Ochthebius (Aulacochthebius) copiosus, Perkins, 2023

Perkins, Philip D., 2023, Taxonomic revision of African water beetles in the genus Ochthebius Leach (1815) subgenus Aulacochthebius Kuwert (1887) (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 5228 (5), pp. 501-546 : 517-518

O. (Aulacochthebius) copiosus , new species

Figs. 1 , 3 , 8 , 22

Type Material. Holotype (male): South Africa ; “ S. Afr., S. Transvaal, Roberts Drift: Vaal R., 27°2′ S, 29°2′ E, 8.10.1973, E-Y: 190, sifted flood debris, leg. Endrödy-Younga ” ( TMSA) . Paratypes (2,217 card mounted paratypes) (3,194 non-types in alcohol = “nta” below). Same data as holotype (50 + 1694 nta TMSA) . Angola: 20 km. E. Luanda, Luanda-Catete Highway , (8°50′S, 13°22′E), 9.x.1949, leg. B. Malkin (5 BMNH) ; Namibia: East Caprivi: Katima Mulilo , lux, (17°29′S, 24°17′E), 3-8.iii.1992, leg. M. Uhlig (3 ZMHB) . South Africa: Eastern Cape Province, 11 mi. W. Komga, (32°36′S, 27°43′E), 20.iii.1968, leg. P. J. Spangler (2 NMNH) ; 16 mi. N. Grahamstown , (33°18′S, 26°32′E), 17.iii.1968, leg. P. J. Spangler (3 NMNH) ; Btwn. Lady Frere & Cala, farm dam, elev. 1067 m (31°40′3.72′′S, 27°3′21.24′′E), 26.iii.1954, leg. J. Balfour-Browne (Stn. No. 100) (1 BMNH) ; Grahamstown , (33°18′S, 26°32′E), 1-30.v.1939, leg. J. Omer-Cooper (1 BMNH) ; Grahamstown, Teafontein Farm , (33°18′S, 26°32′E), 5.viii.1939, leg. J. Omer-Cooper (4 BMNH) ; Little Karroo , Baviaanskloof N vally, (33°37′S, 24°15′E), 28.x.1993, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#2917) (13 TMSA) ; Albany, Gowies Kloof , 6.viii.1939, leg. Omer-Cooper (2 BMNH) ; Free State Province, Vredefort, nr. Homing Spruit , (27°1′S, 27°23′E), 29.viii.1949, leg. J. Omer-Cooper (1 BMNH) ; KwaZulu-Natal Province, Hluhluwe Game Res. , (28°5′S, 32°4′E), 27.xi.1992, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#2861) (3 TMSA) ; Hluhluwe Game Reserve , (28°5′S, 32°4′E) , 17.xi.1992, leg. Endrödy-Younga #2824 (#2824) (2 TMSA nta); Mtubatuba , (28°22′S, 32°19′E) , 24–25.iii.1968, leg. P. J. Spangler (1 NMNH) ; same locality, 4.iv.1974, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#324) (7 TMSA) ; same locality, 4.iv.1974, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#318) (5 TMSA nta); same locality, 4.iv.1974, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#319) (8 TMSA) ; Ndumu Game Reserve , (26°53′S, 32°16′E), 12.vi.1989, leg. Endrödy-Younga & Klimaszewski (#2612), shore washing, fresh water (170, + 72 nta TMSA;) ; same locality, 12.vi.1989, leg. Endrödy-Younga & Klimaszewski (#2613), shore washing, salty water (124 + 984 nta TMSA) ; St. Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland Eastern Shores , (28°20′59.02′′S, 32°25′50.59′′E), D. T. Bilton leg (2 DTBC) ; iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False Bay site 3, 31/i/2015, (27°57′31.33′′S, 32°21′42.15′′E), D. T. Bilton leg (1 DTBC) ; Zululand, Dukuduku For. Sta. , (28°22′S, 32°19′E), 4.iv.1974, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#323) (25 + 224 nta TMSA) ; Limpopo Province, N. Transvaal, Mmabolela estate, (22°40′S, 28°15′E), 6.iii.1973, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#13) (9 TMSA) ; Mpumalanga Province, Albany Museum catalog; Vaal River System ( VAL) : 267N, 344B, 407CD, 411A, 443T, 496E, 506J, 511U, 552V, 680K, 680R, 750B, 753R, 822E, 825H, 889C, 894H, 894H X3, 1126 N, 1212E, 1296L, 1.i.-29.xii.1960, collr. unknown (26 AMG) ; c. Transvaal, Roodeplaat Dam , (25°37′S, 28°23′E), 14.viii.1974, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#359) (34 TMSA) ; Kruger Nat. Park, Pafuri , (22°25′S, 31°17′E), 12.ii.1994, leg. EndrödyYounga (#2998) (32 TMSA) ; Kruger Nat. Pk., Letaba River below dam, (23°46′S, 31°30′E), 1.iii.1995, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#3122) (18 TMSA) ; Kruger National Park, Pafuri , around, (22°25′S, 31°12′E), 1.ii.1994, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#2969) (6 TMSA) ; Kruger National Park, Skukuza, Sabie River , (24°57′S, 30°42′E), 22.ii.1995, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#3110) (4 TMSA) ; Mathlakusapan , (22°37′S, 31°22′E), 4.ii.1997, leg. Endrödy-Younga (#2991) (32 + 113 nta TMSA) ; nr. Standerton , (26°58′S, 29°13′E), 8.iv.1954, leg. J. Balfour-Browne (161) (14 BMNH) ; Natal Prov., Ngagane River , marginal vegetation, 1.vi.-29.viii.1974, leg. CSIR Water Research (16 AMG) ; Northern Cape Province, Richtersveld N.P., Richterberg Camp, (28°15′2′′S, 17°12′48′′E), 9.ix.2004, leg. M. & B. Uhlig (1 ZMHB) ; Western Cape Province, Little Karroo, Raubenheimer Dam , (33°25′S, 22°19′E), 21.x.1993, leg. EndrödyYounga (#2889) (4 TMSA) ; Stream beside R339 road in Prince Alfred’s Pass , ca. 10 km S of Avontuur, (33°45′S, 23°10′E), 20.ix.2009, leg. D. T. Bilton (2 DTBC) . Zimbabwe: Gwai River , (18°40′S, 27°13′E), 3.iv.1968, leg. P. J. Spangler (1 NMNH) .

