Tobochares communis sp. nov. Figs 2H, 3A, D, 6A-C, 11H, 13, 16D, F

Tobochares 1B: Short et al. (2021).

Type material examined.

Holotype (male): "Suriname: Sipaliwini District: 4°40.432'N, 56°11.079'W; 86 m; Raleighvallen Nature Reserve, base of Voltzberg; flotation of roots and debris from seepage; 17.iii.2016; leg. Short and Girón; SR16-0317-01C" (NZCS). Paratypes (187 exs.): Brazil: Amapá: 2.60342, -51.33237; 73 m, Calcoene (ca. 42 km NW) on BR-156, Large rock outcrop; 21.vii.2018, leg. Short; Floating rootmats/dirt from seepage, BR18-0721-02B (1, SEMC including DNA voucher SLE1566); 3.87281, -51.78939; 10 m, Oiaqpoque (ca. 5.5 km NE), balneario, 18.vii.2018; leg. Short; seepage area, BR18-0718-01B (1, SEMC, DNA voucher SLE1568). Roraima: Amajari Municipality, Serra do Tepequém, Igarape Preto Negro, Cachoeira Leje Preta, 3 36.381'N, 61 42.878'W, 618 m, 14.i.2018, leg. Short and Benetti, BR18-0114-04B (1, SEMC, DNA voucher SLE1494); Caroebe Municipality, Reservoir by Usina de Jatapú, 0.872953, -59.282170, 185 m, 17.i.2018, large wall seep with algae, leg. Short, Benetti, and Santana, BR18-0117-01A (1, INPA, DNA voucher SLE1503). Guyana: Region VIII: " 5°10.514'N, 59°28.970'W; 440 m; Kaieteur National Park; rock savanna, large seepage area; 16.iii.2014; leg. A. Short; GY14-0316-01C" (51, CBDG, SEMC); same, except "flotation of wet leaves and roots; GY14-0316-01B" (SEMC, 6); same, except "seepage on granite with some vegetation; 21.iii.2014; leg. Short, Salisbury, La Cruz; GY14-0321-02A" (9, SEMC including DNA voucher SLE1022). Suriname: Sipaliwini District: " 2.46554°N, 55.7700°W; 800 m; Camp 2, Grensgebergte Rock; rock seepages; 12.iii.2012; leg. A. Short; SR12-0312-01A" (23, NZCS, SEMC including DNA Voucher SLE481); " 4°40.966'N, 56°11.262'W; 96 m; Raleighvallen Nature Reserve, plateau below Voltzberg; seepage; 28.vii.2012; leg. Short, Maier, McIntosh; SR12-0728-01B" (12, SEMC); same, except “SR12-0728-01C” (6, SEMC); same, except "small seep at margin of plateau; 15.iii.2016; leg. A. Short; SR16-0315-03B" (2, SEMC); " 3°47.479'N, 56°8.968'W; 320 m; CSNR: near Kappel airstrip; temporary rivulets in tire tracks; 13.viii.2013; leg. Short, Bloom, Kadosoe; SR13-0813-02A" (1, SEMC); same, except "pond in forest on trail to Tafelberg; 13.viii.2013; leg. Short and Bloom; SR13-0813-05A+B" (1, SEMC); CSNR: Tafelberg Summit, nr. Caiman Creek Camp, leg. Short & Bloom, 19.viii.2013, large seepage area, SR13-0819-01A (1, SEMC, DNA voucher 1047); " 3°47.479'N, 56°8.968'W; 320 m; CSNR: near Kappel airstrip; seepage flowing into canal/ ditch on S side of airstrip; 24.viii.2013; leg. Short and Bloom; SR13-0824-02A" (1, SEMC); same, except “SR13-0824-02B” (19, SEMC); " 4°40.432'N, 56°11.079'W; 86 m; Raleighvallen Nature Reserve, base of Voltzberg; seepage spot on side of rock; 16.iii.2016; leg. A. Short; SR16-0316-01A" (1, SEMC); same data as holotype (15, SEMC); " 2°00.240'N, 55°58.259'W; 374 m; Sipaliwini Savanna Nature Reserve; 4-Brothers mountains; seeps on granite; with algae; 30.iii.2017; leg. Short and Baca; SR17-0330-04A" (6, SEMC); same, except "seeps on granite; by flotation; SR17-0330-04B" (11, SEMC). Venezuela: Bolívar: " 6°04'54.7"N, 61°23'52.7"W; 509 m; along La Escalera, Highway 10; rock seepages; 14.vii.2010; leg. Short, Téllez, Arias; VZ10-0714-01B" (3, SEMC including DNA Voucher SLE1026); " 6°35.617'N, 66°49.238'W; 80 m; Los Pijiguaos; morichal/rock outcrop; 16.ix.2007; leg. A. Short, M. García, L. Joly; AS-07-015" (7, MIZA, SEMC); same, except "seeps and stream at night; 9.vii.2010; leg. Short and Téllez; VZ10-0709-03A" (2, SEMC including DNA voucher SLE1036); " 5°40'24.8"N, 61°24'11.3"W; 1330 m; unnamed river; small side stream; 2.viii.2008; leg. Short, García, Joly; AS-08-066" (3, SEMC); " 6°57.904'N, 66°36.392'W; 51 m; outcrop ca. 15 Km NE of Los Pijiguaos; detritus flotation; 9.vii.2010; leg. Short and Téllez; VZ10-0709-01B" (4, SEMC); 7°29'47.3"N, 65°51'44.8"W; 45 m; 2 km E of Río Cuchivero; rock outcrop seeps; 6.viii.2008; leg. Short, Téllez, Arias; AS-08-075 (1, SEMC, DNA voucher SLE1031).

