Oocyclus sapphirus Short & García, 2010

Short, Andrew E. Z. & García, Mauricio, 2010, A review of the Oocyclus Sharp of Venezuela with description of twelve new species (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Laccobiini), Zootaxa 2635, pp. 1-31 : 23-26

Oocyclus sapphirus Short & García sp. n.

(1B, 5H, 7, 8A)

Type material. Holotype: VENEZUELA: Aragua State: male, “ VENEZUELA: Aragua State/ Henri Pittier Nat. Park, 11.I.2006 / 10°21.018’N, 67°36.991’W / waterfalls along stream/ AS-06-024, leg. A.E.Z. Short”, “ HOLOTYPE / OOCYCLUS / sapphirus sp.n. / des. Short & García 2010 ” ( MIZA). Paratypes (46 exs.): VENEZUELA: Aragua State: El Limon, “Pozo del Diablo”, 450 m, 7.x.1980, leg. F. Fernandez Y. & A. Chacon, wet rock (3 exs., MIZA), Henri Pittier National Park, Rancho Grande, 1100 m, Toma de agua, 15.vii.1992, leg. J.L. Garcia, Flight interception trap (1 ex., MIZA); same data but 17.iii.1992 and 27.iv.1992 (3 exs., MIZA); Regresiva del Diablo, 19.ix. 2002, 200 m [sic!], leg. J. Camacho & J. Perozo (6 exs., MIZA), same data as holotype (4 exs.) same locality but 6.i.2009, seeps and wet rock, VZ09-0106-01B (10 exs.); Rancho Grande Biological Station, seep at Toma de Agua, 10.i.2006, leg. A.E.Z. Short, AS-06-021 (8 exs.); Rio Curucuruma, waterfall/seep, 11.i.2006, leg. A.E.Z. Short, AS-06-023 (2 exs.); Carabobo State: Aguirre, 1100 m, 17.iv.1968, leg. J. & B. Bechyne (9 exs., MIZA, KSEM).

Diagnosis. Smaller species ( Fig. 1 B). Posterolateral corners of the pronotum broadly rounded. Procoxae spinose. Elytra without distinct rows of systematic punctures, but with a few clusters of larger punctation. Elytral suture not raised at apex. Elytral margins not explanate, and without a fringe of long setae. Dorsally with numerous bright blue spots, with a characteristic white spot on the posterior quarter of each elytron. A striking and distinctive species, the coloration will easily separate from all other taxa. While other Venezuelan species may have blue reflections, the distinctive posterior yellow spot on the elytra is unique. It co-occurs with another smaller species, O. pico , but in addition to coloration differences, that species has spinose posterolateral margins of the pronotum.

Description. Size and form. Body length = 3.4–3.8 mm. TL/GW = 1.55. Body oval, moderately convex. Color. Dorsum of head and pronotum black to appearing iridescent green, most specimens with extensive greenish reflection. Anterolateral margins of pronotum with white patch. Elytra exhibiting same base coloration as pronotum, with numerous blue iridescent maculae throughout, and one well-defined pale yellow to white spot centrally in posterior quarter of each elytron. Maxillary and labial palps yellow. Mentum and stipes light to reddish brown, distinctly paler than ventral face of head. Legs, epipleura, lateral margins of prosternum medium to yellowish brown, with remainder of venter including abdominal ventrites dark brown.

Head. Ground punctation on labrum, clypeus and frons moderately fine, distance between punctures 1.5– 3.0× the width of one puncture. Systematic punctures on labrum consisting of 3–5 indistinct punctures, sometimes bearing short setae. Frons with irregular row of systematic punctures mesad of each eye, bearing fine erect setae. Clypeus with a few very indistinct systematic punctures along anterolateral margins, slightly larger than surrounding punctation. Maxillary palps short, about as long as width of labrum; segment 2 slightly bulbous, apical segment slightly longer than penultimate. Labial palps three-fourths as long as width of mentum. Mentum quadrate, anterior margin very slightly convex, bearing very fine and scattered punctures.

Thorax. Ground punctation on pronotum and elytra composed of moderately fine, evenly distributed punctures of generally uniform size. Pronotal systematic punctures with short fine setae, similar to slightly larger in size to ground punctures, sometimes partially blending with larger ground punctures; anterior and posterior series each forming irregular row. Lateral margins of pronotum with a few sparsely distributed setiferous punctures; with punctures almost appearing absent. Posterolateral corners of pronotum evenly rounded. Sutural punctation on elytra absent or unmodified from ground punctation. Elytra without distinct rows of larger systematic punctures, as they blend uniformly with ground punctation; some of these punctures can be detected by the presence of fine, short setae. Prosternum moderately tectiform but without well-defined median carina; slightly elevated anteromedially, the elevation set with two long, thickened spine-like setae. Elevated process of mesoventrite elongate, slightly longer than wide; surface uneven, with a slight median furrow; with 4 to 5 thickened spine-like setae. Metaventrite with small oval glabrous area posteromedially, ca. 1.5× longer than wide, length of glabrous area about one-third total length of metaventrite. Procoxae with dense, fine short pubescence, each with 4–6 thickened spine-like setae. Protibiae each with 7–8 spine-like setae on dorsal face.

Abdomen. Ventrites with scattered setae of varying lengths; each ventrite with 2 irregular rows of very long erect setae which are more than twice as long as the longest setae on metaventrite. Aedeagus as in Figure 5 H.

Etymology. Sapphirus , Latin, in reference to the bright whitish blue maculae on the elytra. Treated as a noun in apposition.

Distribution. Known from the Coastal Mountains (States of Carabobo and Aragua) ( Fig. 7 ).

Remarks. This species has been collected from the margins of waterfalls and seeps, mostly in densely shaded situations (e.g. Fig. 8 A).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal and lateral habitus of Oocyclus species found in the Coastal Mountains. A) O. pittieri sp. n.; B) O. sapphirus sp. n. Scale bar = 2.0 mm.

FIGURE 5. Aedeagi of Oocyclus species. A) O. pittieri sp. n., B) O. maculatus Sharp; C) O. s ubstillus Short & Perkins; D) O. floccus sp. n.; E) O. trujillo sp. n.; F) O. andinus sp. n.; G) O. meridensis sp. n.; H) O. sapphirus sp. n. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 7. Distribution of Oocyclus species in Venezuela.

FIGURE 8. Habitat of Oocyclus species. A) Aragua State, collecting event AS- 06 - 023; type locality for O. pico and O. pittieri, locality for O. sapphirus. B) Zulia State, near Toromo, collecting event AS- 07 - 022, type locality for O. galbus and locality for O. substillus.