Novochares pertusus, 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 pertusus sp. nov.

Figs 6D , 14C , 15J, K , 16A

Type material.

Holotype (male): "BRAZIL: Goiás / Chapada dos Veadeiros/ 18-24km N. of Alto Paraíso / 1400-1500m, 25.x.1985 leg. S.E. Miller" (USNM). Paratypes (14 exs.): Brazil: Goiás: Same data as holotype (14, USNM, SEMC).

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. It is most similar to N. punctatostriatus , to which it is probably most closely related, by the form of the aedeagus which lacks small lateral teeth on the dorsal plate of the median lobe (Fig. 15J-Q ). The comparatively long arms of the fork of the dorsal plate of the median lobe, and the more basal positioning of the ventral plate (Fig. 15J, K ) serve to distinguish this species from N. punctatostriatus (Fig. 15L-Q ).

Description.

Size and form: Body length 6.0-7.3 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surface of head very dark brown to nearly black; pronotum and elytra dark brown, with broad paler margins. Head: Maxillary palps as long as to slightly longer than width of head, uniformly orange in color (Fig. 14C ). Thorax: Elytra with defined rows of serial punctures, except on central elytral disc. Prosternum medially broadly and very weakly convex. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite transverse, blunt, and low. Aedeagus: (Fig. 15J, K ) lateral projection on apical region of outer margin of each paramere pointed; at closest point, dorsal inner margins of parameres separated by distance slightly narrower than greatest width of a paramere; lateral margins of dorsal plate of median lobe smooth, lacking denticles; arms of dorsal plate of median lobe nearly parallel, somewhat converging at apex; each arm with outer and inner margins slightly sinuate, apical region broader than base of arm, apex roundly truncate and oblique, with inner margin extending beyond outer margin; notch between arms at base narrower than base of an arm, slightly wider at basal 1/3, narrowing towards apex; ventral plate of median lobe strongly sclerotized, at widest point nearly as wide as dorsal plate of median lobe, with apex narrowly rounded, not reaching base of fork of dorsal plate; basal piece 0.28 × length of a paramere.

Etymology.

Pertusus (L.), meaning perforated, in reference to the rows of fine serial punctures on the elytra.

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality in Brazil ( Goiás) (Fig. 16A ).

Habitat.

Nothing is known about the habitat of this species.

Figures

Figure 6. Morphological features of Novochares spp. A, B mesoventrite C, D dorsal view of the head A N. tectiformis B N. cochlearis C Aulonochares ligulatus D N. pertusus.

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).