Berosus llanensis Oliva & Short

Oliva, Adriana & Short, Andrew E. Z., 2012, Review of the Berosus Leach of Venezuela (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Berosini) with description of fourteen new species, ZooKeys 206, pp. 1-69 : 35

Berosus llanensis Oliva & Short sp. n. Figs 19A, 20A

Type material.

Holotype (male): "VENEZUELA: Apure State/ 7°38.660'N, 69°18.004'W, 90 m/ between "La Ye" & Bruzual/ 18.i.2009; Short, Camacho, &/ Garcia; VZ-09-0118-03X: lagoon", "[barcode]/SM0845234/ KUNHM-ENT", "HOLOTYPE/ Berosus/ llanensis sp. n./ des. Oliva & Short 2010" (MIZA). Paratypes (4):VENEZUELA:Apure State: Same data as holotype (4 exs., MIZA, SEMC).

Diagnosis.

This species is one of the few that have the posterior angle of the metaventral process raised into a rounded lamella higher than the posterolateral angles. This character is also found in Berosus nigrinus Knisch, 1921 (Brazil: Mato Grosso), Berosus sticticus Boheman, 1859 (Brazil: Mato Grosso, Rio de Janeiro) and Berosus guyanensis Queney, 2006 (French Guiana, Venezuela: Bolívar). The basal piece is longer than in Berosus sticticus and shorter than in Berosus guyanensis .

Description.

Body length: 2.3-2.6. Shape depressed. Eyes not prominent. Labrum weakly melanic. Clypeus testaceous with small dark triangle on the middle of the posterior margin, frons testaceous with melanic median area. Pronotum testaceous with small discal melanic spot. Scutellum weakly darkened. Elytra with small melanic spots, the pair on the fourth interstria absent in observed material. Venter weakly melanic. Maxillary palpi with apical palpomere darkened on apex. Femora with pubescent portion darkened, glabrous portion testaceous.

Punctures on clypeus round, sparse, on frons a little coarser, about twice the size of ommatidia. Pronotal punctures elliptical, moderately dense. Ground distinctly micropunctate, shining. Scutellum densely punctate. Elytral striae fine on disc, bearing punctures about the same size as those on pronotum; outer striae shallow. Interstriae flat, even the outer ones; odd-numbered ones with distinct punctures, even-shaped ones with fine or obsolete punctures. Lateral margin of elytra with a row of round punctures spaced by about twice their diameter. Elytral apices separately rounded. Spine-like hairs absent.

Mesoventral process with a large straight anterior tooth, directed downwards. Metaventral process small, with posterolateral angles produced into small triangular laminae, posterior angle raised into a rounded lamina, in lateral aspect convex, scarcely higher than posterolateral angles. First ventrite carinate, without lateral depressions. Fifth ventrite with apical notch shallow, bottom of notch weakly produced; the males bear in front of the notch two raised, sharp teeth, one behind the other.

Maxillary palpi short, thick. Basal pubescence on two-thirds of mesofemora and three-quarters of metafemora, limit transverse-oblique. Protarsus of male short, sturdy, with fourth tarsomere as long as the first three together; first tarsomere about one and a half times as long as the second, both weakly swollen. Claws weakly arched.

Male genitalia: basal piece about twice as long as wide, two-thirds of total length. Parameres curved towards sternal side, with narrowed apices, bearing a short subapical row of hairs. Sternal margin strongly convex. Median lobe a little shorter than parameres, moderately thick, curved, apex blunt.

Etymology.

The name alludes to the fact that this species is found on the vast plains region of central Venezuela, Los Llanos.

Distribution.

Venezuela (Apure).

Remarks. This species was collected in an open marsh. The type series is partly teneral.