Taxonomy of Venezuelan water beetles in the genus Hydrochus Leach, 1817, and an analysis of male genitalia morphology (Coleoptera: Hydrochidae) Perkins, Philip D. Zootaxa 2019 2019-12-12 4708 1 1 59 8Y4QL Perkins, 2019 Perkins 2019 [151,380,837,864] Insecta Hydrochidae Hydrochus Animalia Coleoptera 41 42 Arthropoda species lobatus sp. nov.   Figs. 2, 23   Type Material.   Holotype(male):“ Venezuela: Bolivar State: 6.58694° N, 67.02912° W, Rio Caripito, nr. Rio Orinoco,  12.i.2009, leg. Short& Miller, VZ09-0112-02A: river margin” ( MIZA).   Paratypes(17): Venezuela: Apure:AS-06-019 (1 SEMC).   Bolivar: Samedata as holotype(1 SEMC);  VZ09-0112- 01A (4 SEMC);  VZ09-0112- 01C (11 SEMC, MIZA).  Differential Diagnosis.Among Venezuelan species, recognized by the combination of small size (ca. 2.31–2.69 mm), the pronotum with very shallow impressions and rather uniform punctation, the pronotal shape, the very large black spots on the elytra, and the male genitalia ( Fig. 23; described below). Differentiation from other similarly small-sized species with similarly shaped pronotum will require dissection of males.   Description. Habitus as illustrated ( Fig. 23). Size: holotype(length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 2.33/0.90; head width 0.60; pronotum l/w 0.52/0.55; PA 0.52; PB 0.43; elytra 1.40/0.90. Body size small (ca. 2.31–2.69 mm). Dorsum grey to silver, with moderately strong iridescence, elytra with several large black spots. Legs with pro- and mesofemora dark brown in basal ¾, remainder lighter; metafemora dark brown; tibiae reddish brown. Punctation on elytra deep, ca. 3– 4xthat of pronotum. Elytra interstriae ca. 0.5x strial puncture diameter. Interstria 9 thmore convex than others, overhanging 10 thinterstria. Usual area of callus on 5 thlow, small. Pronotum slightly wider than long, widest at anterior margin, narrowed at base, sides straight, smooth; anterior margin arcuate or very slightly bisinuate; depressions very shallow; punctation quite uniform over pronotum Elytra with spaces between strial punctures ca. 0.5x their diameter, to narrow ridges; apices produced, separately rounded in dorsal view, in lateral view outer margin with very slight angulation. Ventral characters: Mentum finely punctate, with large median fovea. Submentum with two large foveae. Male genitalia ( Fig. 23) general characters: genitalia very small; paramere tips comparatively large, each nearly as wide as widest part of aedeagus, very lightly sclerotized, tips rounded and curving toward midline, but not contacting one another; basal piece shorter than parameres, in lateral view with rim of large orifice produced apicoventrally, arcuate toward dorsad. Dorsal surface: adtl subbasal; adbl lacking. Ventral surface: pvmm slightly overlapping basal part of aedeagus; each paramere, in basal ¼, with thin, finely striated ridge; pseudoparameres appearing to be adjacent to aedeagus, behind parameres.   Etymology.Named in reference to the lobate paramere apices. 2521263656 2009-01-12 MIZA Short & Miller, VZ Venezuela Venezuela 6.58694 Rio Orinoco 1 -67.02912 Rio Caripito 41 42 1 Bolivar holotype 2521263660 SEMC Venezuela Apure 41 42 1 Apure paratype 2521263661 [418,910,1016,1043] SEMC Venezuela Same 41 42 1 Bolivar holotype 2521263746 [923,1238,1017,1043] SEMC Venezuela 41 42 VZ09-0112, 01 1 Bolivar paratype 2521263681 SEMC, MIZA Venezuela 41 42 VZ09-0112, 01 1 Bolivar paratype