Novochares triangularis, 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 triangularis sp. nov.

Figs 14D , 15I , 16B

Type material.

Holotype (male): "BOLIVIA: Santa Cruz Dept./Potrerillos del Guenda,/Preserva Natural, 17°40'S, 63°27'W, 370m, 17-22-X-2007/ ex BL/MV, J. & F. Romero/ BOL1Cline07 007.5" (SEMC). Paratypes (25 exs.): Brazil: Goiás: Chapada dos Veadeiros, 18-24 km. N. of Alto Paraíso, 1400-1500 m, 25.x.1985, leg. S.E. Miller (5, USNM). Minas Gerais: Pedra Azul, 800 m, xi.1972, leg. M. Alvarenga (2, CMNH). São Paulo: Piracicaba, 12.xii.1965, leg. C.A. Triplehorn (10, USNM). Bolivia: Santa Cruz: Same data as holotype except leg. A.R. Cline & J. Wappes, "BOL1Cline07 007" (1, SEMC). Paraguay: Cordillera: Compania Naranjo, 266 m, leg. Brzoska; 2.xii.2012 (9, SEMC).

Differential diagnosis.

See differential diagnoses of N. geminus and N. spangleri .

Description.

Body length 5.4-6.7 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces very dark brown, with paler margins of pronotum and elytra. Head: Maxillary palps as long as to slightly longer than width of head, uniformly orange in color (Fig. 14D ). Thorax: Ground punctation on pronotum and elytra relatively dense and shallowly impressed. Elytra without defined rows of serial punctures, each with one dorsal and a few lateral sparse rows of systematic punctures; rows of systematic punctures more evident along posterior region. Prosternum sometimes medially convex. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite transverse, low, and slightly curved (posteriorly concave). Aedeagus: (Fig. 15I ) lateral projection on apical region of outer margin of each paramere rounded to weakly pointed; at closest point, dorsal inner margins of parameres separated by distance similar to greatest width of a paramere; dorsal plate of median lobe with small denticle on each lateral margin, proximal to base of fork; arms of dorsal plate of median lobe distally converging; each arm nearly parallel sided, slightly wider on apical region, apically oblique with inner margin extending beyond outer margin; notch between arms at base slightly narrower than base of an arm; ventral plate of median lobe weakly sclerotized, at widest point nearly as wide as dorsal plate of median lobe, apically acuminate, apex extending beyond base of fork, not reaching apex of arms of dorsal plate; basal piece 0.4 × length of a paramere.

Etymology.

Triangularis (L.), in reference to the triangular shape of the ventral plate of the median lobe.

Distribution.

Bolivia, Brazil ( Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo), Paraguay (Fig. 16B ).

Habitat.

Little is known about the habitat of this species, there is no ecological information on the labels. Some specimens were collected at lights.

Novochares sallaei species group

Species group diagnosis. Body length 4.7-8.0 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces brown to dark brown or reddish brown. Aedeagus: (Figs 18 - 21 ) Overall shape and relative length variable, joint basal margins of parameres broadly rounded, truncate or medially pointed; outer margin and apical region of each paramere variable; parameres usually longer than median lobe, with apex rounded or truncate; parameres with apical region variable in degree of sclerotization; dorsal inner margin of each paramere highly variable; dorsal plate of median lobe (in dorsal view) highly variable, sometimes forming a narrow neck; notch between arms variable; shape and orientation of arms variable; position of gonopore variable; ventral plate of median lobe (in ventral view) somewhat triangular, variable in length, shape of apex, and degree of sclerotization, sometimes absent; basal piece 0.20-0.55 × length of a paramere, rarely strongly reduced (see Novochares cochlearis ). In lateral view, aedeagus somewhat triangular, straight to strongly oblique at base, with ventral outline of parameres 1.5-4.2 × longer than greatest width.

Composition. The Novochares sallaei species group is composed of 17 species: N. atratus (Bruch, 1915), N. bisinuatus sp. nov., N. chaquensis ( Fernández, 1982) [= N. carmona (Short, 2005) syn. nov.], N. clavieri sp. nov., N. cochlearis ( Fernández, 1982), N. dicranospathus sp. nov., N. fernandezae sp. nov., N. garciai sp. nov., N. guadelupensis ( d’Orchymont, 1926), N. kawsay sp. nov., N. pastinum sp. nov., N. pichilingue ( Fernández, 1989), N. quadrispinus sp. nov., N. sallaei (Sharp, 1882), N. tridentis sp. nov., N. unguis sp. nov., and N. yanomami sp. nov.

Figures

Figure 14. Dorsal habitus of Novochares spp. A N. dentatus B N. punctatostriatus C N. pertusus D N. triangularis.

Figure 15. Aedeagi of the Novochares punctatostriatus species group A-D N. dentatus E, F N. spangleri G, H N. geminus I N. triangularis J, K N. pertusus L-Q N. punctatostriatus A-C Venezuela D Ecuador L-N Suriname O Peru P, Q Brazil. A, E, G, I, J, L, O, P dorsal view H, M, Q ventral view C, F, N oblique view K lateral view.

Figure 16. Distribution of Novochares punctatostriatus species group A N. punctatostriatus (red), N. pertusus (yellow) B N. dentatus (red), N. triangularis (yellow), N. spangleri (blue), N. geminus (green).

Figure 18. Aedeagi of the Novochares sallaei species group A, B N. bisinuatus C-E N. yanomami F-I N. fernandezae J, K N. unguis L N. clavieri M-P N. cochlearis A, C, F, J, L, M, O, P dorsal view B, H, N lateral view D, G ventral view E, I, K oblique view M, N Brazil O Venezuela P Suriname.

Figure 21. Aedeagi of the Novochares sallaei species group A-D N. pastinum E, F N. quadrispinus G-J N. tridentis K, L N. pichilingue A, E, G, K dorsal view B ventral view C, F lateral view D, I (dorsal) J (ventral) L oblique view.