Gymnochthebius fossatus (LeConte, 1855)

Valladares, Luis F. & Short, Andrew Edward Z., 2011, Revision of the Ochthebiinae of Venezuela (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 3021, pp. 63-68 : 64-65

Gymnochthebius fossatus (LeConte, 1855)

Figs. 1A, 2A, 3B, 4A–C.

Material examined (48). VENEZUELA: Barinas State: 10 km NE Barinas , 23.ii.1969, leg. P. & P. Spangler (1 ex., USNM) . Falcón State: SE of Tocopero , 11°26.922' N, 69°13.109' W, 12 m, puddle in roadside ditch, 10.vii.2010, leg. A. Short, G. Gustafson, J. Camacho, VZ09-0710-03C (2 exs., MIZA) ; Médanos de Coro , 11°26.215' N, 69°40.112' W, 8 m, pond in dunes, 9.vii.2010, leg. A. Short & W. Shepard, VZ09-0709-03Z (1 ex., CVL) . Guárico State: [N. of] San Fernando de Apure , 12.ii.1969, leg. P. & P. Spangler (9 exs., MCZ, USNM) ; Road between Dos Caminos and Calabozo, 9°23.981'N, 67°22.196'W, 140 m, muddle pool along road, 10.ix.2007, leg. A. Short, AS-07-001 (1 ex., MIZA) ; N. of Palenque , 9°6.794'N, 66°59.595'W, 152 m, stream margins, 8.i.2009, leg. A. Short, M. García, J. Camacho, K. Miller, L. Joly, VZ 09-0108-03X (8 exs., MIZA, CVL) ; Between San Juan and Dos Caminos, Río San Antonio (at overpass), 9°46.321'N, 67°21.201'W, 255 m, 4.ii.2010, pool in streambed, leg. A. Short, M. García, L. Joly, VZ10-0204-02A (13 exs., MIZA, SEMC) . Sucre State: Finca Vuelta Larga , 10°30.075'N, 63°06.217'W, 10 m, mud puddle in road with detritus, 29.i.2010, leg. A. Short, M. García, & L. Joly, VZ10-0129-03A (13 exs., MIZA) ; Nr. Irapa , river crossing at highway, 10°35.532'N, 62°35.149'W, 14 m, mud puddles near river, 30.i.2010, leg. A. Short, M. García, & L. Joly, VZ10-0130-02A (1 ex., MIZA) .

Diagnosis. Habitus as in Fig. 1A. Length: 1.28–1.44 mm. Color: Head shining black; pronotum and elytra shining dark brown; legs and palps testaceous, penultimate (dilated) and last palpomeres darkened. Pronotum finely and widely punctuate; with anterior lobes more marked; median groove wide and starting near the anterior margin; lateral fossulae oval, anterior foveae round, posterior foveae oval and deep. Elytra with six rows of deep punctures between suture and humeral callus. Aedeagus ( Fig. 2A) in ventral view with the median lobe and arc of the internal duct curved; main piece medially curved in lateral view.

Distribution. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, U.S.A. (Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas) ( Perkins, 1980; Hansen, 1998; Delgado et al., 1995). In a distribution map, Perkins (1980, fig. 92B) indicated the presence of this species in Venezuela (and the size of Venezuelan specimens: pp. 279), but no material from the country is listed in the Appendix of Specimens Examined. We have located these and reconfirmed these specimens in the collection of USNM (examined by A. Short) and MCZ (examined by P. Perkins); these are included in the material examined section above (Map: Fig. 3B).

Habitat. This species was mostly found in small pools, often with muddy substrate. Some of these pools were in otherwise dried-up streambeds, but others were temporary, isolated pools along roads. Other collecting events included pools in sand dunes, and the margins of small streams. See Figs. 4A, B, C.