Copelatus Erichson 1832
Creators: name: Jiang, Zhuo-Yin
name: Zhao, Shuang
name: Yang, Zhen-Yu
name: Jia, Feng-Long
name: Hájek, Jiří
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Dytiscidae
Copelatus

description: Key to species (males predominantly)
1. Each elytron with five discal striae. Dark brown with reddish head and lateral sides of pronotum, elytra with broad orange transverse basal band, lateral sides and subapical spot (Fig. 16). Small (TL: 3.5–4.0 mm), parallel-sided species from central and eastern China, Korea and Japan ........................................... C. parallelus Zimmermann, 1920
- Each elytron with six or more discal striae................................................................. 2
2. Each elytron with six discal striae........................................................................ 3
- Each elytron with more than six discal striae; even striae may be short (occupying only basal fourth of elytral length) or fragmented into several strioles (Fig. 5).................................................................. 22
3. Broader species. Median lobe of aedeagus near mid-length with distinct finger-like process on ventral side (Figs 49, 59)... 4
- Narrower species. Median lobe of aedeagus usually sickle-shaped, without distinct process on ventral side.............. 5
4. Smaller (TL: 4.3–5.3 mm), widely distributed Oriental species reaching southern China. Median lobe of aedeagus near midlength with small dent on dorsal side (Fig. 49). Brown blackish, elytra usually with thin basal orange transverse band (Figs 14–15). Females dimorphic........................................................... C. oblitus Sharp, 1882
- Larger (TL: 5.2–6.1 mm), widely distributed Oriental species reaching southern and eastern China. Median lobe of aedeagus near mid-length with broad spoon-like process on dorsal side (Fig. 59). Brown blackish, elytra usually with broad comb-like shaped basal orange transverse band and orange-brown sides laterally from elytral stria 3 (Fig. 21). Females similar to males ….................................................................. C. sociennus J. Balfour-Browne, 1952
5. Elytra yellow orangish with two irregular transverse blackish bands, one medially and one subapically (Fig. 28). Male unknown. Smaller (TL: 4.5–4.8 mm) species from Hongkong ................................................ Copelatus sp.
- Elytra brown to black, at most with paler lateral sides and transverse basal band................................... 6
6. Median lobe of aedeagus near mid-length with large irregular process on dorsal side (Fig. 65). Dark brown, head, lateral sides of pronotum, and base and lateral sides of elytra usually paler (Fig. 25). Larger (TL: 5.1–5.5 mm) species from northeastern China ............................................................... C. weymarni J. Balfour-Browne, 1947
- Median lobe of aedeagus with dorsal side simple, continuous.................................................. 7
7. Elytra blackish with paler lateral sides, without pale transverse basal band (Fig. 22). Elytral striae 1, 5 and 6 beginning posteriorly to base. Median lobe of aedeagus sickle-shaped, simple; in apical half regularly curved and only slightly narrowed to apex (Fig. 61). Smaller (TL: 4.0– 4.9 mm), widely distributed species........................... C. tenebrosus Régimbart, 1880
- Elytra light to dark brown, often with pale transverse basal band. Elytral striae usually beginning at base. Larger (TL:> 4.5 mm) species............................................................................................. 8
8. Apical part of median lobe of aedeagus bisinuous (Figs 35, 45)................................................ 9
- Apical part of median lobe of aedeagus straight or sinuous................................................... 10
9. Median lobe of aedeagus in third quarter with a distinct shallow swelling on ventral side; apical fourth slender (Fig. 35). Brown, with lateral sides of pronotum, base and lateral sides of elytra indistinctly paler (Fig. 7). Larger (TL: 5.5 mm) species from northwestern Yunnan ..................................................................... C. felicis sp. nov.
