Novochares trifurcatus, 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 trifurcatus sp. nov.

Figs 5A , 27I, J , 29B

Type material.

Holotype (male): "PERU: Loreto: Maynas Province/ 3°50.430'S, 73°22.847'W, 116 m/ ca 10km SW Iquitos, nr. Ninarumi/ leg. S.Baca, 18.i.2020; margin of/ large pond; PE20-0118-02A", "DNA VOUCHER/ Extraction #/ SLE-2147" (MHNSM).

Differential diagnosis.

The aedeagal form of this species is most similar to N. xingu (Fig. 27D ), but that species does not have an elevated ventral plate of the median lobe, so only appears bifid instead of trifid as in this species (Fig. 27I ). Additionally, N. trifurcatus is unusual among species of the Novochares tectiformis species group in that the mesoventrite is not strongly elevated.

Description.

Body length 7.0 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces dark brown and sheeny. Head: Maxillary palps nearly 1.6 × longer than width of head, uniformly reddish brown in color. Thorax: Ground punctation on pronotum and elytra dense and very shallowly impressed. Elytra without rows of serial punctures, each with very faint rows (one dorsal and two or three lateral) of scarce and weakly marked systematic punctures. Prosternum flat. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite somewhat transverse and weakly elevated, with low medial longitudinal ridge extending anteriorly. Abdomen: Apical emargination of fifth ventrite relatively deep, U-shaped. Aedeagus: (Figs 5A , 27I, J ) Overall shape pear-like, 2.8 × longer than wide; lateral projection on apical region of outer margin of each paramere strongly pointed and ventrally directed; at closest point, dorsal inner margins of parameres separated by distance nearly 1/2 greatest width of a paramere; dorsal plate of median lobe with neck 0.8 × as broad as base; arms of dorsal plate of median lobe gradually and weakly narrowing up to mid-length, then uniform in width, slightly curved and apically converging, with apex narrowly rounded and dorsally pointed, nearly 0.24 × length of dorsal plate of median lobe; notch between arms at base slightly narrower than base of an arm; ventral plate of median lobe strongly sclerotized, triangular, apically pointed, apex extending nearly to apex of arms of dorsal plate; basal piece 0.29 × length of a paramere. In lateral view, aedeagus with ventral outline of parameres 2.8 × longer than greatest width near base; dorsal outline nearly straight along basal 1/2, then evenly convex along third 1/4.

Etymology.

Trifurcatus (L.), in reference to the three-pronged appearance of the median lobe of the aedeagus, formed by the lateral arms of the dorsal plate and the median projection of the ventral plate.

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality in Peru (Fig. 29B ).

Habitat.

The holotype was collected from the margin of a large pond.

Remarks.

The description of Novochares trifurcatus is based on a single specimen that was extracted for DNA. The colors described here may not match freshly collected material.

Figures

Figure 5. Aedeagi of the Novochares tectiformis species group 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. trifurcatus B N. tectiformis C N. mura.

Figure 27. Aedeagi of the Novochares tectiformis species group A-C N. mura D, E N. xingu F-H N. danta I, J N. trifurcatus A, D, F, I dorsal view B, E, G ventral view C oblique view H, J lateral view.

Figure 29. Distribution of Novochares tectiformis species group A N. duo (red), N. bolivianus (yellow), N. atlanticus (blue), N. danta (green) B N. coya (red), N. yora (yellow), N. xingu (blue), N. mura (green), N. trifurcatus (purple) C N. tectiformis (red) D N. pume (red), N. piaroa (yellow), N. florifer (blue), N. mojenos (green), N. tambopatense (purple).