. Prosternal process long and acute. Abdominal sternites laterally with oblique grooves and several large punctures. Posterior margin of anal sternite prominent medially with cluster of setigerous punctures, and moderately incised laterally.

Legs. Completely testaceous. Male tarsomeres 1-3 of fore and middle legs only weakly dilated with microtrichia on ventral side. Claws of fore as well as middle tarsi simple and equal.

Male genitalia. Shape of median lobe and parameres as in Fig. 4 .

Female. Generally similar to male. Posterior margin of anal sternite laterally only slightly incised, medially more prominent than in male, with truncate apex. Tarsomeres of fore and middle tarsi not dilated.

Differential diagnosis. Based on the double elytral reticulation and the long and acute prosternal process, the new species is classified into the Laccophilus siamensis -group sensu BRAN- CUCCI (1983). Its sister species is L. chini Balke, Mazzoldi & Hendrich, 1998 , from which L. uncletan sp. nov. can be reliably distinguished only by the male genitalia. In L. uncletan sp. nov. the median lobe is more slender, ventrally without a subbasal rectangular spur, and has an almost rounded apex.

Distribution. Known only from northern Sabah state ( Malaysia).

Bionomy. The specimens were collected in primary lowland forest in a shallow oxbow of the river Kinabatangan together with L. bacchusi Brancucci, 1983 , L. ritsemae Régimbart, 1880 and L. s. siamensis Sharp, 1882 . They inhabited muddy water near the banks of small drains flowing to the oxbow. The substrate was silty with accumulated decaying leaves.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Mr. Tan Su Lim known as ‘Uncle Tan’, an enthusiastic supporter of ecology popularisation and a leading environmentalist in Sabah. The noun is used in apposition.

Figures

Figs 1-4. 1, 3 – Laccophilus boukali sp. nov. 1 – habitus; 3 – median lobe in lateral view. 2, 4 – L. uncletan sp. nov. 2 – habitus; 4 – aedeagus (a – median lobe in lateral view; b – apex of median lobe in dorsal view; c – left paramere; d – right paramere). Scale bars: 2 mm (Figs 1-2); 0.5 mm (Figs 3-4).