Differential diagnosis.

By its elytral punctation with all punctures about the same size and degree of impression, T. communis is similar to T. anthonyae and T. microps . From T. microps, T. communis can be easily distinguished by the relative size of their eyes: in T. communis the eyes are separated by a distance 4.5 × larger than the largest diameter of the eye in dorsal view (Fig. 2H), whereas in T. microps the eyes are separated by a distance 6 × larger than the largest diameter of the eye in dorsal view (Fig. 2I). In T. communis the dorsal punctation is sharper, with all punctures seemingly longitudinally aligned, not forming grooves (Fig. 6A), whereas in T. anthonyae the dorsal punctation is relatively shallow, with serial punctures aligned in rows and slightly impressed, forming shallow longitudinal grooves (Fig. 7A).

Description.

Size and form: Body length 1.8-2.0 mm. Body elongate oval, somewhat parallel sided, moderately convex (Fig. 6A, B). Color and punctation: Dorsal and ventral surfaces of body dark brown, with anterior and lateral margins of prothorax, and outer margins of elytra slightly paler (Fig. 6A); mouthparts yellow (especially maxillary palps) to orange; antennae yellowish brown; legs orange brown with paler (yellow) tarsi (Fig. 6C). Ground punctation on head, pronotum and elytra sharply marked. Head: Eyes in dorsal view with anterior margin oblique (anteriorly directed), and outer margins slightly bulging from outline of head (Fig. 2H); in lateral view, eyes not emarginate (e.g., Fig. 2E). Thorax: Elytra with all kinds of punctures similar in size and degree of impression, all seemingly longitudinally aligned and uniformly distributed, not forming grooves (Fig. 6A). Metafemora mostly glabrous on anterior face (Fig. 6C). Elevation of mesoventrite forming a longitudinal bulge (Fig. 3D). Metaventrite with distinct median, longitudinal, narrow glabrous area extending along posterior half (Fig. 3D). Abdomen: Abdominal ventrites uniformly and very densely pubescent (Fig. 6C). Aedeagus (Fig. 11H). Basal piece nearly 0.4 × the length of a paramere; greatest width of a paramere nearly 0.6 × greatest width of median lobe; outer margins of parameres nearly straight along basal 2/3, then curved inwards; apex of paramere rounded; median lobe roughly sagittate, narrow along apical third, rounded at apex; gonopore situated nearly at midlength of median lobe.

Etymology.

Named with the Latin word Tobochares communis meaning common, highlighting the abundance and wide distribution of the species, which is the most commonly found.

Distribution.

This species is the most widely distributed of all known Tobochares, occurring from the northwest margin of the Guiana Shield in Venezuela all the way to its eastern edge in the state of Amapá, Brazil (Fig. 12).

Life history.

This species is strongly associated with seepage habitats on exposed granite. Many of the seepages on which this species has been collected are seasonal, although others are adjacent to permanent streams. See Fig. 16D, F.