Novochares tenedor, 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 tenedor sp. nov.

Figs 12K-M , 13B

Type material.

Holotype (male): "VENEZUELA: Apure State/ 7°37.289'N, 69°3.679'W, 83m/ side road ca. 10 km E. Mantecal/ leg. Short, García, & Camacho/ 18.i.2009; marshy area and pool by road; VZ09-0118-02X" (MIZA). Paratypes (59 exs.): Guyana: Region 6: Upper Berbice, Basecamp 1, 4°08.809'N, 58°14.232'W, 108 m, 22.ix.2014, leg. Short, Salisbury, La Cruz, margin of Berbice River, GY14-0922-02A (36, SEMC, CBDG, TTU-Z, including DNA voucher SLE1219). Region 9: Karanambu, 3°45.1'N, 59°18.6'W, Rupununi River, 2.iv.1994, leg. P.J. Spangler, colln #8 (1, USNM). Venezuela: Apure: Same data as holotype (1, SEMC, DNA voucher SLE1205). Barinas: SW of Batatuy, 8°10.259'N, 70°51.866'W, 275 m, 25.i.2012, leg. Short, Arias, & Gustafson, sandbar/gravel margin, VZ12-0125-03C (1, SEMC). Bolívar: Cuchivero, 30 km SE of Caicara, 4.viii.1987, leg. S. & J. Peck, Woodland, UV light, SBP87-108 (6, SEMC). Cojedes: Rio Tinaco, near, approx. 5 km NE of Tinaco, 9°44.160'N, 68°24.219'W, 170 m, 20.i.2012, leg. Short, Arias, & Gustafson, stream margins, VZ12-0120-02A (4, SEMC); El Pao, approx. 7.5 km, Rio Caiman Grande at San Brano, 9°39.246'N, 68°11.860'W, 137 m, 20.i.2012, leg. Short, Arias, & Gustafson, stream margins, VZ12-0120-03A (3, SEMC); Aparicion, at highway, lagoon/pond, 9°22.268'N, 69°23.062'W, 213 m, 22.i.2012, leg. Short, Arias, & Gustafson, pond, VZ12-0122-01A (2, SEMC). Portuguesa: Aparicion, Rio Are, 9°22.900'N, 69°23.153'W, 220 m, 22.i.2012, leg. Short & Arias, river margin, VZ12-0122-02A (5, SEMC). Zulia: Quebrada Riencito, 10.86041°N, 72.32210°W, 95 m, 30.xii.2008, leg. Short & García, along margin, VZ08-1230-01B (1, SEMC).

Differential diagnosis.

This taxon is unique among members of this species group in having the parameres strongly sinuate along the apical 1/3 (Fig. 12K, L ). While the dorsal plate of the median lobe is slightly similar in form to N. bidens (Fig. 12A, B ), the arms of the fork are less than 1/2 as long, and the plate itself is much shorter, sitting well below the apex of the parameres.

Description.

Body length 5.1-6.5 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces orange to yellowish brown, usually with slightly paler (yellow) clypeus and margins of pronotum and elytra. Head: Maxillary palps slightly nearly 1.3 × longer than width of head, uniformly orange in color. Thorax: Elytra without rows of serial punctures, each with very faint rows of scarce and weakly marked systematic punctures on lateral and posterior regions. Prosternum medially broadly and weakly convex. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite somewhat transverse and broadly elevated, with low and glabrous longitudinal ridge extending anteriorly. Abdomen: Apical emargination of fifth ventrite relatively deep, U-shaped. Aedeagus: (Fig. 12K-M ) Overall shape pear-like, 2.3 × longer than wide, with outer lateral margins of parameres very weakly convex up to apical region; joint basal margins of parameres medially pointed in dorsal view; apical region of each paramere rounded, with outer margin laterally pointed; at closest point (along neck), dorsal inner margins of parameres separated by distance 0.54 × greatest width of a paramere; dorsal plate of median lobe with neck 0.23 × as broad as base; base of arms of dorsal plate of median lobe dorsally concave; arms of dorsal plate somewhat parallel, diverging at apex, nearly parallel-sided for most length, nearly 0.16 × length of dorsal plate of median lobe; each arm acute and dorso-laterally pointed at apex; notch between arms at base nearly 1/2 as wide as base of an arm; basal piece nearly 0.3 × length of a paramere. In lateral view, aedeagus straight at base, with ventral outline of parameres 3.9 × longer than greatest width near base; dorsal outline of aedeagus in lateral view strongly convex at base, then nearly straight and oblique along basal 1/2, then sinuate along distal 1/2; ventral outline of aedeagus in lateral view nearly straight.

Etymology.

Tenedor, meaning fork in Spanish, in reference to the shape of the dorsal plate of the median lobe.

Distribution.

Guyana, Venezuela (Fig. 13B ).

Habitat.

This species has been collected in a range of habitats, though most specimens seem to have been taken in riparian areas along the margins of streams and rivers. Other specimens have been collected in more typical marsh habitats.

Novochares minor species group

Species group diagnosis. Body length 4.2-5.4 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces very dark brown, with paler (orange to yellow) margins of pronotum and elytra. Head: Maxillary palps slightly longer than width of head, orange to brown in color, usually paler (yellow) at ends of each palpomere (Fig. 7C ). Thorax: Ground punctation on pronotum and elytra relatively dense and 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 only very weakly medially convex. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite broadly and somewhat transversely elevated; mesoventrite with medial longitudinal glabrous patch extending anteriorly. Abdomen: Apical emargination of fifth ventrite relatively deep, U-shaped. Aedeagus: (Fig. 11G-K ) Overall shape pear-like, joint basal margins of parameres somewhat truncate; apical region of each paramere sinuate and laterally pointed; parameres longer than median lobe, with apex rounded; dorsal inner margin of each paramere sinuate; dorsal plate of median lobe (in dorsal view) with broad neck and broad arms; gonopore placed at base of dorsal plate of median lobe; ventral plate of median lobe (in ventral view) membranous and short; basal piece nearly 0.3 × length of a paramere. In lateral view, aedeagus somewhat triangular, oblique at base, with ventral outline of parameres nearly 3.5 × longer than greatest width near base.

Composition. This group is composed of a single known species from Peru and Venezuela: N. minor sp. nov.

Remarks. The very small size combined with very dark to nearly black dorsal coloration serves to separate this species from most others. Most very dark species are typically much larger.

Figures

Figure 7. Dorsal habitus of Novochares spp. A N. abbreviatus B N. pilatus C N. minor D N. tenedor.

Figure 11. Aedeagi of Novochares spp. A-C N. aperito D-F N. orchis G-K N. minor G-J Peru K Venezuela A, D, G, K dorsal view B, E, H ventral view C, F, J oblique view I lateral view.

Figure 12. Aedeagi of the Novochares garfo species group A-C N. bidens D-F N. furcatus G-J N. garfo K-M N. tenedor A, D, G, K dorsal view B, E, H, L ventral view C, I, M lateral view F, J oblique view.

Figure 13. Distribution of Novochares spp. A N. aperito (red), N. minor (yellow), N. orchis (blue) B N. bidens (red), N. furcatus (yellow), N. garfo (blue), N. tenedor (green).