Y. Alarie et al., Larval morphology of four genera of Laccophilinae (Coleoptera : Adephaga :Dytiscidae) with an analysis of their phylogenetic relationships, IN SYST EVO, 31(2), 2000, pp. 121-164
Descriptions of the larval instars of four genera (12 species) of the dytis
cid subfamily Laccophilinae, Laccophilus Leach, Neptosternus Sharp, Austral
philus Watts and Africophilus Guignot, are presented including a detailed c
haetotaxic and porotaxic analysis of the cephalic capsule, head appendages,
legs, last abdominal segment and urogomphi. A parsimony analysis, based on
the 13 informative larval characteristics was conducted with Hennig86. The
genus Africophilus is postulated to represent the sister-group of a clade
comprised of Laccophilus + (Neptosternus + Australphilus) which is supporte
d by, (i) primary seta CO7 articulated proximally on all legs, (ii) presenc
e of natatory setae, (iii) metatibia + metatarsus very elongated, and (iv)
elongated urogomphi.