Oocyclus maluz

Short, Andrew Edward Z., Greene, Luke & Garcia, Mauricio, 2013, New species and new records of the hygropetric water beetle genus Oocyclus Sharp from South America (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), Zootaxa 3741 (3), pp. 349-358 : 352-355

Oocyclus maluz SHort, Greene & García sp. n.

Fig. 1 B, 2B, 3A.

Type material. Holotype (male): “ VENEZUELA: Mérida State/ 8°52.423’ N, 70°37.611’ W, 1616m / Cascada Velo de la Novia; 24.i.2012 / leg. Short, Arias, & Gustafson/ Seeps by waterfall; VZ12-0124-01A”, “[barcode]/ SEMC1029550/ KUNHM-ENT” ( MIZA ). Paratypes (27 exs.): VENEZUELA: Barinas State: 8°48.424’ N, 70°31.139’ W 992 m, ca. 13 km NW Baranitas, seepage by road, 24.i.2012, leg. Short, Arias, & Gustafson, VZ12- 0124-02A (2 exs., SEMC). Mérida State: Same data as holotype (23 exs., MIZA , MALUZ , NMPC, SEMC); 8° 52.423 N, 70°37.611’ W, 1616 m, Cascada Velo de la Novia, logs & kicknetting, 24.i.2012, leg. Short, Arias, & Gustafson, VZ12-0124-01B (1 ex., SEMC); 8°51.933’ N, 70°37.131’ W, 1682 m, ca. 12 km SE of Santo Domingo, wall seeps 1, 24.i.2012, leg. Short, Arias, & Gustafson, VZ12-0122-03A (1 ex., SEMC). The following specimens were listed as paratypes of O. andinus , but are here redetermined as O. maluz : Paratypes (57 exs.): VENEZUELA: Barinas State: ca. 24 Km NW Barinitas, 23.ii.1969, leg. P. & P. Spangler, (4 exs., USNM). Mérida State: 8°51.933’N, 71°37.131’W, 1682 m, ca. 12 km SE of Santo Domingo, rock seeps by shrine, 19.vii.2009, leg. Short, Garcia, & Gustafson, VZ09-0719-02A (3 exs., SEMC); 8°52.423’ N, 71°37.611’ W, 1616 m, ca. Cascada velo de la Novia, wet rocks/ seeps, 19.vii.2009, leg. Short, Gustafson, Camacho, Garcia, & Inciarte, VZ09-0719-01A (21 exs., SEMC). Táchira State: 7°43’23.81”N, 72°11’31.13”W, 1225 m, ca. Chorro el Indio N.P., wet rock & rock seeps, 16.vii.2009, leg. A. Short & M. Garcia, VZ09-0716-01A (16 exs., SEMC). Trujillo State: 9°23’19.68”N, 70°3’44.60”W, 1140m, ca. Campo Elias, seep & tire ruts, 13.vii.2009, leg. Short & Gustafson, VZ09-0713-05A+B (9 exs., SEMC); 9°19.371’N, 70°9.303’W, 1770 m, ca. 3km NE Laguna Agua Negro, small mountain stream with detritus, 21.i.2009, leg. Short, Garcia, & Camacho, VZ09-0121- 03X (4 exs., SEMC).

Diagnosis. Medium to large-sized species ( Fig. 1 B). Posterolateral corners of pronotum strongly spinose. Procoxae set with a few spine-like setae basally. Elytra with rows of systematic punctures; the innermost row represented by a broken row of erect setae. The lateral rows of systematic punctures significantly larger than surrounding ground punctation ( Fig. 2 A). Elytral suture raised in posterior half. Elytral margins moderately explanate in posterior half, and without fringe of yellow setae.

This north Andean species is extremely similar to, and was previously confused with, O. andinus . It can be distinguished from this species by the lateral series of elytral systematic punctures being significantly larger in size to the ground punctation, while the systematic punctures are subequal in size in O. andinus ( Fig 2 B). It also cooccurs with O. meridensis , which possesses continuous rows of erect setae set in the systematic punctures on the elytra (not broken rows, as in O. andinus and O. maluz ), and O. trujillo , which is smaller and has tufts of erect setae on the elytra.

