Nanosaphes tricolor, 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 : 144-146

Nanosaphes tricolor sp. n. Figs 5C, D ; 16A-D ; 18A ; 19 ; 20D-F

Type material examined.

Holotype (male): " SURINAME: Sipaliwini District/ 2.97731°N, 55.38500°W, 200 m/ Camp 4 (low), Kasikasima; sandy/ creek, trail to Kasikasima; leg. A. Short/ 22.iii.2012; SR12-0322-02A/ flotation; 2012 CI-RAP Survey" (NZCS). Paratypes (136): GUYANA: Region XII: " 5°17.823'N, 59°50.000'W, 684 m/ Ayanganna Airstrip, trail from/ Blackwater Creek Camp to Potaro/ River; sand/gravel washing in/ gravel bar; leg. A. Short / 18.iii.2014; GY14-0318-03C" (1, SEMC; DNA voucher SLE1067). SURINAME: Sipaliwini District: " 2°21.776'N, 56°41.861'W, 237 m/ Camp 3, Wehepai; leg. Short &/ Kadosoe; sandy forest creek/ 4-6.ix.2010; SR10-0904-01A/ 2010 CI- RAP Survey" (47, SEMC, including DNA voucher SLE130); same, except "small stream/ 5.ix.2010; SR10-0905-01A" (1, SEMC); same, except " 2°19.280'N, 56°52.595'W, 224 m/ Rapids on Kutari River/ leg. A.E.Z. Short; forest stream/ 18.viii.2010; SR10-0818-01A" (1, SEMC); same, except " 2.97731°N, 55.38500°W, 200 m/ Camp 4 (low), Kasi kasima; sandy/ stream on trail to METS camp/ 20.iii.2012; SR12-0320-02A" (4, SEMC); same data as holotype (9, SEMC); same, except " 04°42.480'N 56°13.159'W, 24 m/ Raleighfallen Nature Reserve, trail/ to Raleighfallen; creek margins/ leg. Short, McIntosh, & Kadosoe/ 27.vii.2012; SR12-0727-03A" (3, SEMC); same, except " 04°40.910'N, 56°11.138'W, 78 m/ Raleighfallen Nature Reserve / Voltzberg Station; sand bar in/ stream; leg. C. McIntosh / 29.vii.2012; SR12-0729-02C" (8, SEMC); same, except "Votlzberg trail; margin of stream; leg. C. Maier, V. Kadosoe; 30.vii.2012; SR12-0730-01A" (1, SEMC); " 2°00.342'N, 55°58.149'W, 337 m/ Sipaliwini Savanna Nature Res./ 4-Brothers Mts.; clearwater stream/ sandy w/detritus; 31.iii.2017/ leg. Short & Baca; SR17-0331-01B" (32, SEMC); same, except "sandy w/ emergent veg; SR17-0331-01C" (19, SEMC); same, except "at night; leg. Short; SR17-0331-01F" (10, SEMC).

Differential diagnosis.

Nanosaphes tricolor can be easily recognized by its smooth elytra (as opposed to rather coarsely punctate as in N. punctatus , see Fig. 15E, F ), and the coloration pattern along the body, with uniformly dark brown head (including the clypeus, see Fig. 16D ), yellow pronotum and brown elytra (see Fig. 16A, B ; as opposed to uniform brown coloration along the body as in N. castaneus , Fig. 15E, H ). It is similar to N. hesperus in the paler coloration of the pronotum, but differs from it by the uniform and darker coloration of the head (orange in N. hesperus ) and the weak development of the longitudinal elevation of the mesoventrite (as opposed to strongly elevated as to form a sharp and pointed carina in N. hesperus ).

Description.

Body length 1.1-1.4 mm, width 0.7-0.75 mm. Body elongate oval, weakly convex, with uniformly dark brown head (including clypeus, Fig. 16D ), yellow pronotum and brown elytra (Fig. 16A, B ). Dorsal surface shallowly punctate. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite weakly carinate. Pubescence of ventral surface very dense. Aedeagus (Fig. 18A ) with basal piece nearly 0.6-times the length of parameres; parameres slightly shorter than median lobe, with obliquely round apex; gonopore situated near apical third of median lobe.

Etymology.

Noun in apposition. Named after the three colors present along the body of the beetles (uniformly dark head, yellow pronotum and brown elytra), with the Latin prefix tri meaning three and the Latin word color.

Distribution.

Guyana, Suriname. Elevation range 24-684 m. See Fig. 19 .

Biology.

This species has been collected along the margins of forested streams (see Fig. 20D, F ).

Figures

Figure 5. SEM images of thorax and abdomen: A-B Crucisternum ouboteri: A meso- and metaventrite B apex of fifth abdominal ventrite; C-D Nanosaphes tricolor C meso- and metaventrite D apex of fifth abdominal ventrite.

Figure 15. Habitus of Nanosaphes spp.: A-D Nanosaphes castaneus: A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D head E-H Nanosaphes punctatus: E dorsal view F lateral view G ventral view H head. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 16. Habitus of Nanosaphes spp.: A-D Nanosaphes tricolor: A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D head E-H Nanosaphes hesperus: E dorsal view F lateral view G ventral view H head. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 18. Aedeagus of Nanosaphes spp.: A Nanosaphes tricolor B Nanosaphes hesperus C Nanosaphes castaneus D Nanosaphes punctatus. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 19. Distribution of Nanosaphes species.

Figure 20. Habitat of Nanosaphes spp. A Habitat for N. hesperus, Guyana: near Parabara; collecting event GY 13 - 1103 - 02 A B Habitat of N. punctatus, Guyana, upper Potaro near Chenapau, collecting event GY 14 - 0311 - 02 A C Type locality and habitat for N. hesperus, Suriname, along Kutari River, collecting event SR 10 - 0820 - 01 A D Habitat for N. hesperus and N. tricolor, Suriname, near Kasikasima, collecting event SR 12 - 0320 - 02 A E Habitat for N. tricolor, Suriname, near Voltzberg, collecting event SR 12 - 0729 - 02 C F Habitat for N. tricolor, Suriname, Sipaliwini Savanna, collecting event SR 17 - 0331 - 01 B.