Suphisellus insularis ( Sharp, 1882 )

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 insularis ( Sharp, 1882)

( Figs 1D , 2C , 3D )

= Canthydrus insularis Sharp, 1882

= Canthydrus floridanus Blatchley, 1914

= Canthydrus similaris Sharp, 1887

= Canthydrus simplex Sharp, 1882

TYPE LOCALITY. Cuba, Villa Clara province, Santo Domingo .

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 (25ex.) TOLEDO: Indian Creek , Lake of former Lodge, 16°18'45,1"N, 88°49'31,4"W, 29.IV.2015, Leg. K. Scheers & A. Thomaes (2ex.) .

Published records from Belize: This species is newly recorded from Belize.

DIAGNOSIS. TL = 1.9–2.2 mm; venter pale yellowish brown, dorsal color yellowish brown with elytra distinctly darker and with a more reddish brown tinge; pronotum usually with a darker portion at the posterior margin extending to the disc; body shape short, almost globular ( Fig. 1D ); male genitalia with aedeagus evenly curved, laterally flattened and slightly but

7 distinctly curved near apex ( Fig. 2C ). Suphisellus insularis is easily recognized by its body shape and the absence of a darker pattern on the elytra and pronotum. Suphisellus levis (Fall, 1909) is closely related but seems to be larger (TL = 2.2–2.4) and has the male genitalia with the apex of the aedeagus not curved laterally. Furthermore this latter species is at present only known from northwestern Mexico ( YOUNG, 1979).

DISTRIBUTION. (NA) US (Florida); (NT) Belize (first records), Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Puerto Rico.

HABITAT. this species was only found at two sites. At both sites it was found together with Mesonoterus leavicollis . The habitat preference seems to be similar to that of Hydrocanthus debilis , H. marmoratus and M. laevicollis .

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).