Molecular analysis and morphological variability confirm Hydaticus dhofarensis Pederzani, 2003 as the westernmost population of the Indomalayan H. bipunctatus Wehncke, 1876 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

Abstract

Hydaticus dhofarensis Pederzani, 2003, the only endemic diving beetle known from Dhofar Region is newly recorded from Masirah Island, central Oman. Analysis of 3ʹ region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (cox1) reveals that specimens from Oman differs only in 1% of the sequence from specimens of the widespread Indomalayan H. bipunctatus Wehncke, 1876. In addition, study of extensive material of H. dhofarensis shows that the elytral colour pattern and body shape, previously considered as diagnostic characters, vary significantly, and especially the specimens from more northern localities agree completely with H. bipunctatus. Therefore, Hydaticus dhofarensis is considered as a junior subjective synonym of H. bipunctatus. The occurrence of this predominantly Indomalayan species in southern Oman is briefly discussed.

Keywords:

• Cytochrome oxidase I
• new synonymy
• distribution
• Oman
• Arabian Peninsula

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Günther Wewalka (Vienna, Austria) for information about the distribution of colour forms of H. dhofarensis in Oman. JH and AR would like to thank Petr Benda (NMPC) for his company during the 2019 field trip. We are obliged to Robert B. Angus (Natural History Museum, London, UK) who improved the language of the manuscript, and to anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the manuscript.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic (DKRVO 2019-2023/5.I.c, National Museum, 00023272).