Hydrochus tariqi Ribera, Hernando and Aguilera, 1999

Benamar, Loubna, Bennas, Nard, Henegouwen, Arno Van Berge, García-Meseguer, Antonio José, Hassoun, Mustapha, Benali, Naouar & Millán, Andrés, 2024, The Hydrochidae (Coleoptera) of Morocco with a redescription of Hydrochus cf. obtusicollis Fairmaire, 1877, Zootaxa 5458 (2), pp. 197-228 : 202

Hydrochus tariqi Ribera, Hernando and Aguilera, 1999

Material examined. Rif and Pré-Rif: Larache (first record). 1 ♂, 1 ♀, S243, 12-VII-2007. 1 ♂, 3 ♀, S253, 12- VII-2007.

Chorotype. Ibero-Maghrebian endemic.

Distribution in North Africa. Morocco ( Löbl & Löbl 2015; Przewoźny 2022).

Published Moroccan records. Rif and Pré-Rif: Tétouan and Tanger ( Bennas & Sáinz-Cantero 2001).

Remark. This species has a very restricted range and was proposed for inclusion in the future Red List of Threatened Species of Morocco ( Benamar et al. 2021b).

Of the 31 currently recognized species of Hydrochus ( Löbl & Löbl 2015; Przewoźny 2022), eight species were recorded from Morocco. The records of this work increase our knowledge of the distribution of the genus Hydrochus in Morocco, particularly, some of its endemic species. The study has also made it possible to extend the current distribution of H. flavipennis , H. grandicollis , and H. smaragdineus , but mainly H. aljibensis , now recorded at Middle Atlas, High Atlas. However , because of the extension and great heterogeneity of the Moroccan territory, the number of Hydrochus species may be higher than has been recorded so far. More intensive studies of these insects are suggested for the future.