Phaenonotum delgadoi, Deler-Hernández & Cala-Riquelme & Fikáček, 2013

Deler-Hernández, Albert, Cala-Riquelme, Franklyn & Fikáček, Martin, 2013, Description of a new species of Phaenonotum from eastern Cuba (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Sphaeridiinae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 53 (2), pp. 615-622 : 616-620

Phaenonotum delgadoi sp. nov.

( Figs 1–8 , 9–14 , 15 )

Type locality. Cuba, Guantánamo Province, Baracoa Municipality,El Yunque, Finca La Delicia, 20.313ºN 74.574ºW, 200 m a.s.l.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: J, ‘CUBA: Guantánamo: El Yunque, Finca La Delicia , 01.ii.2012, R. Anderson leg. 20.313ºN 74.574ºW, elevation 200 m [printed] / Holotype, Phaenonotum delgadoi sp. n., Deler-Hernández & Fikáček det. 2013 [red, printed]’ ( NMPC) . PARATYPES (14 spec.): CUBA: HOLGUÍN PROVINCE: PN Pico Cristal, Frank País, road to Pico Cristal,ca. 565 m a.s.l., 20°34′12.61 N 75°25′42.17 W, 11.v.2013, R.Anderson leg.(2013-007) (5 spec., BSC-E, SEMC, NMPC, DZRJ). GUANTÁNAMO PROVINCE: same data as holotype (5 spec., BMNH, CMN, NMPC,

NHMW); El Yunque , 3.2 km SW of Campismo, 20º19′N 74º34′W, ca. 150 m a.s.l., 13.vi.2012, Deler-Hernández leg. (3 spec., BSC-E, NMPC) ; La Melba , 2 km NW of Tetas de Julia, ca. 350 m a.s.l., 20°28′20 N 74°46′43 W, 15/ 18. ii.2004, without collector (El 26) (1 spec., NMPC) .

Description. Habitus as in Figs 1–3 . Body size 2.2–2.5 mm (2.3 mm in the holotype). Body form oval in dorsal view, highly convex in lateral view ( Fig. 2 ). Dorsal surface dark brown to reddish brown.Antennae and maxillary palpi testaceous. Head and pronotum slightly paler than elytra. Lateral and posterolateral margins of pronotum and lateral margins of elytra paler than the disc. Ventral surface reddish brown. Leg reddish, tarsomeres paler in coloration. Head with fine and sparse setiferous punctures. Pronotum with punctures of same size as on head. Elytral punctation ( Figs 1–3 , 12 ) strongly impressed, much coarser than the pronotal and head punctation. Pronotum wider than long and very convex. Epipleura very broad throughout. Meso- and metaventral processes fused into a common keel, mesoventral process arrow-head shaped, elevated anteromedian portion of metaventrite ca. as long as mesoventral process, with a transverse subanterior ridge and basal cavities bearing dense pubescence ( Fig. 9 ). Profemora with long sparse pubescence in basal 0.75. Meso- and metafemora with very sparse and short pubescence only. All tarsi with long setae on ventral surface. Aedeagus ( Fig. 6 ) 0.4 mm long, with median lobe slightly shorter that parameres, basal region rounded, apical region elongate and stout. Parameres moderately wide and indistinctly sinuate in median region. Phallobase short, without distinct manubrium.

Differential diagnosis. Phaenonotum delgadoi sp. nov. differs from P. exstriatum (which is the only other Phaenonotum species known in Cuba) by the smaller body size ( P. exstriatum is 2.3–4.0 mm long), head and pronotum with very fine, nearly obsolete punctures being in contrast to very coarsely punctate elytra (whole dorsal surface bears uniform, moderately coarse punctuation in P. exstriatum ), the slender meso-metaventral process with basal pubescent cavities (stout and broad and without dense basal pubescence in P. exstriatum ), and the shape of the aedeagus (phallobase is short and parameres are nearly continually arched on outer margin in P. delgadoi sp. nov. whereas the phallobase is long and parameres are distinctly sinuate externally in P. exstriatum (compare Figs 4 and 5 ).

The new species is unique among other known Phaenonotum by its small highly convex body ( Fig. 2 ), extremely coarse elytral punctation being in contrast to very weak pronotal one ( Figs 1–3 , 12 ), and the presence of the pubescent cavities on the base of the mesometaventral keel ( Fig. 9 ). It may be also easily recognized by slightly elevated elytral suture in posterior half making the elytra arched at the suture (best seen when examined in anterodorsal or anterolateral view, see Fig. 3 ; all other species have evenly convex elytra). By the size, highly globular body and big difference between the size of punctation on the pronotum and elytra, it is most similar to P. minor Smetana, 1978 from the southeast USA, but differs from it by much more coarse elytral punctuation (compare Figs. 2 and 4 ), elytra arched at suture posteriorly (compare Figs 3 and 5 ), the presence of the pubescent cavities at the base of meso-metaventral keel (compare Figs 9 and 10 ) and the morphology of the aedeagus (compare Figs 6 and 7 ). Phaenonotum delgadoi sp. nov. resembles P. apicale Sharp, 1882 , P. collare Sharp, 1882 , P. flavitarse ( Kirsch, 1871) , P. globulosum ( Mulsant, 1844) and P. rotundulum Sharp, 1882 by the very minute pronotal punctation, but easily differs from all these species by the above unique characters.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to our excellent friend Dr. Juan Antonio Delgado Iniesta (Universidad de Murcia, Spain) for his contribution and help to the senior author’s studies on aquatic beetles.

Habitat. All available specimens of the new species were collected from wet rainforest and pluviselva litter (e.g., Fig. 14 ). No collecting site was situated near water.

Distribution. Based on the material available to us, Phaenonotum delgadoi sp. nov. is a Cuban endemic species currently known only from the eastern part of the island (Holguín and Guantánamo provinces) ( Fig. 15 ). All known localities are situated in the Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa mountain range which is considered the main center of diversity in Cuba and the Caribbean as a whole ( CENAP 2004, TOLEDO et al. 2011).

Figures

Figs 1−8. Habitus and genitalia of Phaenonotum species from Cuba and Florida. 1−3 − P. delgadoi sp. nov. (1 – dorsal view, 2 – lateral view, 3 – anterodorsal view). 4–5 – P. minor Smetana, 1978 (4 – lateral view, 5 – anterodorsal view). 6–8 – aedeagophores (6 – P. delgadoi sp. nov., 7 – P. minor Smetana, 1978, 8 – P. exstriatum (Say, 1835).

Figs 9−14. Morphology and habitat of Phaenonotum. 9–11 – meso-metaventral process (9 – P. delgadoi sp. nov., 10 – P. minor Smetana, 1978, 11 – P. exstriatum (Say, 1835)), 12–13 – detail of pronotum and elytron surface of Cuban Phaenonotum (12 – P.delgadoi sp. nov., 13 − P.exstriatum (Say, 1835)), 14 – habitat and type locality of P. delgadoi sp. nov.: Finca La Delicia, El Yunque, Baracoa, Guantánamo Province (photo by M. Fikáček, 4th July 2012).

Fig. 15. Known distribution of Phaenonotum delgadoi sp. nov. in Cuba.