Bidessonotus caraibus (Chevrolat, 1863)

Scheers, Kevin & Thomaes, Arno, 2022, A preliminary checklist of the minute diving beetles of Belize (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Bidessini), Belgian Journal of Entomology 125, pp. 1-15 : 6-7

Bidessonotus caraibus (Chevrolat, 1863)

PUBLISHED RECORDS. YOUNG (1990)

STUDIED MATERIAL. TOLEDO: Punta Gorda , shallow pool, 16°05'19,7"N, 88°48'53,4"W, 05.V.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (1 ex.) .

DISTRIBUTION. Belize, Cuba ( Young, 1990; Miller, 2016). B. caraibus is known only from one record in the extreme north and another in the south of Belize ( Fig. 2 D ).

HABITAT. Nothing is known on the habitat preference of this species. The single specimen found during this survey was collected at coastal level in a shallow pool on exposed substratum in open vegetation ( Fig. 5 ).

NOTE. The disjunct distribution of this species is notable and could reflect a lack of sampling effort in the intermediate areas, but could also be an indication that the Belizean and Cuban populations may not be conspecific.

Figures

Fig. 2. Distribution of Bidessini in Belize: A, Anodocheilus francescae Young, 1974; B, Anodocheilus guatemalensis (Zaitzev, 1910); C, Bidessodes elongatus (Sharp, 1882); D, Bidessonotus caraibus (Chevrolat, 1863); E, Bidessonotus mexicanus Régimbart, 1895; F, Bidessonotus mobilis J. Balfour-Browne, 1947; G, Bidessonotus pollostus Young, 1990; H, Bidessonotus vicinus Young, 1990; I, Neobidessus obtusoides Young, 1977; J, Neobidessus persimilis (Régimbart, 1895); K, Uvarus spretus (Sharp, 1882). Yellow dots indicate literature records and red dots studied material.

Fig. 5. Shallow pool in partly mowed, small marsh near Punta Gorda (Toledo) with Anodocheilus francescae, Bidessonotus caraibus, Bidessonotus vicinus and Uvarus spretus. © Kevin Scheers.