Novochares danta, 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 danta sp. nov.

Figs 27F-H , 29A

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 (9 exs.): Venezuela: Amazonas: Same data as holotype (7, MIZA, SEMC, including DNA Voucher SLE1399); W. Comunidad La Danta, 15.i.2009, leg. Short, Miller, & Camacho, detrital margin of stream, VZ09-0115-04B (2, SEMC).

Differential diagnosis.

The genitalia of this species is spectacular (Fig. 27F ) and not even close to any other Novochares species except N. mura (Fig. 27A ). They both share the same very broad form, with a distinct projection along the inner margin of the parameres, which is acute and more distal in N. mura , and quadrate and more proximal in N. danta .

Description.

Size and form: Body length 6.6-8.0 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces dark brown, sometimes with slightly to moderately paler (brown or reddish brown) clypeus and margins of pronotum and elytra, sometimes sheeny. Head: Maxillary palps nearly 1.4 × longer than width of head, uniformly orange to 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 nearly flat to only very weakly medially convex. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite elevated as a triangular pyramid, with posterior face somewhat posteriorly concave and medial longitudinal ridge extending anteriorly (resembling a nose). Abdomen: Apical emargination of fifth ventrite relatively deep, U-shaped. Aedeagus: (Fig. 27F-H ) Overall shape oval, 1.8 × longer than wide; apical region of parameres somewhat triangular, roundly pointed; dorsal inner margin of each paramere with a large mesal projection, apically truncate, proximal to fork of dorsal plate of median lobe; dorsal plate of median lobe with base 4 × broader than neck; arms of dorsal plate of median lobe dorsally concave, widened along basal 2/3, nearly 0.28 × length of dorsal plate of median lobe, with inner margins parallel; each arm apically truncate, pointed at outer corner; notch between arms at base slightly narrower than base of an arm; ventral plate of median lobe moderately sclerotized, triangular, with curved lateral margins, apically narrowly and sharply acuminate, apex extending slightly beyond base of fork; basal piece 0.28 × length of a paramere. In lateral view, aedeagus parallelogram-shaped, with ventral outline of parameres 3 × longer than greatest width near base; dorsal outline of aedeagus in lateral view sinuate, medially concave.

Etymology.

Named after the indigenous community from where this species was collected.

Distribution.

Known only from two closely situated localities in the Guiana Shield region of southern Venezuela (Fig. 29A ).

Habitat.

This species was collected from the margins of densely forested streams.

Figures

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).