Taxonomic revision of Afrotropical Laccophilus Leach, 1815 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae)

Abstract

The African species of the genus Laccophilus Leach, 1815, are revised, on the basis of study of adult specimens. In all, 105 species are now recognized. A phenetic character-analysis was undertaken, which resulted in a split of the genus into 17 species groups. Diagnoses and a description of each species are given together with keys for identification of species groups and species. We also provide habitus photos, illustration of male genitalia and distribution maps for all species. New species are described as follows: L. grossus sp. n. (Angola, Namibia), L. rocchii sp. n. (Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique), L. ferrugo sp. n. (Mozambique), L. furthi sp. n. (Madagascar), L. isamberti sp. n. (Madagascar), L. inobservatus sp. n. (Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zaire and Asia: Yemen), L. cryptos sp. n. (Zaire, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa), L. enigmaticus sp. n. (Nigeria, Sudan), L. bellus sp. n. (Benin, Nigeria), L. guentheri sp. n. (Guinea, Ghana), L. guineensis sp. n. (Guinea), L. decorosus sp. n. (Uganda), L. empheres sp. n. (Kenya), L. inconstans sp. n. (Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon), L. brancuccii sp. n. (Central African Republic), L. incomptus sp. n. (Cameroon), L. australis sp. n. (Tanzania, South Africa), L. minimus sp. n. (Namibia), L. eboris sp. n. (Ivory Coast), L. insularum sp. n. (Madagascar), L. occidentalis sp. n. (Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Zaire) and L. transversovittatus sp. n. (Madagascar). L. restrictus Sharp, 1882, is restored as good species; not junior synonym of L. pictipennis Sharp, 1882. New synonyms are established as follows: L. continentalis Gschwendtner, 1935 = L. perplexus Omer- Cooper, 1970, syn. n., L. taeniolatus Regimbart, 1889 = L. congener Omer-Cooper, 1957, syn. n., L. adspersus Boheman, 1848 = L. vitshumbii Guignot, 1959, syn. n. = L. adspersus nigeriensis Omer-Cooper, 1970, syn. n. = L. adspersus sudanensis Omer-Cooper, 1970, syn. n., L. modestus Regimbart, 1895 = L. espanyoli Hernando, 1990, syn. n., L. flaveolus Regimbart, 1906 = L. pampinatus Guignot, 1941, syn. n., L. trilineola Regimbart, 1889 = L. simulator Omer-Cooper, 1958, syn. n., L. mediocris Guignot, 1952 = L. meii Rocchi, 2000, syn. n., L. epinephes Guignot, 1955 = L. castaneus Guignot, 1956, syn. n., L. saegeri Guignot, 1958 = L. comoensis Pederzani & Reintjes, 2002, syn. n., L. restrictus Sharp, 1882 = L. evanescens Regimbart, 1895, syn. n., L. incrassatus Gschwendtner, 1933 = L. virgatus Guignot, 1953, syn. n., L. cyclopis Sharp, 1882 = L. shephardi Omer-Cooper, 1965, syn. n., L. burgeoni Gschwendtner, 1930 = L. wittei Guignot, 1952, syn. n., L. secundus Regimbart, 1895 = L. torquatus Guignot, 1956, syn. n., L. desintegratus Regimbart, 1895 = L. sanguinosus Regimbart, 1895, syn. n. and L. flavopictus Regimbart, 1889 = L. bergeri Guignot, 1953, syn. n. = L. segmentatus Omer-Cooper, 1957, syn. n. Lectotypes are designated for the following taxa: L. productus Regimbart, 1906, L. ruficollis Zimmermann, 1919, L. sordidus Sharp, 1882, L. alluaudi Regimbart, 1899, L. pictipennis Sharp, 1882, L. wehnckei Sharp, 1882, L. continentalis Gschwendtner, 1935, L. simplicistriatus Gschwendtner, 1932, L. complicatus Sharp, 1882, L. rivulosus Klug, 1833, L. ampliatus Regimbart, 1895, L. pilitarsis Regimbart, 1906, L. adspersus Boheman, 1848, L. livens Regimbart, 1895, L. modestus Regimbart, 1895, L. nodieri Regimbart, 1895, L. flaveolus Regimbart, 1906, L. pallescens Regimbart, 1903, L. restrictus Sharp, 1882, L. vermiculosus Gerstaecker, 1867, L. mocquerysi Regimbart, 1895, L. bizonatus Regimbart, 1895, L. tschoffeni Regimbart, 1895, L. persimilis Regimbart, 1895, L. poecilus Klug, 1834, L. lateralis Sharp, 1882, L. lateralis var. polygrammus Regimbart, 1903, L. cyclopis Sharp, 1882, L. shephardi Omer-Cooper, 1965, L. conjunctus Guignot, 1950, L. grammicus Sharp, 1882, L. flavoscriptus Regimbart, 1895, L. flavosignatus Regimbart, 1895, L. brevicollis Sharp, 1882, L. secundus Regimbart, L. desintegratus Regimbart, 1895, L. gutticollis Regimbart, 1895, L. luctuosus Sharp, 1882 and L. inornatus Zimmermann, 1926. Laccophilus remex Guignot, 1952, comprises a species complex with uncertain taxonomic delimitation; the complex includes L. concisus Guignot, 1953, L. turneri Omer-Cooper, 1957 and L. praeteritus Omer-Cooper, 1957, as tentative synonyms of L. remex Guignot, 1952.