Austrelmis talampayensis, Manzo, Veronica & Archangelsky, Miguel, 2015

Manzo, Veronica & Archangelsky, Miguel, 2015, Austrelmis Brown (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea: Elmidae) from Argentina: five new species, Zootaxa 4058 (3), pp. 403-416 : 410-411

Austrelmis talampayensis sp. nov.

( Figs 1 d; 5 a–c)

Diagnosis. This new species may be distinguished from all the other known Austrelmis species by the following combination of characters: 1) pronotum with sublateral carinae on apical 2/5; 2) prosternum with lateral carinae on basal half; 3) metaventrite and disc of ventrite I with complete lateral carinae; 4) sixth elytral interval with short basal row of granules and eighth interval with complete carina; 5) aedeagus long; penis elongate, apex slightly folded forward; fibula and corona present; basolateral apophyses short; parameres shorter than penis; phallobase longer than penis, open.

Description. Holotype: male. Body elongated, sides subparallel. Length: 3.15 mm; greatest width: 1.30 mm (at midlength of elytra).

Color: pronotum dark, elytra reddish dark; antennae, mouthparts and legs reddish.

Plastron: covering genae, sides of prosternum, sides of meso- and metaventrite, sides of all ventrites, epipleura, inner face of coxae and all femora.

Head: surface punctured, punctures as wide as facets of eyes, separated by 2–3 times their diameter; surface between punctures microreticulated and rugose, with dispersed long golden setae. Fronto-clypeal suture deep and straight; surface of clypeus like head. Labrum subrectangular, lateral margin rounded; surface with dispersed golden setae and punctured, small punctures separated by 2–3 times their diameter; surface between punctures shiny. Antennae with 11 antennomeres, apical segment longest.

Thorax. Pronotum: wider than long (length: 0.75 mm; width: 0.90 mm) ( Fig. 1 d) with oblique and lateral impression at 3/5 of pronotum; lateral margins moderately sinuate, anterior margin arcuate, anterolateral angles long and acute; posterolateral angles short, subacute; base trisinuose; surface punctured and microreticulated, with dispersed long and golden setae. Disc convex; surface with punctures larger than the facet of eyes, separated by 2– 2½ times their diameter. Sublateral carinae on apical half, curved outwards and very evident. Surface on lateral margin and base granulated; granules as wide as facets of eyes, separated by 1–1½ times their diameter.

Hypomeron: surface microreticulated, with disperse granules. Prosternum wide; lateral carinae present on basal half; prosternal process subquadrangular, almost as wide as long, apex straight. Mesoventrite: with groove for reception of prosternal process. Metaventrite: surface punctured, punctures larger than facet of eyes, separated by 2–3 times their diameter; surface between punctures smooth and shiny; lateral surface with dispersed oval granules; lateral carinae complete, disc with complete median longitudinal line.

Legs: elongated. Surface of all tibiae and femora with dispersed oval granules. Tibiae with a single lateral cleaning fringe on apical 2/3. Length: forelegs 2.10 mm, middle legs 2.15 mm, hind legs 2.50 mm. Tarsi with 5- segmented; fifth tarsomere longest; tarsal claws long and slender, not modified.

Elytra: (length: 2.15 mm; greatest width: 1.30 mm) with ten punctuate striae, striae formed by large punctures, punctures separated by one time their diameter; elytral intervals punctured, punctures small, separated by 2–3 times their diameter; sixth interval with short basal row of subovate granules; eighth interval with complete carina; elytral apex weakly protruded. Scutellum subtriangular, surface punctured, punctures small, separated by 2–3 times their diameter.

Abdomen: ventrites convex; surface with punctures like those on metaventrite. Disc of ventrite I with complete lateral carinae; surface of ventrite V with dispersed granules; lateral margin produced as prominent tooth; apex rounded with short golden dense setae.

Male genitalia: aedeagus ( Figs 5 a–b) long and moderately broad. Penis elongate, subtriangular, apex rounded and slightly folded forward (in dorsal view); fibula and corona present; basolateral apophyses slender and short.

Parameres subtriangular, shorter than penis, with rounded apices. Phallobase asymmetrical, longer than penis, open.

Female: externally similar to male.

Female genitalia: as in Fig. 5 c.

Intraspecific variation: cuticle of some specimens light brown, almost yellow, except anterior margin of pronotum (dark brown); surface of pronotum punctured, punctures large, separated by 2–3 times their diameter; elytral striae with large punctures.

Type series. Holotype (dissected and illustrated): Male. Argentina: La Rioja Province, Parque Nacional Talampaya, Shimpa River (estación I), 3- VIII-1999, M. Archangelsky leg. Paratypes: 19 males and 46 females, same data as holotype.

Etymology. Named talampayensis , for the locality, Talampaya, where the type specimens were collected.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pronota of Austrelmis species: a) A. argentinensis sp. nov.; b) A. catamarcensis sp. nov.; c) A. tafi sp. nov.; d) A. talampayensis sp. nov.; e) A. robustus sp. nov. Scale bars 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Austrelmis talampayensis sp. nov. (holotype): a) male genitalia, dorsal view; b) male genitalia, lateral view; c) female genitalia, ventral view. Scale bars 0.2 mm.