Macrelmis amazonica, Passos, Maria Inês Silva Dos, Miranda, Gustavo Silva De & Nessimian, Jorge Luiz, 2015

Passos, Maria Inês Silva Dos, Miranda, Gustavo Silva De & Nessimian, Jorge Luiz, 2015, Three new species of Macrelmis Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Elminae) from Southeastern Brazil with new definition of species groups to the genus, Zootaxa 4058 (2), pp. 195-210 : 201-202

amazonica new species group

Diagnostic character: parameres significantly shorter than aedeagus; aedeagus with rounded apex ( Figs. 3A, C ). Species: Macrelmis amazonica , M. terea , M. thorpei , and M. tityra .

Distribution ( Fig. 6 ): Brazil: Rondônia ( Hinton 1945) and Amazonas ( Hinton 1946). French Guiana: Saint- Laurent-du-Maroni ( Hinton 1946).

History of the group: Macrelmis amazonica was described as part of the graniger species group ( Hinton 1945), but the male genitalia of these four species share undeniable similarities, with the abovementioned characters. Macrelmis terea , M. thropei and M. tityra were considered as part of the aristae group by Hinton (1946) based on presence of pronotal sublateral carinae, but this character is also present in other species outside the group that do not have same male genitalia characters.

Species group Characters

Size of parameres in Presence of Presence of Shape of aedeagus Presence of relation to the aedeagus setae on the spongy sublateral carinae on parameres structures the pronotum covering the

parameres

alea Subequal Present Present Tapering from the base Present, prominent

to the apex

Figures

FIGURE 6. Distributional map of South American species of Macrelmis. The question mark in the big map over Brazil represents M. antiqua, a species without a more precise location known. The question mark in frame B over São Paulo state represents M. salti, another species with not many detail, beside the state where it occurs in Brazil.

FIGURE 3 A – I. Male genitalia of Macrelmis. A – C. amazonica sp. group. A. M. amazonica (modified from Hinton, 1945). B. M. terea. C. M. thorpei (both modified from Hinton, 1946). D – F. aristea sp. group. D. M. aristea. E. M. amana. F. M. plaumani (all three modified from Hinton, 1946). G – I. celsa sp. group. G. M. celsa. H. M. codris (both modified from Hinton, 1946). I. M. nessimiani (modified from Barbosa et al, 2013). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.