New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Rediscovery of the New Zealand diving beetle Rhantus plantaris Sharp,
and notes on the south west Australian R. simulans Régimbart,
with an identification key (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)
MICHAEL BALKE
Evolutionsbiologie
Institut für Zoologie
Freie Universität Berlin
Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3
D-14195 Berlin, Germany
email: mbalke@bigfoot.com
DAMIR KOVAC
Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg
Entomologie I
Senckenberganlage 25
D-60325 Frankfurt/M., Germany
email: dkovac@sng.uni-frankfurt.de
LARS HENDRICH
Berlin-Forschung
Gärtnerstraße 3
D-12207 Berlin, Germany
email: hendrich1@aol.com
GüNTHER FLECHTNER
Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg
Entomologie I
Senckenberganlage 25
D-60325 Frankfurt/M., Germany
email: gflechtn@sng.uni-frankfurt.de
Abstract The New Zealand diving beetle
Rhantus
plantaris Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), although comparatively
large (10.0-10.5 mm), has not been reported since its description. Until
this publication, only the male holotype was known. It has been questioned
whether this species was a part of the New Zealand fauna. The rediscovery of
the species is reported, based on a small series collected from near
Christchurch. The specimens were taken from a roadside pond at about sea level.
Collection details and distributional notes are given for the rare south
western Australian species
Rhantus simulans Régimbart, 1908 which
appears to be a peatland swamp specialist. An illustrated key to the New
Zealand and Australian
Rhantus species is included.
Keywords Dytiscidae; Rhantus plantaris; rediscovered;
Rhantus simulans; new records; New Zealand; Australia; key to species
Z99024
Received 8 July 1999; accepted 14 February 2000
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (604K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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