Desmopachria varzeana, Braga, Rafael Benzi & Ferreira-Jr, Nelson, 2010

Braga, Rafael Benzi & Ferreira-Jr, Nelson, 2010, Four new species of Desmopachria Babington (Insecta, Coleoptera, Dytiscidae) from the Amazon river floodplain, Zootaxa 2415, pp. 33-42 : 36

Desmopachria varzeana sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 )

Diagnosis. Antennomeres V–VII lobate. Pronotum with fine lateral margins. Elytron yellow with brown maculae and fasciae; one humeral macula, one large mesal macula on the sutura and one subapical macula, one transverse fascia at base, one sutural fascia, one mesal joining sutural near base of elytron and one submarginal joining mesal near apex ( Fig. 2 a). Venter light brown, with metaesternal and coxae darker; half of last abdominal ventrite densely beset with long, pale setae ( Fig. 2 b). Aedeagus reaching one-third length of parameres, apex bifid. Parameres, in dorsal view, elongate, wide basally and narrowing apically, apex pointed directly outward; with digitiform projection articulated subapically; in ventral view, one row of setae in apical half and few setae on inner margin near apex ( Figs 2 c–e).

Description. Holotype male: total length 1.20 mm; maximum width 0.86 mm; elytral length 0.77 mm; maximum width of pronotum 0.70 mm.

Body rounded. Head inconspicuously punctate; clypeus indistinctly beaded; antennae with scape rounded, pedicel narrower and longer than flagellomeres, antennomeres V and VII lobate. Pronotum short and wide, very fine and inconspicuously punctate, lateral bead very narrow; prosternal process small and setiforme; metasternum, metacoxae, and abdomen with little, scattered, fine punctures. Tarsi pentamerous without modifications. Elytron very fine and obscurely punctate; half of last abdominal ventrite densely beset with long, pale setae ( Fig. 2 b). Aedeagus reaching one-third length of parameres, apex bifid. Parameres, in dorsal view, elongate, wide basally and narrowing apically, apex directed laterally; with digitiform projection articulated subapically; in ventral view, one row of setae in apical half and few setae on inner margin near apex ( Figs 2 c–e).

Coloration. Head and pronotum yellow. Elytron yellow with brown maculae and fasciae; one humeral macula, one large mesal macula near suture and one subapical macula, one transversal fascia at base, one sutural fascia, one mesal joining the sutural near base of elytron and one submarginal joining mesal near apex ( Fig. 2 a). Venter light brown, metasternal and coxae darker.

Variation. Body measurements variable in total length 1.18–1.28 mm; maximum width 0.80–0.86 mm; elytral length 0.77–0.80 mm; maximum width of pronotum 0.67–0.70 mm. Coloration, maculae and fasciae variable, some specimens lighter and maculae and fasciae joined as large cruciform macula.

Type-material. Holotype ♂ (Coleop Holotipo INPA 307): Brasil, Amazonas, Paraná da Trindade, Lírio do Vale, Lago do Albano, 24/09/2003, -2,41418, -57,49993, Ferreira-Jr N. & de Marco P. Paratypes - INPA (Coleop Paratipo INPA 307 [1-130]) 130 ind., Brasil, Amazonas, Paraná da Trindade, Lírio do Vale, Lago do Albano, 24/09/2003, -2,41418, -57,49993, Ferreira-Jr N. & de Marco P.; DZRJ: ( Coleoptera 2223 ) 5 ind., Brasil, Amazonas, Santo Antônio do Içá, Vila Presidente Getúlio Vargas, Lago do Espanhol, 04/09/2003, - 3,12291, -67,97323, Nessimian J. L. & Hamada N.; DZRJ: ( Coleoptera 2224 ) 3 ind., Brasil, Amazonas, Jutaí, São Raimundo, Lago do Bosco, 06/09/2003, -2,68867, -66,87529, Nessimian J. L. & Hamada N.; DZRJ: ( Coleoptera 2225 ) 1 ind., Brasil, Amazonas, Fonte Boa, Fonte Boa, Lago Ressaca Grande, 08/09/2003, - 2,47399, -66,15474, Nessimian J. L. & Hamada N.; DZRJ: ( Coleoptera 2226 ) 1 ind., Brasil, Amazonas, Tefé, São João do Catuaí, Lago da Piranha, 11/09/2003, -3,62524, -64,18968, Nessimian J. L. & Hamada N.; DZRJ: ( Coleoptera 2227 ) 1 ind., Brasil, Amazonas, Coari, Vila de Trocaris, Lago Baracari, 13/09/2003, -3,91631, - 62,86139, Nessimian J. L. & Hamada N.; DZRJ: ( Coleoptera 2228 ) 46 ind., Brasil, Amazonas, Anamã, Boa Esperança, Lago Bom Jesus, 16/09/2003, -3,65812, -61,49109, Nessimian J. L. & Hamada N.; DZRJ: ( Coleoptera 2229 ) 46 ind., Brasil, Amazonas, Manacapuru, Cristo Ressuscitado, Lago Galo (Camoa), 17/09/ 2003, -3,57995, -60,82906, Nessimian J. L. & Hamada N.; DZRJ: ( Coleoptera 2230 ) 7 ind. Brasil, Amazonas, Itacoatiara, Ilha da Trindade, Paraná da Trindade, 22/09/2003, -3,31345, -58,73231, Ferreira-Jr N. & de Marco P.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the place of origin of the type material, the Amazon river floodplain or Várzea.

Taxonomic notes. This new species belongs to the convex group sensu Miller (2001) in having subapically articulated projections on the parameres. This new species has similar characteristics to other sympatric species of this group, D. manus sp.nov., D. pilosa Miller , D. signata Zimmermann and the following newly-described species ( D. cavia sp. nov.). The colour pattern of the elytron is similar to D. manus , but D. varzeana lacks maculae on the base of the pronotum. Additionally, D. varzeana is smaller than D. manus and has the pronotum margined. The male genitalia of D. varzeana are similar to D. pilosa , D. signata and to the next newly-described species. However D. varzeana differs from D. pilosa in having the aedeagus with the apex bifid, and from D. signata in having the length of the aedeagus more than half the length of the paramere. D. varzeana differs the from following newly-described species in having the paramere with the apex pointed, the absence of grooved areas at the base of the projections, a different colour pattern on the elytron and smaller size.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. 1) Desmopachria manus sp. nov. 2) D. varzeana sp. nov. a) Dorsal habitus; b) last visible abdominal ventrite; c) male genitalia, dorsal view; d) male genitalia, ventral view; e) male genitalia, dorsal view with cover slips. Scale in dorsal habitus = 1.0 mm.