Tobochares atures, Girón & Short, 2021

Giron, Jennifer C. & Short, Andrew Edward Z., 2021, Review of the Neotropical water scavenger beetle genus Tobochares Short & Garcia, 2007 (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Acidocerinae): new lineages, new species, and new records, ZooKeys 1019, pp. 93-140 : 93

Tobochares atures sp. nov. Figs 3B, G , 7D, F , 11G , 13 , 15F

Tobochares sp. 8: Short et al. (2021)

Type material examined.

Holotype (male): Venezuela, " T. F. Amazonas/ Puerto Ayacucho (40km S)/ El Tobogán, Caño Coromoto/ 26 Jan 1989, stream edge/ at upper shelter", "collected by/ PJSpangler/RAFaitoute & CBBarr" (MIZA). Paratypes (357 exs.): Venezuela: Amazonas: "40 Km S of Puerto Ayacucho, at Tobogán; upper seep; 18.i.1989; leg. Spangler, Faitoute, Barr" (34, USNM); same, except "; colln #1; collected by pouring water over stream bank and washing riparian insects into seine; 19.vi.1989; leg. Spangler and Faitoute" (3, USNM); same, except "sandy margins; colln. #10; 23.ii.1986; leg. P. Spangler" (38, USNM); same, except "colln. #14; 25.ii.1986" (16, USNM); "40 Km S of Puerto Ayacucho, El Tobogán, Caño Coromoto; seep, at upper shelter; 26.i.1989; leg. Spangler, Faitoute, Barr" (55, USNM); same data as holotype (174, SEMC, MIZA, USNM); "5°62'N [Sic!], 66°23'W; 1250 m; Cerro Guanay; Exp. Terramar; 5-12.ii.1995; leg. J. Clavijo" (1, MIZA); Tobogán de la Selva; old “Tobogancito” on seepage area with detritus; 8.viii.2008; leg. Short, García, Joly; AS-08-080b (16, SEMC including DNA voucher SLE1032); same, except “Tobogán de la Selva; wet rock covered with detritus; upstream slide; 14.i.2009; leg. Short, García, Miller, Joly; VZ09-0114-01F" (16, SEMC); same, except "partly shaded wet rock with algae; leg. Short and Miller; VZ09-0114-01G" (2, SEMC). Bolívar: " 6°13'4.6"N, 67°14'26.4"W; 60 m; ca. 25 Km E of El Burro; rocky morichal; 12.i.2009; leg. Short and Téllez; VZ09-0113-01X" (1, SEMC).

Differential diagnosis.

The general habitus and coloration of T. atures is similar to that of several species in the Tobochares communis group, nevertheless, the elytral punctation in T. atures is relatively distinct: all the elytral punctures are shallowly impressed, longitudinally aligned, and have two different sizes: the serial punctures, which are slightly impressed, are larger, whereas the interserial punctures are smaller and denser (Fig. 3B, G ). In addition, the overall shape of the aedeagus, especially the shape of the median lobe of T. atures is unique among members of the Tobochares communis group: the median lobe gradually and slightly narrows towards a rounded apex, and the gonopore is located at the apical third of the median lobe (Fig. 11G ).

Description.

Size and form: Body length 2.0-2.2 mm. Body elongate oval, moderately convex (Fig. 7D ). Color and punctation: Dorsal and ventral surfaces of body dark brown, with prothorax and lateral margins of elytra slightly paler (Fig. 7D, E ); mouthparts and antennae yellow, with slightly darker apical third of maxillary palpomere IV; legs orange to reddish brown with paler tarsi (Fig. 7E ). Ground punctation on head, pronotum and elytra rather shallowly marked. Head: Eyes in dorsal view with anterior margin oblique (anteriorly directed), and outer margins slightly bulging from outline of head (e.g., Fig. 2D ); in lateral view, eyes not emarginate (Fig. 2E ). Thorax: Elytra with longitudinal rows of shallow punctures, not forming grooves; punctures in two different sizes: serial punctures larger, interserial punctures smaller and denser (Fig. 3B, G ). Metafemora mostly glabrous on anterior face (Fig. 7F ). Elevation of mesoventrite forming a low transverse carina (Fig. 7F ). Metaventrite with distinct median, longitudinal, narrow glabrous area extending along posterior half (Fig. 7F ). Abdomen: Abdominal ventrites uniformly and very densely pubescent (Fig. 7F ). Aedeagus (Fig. 11G ). Basal piece nearly 0.5 × the length of a paramere; parameres nearly 0.4 × greatest width of median lobe, with outer margins weakly and uniformly convex, and rounded apex; median lobe roughly triangular, widely rounded at apex; gonopore situated nearly at apical third of median lobe.

Etymology.

Noun in apposition. Named after Atures, the municipality where the type locality is situated.

Distribution.

This species is known from several localities along the northwestern edge of the Guiana Shield in Venezuela. See Fig. 13 .

Life history.

Most specimens were collected on granite seepages that were adjacent to permanent streams. See Fig. 15F .

Figures

Figure 2. Heads of Tobochares spp. A, B T. goias, black mark pointing to Tobochares canthus emarginating the eye A dorsal view B anterolateral view C T. fusus D, E T. luteomargo, black mark pointing to straight anterior margin of the eye D dorsal view E anterolateral view F T. romanoae G T. pemon H T. communis I T. microps.

Figure 3. Characters of elytra and wings of Tobochares spp. A-E Scanning Electron Micrographs A-C elytra: white arrows point to serial punctures; black arrows point to interserial punctures A T. communis B T. atures C T. arawak D, E ventral view of mesoventrite: D T. communis: top white arrow points to posterior elevation of mesoventrite with low longitudinal elevation; bottom white arrow points to narrow longitudinal glabrous patch of the metaventrite E T. arawak: top white arrow points to posterior elevation of mesoventrite with weakly elevated bulge; bottom white arrow points to narrow longitudinal glabrous patch of the metaventrite. F-I detail of elytral punctation; black marks at top of each circle indicates serial punctures F T. pemon (all punctures relatively large; serial punctures longitudinally aligned; interserial punctures in irregular single row) G T. atures (all punctures longitudinally aligned; serial punctures larger than interserial punctures; interserial punctures more densely distributed) H T. kolokoe (serial punctures longitudinally aligned; interserial punctures forming one or two irregular rows) I T. canaima (serial punctures longitudinally aligned; interserial punctures forming two or three irregular rows) J, K hindwings J T. sipaliwini K T. microps.

Figure 7. Habitus of Tobochares spp. in the Tobochares communis species group A-C T. anthonyae A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D-F T. atures D dorsal view E lateral view F ventral view G-I T. pemon G dorsal view H lateral view I ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 11. Aedeagi of Tobochares spp. A T. benettii B T. goias C T. fusus D T. luteomargo E T. pemon F T. anthonyae G T. atures H T. communis I T. microps J T. romanoae K T. akoerio L T. kappel M T. arawak N T. canaima. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A-D); 0.1 mm (E-N).

Figure 13. Distribution of Tobochares spp.

Figure 15. Tobochares habitat in Guyana and Venezuela A, B habitat for T. arawak, Guyana, upper Potaro River (collecting event GY 14 - 0312 - 01 B) C, D habitat for T. luteomargo, Venezuela, rock outcrop by Rio Cuchivero, (collecting event VZ 10 - 0710 - 01 A) E habitat for T. luteomargo, Venezuela Campamento Rio Aro (collecting event VZ 10 - 0711 - 01 B) F type locality and habitat for T. atures, Venezuela, Tobogan de la Selva (collecting event VZ 09 - 0114 - 01 F).