Hydraena venezuela, Perkins, Philip D., 2011

Perkins, Philip D., 2011, New records and description of fifty-four new species of aquatic beetles in the genus Hydraena Kugelann from South America (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 3074, pp. 1-198 : 67

Hydraena venezuela , new species

Figs. 142 (habitus), 144 (aedeagus), 199 (map)

Type Material. Holotype (male): Venezuela : Bolivar, Los Pijiguaos: outcrop/morichal, detrital pools, elev. 80 m, 6° 35.617' N, 66° 49.238' W, 12 i 2009, Short, Miller (VZ09-0112-01C). Deposited in the MIZA. Paratypes (29): Venezuela : Bolivar, Same data as holotype (26 SEMC); Los Pijiguaos: outcrop/morichal, margin of morichal, elev. 80 m, 6° 35.617' N, 66° 49.238' W, 12 i 2009, Short, Garcia, Camacho, Miller, Joly (VZ09-0112-01A) (3 SEMC).

Differential Diagnosis. A finely sparsely punctate, strongly shining species with distinctive pronotal fascia. Somewhat similar in dorsal habitus to H. shorti ( Figs. 68 , 142 ); differentiated therefrom by the larger size (ca. 1.38 vs. 1.25 mm), the wider pronotal fascia (color band ratios ca. 5/15/5 vs. 6/10/6), the narrower P2, and the wider plaques. The aedeagi of the two species markedly differ ( Figs. 72, 144).

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 1.38/0.58; head 0.22/0.35; pronotum 0.35/0.46, PA 0.38, PB 0.43; elytra 0.80/0.58. Dorsum of head piceous; pronotum testaceous in front of and behind piceous fascia, ratios of color bands, as measured in midline, ca. 5/15/5; elytra dark brown; legs brown; maxillary palpi testaceous, tip not darker.

Frons punctures ca. 1xef laterally, smaller and sparser medially; interstices shining, 1–2xpd laterally, 3–5xpd medially. Clypeus microreticulate laterally, very finely sparsely punctulate medially. Mentum finely, moderately sparsely punctulate, shining; postmentum very finely densely micropunctulate in small median area, surrounding areas smooth, shining. Genae raised, shining, without posterior ridge.

Pronotum weakly arcuate laterally; anterior margin straight behind eyes, emarginate behind frons, scintilla absent; finely sparsely punctate, punctures on disc ca. 1xpd frons punctures, interstices strongly shining, 4–8xpd, punctures slightly larger and denser at anterior and posterior; PF1 and PF2 absent; PF3 deep; PF4 very shallow or obsolete.

Elytra weakly convex; weakly arcuate laterally; summit of posterior declivity at about midlength; lateral explanate margins narrow; on basal 1/3 punctures ca. 1xpd largest pronotal punctures, punctures becoming finer and more widely spaced toward posterior. Intervals not raised, shining, on basal 1/3 ca. 2–3xpd, as are interstices between punctures of a row, a few punctures subserial. Apices in dorsal aspect subtruncate, in posterior aspect margins forming rather large angle with one another.

Ratios of P2 width and plaque shape (P2/w/l/s) ca. 2.5/2/6/4. P1 laminate; median carina sinuate in profile. P2 l/w ca. 2/1, sides slightly converging toward blunt apex, apex raised slightly above mesoventral intercoxal process. Plaques moderately wide, straight, slightly converging toward one another anteriorly, weakly raised, located at sides of deep median depression. Metaventrite with very small point on each side, extended posteriorly from margin of each mesocoxal cavity. AIS width at straight posterior margin ca. 1.5x P2. Protibia very slightly arcuate, widest at ca. distal 1/4, where located tiny sharp tooth. Meso- and metatibia slender, extremely slightly, if at all, arcuate. Male abdominal apex very slightly, if at all, asymmetrical; last tergite with apicomedian notch. Female (microslide mount, n=1): last tergite sharply rounded, without apicomedian notch, ca. 28 long, closely spaced, some contiguous, moderately hooked setae; gonocoxite not midlongitudinally divided, apical margin sharply rounded, no transverse ridge evident at border of microreticulation; spermatheca type C1, accessory gland cup large.

Etymology. Named in reference to the geographical distribution.

Distribution. Currently known from the type locality and one nearby site ( Fig. 199).

Notes. The aedeagus of H. venezuela ( Fig. 144) has two long setae on the dorsal surface, perhaps indicating that this species is related to those in the Jivaro Complex.

Figures

FIGURE 68. Hydraena shorti, holotype, dorsal and lateral habitus, and venter.

FIGURE 142. Hydraena venezuela, holotype, dorsal and lateral habitus, and venter.