Liodessus bogotensis lacunaviridis Balke, Ospina-Torres, Megna & Hendrich, 2021

Balke, Michael, Neven, Katja, Villastrigo, Adrian, Ospina-Torres, Rodulfo, Prieto, Carlos, Gutierrez Rubiano, Nicolas, Lotta, Ingrid, Duenas, Luisa F. & Hendrich, Lars, 2023, Eastern Colombian Paramo Liodessus Guignot, 1939 diving beetles are genetically structured, but show signs of hybridization, with description of new species and subspecies (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae), ZooKeys 1143, pp. 165-187 : 165

Liodessus bogotensis lacunaviridis Balke, Ospina-Torres, Megna & Hendrich, 2021 stat. nov.

Figs 7A , 9A , 10D

Liodessus lacunaviridis Balke et al., 2021a: 8.

Type locality.

Colombia, Boyacá, Páramo Rabanal y Rio Bogotá, Laguna Verde.

Holotype: Colombia • ♂; Boyacá, Laguna Verde; 3,300 m alt.; 28.xi.2017; 5.4093, -73.5484; Ospina & Balke leg.; COL_MB_2017_03; UNAL.

Notes and diagnosis.

Liodessus lacunaviridis was described by Balke et al. (2021a). This is a smaller taxon in the genus Liodessus (body length 1.8-2.0 mm; Fig. 7A ). It is morphologically and genetically (Cox1 data) different from L. bogotensis , and we suggested that this as a new species. Although this might still be warranted, in the context of the current study, at least some morphologically and genetically distinct Páramo populations of the L. bogotensis complex in the Eastern Cordillera seem to be in contact and hybridize with the generally lower-elevation L. bogotensis . We suggest here to treat all these populations as subspecies pending availability of genomic data and greater sampling for more areas.

The median lobe is slender and simply curved in lateral view, and simply narrowing towards the apex in ventral view (Fig. 9A ). In dorsal view, this is a dark beetle (Fig. 7A ). The occipital line is either distinct or poorly defined, consisting of serial punctures. The metathoracic wings are short, less than 2/3 of the elytral length.

Variation.

Measurements: total length 1.8-2.0 mm; length without head 1.6-1.8 mm; maximum width 0.9-1.0 mm.

Identification notes.

This subspecies is only reliably identified on the basis of the collecting locality and Cox1 data. In the COLLI sequence database this subspecies has nine diagnostic characters different from the other subspecies (Table 1 ).

Distribution.

Known from the Páramo del Rabanal y Rio Bogotá, where it has been collected near Laguna Verde (Fig. 1 ).

Habitat.

Exposed, shallow, densely vegetated, stagnant bodies of water.

Figures

Figure 1. Map of sampling localities A overview of northwestern South America showing are of sampling depicted in " B " B colored areas represent districts in Paramo: Santanderes (blue), Boyaca (green), and Cundinamarca (brown).

Figure 7. Variation in size and dorsal coloration of subspecies of Liodessus bogotensis A Liodessus b. lacunaviridis B Liodessus b. sumapaz. Scale bar: 2 mm.

Figure 9. Median lobes in lateral view of Liodessus subspecies A L. bogotensis lacunaviridis B L. b. matarredonda C L. b. sumapaz. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figure 10. Tips of median lobes in ventral view of Liodessus subspecies A L. bogotensis bogotensis B L. bogotensis almorzadero C L. bogotensis chingaza D L. b. lacunaviridis E L. b. matarredonda F L. b. sumapaz. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.