Neohydrocoptus Sato 1972:144
The genus Hydrocoptus was first designated by Motschulsky (1853:5) as a subgenus of Hydroporus Clairville (Dytiscidae). Hydrocoptus was used by Sharp (1882:261) for a group of mainly African Noterini. Guignot (1946:115) designated Hydrocoptus subvittilis Motschulsky 1859:43 as the type species. Nilsson, Roughley, and Brancucci (1989) note that this designation is invalid, as this species was not included in Hydrocoptus by Motschulsky. Most of the original Hydrocoptus are placed in the Hydroporini (Dytiscidae) and no species of Noteridae was mentioned by Motschulsky. Nilsson, Roughley, and Brancucci (1989) conclude that the genus was described for the Dytiscidae, but was erroneously placed in the Noteridae.
Nilsson, Roughley, and Brancucci (1989:297) designated Dytiscus tristis Paykull 1798:232 as the type species of Hydrocoptus Motschulsky 1853, thus making it a junior subjective synonym of Hydroporus Clairville. The noterid genus Hydrocoptus sensu Sharp 1882 takes the available name Neohydrocoptus Sato 1972:144.
Twenty-eight species of Neohydrocoptus are recognized, largely from the Ethiopian and Oriental regions. Balfour-Browne (1961) discusses the African species known by him to be problematic. A single species, Neohydrocoptus subfasciatus (Sharp), is known from Australia (Watts 1985). Beutel and Roughley (1987) consider Neohydrocoptus, as Hydrocoptus, the sister group of the remaining noterid genera, except Notomicrus and Phreatodytes.
Checklist of Neohydrocoptus
Found Here
Key to Species of Neohydrocoptus, as Hydrocoptus
Africa - Guignot (1959), 7 species
Madagascar - Guignot (1955), 3 species
India - Vazirani (1968), 2 species
Literature Cited
Balfour-Browne, J.
- 1961. Notes on African Hydrocoptus (Col., Dytiscidae). Entomol. Arb. Mus. G. Frey 12(1):60-67.
Beutel, R. G., and R. E. Roughley.
- 1987. On the systematic position of the genus Notomicrus Sharp (Hydradephaga: Coleoptera). Canadian J. Zool. 65(8):1898-1905.
Guignot, F.
- 1946. Genotypes des Dytiscoidea et des Gyrinoidea. Rev. Francaise d'Entomol. 13:112-118.
- 1955. Dytiscides et gyrinides nouveaux de Madagascar (Coleoptera). Nat. Malgache 7(1):63-70.
- 1959. Revision des Hydrocanthares d'Afrique (Coleoptera Dytiscoidea), Part 2. Ann. Mus. Congo Belgique (ser 8) Sci. Zool. 78:317-648.
Nilsson, A. N., R. E. Roughley, and M. Brancucci.
- 1989. A review of the genus group and family group names of the family Dytiscidae Leach (Coleoptera). Entomol. Scand. 20(3):287-316.
Sato, M.
- 1972. Some notes on dytiscoid-beetles from Vietnam (Coleoptera). Ann. Hist.-Nat. Mus. Natn. Hung. 64:143-153.
Sharp, D.
- 1880-1882. On aquatic carnivorous Coleoptera or Dytiscidae. Sci. Trans. Royal Dublin Soc. 2(new series), part 2:179-1003 + plates vii-xviii.
Vazirani, T. G.
- 1968. Contribution to the study of aquatic beetles (Coleoptera). 2. A review of the subfamilies Noerinae, Laccophilinae, Dytiscinae and Hydroporinae (in part) from India. Oriental Insects 2(3-4):221-341.
Watts, Ch. H. S.
- 1985. A faunal assessment of Australian Hydradephaga. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 137:22-28.
A portion of this treatment was adapted from a manuscript prepared by R. E. Roughley, University of Manitoba.
Revised 29 May 1996
Warren U. Brigham
brigham@wub.igis.uiuc.edu