Suphisellus neglectus Young, 1979

Scheers, Kevin & Thomaes, Arno, 2014, A review of the Burrowing Water Beetles of Belize with a key to the species (Coleoptera: Noteridae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 51, pp. 1-17 : 1-17

Suphisellus neglectus Young, 1979

( Figs 1F , 2E , 3F )

TYPE LOCALITY. Colombia, Magdalena, Isla Salamanca NP .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. STANN CREEK: Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Wari Lagoon , 16°46'46,1"N, 88°28'2,4"W, 07.V.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (3ex.)

Published records from Belize: “ Cayo Provide, Mile 66 on western highway, 14 Jul. 1969, BLT, W. and D. Hasse ” (6ex.) ( YOUNG, 1979) .

DIAGNOSIS. TL = 2.7–3.1 mm; head yellowish brown, pronotum yellowish brown with darker area near the anterior margin, elytra dark brown to piceous, each with three elongated pale spots, one lateral and one discal at about middle, and one towards the apex ( Fig. 1F ); male genitalia with aedeagus very slender at middle portion and with apex broadened and rounded ( Fig. 2E ). This species is externally similar to Suphisellus varius and S. subsignatus ( Sharp, 1882) but is readily distinguished by the distinctive male genitalia.

TAXONOMICAL NOTE: The male genitalia of the specimens collected in Belize show some distinctions compared with the genitalia of the typical S. neglectus as illustrated by YOUNG (1979) and moreover the specimens of Belize lack the pale discal spot near the base of the elytra. Because only three specimens are available and these distinctions are minor, we consider the collected specimens to be conspecific with S. neglectus as defined by YOUNG (1979). Additional material should be collected to confirm the taxonomic status of the species in Belize.

DISTRIBUTION. (NT) Belize, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico?, Panama.

HABITAT. During the field survey this species was encountered only at the Wari lagoon at the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary ( Fig. 4 ). There it was collected in an old oxbow pond with a thick layer of organic debris. The pond was largely unshaded and a rich marginal vegetation was present ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Dorsal view of the species of Noteridae in Belize. A, Hydrocanthus debilis Sharp, 1882; B, Hydrocanthus marmoratus Sharp, 1882; C, Mesonoterus laevicollis Sharp, 1882; D, Suphisellus insularis (Sharp, 1882); E, Suphisellus lineatus (Horn, 1871); F, Suphisellus neglectus Young, 1979; G, Suphisellus nigrinus (Aubé, 1838); H, Suphisellus varians (Sharp, 1882); I, Notomicrus sharpi J. Balfour-Browne, 1939.

Fig. 2. Left lateral view of the aedeagus. A, Hydrocanthus debilis Sharp, 1882; B, Hydrocanthus marmoratus Sharp, 1882; C, Suphisellus insularis (Sharp, 1882); D, Suphisellus lineatus (Horn, 1871); E, Suphisellus neglectus Young, 1979; F, Suphisellus nigrinus (Aubé, 1838); G, Suphisellus varians (Sharp, 1882); H, Notomicrus sharpi J. Balfour-Browne, 1939.

Fig. 3. Distribution maps of the species of Noteridae in Belize. A, Hydrocanthus debilis Sharp, 1882; B, Hydrocanthus marmoratus Sharp, 1882; C, Mesonoterus laevicollis Sharp, 1882; D, Suphisellus insularis (Sharp, 1882); E, Suphisellus lineatus (Horn, 1871); F, Suphisellus neglectus Young, 1979; G, Suphisellus nigrinus (Aubé, 1838); H, Suphisellus varians (Sharp, 1882); I, Notomicrus sharpi J. Balfour-Browne, 1939 (white dots indicate sampled sites and black dots indicate sites where the species is recorded, elevation map as background in which dark shading increases with height).

Fig. 4. Wari Lagoon in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. In this old oxbow pond five species of Noteridae were present: Hydrocanthus debilis, Mesonoterus leavicollis, Suphisellus insularis, S. neglectus and S. nigrinus. (photograph: Kevin Scheers).