A review of the genus Platynectes from the Solomon Islands (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Agabinae)
Hájek Jiří, Šťastný Jaroslav, Hendrich Lars, Balke Michael
Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 63(1): 57-74, 2023
Published online: 12th March 2023
Views: 1758
Abstract: Seven new species of the genus Platynectes Régimbart, 1879 from the Solomon
Islands are described: Platynectes barana sp. nov., P. mbaole sp. nov., P.
popomanaseu sp. nov. (all from Guadalcanal), P. lunga sp. nov. (Guadalcanal and
Savo), P. malaita sp. nov. (Malaita), P. makira sp. nov. (Makira) and P. owaraha
sp. nov. (Makira and Owaraha). Platynectes insularis J. Balfour-Browne, 1939,
described from Vanuatu and the Solomons, currently considered a junior
subjective synonym of P. semperi Régimbart, 1899, is reinstituted as a valid
species based on its morphology and a molecular analysis by Toussaint et al.
(2017). The paratypes of P. insularis from the Solomons are shown to belong to a
new species – P. owaraha sp. nov., and, thus, the distribution of P.
insularis is restricted to Vanuatu. Habitus and male genitalia are illustrated
for all seven new species and P. insularis. A checklist of Dytiscidae so far
recorded from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu is appended.
Key words: Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Platynectes, taxonomy, new species, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Melanesia, Australasian Region