Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2008-08-22
Page range: 41–55
Abstract views: 48
PDF downloaded: 4

Revision of the Afrotropical genus Tritonus Mulsant (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae)

Division of Entomology, Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence KS 66049, USA
Coleoptera Hydrophilidae Laccobiini Afrotropical Madagascar Hygropetric habitats new species

Abstract

The previously monotypic genus Tritonus Mulsant is revised. Six new species are described from Madagascar, from which the genus is also recorded for the first time: T. complanatus sp.n., T. crenulatus sp.n., T. madagascarensis sp.n., T. riambavy sp.n., T. riana, sp.n., and T. steineri sp.n. New records for the previously described and Mauritian-endemic species Tritonus cribratus (Mulsant) are given. All known species occur in hygropetric habitats, consistent with the biology of other members of the Oocyclus-genus group of the tribe Laccobiini to which Tritonus belongs. A key to species, aedeagal illustrations, and scanning electron micrographs of diagnostic characters are provided.

References

  1. Bameul, F. (1986) Les Hydrophiloidea des îles Mascareignes (Coleoptera). Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 93, 875–910.

    Hansen, M. (1991) The hydrophiloid beetles: phylogeny, classification and a revision of the genera (Coleoptera, Hydrophiloidea). Biologiske Skrifter, Det Kongelike Danske Videnskabernes Selskab, 40, 1–367.

    Hansen, M. (1999) World Catalogue of Insects 2: Hydrophiloidea (s. str.) (Coleoptera). Apollo Books, Amsterdam, 416 pp.

    Komarek, A. & Beutel, R.G. (2007) Phylogenetic analysis of Anacaenini (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Hydrophilinae) based on morphological characters of adults. Systematic Entomology, 32, 205–226.

    Mulsant, E. (1844) Description de quelques Palpicornes inédits. Annals de la Société d’Agriculture de Lyon, 7, 372–382.

    d’Orchymont, A. (1929) Le genre Tritonus Mulsant (Col. Hydrophilidae). Bulletin et Annals de la Société entomologique de Belgique, 69, 107–114.

    Short, A.E.Z. & Perkins, P.D. (2004) A revision of the Oocyclus Sharp of Mexico and Central America (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). Zootaxa, 783, 1–45.

    Short, A.E.Z. & Swanson, A.P. (2005) A revision of the Oocyclus Sharp of Thailand with description of six new species (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). Zootaxa, 1078, 1–24.