A review of the genus Platynectes from the Solomon Islands (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Agabinae)

Abstract

Seven new species of the genus Platynectes Régimbart, 1879 from the Solomon Islands are described: Platynectes barana sp. nov., P. mbaole sp. nov., P. popomanaseu sp. nov. (all from Guadalcanal), P. lunga sp. nov. (Guadalcanal and Savo), P. malaita sp. nov. (Malaita), P. makira sp. nov. (Makira) and P. owaraha sp. nov. (Makira and Owaraha). Platynectes insularis J. Balfour-Browne, 1939, described from Vanuatu and the Solomons, currently considered a junior subjective synonym of P. semperi Régimbart, 1899, is reinstituted as a valid species based on its morphology and a molecular analysis by Toussaint et al. (2017). The paratypes of P. insularis from the Solomons are shown to belong to a new species – P. owaraha sp. nov., and, thus, the distribution of P. insularis is restricted to Vanuatu. Habitus and male genitalia are illustrated for all seven new species and P. insularis. A checklist of Dytiscidae so far recorded from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu is appended.