Hernando, Carles

Ribera, I.

Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert

Miscel.Iania Zooloqica 21.2 (1 998) 91 
Limnichus mateui n. spm4 
(Coleoptera, Limnichidae) 
from Gabon (Africa) 
C. Hernando & l. Ribera 
Hernando, C. & Ribera, l . ,  1998. Limnichusmateuin. sp. (Coleoptera, Lirnnichidae) frorn Gabon (Africa). 
Misc. ZOOI. , 2  1.2: 9 1 -94. 
Lirnnichus rnateui n. sp. (Coleoptera, Limnichidae) from Gabon (Africa).- Limnichus mateui n. sp. is 
described frorn Gabon. The species is characterized by its aedeagus and sorne externa1 characters. Its 
affinities can be only tentatively discussed, dueto incornplete knowledge on the species of the genus 
Limnichus. 
Key words: Coleoptera, Dryopoidea, Lirnnichidae, Limnichus mateuin. sp., Gabon, Afrotropical region. 
(Rebut: 78 VI 98; Acceptació condicional: 9 XI 98; Acc. definitiva: 25 XI 98) 
Carles Hernando, Museu de Zoologia, Ap. de correus 593, 08080 Barcelona, Espanya (Spain).- Ignacio 
Ribera, Dept. o f  Entomolog~ The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 SBD, UK 
(United Kingdom). 
ISSN: 02 1 1-6529 O 1998 Museu de Zoologia 
Hernando & Ribera 
lntroduction 
The genus Limnichus Latreille, 1829 is one of 
the most diversified of the family Limnichidae, 
with a distribution mainly centred in the 
Palaearctic, Oriental, Australian and Ethio- 
pian regions (DALM TORRE, 191 1; WINKLER, 1926). 
The taxonomy of the genus, and in particu- 
lar that of the Palaearctic species, i s  s t i l l  only 
precariously known, most descriptions being 
based almost exclusively on externa1 charac- 
ters. However, the described Ethiopian spe- 
cies of the genus (excluding the species de- 
scribed from Madagascar) are well known 
since the revision by DELEVE (1968). who pro- 
vided detailed descriptions and figures of 
the aedeagus of al1 species of which males 
were available. The examination of the 
aquatic Coleoptera captured with light traps 
by Dr. J. Mateu in Gabon led t o  the discovery 
of a single male of a new species of 
Limnichus, which is described below. 
Results 
Limnichus mateui n. sp. 
Type locality 
Makokou, Gabon. 
Type material 
Holotype, male (Museu de Zoologia, Barce- 
lona, registration number: 98-1176): "GA- 
BON, Makokou, 1-15 V 1971, J. Mateu leg." 
and with holotype label. 
Description 
Total length 2.1 mm with the head not in- 
cluded, 2.3 including the head in a natural 
position. Body shape oval, strongly convex. 
Dark brown, al1 the body covered with a 
dense, short, hydrophobic pubescence. The 
pubescence may present golden glints or 
appear almost inconspicuous depending on 
the orientation of the hairs. 
Pronotum trapezoidal, highly transverse, 
finely bordered on the sides and the ante- 
rior margin. where the border i s  wider. An- 
terior margin regularly and strongly concave, 
posterior margin bisinuate on both sides, 
with a dense and slightly impressed punc- 
tuation uniformly distributed, similar to that 
of the head. 
Elytra with the maximum width in the 
middle, apex somewhat pointed, with a 
double punctuation, one less impressed, 
similar to  that of the pronotum, and a sec- 
ond one formed by larger punctures, well 
impressed, uniformly distributed on al1 the 
surface, but with no recognizable striae. 
Space between punctures larger than their 
diameter. 
Hind wings normally developed (the type 
specimen was collected in a light trap, so it 
can be assumed that i t  was a good flier). 
Antenna with the first segment wider and 
shorter than the second, quadrangular in 
shape. Third segment as wide as the second, 
but much shorter (the length of the 2nd 
segment is approximately equal to  that of 
the 3rd plus the 4th segments). Segments 5 
and 6 subequal, short, quadrangular. Seg- 
ment 7 very short. Segments 9 to 11 forming 
a loose club, the last one larger and longer, 
with the apex somewhat asymmetric. Antenna 
with a double pubescence. one short and 
dense, the other formed by long sparse hairs, 
particularly apparent in the club. 
Metasternum with a uniform strong 
punctuation. Space between punctures 
with a smooth appearance, with traces of 
microreticulation. Prosternal and metas- 
