Novochares chaquensis ( Fernandez , 1982)

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 chaquensis ( Fernandez, 1982)

Figs 20A-E , 22C

Helochares (s. str.) chaquensis Fernández, 1982b: 87; Fernández 1989: 148 [in key].

Helochares (s. str.) carmona Short, 2005: 215; syn. nov.

Novochares carmona (Short, 2005: 215); Girón and Short 2021: 204.

Novochares chaquensis ( Fernández, 1982); Girón and Short 2021: 204.

Type material examined.

Helochares chaquensis Fernández, 1982: Holotype male from Argentina (Chaco: San Bernardo) deposited in MLP (not seen).

Helochares carmona Short, 2005: Paratypes (2 exs.): Costa Rica: Guanacaste Province: nr. Carmona, laguna de Cocodrilo, 16.i.2003, leg. Short, Roughley, & Porras, HG-vapor light (2, SEMC).

Additional material examined

(34 exs.). Argentina: Formosa Province: P. N. Rio Pilcomayo , 50 km NW Clorinda, 19.xii.1990, FM#90-293, marsh edge, S & J Peck, UV light (3, FMNH) . Bolivia: Santa Cruz: 60 mi. N. Santa Cruz, Saavedre Exp. Sta. , 3-5.i.1960, leg. R. Cumming (4, USNM), same data but 27-20.xii.1959 (1, USNM) . Brazil: Mato Grosso: Jacare, Xingu National Park , xi.1965, leg. M. Alvarenga, at light (3, UNSM) . Mato Grosso do Sul: Corumba, Paraguay River , -18.95184, -57.66642, 101 m, 25.vi.2018, leg. Hamada & team, macrophytes along river margins and in floating island mats, BR18-0625-01A (4, INPA, SEMC) . São Paulo: Piracicaba , 12.xii.1965, leg. C.A. Triplehorn (2, USNM) . Ecuador: Napo: Limoncocha , 15.vi.1977, leg. P.J. Spangler & D.R. Givens #129 (1, USNM) . Guyana: Mazaruni-Potaro District, Kartabo Point , 1.i.1983, leg. W.E. Steiner (1, USNM) . Panama: Darién: Cana ANCON station, 500 m, 7°45.323'N, 77°41.069'W, 3-9.vi.1996, leg. S. Lingafelter, blacklight (1, SEMC) . Peru: Madre de Dios: Parque Manu, Pakitza, Cocha Salvador , 12°07'S, 70°59'W, 250 m, 21.ix.1989, leg. R.A. Faitoute, colln. #50 (2, USNM) . Trinidad And Tobago: Trinidad , Piarco, 15-16.vii.1969, leg. P. & P. Spangler (4, USNM) . Venezuela: Apure: 5 km N. San Juan de Payara , 350', 25.vii.1988, leg. C. & L. O’Brien & G. Wibmer (2, CAS) . Aragua: El Limon, 450 m, 25.v.1977, leg. J. Clavijo, at light (3, MIZA) . Guárico: Corozo Pando (8 km. N. ), 17-18.vi.1984, leg. F.W. Eiland & V. Linares, blacklight (2, USNM) . Zulia: 9°51.833'N, 72°43.285'W, 96 m, btw Machiques & Tukuko, 29.i.2009, leg. Short, García, & Camacho, roadside marsh, VZ09-0129-03Z (1, SEMC) .

Differential diagnosis.

This widespread species has several less common aedeagal features, particularly the straight, untoothed apices of the parameres (Fig. 20A ). The shallow, generally smooth fork at the apex of the dorsal plate of the median lobe is somewhat similar to N. garciai , but that species has strongly sinuate outer margins of the parameres, as well as the dorsal plate being constricted medially (Fig. 20F ).

Description.

Body length 5.2-7.0 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces brown to dark brown, usually with slightly paler (brown to orange) margins of pronotum, and elytra. Head: Maxillary palps 1.2-1.3 × width of head, orange to brown in color, with apex of each palpomere paler. 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 medially broadly convex. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite broadly and roundly elevated, with medial longitudinal ridge extending anteriorly. Abdomen: Apical emargination of fifth ventrite relatively deep, U- to V-shaped. Aedeagus: (Fig. 20A-E ) Overall shape pear-like, 4.5 × longer than wide, with outer lateral margins of parameres straight to weakly and evenly convex along basal 3/4; apical region of each paramere rounded, with outer margin smooth, not pointed; at closest point, dorsal inner margins of parameres separated by distance 0.5-1.0 × greatest width of a paramere; dorsal plate of median lobe with neck 0.35-0.50 × as broad as base; arms of dorsal plate of median lobe diverging, dorsally concave, nearly 0.1 × length of dorsal plate of median lobe; each arm uniformly wide along basal 2/3, then narrowing to rounded to acute apex; notch between arms at base slightly wider than base of an arm; gonopore placed at base of dorsal plate of median lobe; ventral plate of median lobe weakly sclerotized, nearly membranous, triangular, irregular at apex, apex extending to second 1/3 of neck of dorsal plate; basal piece 0.3 × length of a paramere. In lateral view, aedeagus oblique at base, with ventral outline of parameres 4.2 × longer than greatest width near base; dorsal outline of aedeagus in lateral view straight nearly along basal 2/3.

Distribution.

Argentina, Bolivia (new record), Brazil (Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo), Colombia (new record), Costa Rica (new record), Ecuador (new record), Guyana (new record), Panama (new record), Peru (new record), Trinidad and Tobago (new record), Venezuela (new record) (Fig. 22C ). The only previously published locality that we have not examined specimens or images is the type locality in Argentina.

Habitat.

Little is known about this species: most specimens were taken at light traps. One series of specimens was collected in floating macrophytes on the Paraguay River, others were collected in marshes.

Remarks.

This species occurs from Costa Rica south to Argentina. Despite this vast range, it is rather uncommonly collected, with just a smattering of records known to us. Specimens from Colombia identified by Gonzalez-Rodriguez et al. (2017) as N. atratus are in fact this species.

We examined the aedeagus of a paratype of the hitherto Costa Rican endemic N. carmona , which we found to be an exact match to N. chaquensis leading us to synonymize the two species.

Figures

Figure 20. Aedeagi of the Novochares sallaei species group A-E N. chaquensis F N. garciai G-I N. dicranospathus J-L N. atratus M-R N. sallaei A-C Argentina D Costa Rica E Trinidad M-P Guatemala Q, R Mexico A, D-G, J, M, Q dorsal view B, H, K, N, R ventral view C, I, L, O lateral view P oblique view.

Figure 22. Distribution of Novochares sallaei species group A N. cochlearis (red: circles, examined specimens; squares, literature / unconfirmed records), N. dicranospathus (yellow), N. pastinum (blue) B N. atratus (red: circles, examined specimens; squares, literature / unconfirmed records), N. clavieri (yellow), N. bisinuatus (blue), N. garciai (green) C N. chaquensis (red: circles, examined specimens; squares, literature / unconfirmed records), N. pichilingue (yellow) D N. fernandezae (red), N. tridentis (yellow), N. quadrispinus (blue), N. unguis (green).