Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5301 No. 2: 9 Jun. 2023
Type: Article
Published: 2023-06-09
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5301.2.8
Page range: 277-291
Abstract views: 434
PDF downloaded: 31

Larval morphology and new records of the iconic diving beetle Acilius sinensis Peschet, 1915 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Dytiscinae)—a species well established in western Yunnan, China

School of Natural Sciences; Laurentian University; Ramsey Lake Road; Sudbury; Ontario; Canada
Institute of Entomology; Life Sciences School; Sun Yat-sen University; Guangzhou; 510275; Guangdong; China
University of Buenos Aires; Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences; Department of Biodiversity and Experimental and Applied Biology (IBBEA); Buenos Aires; Argentina
Department of Entomology; National Museum; Cirkusová 1740; CZ-193 00 Praha 9 – Horní Počernice; Czech Republic
Coleoptera Dytiscidae Aciliini Palearctic region China larvae morphometry chaetotaxy distribution threatened species

Abstract

Adults and larvae of the very rare Chinese endemic species Acilius sinensis Peschet, 1915 are newly reported from three localities in western Yunnan, which indicates the presence of viable populations in this area. Based on the available data, the rarity of the species in collections is more caused by collecting bias than actual threat of its habitat loss. All larval instars of A. sinensis are for the first time described according to the now generalized larval descriptive format of Dytiscidae, which incorporates detailed chaetotaxic and morphometric analyses. Like other known Acilius Leach, 1817 larvae, A. sinensis is characterized by the typical Y-shaped median process of prementum. So far as the third instar larva is considered, A. sinensis shares with A. fraternus (Harris, 1828), A. kishii Nakane 1963, A. semisulcatus Aubé, 1838, and A. sulcatus (Linnaeus, 1758) the median process of prementum invaginated at nearly 75% of its length compared to less than 35% in A. abbreviatus Aubé, 1838, A. duvergeri Gobert, 1874, and A. canaliculatus (Nicolai, 1822). As far as chaetotaxy is concerned, A. sinensis is distinguished by the presence of the primary pore PAo located on the ventral face of the parietal. The habitat of the species is briefly commented. Acilius sinensis is here newly proposed for inclusion in the IUCN red list in the category Vulnerable.

 

