Ochthebius endroedyi, Perkins, Philip D., 2011

Perkins, Philip D., 2011, New species and new collection records of aquatic beetles in the genus Ochthebius Leach from southern Africa (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 3093, pp. 1-34 : 4-7

Ochthebius (s.s.) endroedyi , new species

( Figs. 1 , 2 , 19 )

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa: North West Province: Barberspan, shore washing, 26° 35' S, 25° 35' E, 5 ix 1973, Endrödy-Younga (#92) ( TMSA). Paratypes (154): Namibia: Gt. Namaqualand, Frm Kub Süd, Fish R., shore washing, 24° 14' S, 17° 30' E, 2 viii 1981, Endrödy-Younga (#1819) (73 TMSA); South Africa: Eastern Cape Province: 16 mi. N. Grahamstown, 33° 18' S, 26° 32' E, 17 iii 1968, P. J. Spangler (1 MCZ); Freddy Van Zyl Bridge, Oorlog Spruit, spruit, elev. 1036.32 m, 30° 41' S, 25° 19' E, 25 ii 1947, J. Omer- Cooper (4 NHM, 8 AMG); Residual pool in stream between Uitenhaag and Kirkwood, 33° 32' S, 25° 25' E, 21 ix 2008, D. T. Bilton (1 DTBC); Sundays River System, Courans Drift, above Kirkwood, suber in slow-flowing stoney run, RSU 6.7, 33° 24' S, 25° 26' E, 14 ii 1968, collector unknown (15 AMG); North West Province: Barberspan, shore washing, 26° 35' S, 25° 35' E, 5 ix 1973, Endrödy-Younga (#92) (3 TMSA); Barberspan, singled lake shore, 26° 35' S, 25° 35' E, 5 ix 1973, Endrödy-Younga (#91) (2 TMSA); Northern Cape Province: Dermbergsdraaifarm, shore washing, 30° 48' S, 17° 43' E, 19 ix 1994, Endrödy & Bellamy (#3020) (3 TMSA); Transvaal Province: Wolmaransstad, 27° 12' S, 25° 58' E, 2 iii 1968, P. J. Spangler (1 USNM); Western Cape Province: 22 mi. N. Nelspoort, 31° 51' S, 22° 57' E, 3 iii 1968, P. J. Spangler (12 USNM); Hermon, 33° 25' S, 18° 58' E, 5 iii 1968, P. J. Spangler (3 USNM); Klippe Rugt farm, cattle dung, 34° 42' S, 20° 12' E, 28 x 1983, Endrödy- Younga (#2031) (1 TMSA); Swartberg, Meiringspoort, shore washing, 33° 25' S, 22° 33' E, 1 xi 1993, Endrödy- Younga (#2924) (7 TMSA). Non-types: Namibia: Gt. Namaqualand, Frm Kub Süd, Fish R., shore washing, 24° 14' S, 17° 30' E, 2 viii 1981, Endrödy-Younga (#1819) (ca. 4000, TMSA, MCZ, FMNH); South Africa: Northern Cape Province: Cape Farm Ezelsfontein, shore washing, 30° 24' S, 18° 5' E, 30 x 1977, Endrödy-Younga (#1407) (95 non-types, TMSA, MCZ).

Differential Diagnosis. This species is similar to O. salinarius in the presence of a midlongitudinal sulcus on the pronotum. It can be differentiated therefrom by the elytral color: in O. endroedyi each serial puncture has a dark brown dot, some of which are contiguous ( Fig. 1 ), whereas O. salinarius has a very distinct brownish longitudinal line through each series. The aedeagi of the two species distinctively differ, most notably in the shape of the distal piece ( Fig. 2 ).

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 1.65/0.71; head 0.31/0.44; pronotum 0.43/0.52, PA 0.50, PB 0.52; elytra 0.99/0.71. Color: Head infuscate or blackish, slightly metallic, pronotum brown with very faint metallic reflections, elytra testaceous with brownish dot at each serial puncture, some dots joined, forming broken longitudinal lines; antennae, maxillary palpi, antennal pockets, elytral epipleurae and legs, except coxae, bright stramineous, contrasting sharply with dark brown Venter: Head: Eyes in dorsal aspect with 8 convex facets in longest series. Interocular foveae large and deep, each equal to distance separating them. Ocelli distinct, shining. Frons shining, finely sparsely punctulate, except more coarsely punctate anterolaterally, and with very sparse micropunctulate ground sculpture on disc. Clypeus strongly microreticulate and dull laterally and basally, remaining subtriangular median area shining, finely sparsely punctulate. Frons and clypeus punctures each with short recumbent seta, longer and denser laterally on clypeus. Labrum in male with anterior margin straight or weakly arcuate, rather strongly reflexed; in female anterior margin apicomedially rather deeply notched. Mandible lateral margin bearing, in male, stout moderately long spiniform setae; in female, tapering, curving setae. Pronotum: Widest near anterior 1/4, sides regularly attenuate to base. Anterior margin on each side with shallow postocular emargination; hyaline border well developed. Lateral hyaline border moderately wide, side weakly arcuate, almost straight, narrowing anteriorly, ended at about anterior 1/4, posteriorly continuing narrowly but distinctly round posterior angles and along base. Disc with microreticulate, narrow, moderately deep midlongitudinal sulcus, ended well before anterior and posterior hyaline borders, anterior and posterior admedian foveae shallow, coarsely punctate, some punctures confluent, posterior foveae larger than anterior; relief shining, near sulcus very finely sparsely punctate and with exceeding fine, sparse, irregularly distributed micropunctulate ground sculpture, more coarsely punctate laterally. Lateral depression, lateral fossulae and area between fossula and posterior foveae more densely coarsely punctate than central area of discal relief. Posterior angles with broad, very shallow depression. Elytra: Elongate oval, broadest about middle. Explanate margin in male narrower than, in female as wide as, tarsal apex. Apices in male narrowly separately rounded, in female conjointly rather sharply rounded. Ten distinct series of punctures, series not striate-impressed except sutural in distal 1/4, punctures and interstices about 2–3xef on disc, becoming finer and more separated laterally and apically, each puncture with fine recumbent nearly imperceptible seta. Intervals flat, weakly shining, effacedly alutaceous, 2–3xpd. Venter: Mentum shining, moderately sparsely setiferously punctate. Metaventrite pubescent laterally, disc with large, subtriangular, strongly shining area, glabrous except few setiferous punctures anteriorly. Abdominal ventrites 1–5 entirely clothed with dense hydrofuge pubescence; 6 effacedly microreticulate, weakly shining, sparsely pubescent in distal 1/2.

Etymology. Named in honor of the collector, Sebastian Endrödy-Younga.

Distribution. A rather widely, but sparsely distributed species ( Fig. 19 ). Currently not yet known from the eastern 1/3 of southern Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Ochthebius endroedyi, dorsal and lateral habitus of holotype.

FIGURE 2. Ochthebius endroedyi, aedeagus of holotype.

FIGURES 19 – 20. Geographical distributions of Ochthebius. 19. O. endroedyi. 20. O. anchorus, O. bicomicus, O. granulinus, O. involatus, and O. zulu.