Hydrochus foveatus Haldeman

Perkins, Philip D., 2021, Taxonomy of Central American water beetles in the genus Hydrochus Leach, 1817 (Coleoptera: Hydrochidae), Zootaxa 4974 (3), pp. 459-503 : 475-476

Hydrochus foveatus Haldeman

Figs. 2 , 15, 16 , 36

Hydrochus foveatus Haldeman, 1852: 375 ; lectotype designation Worthington et al. 2016.

Hydrochus monishi Makhan, 1995 . Syn. Worthington et al. 2016.

Originally described from Texas; the following are new locality records from Mexico.

Material examined (17): Mexico: Nuevo Leon, 10 km N Linares ; ex. mercury vapor lite, elev. 430 m, 22.iii.1991, leg. R. Brooks, R. Leschen (3 SEMC) ; Nuevo Leon, Rio Ramos , 19.vii.1968, leg. F. N. Young (#2304) (1 NMNH) ; Rio Ramos near Allende , 18.viii.1954, leg. F. N. Young (1106) (1 NMNH) ; Siesta Motel, 6 mi. S. of Monterrey , 28.vi.1966, leg. R. E. Woodruff (2 NMNH) ; San Luis Potosi, Ciudad Valles , 22.viii.1964, leg. Paul J. Spangler (1 NMNH) ; Clear stream at Palitla, 5 mi. N. of Tamazunchale , 22.xii.1948, leg. Hugh B. Leech (1 CAS) ; Huichihuayan , 25.ix.1938, leg. L. J. Lipovsky (1 SEMC) ; Tamaulipas, 5 miles sse. of Gomez Farias , 19.vii.1970, leg. Shaffner, Hart, Murray, Phelps (1 NMNH) ; Gomez Farias , 3 mi. W. El Encino, 16.iii.1983, leg. M. S. Davis (2 UMRM) ; Veracruz, 9 mi. W. Poza Rica, 27.viii.1965, leg. Paul J. Spangler (4 NMNH) .

Differential diagnosis. Among Central American species, recognized by the combination of moderate size (ca. 3.50–3.56 mm), the deep pronotal foveae, the large elytral tubercle of the 5 th interstria, and the male genitalia ( Figs. 15, 16 ; described below). This species has a generalized Hydrochus habitus; reliable determinations will require dissection of males. The male genitalia are distinct from other Central American species by virtue of the following combinations of characters: genitalia large, paramere tips sagittate, adtl very near apex of aedeagus, aedeagus wide, pseudoparameres large.

Male genitalia ( Figs. 15, 16 ). General characters: paramere tips sagittate, plsa prominent, narrower at very tip end in lateral view than in dorsal/ventral views, in dorsal/ventral views with medial margins at apex parallel or nearly so, then arcuate away from midline; aedeagus in dorsal/ventral views lanceolate, very wide at agw, at ca. midlength; in lateral view slightly narrower, without emargination where adbl and shaft meet; lateral margins of aedeagus sclerotized; basal piece slightly shorter than parameres, in dorsal/ventral views tapering from distal to proximal, in lateral view dorsal surface arcuate, ventral surface straight, orifice strongly sclerotized.

Dorsal surface: pdmm moderately widely separated, slightly sinuate, overlapping aedeagus; adbl very small; adtl subapical.

Ventral surface: pvmm approximating lateral margin of aedeagus; avtl at ca. proximal 1/3.

Remarks. The one specimen in the LeConte collection at the MCZ, a female, was designated lectotype by Worthington et al. (2016). Images of the habitus and labels of this specimen are given herein ( Fig. 16 ). The specimen imaged ( Fig. 15 ) has this locality data: Nuevo Leon, Rio Ramos near Allende, 18.viii.1954, leg. F. N. Young.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal habitus of Central American Hydrochus species.

FIGURES 15–16. Habitus and male genitalia. 15. Hydrochus foveatus Haldeman, non-type. 16. Hydrochus foveatus Haldeman, lectotype.

FIGURES 34–36. Geographical distribution maps.