Lutrochus wao, Maier, Crystal A. & Short, Andrew Edward Z., 2014

Maier, Crystal A. & Short, Andrew Edward Z., 2014, Review of the Lutrochidae (Coleoptera) of the Guianas and Lesser Antilles, with description of four new species, Zootaxa 3895 (1) : -

Lutrochus wao n. sp.

( Figs. 2 , 3 , 19 – 23 )

Type material. Holotype male: “ GUYANA: Region 9/ Parabara, trail on N. side of river/ 2° 6' 29.52"N; 59° 13' 39.183"W 274 m / 3-xi-2012; Short, Isaacs, Salisbury/ small stream; GY 13-1103-02 A” Holotype deposited in CBDUG. Paratypes (12): GUYANA: Region 9: Same locality data as holotype. Paratypes will be deposited in: 1 in BMNH, 10 in SEMC, 1 in USNM. FRENCH GUIANA: “FG: Sinnemary/ 26 Nov 2007 /Queney—Road St. Elye/Sa” (7 specimens SEMC, 2 specimens NMHN, 5 specimens PQC). “FG: Mana/ P. Queney— 15 Feb 04 / Road in forest of Crique/ Daranelles” (2 specimens, SEMC, 2 specimens NMHN, 1 specimen PQC). “FG: Seint Laurent du Maroni/ Balete ouest—crosses farm/ 30.i.2005 P. Queney/ Saint Jean” (3 specimens SEMC, 2 specimens NMHN, 1 specimen PQC). “FG: Sinnamary/ 26.i.2003, P. Queney/ Route Jojo” (6 specimens SEMC, 3 specimens NMHN, 4 specimens PQC).

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from all other described Lutrochidae by the following combination of characters: antennomeres I–III testaceous below; epipleuron gradually narrowing posteriorly to metacoxae; apical tarsomeres entirely dark brown; apical metatarsomere pubescent for at least half of length when viewed dorsally ( Fig. 22 ); parameres of male genitalia with weak crenulations at apical border ( Fig. 23 ).

Description. MALE. Length 4.1 mm; width 2.1 mm. Body ovate and convex, dark brown to black, densely pubescent; clothed with short, fine, erect golden setae ( Fig. 19 ).

Head broad, broadly rounded, very weakly grooved beneath eye for reception of antenna. Eye rounded, small, with short, golden interfacetal setae; eyes slightly bulging from outline of head. Antenna short, reaching slightly past anterior border of pronotum; antennomeres 1–3 testaceous below, brunneous above, antennomeres 4–11 brunneous; antennomeres short and clavate, clothed with short golden setae and longer dark setae. Frontoclypeal suture indistinct. Clypeal margin straight. Apical margin of labrum broadly rounded, with golden apical setal brush, lateral setae twice as long as medial setae. Labrum clothed with long golden setae. Mandibles large, dark brown, sickle-shaped; apex of mandible with 3 distinct teeth. Maxilla with 4-segmented palpus, apical palpomere flattened and rounded-triangular; Labial palpus 3-segmented; apical palpomere cylindrical.

Pronotum pubescent, dark brown, reddish-brown near margins, 1.6 times as wide at base as long, bisinuate at base ( Fig. 19 ). Lateral edge of pronotum with distinct bead, only very slightly explanate apically. Posterior margin straight anterior to scutellum. Disc broadly convex. Scutellum triangular, as wide as long; clothed in recumbent golden setae. Hypomeron excavate posteriorly to accommodate profemur.

Elytron pubescent, clothed with dense, short, recumbent golden setae, medium brown, faintly reddish-brown near margins, widest at halfway point, posterior half gently rounded. Elytron shallowly convex, densely punctate with very fine, shallow punctures, punctures randomly scattered, not arranged in rows; humerus slightly protuberant ( Fig. 19 ). Lateral edge with distinct and weakly sinuate bead ( Fig. 21 ). Elytron lacking faint sutural stria in apical third. Elytral apex rounded, but slightly acuminate.

Prosternum transverse, approximately two times as wide as long; anterior edge with weak bead, deflexed to accommodate withdrawn head; prosternal process about as wide as long, without bead laterally, acute posteriorly ( Fig. 20 ). Disc with carinae to accommodate profemora laterally. Metaventrite pubescent, disc fully clothed with setae. Mesepisternum and epipleuron excavated to accommodate folded front and middle legs. Epipleuron gradually narrowing posteriorly to metacoxae.

