Novochares mojenos, 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 mojenos sp. nov.

Figs 26D-F , 29D

Type material.

Holotype (male): "BOLIVIA: Beni Department/ Cercado Province/ 9.5 km N. of Trinidad/ 14°46'34"S, 64°58'00"W / 17.vi.1999, leg. K.B. Miller" (SEMC). Paratype (1 ex.): same data as holotype (1, SEMC).

Differential diagnosis.

The aedeagus of this species is most similar to N. yora , with which it shares a similar overall form. In N. yora the dorsal plate of the median lobe is thinner along its neck, and the arms of the apical fork are narrower and parallel sided (Fig. 26A ), while they are wider and more curved in N. mojenos (Fig. 26D ). The outer margins of the parameres are also more sinuate in N. mojenos , while straight in N. yora .

Description.

Body length 7.2-7.3 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces brown, with slightly paler (orange) clypeus, labrum, and margins of pronotum and elytra. Head: Maxillary palps nearly 1.3 × longer than width of head, uniformly orange 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 of scarce and weakly marked systematic punctures on lateral surface of elytron. Prosternum flat. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite elevated as a triangular pyramid, with posterior face somewhat bisinuate and medial longitudinal ridge extending anteriorly (resembling a nose). Abdomen: Apical emargination of fifth ventrite relatively deep, U-shaped. Aedeagus: (Fig. 26D-F ) Overall shape pear-like, 2.8 × longer than wide, with outer lateral margins of parameres slightly sinuate along second 1/3; lateral projection on apical region of outer margin of each paramere pointed and ventrally directed; at closest point, dorsal inner margins of parameres separated by distance slightly narrower than greatest width of a paramere; dorsal plate of median lobe with neck 0.3 × as broad as base; arms of dorsal plate of median lobe slightly converging, nearly 0.15 × length of dorsal plate of median lobe; each arm widened near apical 1/3, then strongly narrowing, forming medially and dorsally pointed apex; notch between arms at base narrower than base of an arm; ventral plate of median lobe weakly sclerotized, triangular, rounded at apex, apex extending to mid-length of neck of dorsal plate; basal piece 0.3 × length of a paramere. In lateral view, aedeagus with ventral outline of parameres 3.8 × longer than greatest width near base; dorsal outline of aedeagus in lateral view nearly straight along basal 2/3.

Etymology.

Mojenos, in reference to the Mojenos indigenous group.

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality in Bolivia (Fig. 29D ).

Habitat.

Nothing is known about the habitat of this species.

Figures

Figure 26. Aedeagi of the Novochares tectiformis species group A-C N. yora D-F N. mojenos G-K N. coya L N. atlanticus A, D, G, I, K, L dorsal view B, E ventral view C, F, H, J lateral view G, H Trinidad I, J Peru K Guyana.

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).