References

  1. Alarie, Y. & Michat, M.C. (2023) Larval chaetotaxy of world Dytiscidae (Coleoptera: Adephaga) and implications for the study of Hydradephaga. In: Yee, D.A. (Ed.), Ecology, Systematics, and the Natural History of Predaceous Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). 2nd Edition. Springer Nature Switzerland AG, Cham, pp. 17–53. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-01245-7_2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-01245-7_2
  2. Alarie, Y., Michat, M.C. & Miller, K.B. (2011) Notation of primary setae and pores on larvae of Dytiscinae (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), with phylogenetic considerations. Zootaxa, 3087 (1), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3087.1.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3087.1.1
  3. Alarie, Y., Michat, M.C., Shaverdo, H. & Hájek, J. (2023) Morphology of the larvae of Sandracottus femoralis Heller, 1934, and S. mixtus (Blanchard, 1843) and phylogenetic comparison with other known Aciliini (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Dytiscinae). Zootaxa, 5263 (3), 301–334. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.3.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.3.1
  4. Aubé, C. (1838) Species général des hydrocanthares et gyriniens; pour faire suite au species général des coléoptères de la collection de M. le comte Dejean. Méquignon Père et Fils, Paris, xvi + 804 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.59232 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.59232
  5. Bergsten, J. & Miller, K.B. (2006) Taxonomic revision of the Holarctic diving beetle genus Acilius Leach (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Systematic Entomology, 31, 145–197. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.2005.00309.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.2005.00309.x
  6. Bertrand, H. (1928) Les larves et nymphes des dytiscides, hygrobiides et haliplides. Imprimerie Paul Lechevalier, Paris, 336 pp.
  7. Brancucci, M. (1983) Revision des espèces est-paléarctiques, orientales et australiennes du genre Laccophilus (Col. Dytiscidae). Entomologische Arbeiten aus dem Museum G. Frey, 31/32, 241–426.
  8. Bukontaite, R., Miller, K.B. & Bergsten, J. (2014) The utility of CAD in recovering Gondwanan vicariance events and the evolutionary history of Aciliini (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). BMC Evolutionary Biology, 14 (5), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-14-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-14-5
  9. Dejean, P.F.M.A. (1833) Catalogue des coléoptères de la collection de M. le comte Dejean. Mequignon-Marvis père et fils, Paris, 176 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.8771 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.8771
  10. Dettner, K. (1982) Description of the larvae of Acilius duvergeri (Col., Dytiscidae), with keys to larvae of European species of genus Acilius and of the European genera of subfamily Dytiscinae. Aquatic Insects, 4, 81–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/01650428209361087 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01650428209361087
  11. Galewski, K. (1991) The larvae of central European species of Acilius Leach (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Bulletin de l’Académie Polonaise des Sciences, Série des Sciences Biologiques, 39, 321–332.
  12. Gobert, E. (1874) Description d’une espèce nouvelle d’Acilius. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, Series 5, 4, 439–442.
  13. Harris, T.W. (1828) Contributions to entomology. No. V. New England Farmer, 7 (20), 156.
  14. Hendrich, L. (2008) Rediscovery of Acilius sinensis Peschet, 1915 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Koleopterologische Rundschau, 78, 37–41.
  15. Fiori, G. (1949) Contributi alla conoscenza morfologica ed etologica dei coleotteri. III. Le larve dell’Acilius sulcatus L. e del Cybister lateralimarginalis De Geer (Dytiscidae). Bollettino dell’Istituto di Entomologia dell’Università di Bologna, 17, 234–264.
  16. James, H.G. (1969) Immature stages of five diving beetles (Coleoptera), notes on their habitats and life history, and a key to aquatic beetles of vernal woodland ponds in southern Ontario. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 100, 59–97.
  17. Leach, W.E. (1817) XIX. Synopsis of the stirpes and genera of the family Dyticidea. In: The Zoological Miscellany: being descriptions of new, or interesting animals. Vol. 3. E. Nodder & Son, London, pp. 68–73. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.41372 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.41372
  18. Linnaeus, C. (1758) Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum caracteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. L. Salvii, Holmiae, 824 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.542 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.542
  19. Matta, J.F. & Peterson, D.E. (1987) The larvae of two North American diving beetles of the genus Acilius (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 89, 440–443.
  20. Michat, M.C. (2013) Description of the larvae of Thermonectus alfredi Griffini, 1898 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae. Koleopterologische Rundschau, 83, 7–15.
  21. Michat, M.C., Alarie, Y. & Miller, K.B. (2017) Higher-level phylogeny of diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) based on larval characters. Systematic Entomology, 42, 734–767. https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12243 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12243
  22. Michat, M.C. & Torres, P.L.M. (2005) Larval morphology of Thermonectus succinctus (Aubé 1838) (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Dytiscinae), with biological notes and chaetotaxic analysis. Aquatic Insects, 27, 281–292. https://doi.org/10.1080/01650420500294021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01650420500294021
  23. Michat, M.C. & Torres, P.L.M. (2016) Thermonectus tremouillesi sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Aciliini): description of the adults and larvae and comparisons with other species of the genus. Journal of Natural History, 50, 1633–1648. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2016.1145274 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2016.1145274
  24. Miller, K.B. & Bergsten, J. (2016) Diving beetles of the world. Systematics and biology of the Dytiscidae. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 320 pp. https://doi.org/10.1093/ae/tmx033 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ae/tmx033
  25. Nakajima, M. (1995) A life history of Acilius kishii Nakane (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), with special reference to the morphological characters of the larvae. Entomological Journal of Fukui, 16, 3–11. [in Japanese]
  26. Nakane, T. (1963) New or little-known Coleoptera from Japan and its adjacent regions. XVIII. Fragmenta Coleopterologica, 6, 23–26.
  27. Nicolai, E.A. (1822) Dissertatio inauguralis medica sistens Coleopterorum species agri Halensis quam consensu illustrissimi medicorum ordinis in celeberrima Academia Fridericiana Halensi et Vitebergensi consociata pro summis in medicina et chirurgia honoribus rite obtinendis. Die X. mensis septembris MDCCCXXII. Publice defendet auctor Ernestus Augustus Nicolai Arnstadio-Thuringus. Frid. Aug. Grunert, Halae, 44 + [4] pp.
  28. Nilsson, A.N. (1988) A review of primary setae and pores on legs of larval Dytiscidae (Coleoptera). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 66, 2283–2294. https://doi.org/10.1139/z88-339 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/z88-339
  29. Nilsson, A.N. & Hájek, J. (2023) A world catalogue of the family Dytiscidae, or the diving beetles (Coleoptera, Adephaga). Version 1.I.2023. Distributed as a PDF file via Internet. Available from: http://www.waterbeetles.eu (accessed 14 March 2023)
  30. Okuno, H., Kubota, H., Nakajima, M. & Sasaji, H. (1996) Life history of Acilius kishii Nakane (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Special publication of the Entomological Society of Fukui, 1, 1–53 [in Japanese]
  31. Omer-Cooper, J. (1956) Tikoloshanes, a new genus of Dytiscidae (Col.) from South Africa. Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London (B), 25, 79–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.1956.tb01095.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.1956.tb01095.x
  32. Peschet, R. (1915) Description d’un Acilius nouveau de Chine (Col. Dytiscidae). Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 1915, 288–290. https://doi.org/10.3406/bsef.1915.25829 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/bsef.1915.25829
  33. Sharp, D. (1882) On aquatic carnivorous Coleoptera or Dytiscidae. The Scientific Transactions of the Royal Dublin Society, Series 2, 2, 179–1003, pls. 7–18. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.9530 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.9530
  34. Wilson, C.B. (1923) Water beetles in relation to pond fish culture, with life histories of those found in fishponds at Fairport, Iowa. Bulletin of the US Bureau of Fisheries, 39, 231–345.
  35. Watts, C.H.S. (1970) The larvae of some Dytiscidae from Delta, Manitoba. The Canadian Entomologist, 102, 716–728. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent102716-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent102716-6
  36. Wolfe, G.W. (1980) The larva and pupa of Acilius fraternus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) from the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee. The Coleopterists Bulletin, 34, 121–126.