Hydrochus mesoamericanus, Perkins, 2021

Perkins, Philip D., 2021, Taxonomy of Central American water beetles in the genus Hydrochus Leach, 1817 (Coleoptera: Hydrochidae), Zootaxa 4974 (3), pp. 459-503 : 468-469

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4974.3.2

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1BD6220B-7540-4A12-B3D2-5EDC1A3B7DD8

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4777873

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/4772526A-0043-FFC5-FF18-2860168232C1

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Hydrochus mesoamericanus
status

sp. nov.

Hydrochus mesoamericanus View in CoL , new species

Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 6 View FIGURES 5–6 , 36 View FIGURES 34–36

Type material. Holotype (male): “ MEX. Aguascalientes Sierra Fria about 40 mi. SW Rincon de Romos, iii.9.1953, #54 8200’ I.J. Cantrall ” ( FSCA) . Paratype: Belize: Cayo District, nr Teakettle Bank, Pook’s Hill , (17°13’N, 88°51’W), 6.i.2003, leg. C. R. Bartlett (1 SEMC) GoogleMaps .

Differential diagnosis. Among Central American species, recognized by the combination of moderate size (ca. 3.44 mm), the rather uniformly densely punctate pronotum, except less dense on reliefs, with deep depressions, the distinctly denticulate pronotum lateral margins, and the male genitalia ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 5–6 ; described below). This species has a generalized Hydrochus habitus; reliable determinations will require dissection of males. The male genitalia are differentiated from other Central American species by the combination of nearly straight paramere tips and the large dorsal membranous area of the aedeagus.

Description. Habitus as illustrated ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 5–6 ). Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 3.44/1.53; head width 0.78; pronotum l/w 0.73/0.82; PA 0.78; PB 0.69; elytra 2.38/1.53. Body size moderately large (ca. 3.44 mm). Dorsum dark brown, with very little iridescence, elytra without black spots. Punctation on elytra ca. 2–3x that of pronotum. Elytra interstriae ca. 1–1.5× strial puncture diameter. Interstria 9 th more convex than others, overhanging 10 th interstria. Usual area of callus on 5 th weakly raised, moderately elongate, ca. 5 punctures in row on each side.

Pronotum slightly wider than long, widest slightly behind anterior margin, narrowed at base, sides sinuate, minutely but distinctly denticulate; anterior margin bisinuate; rather uniformly densely punctate, except less dense on reliefs; depressions deep.

Elytra with spaces between strial punctures ca. 0.5–1x their diameter; apices rather sharply conjointly rounded in dorsal view, in lateral view outer margin with moderate angulation.

Ventral characters: Mentum coarsely densely punctate, with large median fovea. Submentum punctate, without foveae. Legs brown.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 5–6 ) general characters: paramere tips slender and pointed, in lateral view narrower than in dorsal/ventral views and sharply pointed, in dorsal/ventral views with medial margins at apex parallel or nearly so, then arcuate away from midline, narrow proximal to plsa; aedeagus in dorsal/ventral views wide in distal ½, only slightly wider in proximal ½, greatest width as ca. midlength; in lateral view slightly wider in proximal ½, and much wider in membranous distal 1/2; lateral margins of aedeagus sclerotized; basal piece slightly shorter than parameres, tapering proximally, orifice strongly sclerotized.

Dorsal surface: pdmm widely separated, sinuate; adbl large; adtl as about distal 1/3; paramere tips without dorsal sclerotized ridge.

Ventral surface: pvmm approximating lateral margin of aedeagus; avtl near base.

Etymology. Named in reference to the geographical distribution.

FSCA

Florida State Collection of Arthropods, The Museum of Entomology

SEMC

University of Kansas - Biodiversity Institute

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Hydrochidae

Genus

Hydrochus

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