terna1 apophyses and sternites strongly 
pubescent. Last visible sternite with a semi- 
circular indentation. 
Aedeagus as in figure l. strongly sclerotised. 
Phallobase extremely elongated (2.8 times 
longer than the parameres), slightly twisted 
and curved towards the right (ventral view), 
with a basal ring strongly sclerotised and 
hooked. Strouts reaching the base of the 
phallobase. Parameres strongly widened at 
the base, with the apex narrow and regu- 
larly pointed. Median lobe narrow and with 
the apex rounded, slightly widened towards 
the base. In lateral view the median lobe 
and the parameres form an approximately 
45" angle with the phallobase. 
Females unknown. 
Distribution 
So far known only from the type locality. 
Etymology 
We are very pleased to  name this new spe- 
cies after the renowned entomologist 
Joaquim Mateu, who collected the type. 
Miscel.lania Zoologica 21.2 (1998) 
phallobase places it close t o  L. africanus Pic. 
1923 (Ghana) and L. waelbroeckiDeleve, 1968 
(Kinshasa, lake Kivu, possibly Katanga) (see 
figs. 1 and 3 in DELEVE, 1968). although in L. 
rnateui n. sp. i t  i s  longer than in any other 
known species. The structure of the antenna, 
and some other externa1 characters (punc- 
tuation, total length, etc.) are also charac- 
ters separating L. rnateui n. sp. from these 
two species. 
Lirnnichus rufipes Pic, 1923 (Ivory Coast), 
only known from the holotype female, is 
smaller (ca. 1.5 mm, head excluded), has a 
feebly impressed elytral punctuation, and the 
disk of the metasternum impunctured (DELEVE, 
1968), al1 these characters differing from L. 
rnateui n. sp. Similarly, Lirnnichus atripes Pic, 
1953, described from Somalia, is smaller (1.5- 
2 mm), black, with greyish pubescence, and 
with the elytra with a faint punctuation (Pic, 
1953). The aedeagus of this species is how- 
ever unkonwn. 
Acknowledgements 
We thank Dr. J. Mateu for allowing us to  
study the aquatic Coleoptera he collected in 
Gabon, and A. Pütz and A. Mascagni for 
their comrnents on the rnanuscript. 
Resumen 
rnateui n. sp., ventral view. 
Genitalia masculina de Limnichu 
mateui S,. n., vista ventral. 
Limnichus mateui n. sp. (Coleoptera, 
Lirnnichidae) del Gabón (África) 
Discussion 
As noted in the Introduction, the taxonorny 
of the species of the genus Lirnnichus is in 
urgent need of revision, and in consequence 
the relationships of L. rnateui n. sp. can only 
be tentatively discussed. The structure of the 
aedeagus and the presence of a semicircular 
indentation in the last visible sternite sepa- 
rates it frorn al1 the Palaearctic species of 
Lirnnichus that we have so far examined (un- 
published observations). Among the Ethio- 
pian species, the extremely elongated 
Se describe Limnichus rnateui sp. n. del 
Gabón. La especie se caracteriza fundamen- 
talmente por la estructura del edeago (fig. 1) 
(con la base extraordinariamente alargada y 
los parámeros dilatados en su base), así como 
por otros caracteres externos (estructura de 
las antenas, puntuación del metasterno, etc.). 
Parece próxima a L. africanus Pic. 1923 y L. 
waelbroecki Deleve, 1968 debido a la 
elongación de la base del edeago, aunque 
en L. rnateuisp. n. ésta es más larga, además 
de tener una estructura de los parámeros y 
lóbulo medio diferente. Las relaciones entre 
las especies del género Limnichus son sin 
embargo difíciles de establecer, debido al 
estado precario de su taxonomía (y en parti- 
cular el de las especies paleárticas). 
94 Hernando & Ribera 
Ref erences (Coleoptera Limnichidae). Bull. Ann. Soc. 
R. Ent. Belg., 104: 21 2-274. 
DALLA TORRE, K. W. VON, 1911. Pars 33. PIC, M., 1953. Coléopteres nouveaux de 
Nosodendridae, Byrrhidae, Dermestidae. In: I'Afrique Orientale. At t i  Mus. stor. nat. 
Coleopterorurn Catalogus: 10-38 (W. Junk Trieste, 19: 110-1 14. 
& S. Schenkling, Eds.). W. Junk, Berlin. WINKLER, A. 1926. Catalogus Coleopterorurn 
DELEVE, J. 1968. Contribution a I'etude des regionispalaearcticae, Pars 6. A. Winkler, 
" Dryopoidea". Les Limnichidae dlAfrique Wien. 


Limnichus mateui n. sp. (Coleoptera, Limnichidae) from Gabon (Africa)

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