Helichus cordubensis Berg, 1885

Rodriguez, G. A. & Manzo, V., 2012, High-density genetic mapping identifies new susceptibility loci for rheumatoid arthritis., Zootaxa 3168, pp. 64-68 : 65-66

Helichus cordubensis Berg, 1885

Ann. Soc. Cient. Arg. Helichus cordubensis Berg, 1885: 224 ;

Ecol. Aguas Cont. H. cordubensis Trémouilles et al., 1995: 1171 ;

Rev. Soc. Entomol. Argent. H. cordubensis Corigliano & Raffaini, 2001: 190 ;

Act. Limnol. Bras. H. cordubensis Oberto et al., 2004: 179 ;

Act. Limnol. Bras. H. cordubensis Tripole & Corigliano, 2005: 108 ;

Rev. Univ. Nac. Río Cuarto. H. cordubensis Corigliano et al., 2005: 134 .

Bol. Mus. Nac. Hist. Parag. H. cordubensis Shepard & Aguilar Julio, 2010: 32 .

Diagnosis. This species may be distinguished from all other known Helichus species by the following combination of characters: 1) punctures of the middle and posterior region of disc of pronotum larger than facet of eyes, separated by 0.5 their diameter or less; 2) surface of scutellum sparsely punctate, punctures smaller than facet of eyes, separated by three times their diameter, with dispersed setae; 3) aedeagus long and tubular; penis elongate, slender apically with basolateral apophyses short and wide, symmetrical; fibula long and weakly sclerotized; parameres distinctly shorter than phallobasis; phallobasis long, partially open in dorsal view, with basal orifice asymmetrical.

Redescription. Male: body form and size: elongated, moderately convex; surface densely pubescent. Length 4.85 mm; greatest width 2.15 mm (at 1/3 length of elytra).

Color: cuticle weakly shining; dorsal and ventral surface reddish brown, except for pronotum dark brown and distal five antennomeres reddish.

Tomentum: covering lateral areas of pronotum, elytra, epipleura, sides of prosternum, hypomeron, sides of meso- and metaventrites, all coxae and femora, and abdominal ventrites I–IV.

Head: partially retractable, surface microreticulate, with short golden sparse setae. Clypeus broad, lateral area convex with a tuft of long golden hair-like setae. Labrum subrectangular, emarginate apicomedially; surface with long golden setae from the middle third to the anterior margin. Antennae 8-segmented, second segment enlarged and heavily sclerotized, forming a shield beneath which remaining segments may be retracted; bases of antennae widely separated. Eyes glabrous.

Thorax: pronotum broader than long (1.65 and 1.25 mm), moderately convex; lateral margins subparallel; anterior margin straight; anterolateral angles moderately acute. Base trisinuate. Surface densely punctuate with sparse golden setae; discal area with two sizes of round punctures: anterior third with punctures as wide as facets of eyes, separated by 1–1.5 times their diameter; posterior two thirds with punctures larger than facets of eyes, separated by ½ their diameter or less. Surface between disc and lateral margin with granules as wide as facets of eyes, separated by 1–1.5 times their diameter. Prosternum long, anterior to procoxae; surface shiny, densely punctuate, punctures as wide as facets of eyes, separated by 1–1.5 times their diameter, with short sparse setae; with a lateral long tuft of golden setae on each procoxa. Prosternal process as wide as procoxae, apex acute V-shaped. Hypomeron without tomentum; surface with large oblong granules densely distributed. Mesoventrite with a groove for reception of prosternal process. Metaventrite: disk without lateral carinae; surface with punctures like those on prosternum and sparse short setae; median longitudinal line complete, with a long tuft of golden setae posterior to each mesocoxa. Lateral area with granules like those on hypomeron. Complete transverse line on posterior third of metaventrite.

Legs: coxae, trochanters, tibiae and femora with golden short setae densely distributed; tarsi with short sparse setae, densely punctuate. Pro- and metacoxa transverse; mesocoxa globular. Pro- and mesotrochanter subtriangular; metatrochanter globular. Femora shorter than tibiae, dilated medially. Tibiae with a single short apicolateral cleaning fringe. Tarsi 5-segmented, with short setae on ventral surface; fifth segment longest. Tarsal claws long.

Elytra: length 3.60 mm; greatest width 2.15 mm; surface pubescent. Each elytron with three striae formed by deep, round punctures, punctures separated by ½ their diameter; lateral striae incomplete. Lateral area of each elytron with oblong granules densely distributed. Intervals microreticulated, moderately convex. Epipleuron granulated. Apices protruded and acute. Scutellum flat, broader than long; surface with small sparse punctures, punctures smaller than facet of eyes, separated by three times their diameter, with sparse setae.

Abdomen: surface of ventrites I-IV with oblong granules densely distributed; ventrite V without granules, with punctures, punctures as wide as facets of eyes, separated by 1–1.5 times their diameter, apex with long, golden setae.

Male genitalia: aedeagus ( Fig 1, 2 ) long and tubular. Penis elongate, slender apically (narrower towards apex), with basolateral apophyses short and wide, symmetrical; fibula long and weakly sclerotized. Parameres distinctly shorter than phallobase, subtriangular, apices rounded. Phallobase long, partially open in dorsal view, with basal orifice asymmetrical.

Type material ( 2 specimens): LECTOTYPE male (here designated), with the following labels: “Typus”; “Cordoba”; “ Helichus cordubensis 1885 Berg”; “Col. Antigua ”; “ Hylichus Erichs.”; “ Helichus cordubensis Berg 1885 Syntypi ”. Deposited in MACN.

Body length 4.88 mm, greatest width 1.95 mm (at 1/3 length of elytra); pronotum broader than long: 1.48 mm and 1.10 mm; elytra: length 3.46 mm; greatest width 1.95 mm. Lectotype not dissected.

LECTOPARATYPE (here designated) with the same labels as Lectotype. [The head and prothorax are missing].

Elytra length: 3.66 mm, greatest width 2.05 mm. Deposited in MACN.

Type locality. “ Cordoba ” [Cordoba province, Argentina] ( Berg, 1885)

Additional material examined. 5 specimens (1♂ dissected) with the following labels: " Alta Gracia. La Granja. Sierra de Córdoba. 23. XI.23. C. Bruch leg.” “ Helichus cordubensis Berg C. BRUCH DETERM. ” "en agua" MACN and 3 ♂ from Tucumán Province, Burruyacu, Medina River S 26° 32’ 29” W 65° 01’ 42”, 740 m, 14/ IV/1999, Fernández, Romero & Manzo cols .

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. Helichus cordubensis: 1, male genitalia, ventral view; 2, lateral view of same. Locality of specimen used for the illustration: “Alta Gracia, La Granja. Sierra de Córdoba, Cordoba province, Argentina”.