- Median lobe of aedeagus without swelling on ventral side; apical part broader (Fig. 45). Brown, with head, lateral sides of pronotum and thin transverse basal band on elytra orange-brown (Fig. 12). Larger (TL: 5.3–5.8 mm) species from central Yunnan ........................................................................................................................................................................... C. mopanshanensis sp. nov.
10. Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view in shape of letter “Γ” (Figs 55, 67)...................................... 11
- Median lobe of aedeagus more sickle- or hook-shaped...................................................... 12
11. Median lobe of aedeagus in mid-length with distinct trapezoidal swelling on ventral side; apical part narrow; apex pointed, turned dorsally (Fig. 55). Brown, with orange-brown lateral sides of pronotum and thin comb-like shaped transverse basal band on elytra (Fig. 19). Larger (TL: 5.0– 5.9 mm) species from Yunnan and western Guizhou ....... C. rimosus Guignot, 1952
- Median lobe of aedeagus in mid-length without any swelling, medially sinuous on dorsal side; apical part broader, narrowing continuously to straight apex (Fig. 67). Brown, with orange-brown head, lateral sides of pronotum and broad transverse basal band on elytra (Fig. 26). Larger (TL: 5.5 mm) species from southwestern Guizhou ................ C. xiniudong sp. nov.
12. Median lobe of aedeagus straight in middle three fifths of its length; apical fifth strongly curved, hook-shaped (Fig. 47). Head and pronotum brown, elytra pale brown with broad orange transverse basal band (Fig. 13). Smaller (TL: 4.6–4.9 mm) species from northern Guangdong ........................................................... C. nanlingensis sp. nov.
- Median lobe of aedeagus curved in basal three fourths of its length; apical fourth straight or sinuous, but never hook-shaped.................................................................................................… 13
13. Median lobe of aedeagus in apical third almost straight or slightly turned ventrally (Figs 31, 33, 43) …................ 14
- Median lobe of aedeagus in apical third distinctly curved dorsally............................................. 16
14. Median lobe of aedeagus in apical third slightly turned ventrally; distinctly narrowing to slender apical part (Fig. 43). Dark brown, with orange-brown clypeus, lateral sides of pronotum and thin transverse basal band on elytra (Fig. 11). Larger (TL: 5.6–6.1 mm) species from western Guizhou ............................................... C. miaowangi sp. nov.
- Median lobe of aedeagus in apical third straight, slightly but continually narrowing to skewed apex. Head and pronotum dark brown with orange clypeus and lateral sides of pronotum; elytra brown with broad orange transverse basal band. Comparatively smaller (TL: 4.6–5.6 mm) species....................................................................... 15
15. Median lobe of aedeagus in two thirds of its length with small tooth on ventral side (Fig. 33). Larger (TL: 5.2–5.6 mm) species from southeastern China ............................................................. C. dentatipenis sp. nov.
- Median lobe of aedeagus without tooth on ventral side (Fig. 31). Medium sized (TL: 4.6–5.3 mm) species from central and eastern China ................................................................ C. chinensis Régimbart, 1899
16. Median lobe of aedeagus strongly arched; broad in basal two thirds of its length, very narrow in apical third (Fig. 39). Head and pronotum dark brown with orange clypeus and lateral sides of pronotum; elytra brown with comb-like shaped yellowish orange transverse basal band (Fig. 8). Larger (TL: 5.3–5.7 mm) species from eastern China and Japan ... C. japonicus Sharp, 1884
- Median lobe of aedeagus weakly to moderately arched; at least in apical third continuously narrowing to apex.......... 17
17. Median lobe of aedeagus only weakly arched; narrowing continuously from basal part to apex; apex slightly turned ventrally (Fig. 29). Brown, with orange clypeus, lateral sides of pronotum and transverse basal band on elytra (Fig. 1). Medium sized (TL: 4.9–5.3 mm), widely distributed Oriental species reaching southern part of China ........ C. bacchusi Wewalka, 1981
- Median lobe of aedeagus moderately arched; in basal half (or basal two thirds) broad, then narrowing to apex; apex not turned ventrally........................................................................................... 18
18. Median lobe of aedeagus broad in basal three fourths of its length, then narrowing to obtusely pointed apex (Fig. 37); lateral carina of median lobe with small spines in apical half (Fig. 37 aa). Head and pronotum dark brown with orange clypeus and lateral sides of pronotum; elytra brown with orange transverse basal band (Figs 5–6). Medium sized (TL: 4.7–5.5 mm), widely distributed Oriental species reaching China in southern Yunnan ..................... C. diversistriatus sp. nov. (partim)
- Median lobe of aedeagus broad in basal half of its length, then narrowing to obtusely pointed apex; lateral carina of median lobe without small spines in apical half...................................................................... 19
19. Median lobe of aedeagus broadest in mid-length, apical part relatively broad (Fig. 63). Dark brown, with orange clypeus, lateral sides of pronotum and thin transverse basal band on clypeus (Figs 23–24). Larger (TL: 5.1–5.9 mm) species from western Yunnan ........................................................................ C. tengchongensis sp. nov.
