Nanosaphes punctatus, Girón & Short, 2018

Giron, Jennifer C. & Short, Andrew Edward Z., 2018, Three new genera of acidocerine water scavenger beetles from tropical South America (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Acidocerinae), ZooKeys 768, pp. 113-158 : 143-144

Nanosaphes punctatus sp. n. Figs 15E-H ; 17D ; 18D ; 19 ; 20B

Type material examined.

Holotype (male): " SURINAME: Sipaliwini District/ 04°56.871'N, 55°10.911'W, 462 m/ Brownsberg Nature Park, forested/ stream with lots of detritus; leg./ Short, Maier, McIntosh; 4.viii.2012/ SR12-0804-01A" (NZCS). Paratypes: (40): GUYANA: Region XII: " 5°0.730'N, 59°38.965'W, 585 m/ Upper Potaro Camp I (c. 7 km/ NW Chenapau), Ridge Trail/ leg. Short, Baca, Salisbury/ 11.iii.2014/ GY14-0311-02A" (32, SEMC, CBDG); " 5°10.514'N, 59°28.970'W, 440 m/ Kaieteur National Park, trail by guest-/ house; forest pools; leg. Short/ Salisbury, La Cruz; 21.iii.2014/ GY14-0321-01B" (1, SEMC). SURINAME: Sipaliwini District: same data as holotype (6, SEMC, including DNA vouchers SLE 507 and 508); " 3°55'36.0012", -56°11'17.9952", 600 m/ Central Suriname Nature Reserve: Tafelberg Summit, nr. Augustus Creek Camp; 17.viii.2013; leg. Short & Bloom; SR13-0817-01A" (1, SEMC, DNA voucher SLE 1069).

Differential diagnosis.

Nanosaphes punctatus is readily recognized among its congeners by its coarse elytral ground punctation (as opposed to shallowly punctate) (see Fig. 15E, F ). In addition, the dorsal outline in lateral view is more convex in comparison.

Description.

Body length 1.2-1.4 mm, width 0.7-0.9 mm. Body elongate oval, moderately convex, uniformly brown throughout (see Fig. 15E-H ). Dorsal surface coarsely punctate. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite flat. Pubescence of ventral surface scanty. Aedeagus (Fig. 18D ) with basal piece 0.4-times the length of parameres; parameres nearly as long as median lobe, with round apex; gonopore situated near apex of median lobe.

Etymology.

Named in reference to the relative coarseness of the dorsal punctation of the species, with the Latin word puncta meaning puncture.

Distribution.

Guyana, Suriname. Elevation range 440-585 m. See Fig. 19 .

Biology.

This species was collected in small forested streams and pools with abundant detritus (Fig. 20B ).

Figures

Figure 15. Habitus of Nanosaphes spp.: A-D Nanosaphes castaneus: A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D head E-H Nanosaphes punctatus: E dorsal view F lateral view G ventral view H head. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 17. Thorax and abdomen of Nanosaphes spp.: A-C Nanosaphes hesperus: A ventral view of mesoventrite (white arrow pointing longitudinal carina) B posterior view of metafurca: (at) anterior tendon, (c) crux, (ds) dorsal sheath, (fa) furcal arm, (h) hemiductus, (ls) lateral sheath, (s) stalk C fifth abdominal ventrite D Nanosaphes punctatus, fifth abdominal ventrite.

Figure 18. Aedeagus of Nanosaphes spp.: A Nanosaphes tricolor B Nanosaphes hesperus C Nanosaphes castaneus D Nanosaphes punctatus. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 19. Distribution of Nanosaphes species.

Figure 20. Habitat of Nanosaphes spp. A Habitat for N. hesperus, Guyana: near Parabara; collecting event GY 13 - 1103 - 02 A B Habitat of N. punctatus, Guyana, upper Potaro near Chenapau, collecting event GY 14 - 0311 - 02 A C Type locality and habitat for N. hesperus, Suriname, along Kutari River, collecting event SR 10 - 0820 - 01 A D Habitat for N. hesperus and N. tricolor, Suriname, near Kasikasima, collecting event SR 12 - 0320 - 02 A E Habitat for N. tricolor, Suriname, near Voltzberg, collecting event SR 12 - 0729 - 02 C F Habitat for N. tricolor, Suriname, Sipaliwini Savanna, collecting event SR 17 - 0331 - 01 B.