Hydraena paraguayensis Janssens

Perkins, Philip D., 2011, New records and description of fifty-four new species of aquatic beetles in the genus Hydraena Kugelann from South America (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 3074, pp. 1-198 : 38

Hydraena paraguayensis Janssens

Janssens 1972: 259.

Figs. 60 (habitus), 166 (female abd.) 174 (spermatheca), 196 (map)

Neotype designation (female): Labels: "Coll. R. I. Sc. N. B. Paraguay [a red label to which are glued the two following labels] // Hungarian Soil-Zool. Exp. PARAGUAY: PUERTO P. Stroessner, Acaray water-fall, 4.I.1966 // Nr. P. 52 leg. Balogh et Mahunka // Hydraena paraguayensis // Paratype // NEOTYPE Hyd. paraguayensis Janssens design. P. D. Perkins [red label]" A glass microvial with female parts is attached to the pin. Deposited in the ISNB.

The holotype of this species has been missing since the mid-1970's ( Perkins 1980: 128). It is highly probable that this loss occurred when Emile Janssens was nearing the end of his work, and regrettably was suffering memory loss (Collart, pers. com. circa 1973). The original species description was based on three females, the holotype and two paratypes from the same locality ( Janssens 1972). Perkins (1980) incorrectly used the term lectotype when designating a replacement for the lost holotype. This is invalid, since a paratype was used. I have again borrowed and restudied the two paratypes. I hereby designate one of the paratypes as Neotype, and have so labelled the specimen. This is the same specimen that was redescribed by me in 1980. The other paratype represents a different species; it differs from the Neotype in several characters, including the following: the pronotum does not have a distinctive macula and the scintilla is much smaller, almost imperceptible; the body size is slightly smaller; the elytra are shorter and more convex; and the last tergite is shaped slightly differently and has larger reticulations.

Figures

FIGURE 60. Hydraena paraguayensis, neotype, dorsal and lateral habitus, and venter.