A new species of Herophydrus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) from Madagascar and notes on some poorly known species of the genus

Abstract: Herophydrus travniceki sp. nov., from the south-eastern part of the Itremo mountain range in the central Madagascar, is described. Its relevant diagnostic characters are illustrated. The new species is characterized by a unique combination of morphological characters: the male metafemur lacks a posterior expansion and the median lobe has posterior lateral ridges and a broadly dilated apex. Moreover, an annotated species list of the genus Herophydrus Sharp, 1882 from Madagascar is presented. To date 11 species of Herophydrus are known from Madagascar. In addition, Herophydrus variabilis secundus Guignot, 1954 is recorded from Cameroon for the first time and its important diagnostic morphological characters are illustrated, and the following first national records are given: Herophydrus sudanensis Guignot, 1952 from Benin, Herophydrus ignoratus Gschwendtner, 1933 from Malawi and Herophydrus pallidus Omer-Cooper, 1931 from Zimbabwe. The occurrence of Herophydrus gigas Régimbart, 1895 in Malawi and Zambia is confirmed.

Key words: Dytiscidae, Herophydrus, taxonomy, new species, new records, Africa, Benin, Cameroon, Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe