Novochares dentatus, Short & Girón, 2023

Short, Andrew Edward Z. & Giron, Jennifer C., 2023, Revision of the Neotropical water scavenger beetle genus Novochares Giron & Short (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Acidocerinae), ZooKeys 1171, pp. 1-112 : 1

Novochares dentatus sp. nov.

Figs 4A , 14A , 15A-D , 16B

Type material.

Holotype (male): "VENEZUELA: Amazonas State/ 5°20.514'N, 67°45.315'W, 87m/ S. Communidad Porvenir/ 15.i.2009; leg. Miller & Short/ VZ09-0115-03B/ small streamlet (MIZA). Paratypes (57 exs.): Venezuela: Amazonas: 5 km N. Galipero, Pozo Azul, 25.i.1989, leg. Spangler, Faitoute, & Barr, "roots, stream edge" (1, USNM); same data as holotype (25, MIZA, SEMC, including DNA Voucher SLE1199); ca. 15 km S. Puerto Ayacucho, large rock outcrop, 14.ix.2007, leg. Short, pools at base of outcrop, AS-07-011a (2, SEMC); same locality but 8.viii.2008, leg. Short & García, pools at base of outcrop, AS-08-081a (4, SEMC); same locality but 14.i.2009, leg. Short, "rock pools et al", VZ09-0114-03B (5, SEMC); Tobogan de la Selva, 5.i.2006, leg. Short, pools in rock w/sand, AS-06-011c (1, SEMC); nr. Iboruwa, 7.viii.2008, leg. Short, García, & Joly, AS-08-078 (6, SEMC); Puerto Ayacucho (39 km S.), Samariapo road, 15.xi.1987, leg. Spangler & Faitoute, “brook”, Collection #4 (1, USNM). Ecuador: Pastaza: AGIP platform Villano B, along transect 1 and 2, 24.v.2008, leg. Short, small forest stream, AS-08-008b (12, PUCE, SEMC, including DNA voucher SLE1188).

Differential diagnosis.

The distinctive rows of serial punctures on the lateral and posterior margins of the elytra serve to separate this species from all other Novochares except a few others in the Novochares punctatostriatus species group, particularly N. punctatostriatus which also occurs throughout much of the Amazonian region. However, as far as is known, the ranges of the two species do not overlap, with N. dentatus being more northern and western in distribution. The two species can be distinguished by the impression of the rows of serial punctures, which are more impressed and prominent in N. punctatostriatus , as well as the presence of small denticles on the aedeagus (Fig. 15A ; denticles absent in N. punctatostriatus , e.g., Fig. 15L ).

Description.

Size and form: Body length 4.7-6.5 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces dark brown, with slightly paler margins of pronotum and elytra, occasionally paler clypeus; paler margin sometimes very wide. Head: Maxillary palps as long as to slightly longer than width of head, uniformly orange in color (Fig. 14A ). Thorax: Each elytron with defined rows of serial punctures along posterior 1/3 and lateral 1/2. Prosternum medially weakly and broadly convex. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite transverse, low, and slightly curved (posteriorly concave). Aedeagus: (Figs 4A , 15A-D ) lateral projection on apical region of outer margin of each paramere rounded to pointed; at closest point, dorsal inner margins of parameres separated by distance similar to greatest width of a paramere; dorsal plate of median lobe with small denticle on each lateral margin, proximal to base of fork; arms of dorsal plate of median lobe parallel to distally converging; each arm parallel sided, slightly wider on apical region, apically oblique with inner margin extending beyond outer margin; notch between arms at base nearly as broad as base of an arm; ventral plate of median lobe gradually more sclerotized distally, at widest point nearly as wide as maximum width of ventral face of a paramere, apically acuminate, apex extending beyond base of fork, not reaching apex of arms of dorsal plate, ventral surface of each side medially sharply elevated forming narrow medial slit; basal piece 0.3 × length of a paramere.

Etymology.

Dentatus (L.), meaning toothed, in reference to the small, lateral, tooth-like projections on the dorsal plate of the median lobe.

Distribution.

Venezuela, Ecuador (Fig. 16B ).

Habitat.

In Venezuela, this species was typically found along the margins of streams that were flowing on or near granite outcrops. The series from Ecuador was taken from a small forested stream with lots of detritus, though it did not appear to be associated with any rocky substrate.

Remarks.

Specimens from Ecuador tend to be smaller and more yellowish than specimens from Venezuela (specimens from the “Tobogancito” locality are similar in size to specimens from Ecuador). The eyes of specimens from Venezuela are relatively larger and more prominent than those of specimens from Ecuador.

Figures

Figure 4. Aedeagi of the Novochares punctatostriatus, Novochares sallaei, and Novochares orchis species groups along with schematic representations of the whole, the parameres (in blue), and the dorsal (in yellow) and ventral (in red) plates of the median lobe A N. dentatus B N. orchis C N. sallaei.

Figure 14. Dorsal habitus of Novochares spp. A N. dentatus B N. punctatostriatus C N. pertusus D N. triangularis.

Figure 15. Aedeagi of the Novochares punctatostriatus species group A-D N. dentatus E, F N. spangleri G, H N. geminus I N. triangularis J, K N. pertusus L-Q N. punctatostriatus A-C Venezuela D Ecuador L-N Suriname O Peru P, Q Brazil. A, E, G, I, J, L, O, P dorsal view H, M, Q ventral view C, F, N oblique view K lateral view.

Figure 16. Distribution of Novochares punctatostriatus species group A N. punctatostriatus (red), N. pertusus (yellow) B N. dentatus (red), N. triangularis (yellow), N. spangleri (blue), N. geminus (green).