Novochares duo, Short & Girón, 2023

Short, Andrew Edward Z. & Giron, Jennifer C., 2023, Revision of the Neotropical water scavenger beetle genus Novochares Giron & Short (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Acidocerinae), ZooKeys 1171, pp. 1-112 : 1

Novochares duo sp. nov.

Figs 24C , 25A-D , 29A

Type material.

Holotype (male): "GUYANA: Region IX/ 2°05.095'N, 59°14.174'W, 250m/ Parabara, Trail to mines/ detrital pools in forest/ leg. Short, Isaacs, Salisbury/ 2.xi.2013; GY13-1102-01A (CBDG). Paratypes (206 exs.): Brazil: Amazonas: Apui (ca. 43 km NW), 4.vii.2018, leg. Short, backwater river margin w/detritus and leaf packs, BR18-0704-02C (4, INPA, SEMC, including DNA voucher SLE1906). Pará: Rio Xingu Camp, Altamira (60 km S), 12.x.1986, leg. P. Spangler & O. Flint, pond at second palm grove on trail 1, Colln #21 (7, USNM); same data but 15.x.1986, Colln. #24 (4, USNM); same data but 14.x.1986, stream on left branch of trail 1, Colln. #23 (1, USNM). French Guiana: Piste de montagne de fer (formerly road Degrad Florian), 5.40697°N, - 53.55468°W, 10 m, leg. Short & Neff, forested detrital pools, FG20-0305-01A (5, SCC, SEMC). Guyana: Region 6: Upper Berbice Basecamp 1, 4°09.289'N, 58°10.717'W, 96 m, 21.ix.2014, leg, Short, Salisbury and La Cruz, muddy detrital pools in drying creekbed near camp, GY14-0921-02A (9, SEMC); Upper Berbice circa 1 km west of Basecamp 1, 4°09.143'N, 58°11.207'W, 105 m, 21.ix.2014, leg. A. Short, sandy stream, GY14-0921-03A (1, SEMC); same data but detrital side pools, GY14-0921-03G (2, SEMC); Upper Berbice, ca. 1.1 Km W of basecamp 1, 4°09.136'N, 58°11.365'W, 106 m, stream detrital pool, 23.ix.2014, GY14-0923-02A (1, SEMC); Upper Berbice Basecamp 1, 4°09.289'N, 58°10.717'W, 96 m, 24.ix.2014, leg. Short, Salisbury, and La Cruz, margins of basecamp creek, GY14-0924-01A (2, SEMC); same data but 4°09.241'N, 58°10.627'W, 109 m puddles along road, GY14-0924-02A (3, SEMC); Upper Berbice ca. 1 km south of Basecamp 1, 4°09.241'N, 58°10.627'W, 109 m, 25.ix.2014, leg. Short, Salisbury, and La Cruz, detritus pools in dry creekbed, GY14-0925-01D (3, SEMC). Region 9: same data as holotype (15, SEMC, including DNA Voucher SLE1209); North of Parabara, Bototo Wau Creek, 2°10.908'N, 59°20.306'W, 289 m, 31.x.2013, leg. Short, Isaacs and Salisbury, stream margins, GY13-1031-01A (20, SEMC); along road to Parabara, 2°09.557'N, 59°17.569'W, 268 m, 1.xi.2013, leg. Short, Isaacs and Salisbury, forest pools near Mushai Wao, GY13-1101-02A (3, SEMC); Parabara, trail to mines, 2°05.095'N, 59°14.174'W, 250 m, 2.xi.2013, leg. Short, Isaacs and Salisbury, detrital pools in forest, GY13-1102-01A (21, SEMC, TTU-Z); Parabara, trail on N. side of river, 3.xi.2013, leg. Short, small detrital pool in forest, GY13-1103-01A (1, SEMC); Parabara north side of river, 2°06.492'N, 59°13.653'W, 274 m, 3.xi.2013, detritus margins and leaf packs, GY13-1103-02A (10, SEMC); Parabara, at N. edge of village, 2°05.733'N, 59°14.390'W, 248 m, leg. Short, Isaacs and Salisbury, small vegetated marsh, GY13-1103-03A (31, SEMC); N. Parabara, basecamp area, 2°10.902'N, 59°20.547'W, 260 m, leg. Short, Isaacs and Salisbury, small sandy stream with root mats and leaf packs, GY13-1105-01B (10, SEMC) same locality but 1-5.xi.2013, light trap in savanna, GY13-1101-LT2 (1, SEMC). Suriname: Sipaliwini: Camp 1 on Kutari River, 2°10.521'N, 56°47.244'W, 228 m, 20.viii.2010, leg. Short and Kadosoe, forest stream, CI-RAP Survey, forested swamp, SR10-0819-01A (16, NZCS, SEMC, TTU-Z, including DNA Voucher SLE1209); Iwaana Saamu, forest swamp, 26.viii.2010, leg. Short, SR10-0826-01A (3, SEMC); Camp 2 on Sipaliwini River, 2°10.973'N, 56°47.235'W; 210 m, 30.viii.2010, Short and Kadosoe, forest creek, SR10-0831-01A (3, SEMC); same data except: 31.viii.2010, sandy forest creek with detritus, SR10-0831-01B (1, SEMC); Camp 3, Werehpai, 2°21.776'N, 56°41.861'W, 237 m, 3-7.ix.2010, leg. Short and Kadosoe, pooled up detrital creek, SR10-0903-01A (4, SEMC); except detrital forest pools, SR10-0903-02A (3, SEMC); same data except sandy forest creek, SR10-0904-01A (1, SEMC); Camp 1, Upper Palumeu, 2.47700°N, 55.62941°W, 275 m, 10-12.iii.2012, leg. A. Short, large detrital pools, SR12-0310-01A (1, SEMC, DNA voucher SLE1211); same data except 10.iii.2012, small forest pool, SR12-0310-02A (2, SEMC); same data except 11.iii.2012, large pool by trail, SR12-0311-01A (1, SEMC). Venezuela: Amazonas: Cerro de la Neblina 1.5 km S. Basecamp, 0°50'N, 66°10'W, 250 m, 15.ii.1985, leg. P.J. Spangler & P.M. Spangler, R. Faitoute, & W. Steiner, in small ponds full of dead leaves, rainforest ridge (14, USNM); same data but 7.ii.1985 (2, USNM); same locality but 8.ii.1985, leg. Steiner & Halling, small whitewater stream in rainforest (1, USNM).

