Oocyclus vestitus Sharp, 1882

Short, A. E. Z. & Perkins, P. D., 2004, A revision of Oocyclus Sharp of Mexico and Central America (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), Zootaxa 783, pp. 1-45 : 22-23

Oocyclus vestitus Sharp, 1882

( Figs. 15 , 27 )

Oocyclus vestitus Sharp, 1882: 62 . (nec. O. vestitus Sharp –Sharp, 1887: 764)

Type Material. Holotype. Male. Fixed by monotypy. “ Oocyclus vestitus / Type D. S./ Orizaba, Mexico / Salle.”[written on same card as specimen], “ Type ” [red disc], “Orizaba/ Mexico / Salle Coll”, “B. C. A. Col. I. 2. / Oocyclus / vestitus / Sharp.”, “883” [label upsidedown] ( BMNH).

Other Material Examined (5). MEXICO: Durango: “El Diablo”, ca. 100 mi. W. Durango, 18.vii.1974, rock face seep, P. D. Perkins leg. (1 MCZ); Jalisco, 5 mi. W. Plan de Barrancas, 21.vii.1954, coll. J. MacSwain leg. (1 AEZS, 2 USNM); “Bilimek, ‘83” [1883], det. Hebauer (1 NMW). One specimen without locality ( NMW).

Differential Diagnosis. Distinguished by the dual punctation on the pronotum and elytra, the larger of these punctures bearing fine hairs. O. sharpi is similar in having a dorsal covering of hairs but lacks the anterolateral pale spots of the pronotum and the distinct dual punctation.

Description. Size and Form. Total Length=4.0– 4.3mm. EL/EW=1.11. Oval, slightly convex. Elytra slightly longer than wide. Color. Dorsum dark brown to black. Head and pronotum with indistinct green iridescence; each elytron with 3–4 iridescent green/ bronze patches. Maxillary palpi yellow, with tip of apical segment slightly darkened. Labial palpi yellow. Mentum and stipes dark brown, same color as venter of head. Pronotum with faint, narrow pale spots anterolaterally. Legs yellow to light brown, with femora slightly darkened basally and along anterior edge. Head. Frons, labrum and clypeus with dense punctation, distance between punctures 1.0–1.5 width of one puncture. Maxillary palpi nearly equal to width of labrum; segments 2 and 3 subequal with apical segment 1.5x as long. Labial palpi almost equal to length of mentum; apical two segments subequal in length. Scape subequal in length as segments 2–5, segment 2 subequal or longer in length than segments 3–5, segments 3 and 4 subequal in length, apical segment at least 1.5x longer then penultimate segment. Labrum with 2–3 setiferous systematic punctures centrally. Clypeus with setiferous systematic punctures along anterior margin, same size as surrounding punctation but often set with short setae. Frons with irregular row of setiferous systematic punctures mesad of each eye. Mentum quadrate, anterior margin slightly convex, with sparse punctures on anterior half. Thorax. General punctation of pronotum and elytra dense, of irregular sizes: composed of fine, nearly obsolete punctures mixed with coarse punctures bearing recumbent or erect setae. Lateral margins of pronotum and elytra with row of punctures bearing fine setae. Systematic punctures of pronotum obscured by other setiferous punctures. Posterolateral corners of pronotum rounded. Sutural row of punctures on elytra present but blending with surrounding punctation; bearing short erect to recumbent setae. Elytral rows 1 and 2 bearing erect to recumbent setae, most punctures larger than general punctation; rows 3 and 4 becoming diffuse and obsolete, bearing recumbent setae. Prosternum carinate medially, with two short spines anteromedially, shorter than narrowest width of prosternum. Mesosternal process slightly longer than wide, bearing 5 spines at apex of process; process with 2 transverse ridges, the center of each ridge bearing 2 spines; the fifth spine positioned posteromedially to the first four. Metasternum with oval glabrous area posteromedially, slightly longer than wide; half to slightly more than half total length of metasternum. Procoxae densely pubescent, with few distinct short spines posteromedially. Protibiae with 9–11 spines on dorsal face. Protarsal segments 1–4 small, subequal in length; segment 5 as long as segments 1–4. Hind femora glabrous. Abdomen. Ventrites sparsely pubescent; setae usually erect to suberect; longer than longest setae around margin of metasternal glabrous area. Fifth exposed ventrite entire. Aedeagus ( Fig. 27 ) with ventral sides of parameres broadly sinuate, narrower than dorsal face apically and basally but wider centrally; tips distinctly tapered and directed inward. Tip of median lobe very narrow, rising to apex of parameres. Basal piece broadly rounded.

Distribution. México.

Discussion. The single Panamanian specimen that Sharp (1887) assigned to this species is in fact O. sharpi . The single female specimen from El Diablo, Durango, Mexico is the northernmost distribution record of the genus in the New World; the specimen is tentatively placed here but may represent an undescribed species.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Oocyclus vestitus Sharp holotype. Dorsal and lateral habitus.

FIGURES 24 – 27. Oocyclus aedeagi, dorsal views. Scale bars = 0.2 mm. – 24. O. sharpi (holotype). – 25. O. substillus n. sp. (holotype). – 26. O. tapanti n. sp. (holotype). – 27. O. vestitus Sharp (holotype).