Katasophistes cuzco, Girón & Short, 2018

Giron, Jennifer C. & Short, Andrew Edward Z., 2018, Three new genera of acidocerine water scavenger beetles from tropical South America (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Acidocerinae), ZooKeys 768, pp. 113-158 : 131

Katasophistes cuzco sp. n. Figs 9E-H ; 11E ; 12C ; 13

Type material examined.

Holotype (male): " PERU: Cuzco: Quita Calzón, at/ km 164, 1030 m/ 13°09'S 71°22'W // 2 Sept 1989/ colln 17/ R.A. Faitoute" (USNM). Paratypes (3): PERU: Cuzco: Same data as holotype (2, SEMC, USNM); at Km 152 & 1 Km E. of San Pedro, 1430 m/ 13°09'S 7126'W /31 Aug 1989/ colln 10/ R.A. Faitoute" (1 male, USNM).

Differential diagnosis.

Katasophistes cuzco is very similar to K. charynae , from which it can be distinguished by its larger size, generally paler coloration, the medially swollen curved transverse ridge on the posterior elevation of mesoventrite, as well as characters of the aedeagal parameres.

Description.

Body length 3.6 to 3.7 mm, width 2.0 to 2.2 mm. Body elongate oval, moderately convex (Fig. 9F ). General coloration uniformly brown, with slightly paler margins of pronotum. Each elytron with five rows of shallow enlarged systematic punctures. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite with a well-defined, curved transverse ridge, swollen at midpoint. Apex of fifth abdominal ventrite moderately emarginate (Fig. 11E ). Aedeagus (Fig. 12C ) with basal piece nearly 0.6-times the length of parameres; greatest width of parameres near base, nearly as wide as pre-apical width, with inner margin sinuate; at widest point, parameres nearly 0.6-times greatest width of median lobe; apex of parameres rounded, slightly widened at apex; apex of median lobe forming an acute angle.

Etymology.

Noun in apposition. Named after Cuzco, the Peruvian province where specimens were collected.

Distribution.

Peru (Cuzco). See Fig. 13 .

Biology.

Although no biological information is listed in the label, we were able to cross reference the original field notes for these collecting events and confirm that the holotype event ("colln 17") was made in a stream, probably from leaf packs. The paratype from "colln 10" has a combination notation of "roadside ditch" and “seep”.

Figures

Figure 9. Habitus of Katasophistes spp.: A-E Katasophistes charynae: A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D head E-H Katasophistes cuzco: E dorsal view F lateral view G ventral view H head. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 11. Thorax and abdomen of Katasophistes spp.: A-C Katasophistes merida: A ventral view of mesoventrite (white arrow pointing transverse ridge) B posterior view of metafurca: (at) anterior tendon, (c) crux, (ds) dorsal sheath, (fa) furcal arm, (h) hemiductus, (ls) lateral sheath, (s) stalk C fifth abdominal ventrite D Katasophistes charynae, fifth abdominal ventrite; E Katasophistes cuzco, fifth abdominal ventrite.

Figure 12. Aedeagus of Katasophistes spp.: A-B Katasophistes charynae: A " colln 32 " B " colln 42 a " C Katasophistes cuzco; D Katasophistes merida E Katasophistes superficialis. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.

Figure 13. Distribution of Katasophistes species.