Ephydrolithus dandarae, Amorim-Junior & Nascimento & Hamada, 2024

Amorim-Junior, Gilson P., Nascimento, Jeane M. C. & Hamada, Neusa, 2024, Ephydrolithus Girón & Short, 2019 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae): new species and updated distribution records from Northeast region of Brazil, Zootaxa 5443 (1), pp. 54-66 : 59-60

Ephydrolithus dandarae sp. nov.

( Fig. 2E–H )

Type material. Holotype male deposited at INPA, labelled: “ BRAZIL, Ceará, Massapê / Bar da Bica, Pé da Serra / 03º33’7”S 40º23’57”W / 151 m a.s.l. / 23.ii.2023 —moss on seeping rocks beside a creek, leg. Amorim-Junior, G.P. ” . Paratypes (7): deposited at INPA: 1 male, 2 female, same data as holotype; 2 male: “ BRAZIL, Ceará, Meruoca / Cachoeira Buraco da Velha, CE-240 / 03º32’12”S 40º26’30”W / 655 m a.s.l. / 23.ii.2023 —moss on the rocks of the waterfall”; deposited at MZUSP: 2 female: “ BRAZIL, Pernambuco, Triunfo / Cachoeira do Pinga / 07º52’7”S 38º07’16”W / 889 m a.s.l. / 28.ii.2023 —moss on seeping rocks, leg. Amorim-Junior, G.P.; Nascimento, J. M.; Silva, J.; Hamada, N.” .

Differential diagnosis. Ephydrolithus dandarae sp. nov. closely resembles Ephydrolithus mucugensis Alencar, Serra, Short & Hamada 2022 , but is easily distinguished by the black coloration and the apex of fifth abdominal ventrite truncate in E. dandarae , while E. mucugensis has an orange-brown color and a rounded fifth ventrite. Aedeagus of E. dandarae has the parameres nearly 0.3 × the greatest width of the median lobe, while E. mucugensis has parameres nearly 0.5 × the greatest width of the median lobe.

Description. Body length 2.8–2.9 mm (n = 7, mean = 2.9); width, 1.4–1.5 mm. Body elongate ( Fig. 2E ), moderately convex ( Fig. 2F ) in lateral view. General ventral and dorsal coloration black, except margins of pronotum and elytra slightly lighter, with brownish yellow tone; tarsi and antennomeres 1–6 brownish yellow, three terminal antennomeres of antennal club slightly darker than antennomeres 1–6. Elytra without striae, but with 10 well-defined longitudinal rows of serial punctures; ground punctures uniformly distributed; systematic punctures between serial punctures. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite spear shaped ( Fig. 3G ) with well-defined, curved transverse ridge. Pro-and mesofemora covered with hydrofuge pubescence along basal 3/4; metafemora with hydrofuge pubescence exceeding 2/3 of anterior margin, with hydrofuge pubescence on tibial grooves. Apex of fifth abdominal ventrite truncate ( Fig. 3H ). Aedeagus ( Fig. 4B ) with basal piece 0.6 × length of the parameres; parameres nearly 0.3 × greatest width of the median lobe, with outer margins moderately sinuate; apex of parameres rounded, obliquely directed inward, each with two apical setae; apex of median lobe triangular, narrowly rounded.

Female. No visible sexual dimorphism. Genitalia ( Fig. 5A ) with paraproct 0.5 × length of stylus; proctiger with fringes of setae on distal margin, broad at base and tapering towards apex; medial region of proctiger with apex obcordate; paraproct with one long seta inserted at apex; gonostylus with three apical setae, median seta at least 3 × longer than lateral ones.

Etymology. The specific epithet is in honor of Dandara dos Santos, a transvestite from Ceará state ( Brazil) who had her life interrupted, a victim of LGBT+phobia.

Distribution ( Fig 1 ). Highlands of Ceará (Meruoca Mountain) and Pernambuco (Baixa Verde Mountain) states, Brazil. It is the first record of the genus outside of the Espinhaço Mountain Range chain.

Remarks ( Fig 6 ). This species was collected in moss located on rocks near the riverbank.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map with geographic distribution of Ephydrolithus Girón & Short, 2019 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). Gray circles represent previously described species in Bahia and Minas Gerais states. Red stars indicate the localities of Ephydrolithus dandarae sp. nov. in Ceará and Pernambuco states. Yellow stars indicate the locality of Ephydrolithus jacobinensis sp. nov. in the northern region of the Chapada Diamantina in Bahia state.

FIGURE 2. Ephydrolithus Girón & Short, 2019 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), habitus, male. (A–D) Ephydrolithus jacobinensis sp. nov., holotype: (A) dorsal view; (B) lateral view; (C) ventral view; (D) frontal view. (E–H) Ephydrolithus dandarae sp. nov., holotype. (E) dorsal view; (F) lateral view; (G) ventral view; (H) frontal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Ephydrolithus Girón & Short, 2019 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), general morphology by SEM micrographs. (A–D) Ephydrolithus jacobinensis sp. nov., paratype: (A) white arrow points to serial punctures into grooves, dorsal view, scale bar: 200 μm; (B) lateral habitus, scale bar: 1 mm; (C) mesoventrite, ventral habitus, scale bar: 100 μm; (D) white arrow points to the fifth abdominal ventrite, ventral habitus, scale bar: 100 μm. (E–H) Ephydrolithus dandarae sp. nov., holotype: (E) white arrow points to serial punctures, dorsal view, scale bar: 100 μm; (F) lateral habitus; scale bar: 500 μm; (G) mesoventrite, ventral habitus, scale bar: 50 μm; (H) white arrow points to the fifth abdominal ventrite, ventral habitus; scale bar: 50 μm.

FIGURE 5. Ephydrolithus Girón & Short, 2019 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), general morphology of female genitalia. The black arrow indicates the medial region of the proctiger; the green arrow indicates the apical region of the gonostylus with inserted setae, while the red arrow indicates the seta inserted in the paraproct. (A) Ephydrolithus dandarae sp. nov., paratype. (B) Ephydrolithus jacobinensis sp. nov., paratype. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Habitat where Ephydrolithus Girón & Short, 2019 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) can be found. (A) White arrow points to mosses on vertical cliff, stream edge. (B–C) Trails act as streams in rainy seasons, white arrow points to Ephydrolithus on rocks with water film. (D) Waterfall with vegetation on the side. (E–F) Plant roots and mosses on stream margin.

FIGURE4. EphydrolithusGirón &Short, 2019(Coleoptera:Hydrophilidae),generalmorphologyof aedeagus.(A) Ephydrolithus jacobinensis sp. nov., holotype. (B) Ephydrolithus dandarae sp. nov., holotype. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.