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Type: Article
Published: 2014-03-19
Page range: 573–584
Abstract views: 36
PDF downloaded: 1

A taxonomic synopsis of Limnogeton Mayr, 1853 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Belostomatidae)

Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel. Avenida Antônio Trilha 1847. Centro, São Gabriel, RS, Brasil. CEP 97300-000.
Service de Mycobactériologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Cameroun-Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur, BP 1274 Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD, UR072 BP 1857), Yaoundé, Cameroon. Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes et Spéciation, UPR 9034, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 91198 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France et Université Paris-Sud 11, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Systématique et Evolution, UMR 7205 CNRS, CP50 - 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.
Aquatic insects Giant water bugs taxonomy male genitalia Clinal variation

Abstract

The Afrotropical Belostomatidae fauna has long proved to be a difficult taxonomic problem, not so much for the overwhelmingly large number of species involved but rather because of a lack of trained specialists. The rarity of some taxa also contributes to confusion, because some species remain poorly described or are known only from one or two specimens. During a visit to the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France and the Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgium, it was possible to comprehensively review the Limnogeton species based mainly on the specimens housed in the aforementioned collections. An updated key to adults of all species presently included in the genus, particularly based on male genitalia characters studied during the present study, has been provided.