Description. Size and Form. Length = 4.5–4.8 mm. Broadly oval, slightly convex. Color. Dorsum of head, pronotum, and elytra black, sometimes with faint iridescent green sheen. Anterolateral margins of pronotum with a white patch, usually one fifth to less than one third the width of the pronotum. Elytra sometimes with a layer of iridescent green maculae which often appear faint and with defuse borders. Maxillary and labial palps yellow. Mentum and stipes dark brown, similar in color to the venter of the head. Legs, epipleura, and lateral margins of prosternum light brown to yellow/orange. Remainder of venter, including the abdominal ventrites, medium to dark brown. Head. Ground punctation on labrum, clypeus and frons moderately coarse, distance between punctures 1.5–2.0× the width of one puncture. Systematic punctures on labrum consisting of several indistinct punctures, sometimes bearing a short seta. Frons with an irregular row of systematic punctures mesad of each eye, bearing fine setae. Clypeus with a few very indistinct systematic punctures along anterolateral margins bearing fine seta, 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 slightly convex and depressed, weakly rugose anteriorly, with scattered coarse punctures. Thorax. Ground punctation on pronotum and elytra composed of moderately sized, evenly distributed punctures. Pronotal systematic punctures with short fine setae, distinctly larger than ground punctures, throughout pronotum in an irregular field. Lateral margins of pronotum with a very sparse row of setiferous punctures; with punctures almost appearing absent, and bearing a very fine, short seta. Posterolateral corners of pronotum strongly spinose. Sutural punctation represented by a single row of dense, irregularly spaced, extremely fine punctures; sutural interval distinct raised in posterior three quarters. Elytra with five rows of systematic punctures: the first row represented as dense, small punctures bearing erect setae; the row is not continuous, and is represented by a series of linear sections of erect setae. Rows 2 and 3 represented by sparse, irregular series of punctures usually bearing recumbent setae; punctures significantly larger that surrounding punctation. Punctures in rows 4 and 5 significantly larger than surrounding ground punctation and are distinguishable by bearing a seta. Elytral margin without fringe of long yellow setae, but with short spine-like setae. Prosternum with a strongly raised median carina; with two short spine-like setae at anterior margin. Elevated process of the mesoventrite narrow, elongate; set with 4–7 thickened, coarse spines. Metaventrite with oval glabrous area posteromedially, distinctly longer than wide, length of glabrous area nearly two-thirds length of metaventrite. Procoxae covered with dense, fine short pubescence, set with a few spine-like setae basally. Protibiae with 12–14 spines on dorsal face. Abdomen. Ventrites covered with very dense, short setae, the longest setae not longer than the longest setae surrounding the glabrous area of the mesoventrite. Aedeagus as in Figure 3 B.

Etymology. Named in recognition of the Museo de Artrópodos at the Universidad del Zulia in Venezuela, abbreviated as MALUZ , the second largest collection in the country and a partner in the Aquatic Insects of Venezuela project. It is a noun in apposition.

Distribution. This species is only known from the two closely situated localities in the Guiana Shield just a few kilometers from the boarder with Brazil.

Biology. Most specimens have been collected on vertical wet rock surfaces near waterfalls.

Remarks. The key to Venezuelan Oocyclus species (Short & García 2010) is modified as follows:

12(11) First row of elytral systematic punctures continuous, without short breaks. Lateral rows of elytral systematic punctures always much coarser than surrounding ground punctation, making them easy to discern................................... 13 - First row of elytral systematic punctures not continuous, interrupted by short breaks. Lateral rows of elytral systematic punctures slightly coarser than surrounding punctation, or similar in size to surrounding ground punctation, making them difficult to discern............................................................................................ 12’ 12’(12)Lateral rows of elytral systematic punctures coarser than surrounding punctation ( Fig. 2 A).................. maluz sp. n. - Lateral rows of elytral systematic punctures similar in size to surrounding ground punctation, making them difficult to discern ( Fig. 2 B).......................................................................... andinus Short & García

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus photos of Oocyclus spp. A) O. brunneus sp. n. (dorsal and lateral), B) O. maluz sp. n. (dorsal), C) O. miza, sp. n. (dorsal). All specimens are paratypes.

FIGURE 2. Aedeagi of Oocyclus spp. A) O. brunneus sp. n., B) O. maluz sp. n., C) O. miza, sp. n.

FIGURE 3. Elytral detail of Oocyclus spp. A) O. maluz sp. n., B) O. andinus.