Tobochares romanoae, Girón & Short, 2021

Giron, Jennifer C. & Short, Andrew Edward Z., 2021, Review of the Neotropical water scavenger beetle genus Tobochares Short & Garcia, 2007 (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Acidocerinae): new lineages, new species, and new records, ZooKeys 1019, pp. 93-140 : 93

Tobochares romanoae sp. nov. Figs 2F , 8A-C , 11J , 13 , 14E

Type material examined.

Holotype (male): "Brazil: Roraima: Amajari; 3°36.381'N, 61°42.878'W; 618 m; Serra do Tepequém, Igarape Preto Negro, Cachoeira Leje Preta; at edge of seepage, root mats and moss; 14.i.2018; leg. Short and Benetti; BR18-0114-04B"; DNA voucher SLE1493 (INPA).

Differential diagnosis.

Tobochares romanoae can be recognized by its elytra with well-defined and moderately impressed rows of serial punctures; the impressed stria I is more strongly impressed along the posterior half of the elytra, resembling a well-developed sutural stria (Fig. 8A ); interserial punctures somewhat irregularly distributed (Fig. 8A, B ). The general habitus of T. romanoae is similar to that of T. akoerio and T. canaima , especially by the uniformly dark coloration of the pronotum; T. romanoae (Fig. 8A ) can be distinguished from T. canaima by the impressed striae in T. romanoae (compare with Fig. 10D ); from T. akoerio the moderately convex body T. romanoae allows its recognition (compare Fig. 8B to 8E). The only known specimen was extracted for DNA, so the dark brown coloration might not reflect the true coloration of the species.

Description.

Size and form: Body length 2.6 mm. Body elongate oval, moderately convex. Color and punctation: Dorsal and ventral surfaces of body, antennae and legs (except yellowish tarsi) dark brown; mouthparts light brown (Fig. 8A-C ). Ground punctation on head, pronotum and elytra moderately marked. Head: Eyes in dorsal view with anterior margin oblique (anteriorly directed), and outer margins bulging from outline of head; in lateral view, eyes not anteriorly emarginate. Thorax: Elytra with all kinds of punctures similar in size and degree of impression; serial punctures aligned in rows, impressed as to form longitudinal grooves (Fig. 8A, B ); elytral stria I more strongly impressed along posterior half of elytra, resembling well-developed sutural stria (Fig. 8A ); interserial punctures somewhat irregularly distributed (Fig. 8A, B ). Metafemora mostly glabrous on anterior face, with hydrofuge pubescence along basal half of antero-dorsal margin (Fig. 8C ). Elevation of mesoventrite forming a very low transverse carina (Fig. 8C ). Metaventrite with distinct median, longitudinal, narrow glabrous area extending along posterior half (Fig. 8C ). Abdomen: Abdominal ventrites uniformly and very densely pubescent (Fig. 8C ). Aedeagus (Fig. 11J ). Basal piece nearly 0.5 × the length of a paramere; greatest width of a paramere nearly 0.4 × greatest width of median lobe; outer margins of parameres very weakly convex; apex of paramere rounded; median lobe roughly triangular, rounded at apex; gonopore situated at midlength of median lobe.

Etymology.

Named after Rosina Romano, Director of Meetings and Membership at the Entomological Society of America (ESA), in recognition of all her hard work and dedication to the society and entomological community.

Distribution.

This species is only known from the summit of Serra do Tepequem, a low-elevation sandstone massif in northern Brazil, near the border with Venezuela (Fig. 13 ).

Life history.

The only known specimen was collected by floating rootlets and moss that were present on a rocky seepage formed along the margin of the Igarape (stream) Preto Negro (Fig. 14E ).

Figures

Figure 2. Heads of Tobochares spp. A, B T. goias, black mark pointing to Tobochares canthus emarginating the eye A dorsal view B anterolateral view C T. fusus D, E T. luteomargo, black mark pointing to straight anterior margin of the eye D dorsal view E anterolateral view F T. romanoae G T. pemon H T. communis I T. microps.

Figure 8. Habitus of Tobochares spp. in the Tobochares communis species group A-C T. romanoae A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D-F T. akoerio D dorsal view E lateral view F ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 10. Habitus of Tobochares spp. in the Tobochares communis species group A-C T. arawak A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D-F T. canaima D dorsal view E lateral view F ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 11. Aedeagi of Tobochares spp. A T. benettii B T. goias C T. fusus D T. luteomargo E T. pemon F T. anthonyae G T. atures H T. communis I T. microps J T. romanoae K T. akoerio L T. kappel M T. arawak N T. canaima. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A-D); 0.1 mm (E-N).

Figure 13. Distribution of Tobochares spp.

Figure 14. Tobochares habitat in Brazil A, B type locality and habitat for T. benettii, seepage near Rio Preto de Eva (collecting event BR 17 - 0610 - 01 A) C type locality and habitat for T. goias, margin of Balneario Lejas (collecting event BR 18 - 0304 - 02 B) D habitat of T. kusad and T. sipaliwini, State of Roraima, near Usina de Jatapu reservoir (collecting Event BR 18 - 0117 - 01 A) E habitat and type locality of T. romanoae, and habitat of T. sipaliwini, State of Roraima, Serra do Tepequem, Igarape Preto Negro, Cachoeira Leje Preta (collecting event BR 18 - 0114 - 04 B) F type locality and habitat of T. fusus, State of Amapa, Calcoene (collecting event BR 18 - 0721 - 02 B).