Laccotrephes


Laccotrephes is a genus of water scorpion belonging to the family Nepidae. They are carnivorous insects that hunt near the water surface. They are not aggressive, but may inflict a painful bite if not handled carefully, which may cause a local reaction. There are about 60 species found in shallow stagnant or slow-moving waters in warm parts of Africa, Asia and Australia.

Anatomy

[image:Laccotrephes cf brachialis, Pretoria, d.jpg|thumb|300px|Laccotrephes species in South Africa]
They are dark brown to rufous brown, elongate and flattened, aquatic insects with hooked raptorial forelegs and a long, thin tube protruding from the tip of the abdomen. The respiratory siphon consists of two filaments which are extensions of the eighth abdominal tergum. These in unison form an air duct which takes in air from above the water surface. Air is fed via the tracheal system and spiracles on the dorsum of the first abdominal segment to an air store under the elytra.

Populations

The genus contains two distinguishable assemblages, with respectively Afrotropical and Indomalayan-Australasian centers of diversity. The two assemblages overlap only in Iran. Morphology of the male paramere is important in distinguishing species.

Species

The following are included in BioLib.cz:Laccotrephes ampliatus Laccotrephes annulipes Laccotrephes archipelagi Laccotrephes armatus Montandon, 1898Laccotrephes armipes Montandon, 1909Laccotrephes ater Laccotrephes basilewskyi Poisson, 1955Laccotrephes biei Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes biimpresus Montandon, 1913Laccotrephes bokumai Poisson, 1960Laccotrephes brachialis Gerstaecker, 1873 – AfricaLaccotrephes breddini Montandon, 1913Laccotrephes brevicaudatus Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes calcar Distant, 1904Laccotrephes calcaratus Montandon, 1898Laccotrephes celebensis Polhemus & Keffer, 1999 – SulawesiLaccotrephes chinensis Laccotrephes collarti Poisson, 1940Laccotrephes dentatus Laccotrephes depressus Laccotrephes dilatatus Laccotrephes dipidii Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes dissimulatus Montandon, 1912 – AfricaLaccotrephes dubia Ferrari, 1888Laccotrephes ellipticus Gerstaecker, 1892Laccotrephes elongatus Montandon, 1907Laccotrephes erekhtheus Linnavuori, 1971Laccotrephes eusoma Laccotrephes fabricii Stål, 1868 – AfricaLaccotrephes flavovenosa Laccotrephes fuscus Laccotrephes gomai Poisson, 1960Laccotrephes griseus Laccotrephes grossus Laccotrephes hyperion Linnavuori, 1971Laccotrephes ingens Ferrari, 1888
  • †Laccotrephes incertus Popov, 1971Laccotrephes irresectus Montandon, 1914Laccotrephes japonensis Scott, 1874Laccotrephes kabarei Poisson, 1960Laccotrephes kafakumbai Poisson, 1957Laccotrephes kahuzii Poisson, 1960Laccotrephes kakyeloi Poisson, 1957Laccotrephes katekei Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes kazibae Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes keilak Linnavuori, 1971Laccotrephes latimanus Montandon, 1909Laccotrephes limosoides Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes limosus Stål, 1865Laccotrephes longicaudatus Nieser, Zettel & Chen, 2009Laccotrephes lupialae Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes maculatus Laccotrephes mancinii Poisson, 1957Laccotrephes masombwei Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes mozambica Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes niala Linnavuori, 1981Laccotrephes occultus Lundblad, 1933Laccotrephes oculatus Montandon, 1898Laccotrephes overlaeti Poisson, 1957Laccotrephes palestinensis Nieser, Chen & Guilbert, 2009Laccotrephes papuus Montandon, 1900Laccotrephes pfeiferiae – Southeast AsiaLaccotrephes pseudoampliatus Poisson, 1956Laccotrephes pseudoater Poisson, 1954Laccotrephes robustior Zettel, 2008Laccotrephes robustus Stal, 1871Laccotrephes ruber Laccotrephes simulatus Montandon, 1913Laccotrephes sondaicus J. Polhemus & Keffer, 1999 – Sumbawa and FloresLaccotrephes steindachneri Laccotrephes tristis – AustraliaLaccotrephes vicinus – Africa