Differential diagnosis.

The genitalia of this species is similar to several other related species in the Novochares tectiformis species group. It is perhaps most similar to N. bolivianus , but in that species the fork of the apex of the dorsal plate of the median lobe is very narrow, with no gap between the two projections (Fig. 25E ). Additionally, in that species the ventral plate is extended further, beyond the base of the fork, while it is much shorter and does not reach the fork in N. duo (Fig. 25A, B ).

Description.

Body length 6.5-9.0 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces dark brown, sometimes with slightly to moderately paler (brown or yellowish brown) clypeus and margins of pronotum and elytra, sometimes sheeny. Head: Maxillary palps nearly 1.4-1.6 × longer than width of head, uniformly orange in color (Fig. 24C ). Thorax: Ground punctation on pronotum and elytra dense and very shallowly impressed. Elytra without rows of serial punctures, each with very faint rows (one dorsal and two or three lateral) of scarce and weakly marked systematic punctures. Prosternum flat. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite elevated as a triangular pyramid, with posterior face somewhat bisinuate and medial longitudinal ridge extending anteriorly (resembling a nose). Abdomen: Apical emargination of fifth ventrite relatively deep, U-shaped. Aedeagus: (Fig. 25A-D ) Overall shape pear-like, 3 × longer than wide; lateral projection on apical region of outer margin of each paramere pointed; at closest point, dorsal inner margins of parameres separated by distance slightly narrower than greatest width of a paramere; dorsal plate of median lobe with neck 1/2 as broad as base; arms of dorsal plate of median lobe slightly converging, nearly 0.3 × length of dorsal plate of median lobe; each arm slightly widened near base, then gradually slightly narrowing towards apex, with apex medially and dorsally pointed; notch between arms at base slightly narrower than base of an arm; ventral plate of median lobe weakly sclerotized, triangular, apically acuminate, apex not reaching base of fork of dorsal plate; basal piece 0.3 × length of a paramere. In lateral view, aedeagus with ventral outline of parameres 5 × longer than greatest width near base; dorsal outline of aedeagus in lateral view nearly straight along basal 1/3 and evenly convex along second 1/3.

Etymology.

Duo (L.), meaning two, referring to the prominent two-pronged dorsal plate of the median lobe.

Distribution.

Brazil (Amazonas, Pará), French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela (Fig. 29A ).

Habitat.

This species has been collected from forested detrital pools, especially those associated with riparian habitats.

Figures

Figure 24. Dorsal habitus of Novochares spp. A N. tectiformis B N. orchis C N. duo D N. piaroa.

Figure 25. Aedeagi of the Novochares tectiformis species group A-D N. duo E, F N. bolivianus G-L N. tectiformis A, E, F, G, K, L dorsal view B, H ventral view C, I lateral view D, J oblique view.

Figure 29. Distribution of Novochares tectiformis species group A N. duo (red), N. bolivianus (yellow), N. atlanticus (blue), N. danta (green) B N. coya (red), N. yora (yellow), N. xingu (blue), N. mura (green), N. trifurcatus (purple) C N. tectiformis (red) D N. pume (red), N. piaroa (yellow), N. florifer (blue), N. mojenos (green), N. tambopatense (purple).