Legs long and slender, reddish-brown. Procoxae transverse. Profemur densely pubescent, reddish-brown dorsally, medium brown ventrally, strongly excavate ventrally to receive protibia. Protibia entirely pubescent, excavate dorsally to receive protarsus, only slightly explanate. Protarsus with basal four tarsomeres densely pubescent, lacking tufts of long golden setae ventrally; apical tarsomere entirely dark brown, as long as preceding four tarsomeres combined, glabrous ventrally, pubescent nearly to apex dorsally ( Fig. 22 ). Mesocoxa with tuft of short golden setae basally. Mesofemur fusiform, densely pubescent posteriorly, becoming less so anteriorly, reddish-brown dorsally, medium brown ventrally. Mesotibia completely glabrous, with few scattered setae, lacking small patch of short golden setae at apex; lateral margin not expanded, tibia rounded in cross-section, lacking distinct longitudinal carinae; apex with excavation laterally for reception of mesotarsus. Mesotarsus with all tarsomeres entirely glabrous; apical tarsomere as long as preceding four tarsomeres combined. Metacoxa with single rounded posterior projection. Metatrochanter globose, excavate posteriorly. Metafemur densely pubescent. Metatibia entirely pubescent, except for a narrow, longitudinal glabrous band dorsally; with short, golden setae, apex with distinct, distally-facing fringe of setae. Metatarsus with basal four tarsomeres entirely pubescent; apical tarsomere pubescent only in basal ½ dorsally and basal 1/3 ventrally as in Fig 22 , as 0.9 times as long as previous four combined.

Abdomen densely pubescent, with five ventrites ( Fig. 20 ). First abdominal ventrite shallowly excavate for reception of folded hind legs, excavation reaches nearly to posterior edge of ventrite. Apical ventrite broadly rounded.

Genitalia as illustrated, basal piece + parameres 1.7 mm long. Aedeagus slender and only slighty curved, becoming more curved at base. Parameres fused, pointed, with short distinct lobes interiorly subapically, lobes extended distally at apex ( Fig. 23 ).

Female. Length 4.5 mm; width 2.3 mm. Externally similar to male.

Intraspecific Variation. This species varies slightly in size, ranging from 4.1–4.5 mm long and 2.1–2.3 mm wide. Additionally, specimens vary slightly in color, from dark brown to reddish-brown. Some specimens examined have differing levels of setation, with patches where setae have rubbed off, as well as patches where setae have become matted down with grease, or the grease changes the apparent color of the setae to brown.

Etymology. This species is named “ wao ,” the name for the creek in the local Wapishana language.

Habitat and Distribution. This species is known from Guyana and French Guiana, and is presumably present in Suriname. The type locality is in Region 9, in the southwestern corner of Guyana, near the village of Parabara ( Fig. 2 ). The series was collected in partially submerged leafpacks that were caught behind a fallen branch in a flowing forested stream ( Fig. 3 ). The species is present throughout French Guiana as well, in coastal streams and further inland.

Remarks. This group of species ( Lutrochus vestitus , L. wao , L. funkae , and L. grenadensis ) is fairly well conserved externally, and possesses only subtle internal differences in genitalic morphology, leading to the misidentification of the French Guiana material in Maier and Short (2013) as L. vestitus . Based on thorough examination of these specimens, though, we now recognize them as part of a new species, Lutrochus wao , distinct from L. vestitus of Central America and the Northern Andes.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. 1. Map of northeastern South America showing collection localities of L. funkae, L. leeanneae, L. grenadensis, and L. wao. 2. Habitat of L. wao, collected in partially submerged leafpacks that were caught behind a fallen branch in a flowing forested stream.

FIGURES 3 – 6. Lutrochus funkae n. sp.: 3. Habitus, dorsal view; 4. Habitus, ventral view; 5. Habitus, lateral view; 6. Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral views (scale bar = 1.0 mm).

FIGURES 19 – 23. Lutrochus wao n. sp.: 19. Habitus, dorsal view; 20. Habitus, ventral view; 21. Habitus, lateral view; 22. Diagrammatic view of the protibia and tarsus, showing areas of dense pubescence (pubescent areas shaded in gray); 23. Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral views (scale bar = 1.0 mm).