Anodocheilus francescae Young, 1974

Scheers, Kevin & Thomaes, Arno, 2022, A preliminary checklist of the minute diving beetles of Belize (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Bidessini), Belgian Journal of Entomology 125, pp. 1-15 : 5

Anodocheilus francescae Young, 1974

( Fig. 1 A )

STUDIED MATERIAL. CAYO DISTRICT: Nohoch Che’en , small pool on parking lot, 17°12'28, 2"N, 88°39'1"W, 09. V.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (1 ex.) ; TOLEDO: Punta Gorda , fishpond, 16°06'24,6"N, 88°48'25,5"W, 13.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (1 ex.) ; BFREE, Agami lagoon, 16°33'27,7"N, 88°42'14,8"W, 17.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (1 ex.) ; Deep River Forest Reserve , pond savannah, 16°31'11,7"N, 88°42'3,8"W, 19.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (34 ex.) ; Deep River Forest Reserve , pond savannah, 16°31'14,2"N, 88°42'5,6"W, 19.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (47 ex.) ; Deep River Forest Reserve , pond savannah, 16°31'35,5"N, 88°42'23,6"W, 20.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (41 ex.) ; Deep River Forest Reserve , pond savannah, 16°31'41,5"N, 88°42'30"W, 20.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (21 ex.) ; Deep River Forest Reserve , pond savannah, 16°31'42,7"N, 88°42'31,6"W, 20.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (28 ex.) ; Bladen Nature Reserve , pond transition savannah-forest, 16°32'25,1"N, 88°42'56,1"W, 20.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (2 ex.) ; Bladen Nature Reserve , pond transition savannah-forest, 16°32'26,3"N, 88°42'57,1"W, 20.IV.2015, Leg K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (22 ex.) ; Punta Gorda , fishpond, 16°06'24,6"N, 88°48'25,5"W, 23.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (4 ex.) ; Punta Gorda , temp. stream in forest, 16°06'37,6"N, 88°49'18,8"W, 25.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (1 ex.) ; Punta Gorda , cattle pond, 16°05'12,8"N, 88°51'1,5"W, 25.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (10 ex.) ; Indian Creek, Lake of former Lodge , 16°18'45,1"N, 88°49'31,4"W, 29.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (1 ex.) ; Punta Gorda , lights basketball field, 16°06'15,1"N, 88°48'14"W, 03. V.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (1 ex.) ; Punta Gorda , shallow pool, 16°05'19,7"N, 88°48'53,4"W, 05. V.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (4 ex.) .

DISTRIBUTION. Belize (first record), Mexico, USA (Texas) ( YOUNG, 1974). In Belize this species was found in the Cayo and Toledo districts ( Fig. 2 A ). In the Toledo district it was present at numerous surveyed sites.

HABITAT. Although this species was found in various types of permanent and semi-permanent, sun exposed lentic water bodies in Belize, it was most abundant in exposed shallow ponds with bare substratum in the savanna and other open terrain ( Figs 3 , 4 ). One specimen was also collected on light.

Figures

Fig. 1. Dorsal habitus of A, Anodocheilus francescae Young, 1974; B, Bidessodes elongatus (Sharp, 1882) and C, Bidessonotus mobilis J. Balfour-Browne, 1947; scale bars = 1 mm. © Florence Trus.

Fig. 2. Distribution of Bidessini in Belize: A, Anodocheilus francescae Young, 1974; B, Anodocheilus guatemalensis (Zaitzev, 1910); C, Bidessodes elongatus (Sharp, 1882); D, Bidessonotus caraibus (Chevrolat, 1863); E, Bidessonotus mexicanus Régimbart, 1895; F, Bidessonotus mobilis J. Balfour-Browne, 1947; G, Bidessonotus pollostus Young, 1990; H, Bidessonotus vicinus Young, 1990; I, Neobidessus obtusoides Young, 1977; J, Neobidessus persimilis (Régimbart, 1895); K, Uvarus spretus (Sharp, 1882). Yellow dots indicate literature records and red dots studied material.

Fig. 3. Pond in the savannah of the Deep River Forest Reserve (Toledo), the typical habitat of Anodocheilus francescae and Neobidessus obtusoides. At this site both species co-occurred with Bidessonotus vicinus. © Kevin Scheers.

Fig. 4. Pond in the transition zone between savannah and tropical wet forest in the Bladen Nature Reserve (Toledo) with layer of leaf litter and a vegetation of water lilies. At this site Anodocheilus francescae, A. guatemalensis, Bidessonotus mobilis and B. vicinus were collected. © Kevin Scheers.