Differential Diagnosis. Similar externally to O. (A.) exaratus and O. (A.) strangulatus . In addition to the differences in the aedeagus of the three species (given below), O. (A.) copiosus differs in the following characters: 1) slightly larger body size (ca. 1.40 mm vs. 1.10 to 1.30); 2) setae on margins of pronotum and elytra distinctly denser, longer, and extend outward more prominently; 3) elytral punctures more widely separated one from the other, and lacking minute granules at the anterior margin of the punctures.

The aedeagi of the three species differ as follows ( Fig. 3 ): 1) the distal ½ of the main-piece is shaped differently in the three species; 2) the apex of the main-piece is truncate in O. (A.) exaratus , but rounded in the other two species; 3) the flagellum, especially the shape of the first fold, and the length of the flagellum, differ in the three species.

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 1.38/0.62; head width 0.35; pronotum 0.29/0.48; elytra 0.86/0.62. Habitus as illustrated ( Fig. 8 ). Dorsum dark brown except hyaline borders of prothorax transparent. Eyes with moderately coarse, convex facets. Frons with deep impressions, borders of impressions rounded, smooth. Clypeus with very few, very shallow finely setigerous punctures. Labrum apicomedially produced in male, rounded in female.

Pronotal reliefs very smooth, with very sparse and very short indistinct setae; anterior and posterior transverse impressions deep, anterior narrowly separated from transverse impression immediately behind anterior margin of lateral lobe; median longitudinal impression deep, extended from anterior to posterior impression. Pronotum lateral hyaline borders moderately wide, present only in angulation behind lateral lobes; sides of lateral lobes with conspicuous long setae that extend outward from cuticle in dry specimens; anterior hyaline border moderately wide; posterior hyaline border narrow.

Elytra smooth, ten seriate-punctate, punctures small, each with fine decumbent seta, setae longer and more conspicuous laterally and apically than on disc; setae on lateral margins dense and long, extending outward from cuticle in dry specimens.

Venter ( Fig. 8 ): Mentum with sparse, small setigerous punctures. Prosternum with very low midlongitudinal subcarina. Metaventrite tabella large, angulate anteriorly and laterally, length slightly less than width (ratio ca. 5:6); ratio of length above and below horizontal imaginary line through greatest width ca. 6:7; lateral angles slightly rounded; surface with very few, very fine punctures; tabella bordered by moderately long setae. Abdominal venter: first two ventrites and antero-lateral margin of third with hydrofuge pubescence, remainder of ventrites shining, with very sparse setae.

Distribution. Currently known from Angola, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe ( Fig. 22 ).

Etymology. Named in reference to the copious number of specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal habitus of species in the O. (A.) exaratus Group (upper row), and the O. (A.) continentalis Group (remainder).

FIGURE 3. Aedeagi (ventral view, flagellum deleted) and venter of species in the O. (A.) exaratus Group.

FIGURE 8. O. (A.) copiosus n. sp., holotype habitus and aedeagus.

FIGURES 22–23. Geographical distributions. 22. O. (A.) copiosus n. sp. 23. O. (A.) latissimus n. sp.