- Median lobe of aedeagus broadest in basal part, apical part narrow............................................. 20
20. Median lobe of aedeagus more arched; subapically nearly straight on dorsal side; apex very thin, distinctly turned dorsally (Fig. 57). Elytral stria 1 may be fragmented or absent basally. Dark brown, with orange lateral sides of pronotum and indistinct thin transverse basal band on elytra (Fig. 20). Females dimorphic. Larger (TL: 5.1–5.9 mm) species from western Yunnan ........................................................................................... C. rosulae sp. nov.
- Median lobe of aedeagus less arched; in apical half distinctly curved on dorsal side; apex not turned dorsally (Figs 41, 53). Head and pronotum dark brown with orange clypeus and lateral sides of pronotum; elytra brown, sometimes with slightly paler base............................................................................................... 21
21. Median lobe of aedeagus more arched, distinctly curved throughout its whole length (Fig. 41). Larger (TL: 5.1–5.7 mm) species from northern Myanmar and western Yunnan, China .................................... C. malaisei Guignot, 1954
- Median lobe of aedeagus less arched, in midpart nearly straight (Fig. 53). Larger (TL: 4.8–5.8 mm) species from southern Yunnan, China and neighbouring areas of northeastern Laos and northern Vietnam ................ C. puzhelongi sp. nov.
22. Each elytron with six complete, well impressed discal striae and 1–4 short striae in between; short striae may be fragmented into several strioles or absent; submarginal stria present, long. Dark brown, with orange clypeus, lateral sides of pronotum and transverse basal band on elytra (Fig. 5). Median lobe of aedeagus sickle-shaped; broad in basal three fourths of its length, then narrowing to obtusely pointed apex (Fig. 37); lateral carina of median lobe with small spines in apical half (Fig. 37 aa). Medium sized (TL: 4.7–5.5 mm), widely distributed Oriental species reaching China in southern Yunnan ............................................................................................... C. diversistriatus sp. nov. (partim)
- Each elytron with 11 complete, shallowly impressed discal striae; submarginal stria fragmented into several short strioles or absent. Brown, with orange head, lateral sides of pronotum and broad transverse basal band on elytra (Fig. 27). Median lobe of aedeagus broad, club-shaped, with two protuberances on dorsal side; apex beak-shaped (Fig. 69). Larger (TL: 5.4–5.7 mm) species from southeastern China .......................................... C. zimmermanni Gschwendtner, 1934
description: Published as part of Jiang, Zhuo-Yin, Zhao, Shuang, Yang, Zhen-Yu, Jia, Feng-Long & Hájek, Jiří, 2022, A review of Copelatus Erichson, 1832 of Mainland China, with description of ten new species from the japonicus complex (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Copelatinae), pp. 251-295 in Zootaxa 5124 (3) on pages 276-278, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5124.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6410696