Novochares pilatus, Short & Girón, 2023

Short, Andrew Edward Z. & Giron, Jennifer C., 2023, Revision of the Neotropical water scavenger beetle genus Novochares Giron & Short (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Acidocerinae), ZooKeys 1171, pp. 1-112 : 1

Novochares pilatus sp. nov.

Figs 8P-R , 10C

Type material.

Holotype (male): "VENEZUELA: Bolivar State/ 6°35.617'N, 66°49.238'W, 80m/ Los Pijiguaos; outcrop/morichal/ 12.i.2009; leg. Miller & Short/ V09-0112-01C; detrital pools (MIZA). Paratypes: (68 exs.): Venezuela: Barinas: East of Santa Barbara, Rio Santa Barbara, 7°50.028'N, 71°11.188'W, 177 m, 25.i.2012, leg. Short, Arias, & Gustafson, big side pool of river, VZ12-0126-01B (1, SEMC, DNA Voucher SLE1241). Bolívar: same data as holotype (67, MIA, SEMC, TTU-Z, including DNA Voucher SLE1204).

Differential diagnosis.

This species is distinguished by a relatively extended and narrow expansion at the apex of the dorsal plate of the median lobe, which is also set with two modest arms (Fig. 8P, Q ).

Description.

Body length 6.0-7.4 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces pale brown to yellowish brown, with paler (yellowish) clypeus and margins of pronotum and elytra. Head: Maxillary palps 1.4-1.5 × longer than width of head, uniformly yellow to orange in color. Thorax: Elytra without rows of serial punctures, each with very faint rows (one dorsal and two or three lateral) of scarce and weakly marked systematic punctures. Prosternum only weakly convex. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite broadly and somewhat triangularly elevated, posteriorly weakly transversely impressed, with low medial longitudinal ridge extending anteriorly. Abdomen: Apical emargination of fifth ventrite moderately deep and broad. Aedeagus: (Fig. 8P-R ) Outer margin and apical region of each paramere rounded at apex and laterally pointed; dorsal plate of median lobe with long and narrow neck, ovally expanded at apical region, with two narrow, elongated, laminate (dorsoventrally oriented), contiguous distal arms; arms as long as 1/2 length of base of fork; ventral plate of median lobe triangular, strongly sclerotized, apically pointed, reaching mid-length of dorsal plate.

Etymology.

Pilatus (L.) meaning large. In reference to the relatively large size of the aedeagus when compared with other species in the Novochares abbreviatus species group.

Distribution.

This species is found in several localities in central Venezuela (Fig. 10C ).

Habitat.

The large main series of this species was collected in shallow detrital pools that were along the edge of a morichal that ran alongside a granite outcrop. Another specimen was collected in the side pools of a large river.

Novochares aperito species group

Species group diagnosis. Body length 4.9 mm. Coloration: Dorsal surfaces orange, with paler clypeus and margins of pronotum. Head: Maxillary palps slightly longer than width of head, uniformly orange in color. Thorax: Ground punctation on pronotum and elytra relatively dense and very shallowly impressed. Elytra without rows of serial punctures, each with very faint rows of weakly marked systematic punctures on lateral 1/2. Prosternum weakly medially convex. Posterior elevation of mesoventrite transversely elevated. Abdomen: Apical emargination of fifth ventrite relatively deep, U-shaped. Aedeagus: (Fig. 11A-C ) Overall shape pear-like, joint basal margins of parameres truncate; apical region of each paramere somewhat hook-like; parameres longer than median lobe, with apex rounded; dorsal inner margin of each paramere sinuate; dorsal plate of median lobe (in dorsal view) with neck weakly defined, with arms weakly defined; gonopore placed near apex of dorsal plate of median lobe; ventral plate of median lobe (in ventral view) membranous; basal piece nearly 0.3 × length of a paramere. In lateral view, aedeagus somewhat triangular, straight at base, with ventral outline of parameres nearly 3 × longer than greatest width near base.

Composition. This group is composed of a single known species from Bolivia (known from a single male) with a very unusual and distinctive genitalia: N. aperito sp. nov.

Figures

Figure 8. Aedeagi of the Novochares abbreviatus species group A-L N. abbreviatus A-C Nicaragua D-F Argentina G-I Venezuela J-L Guyana M-O N. latus P-R N. pilatus A, D, G, J, M, P dorsal view B, E, H, K, N, Q ventral view C, F, I, L, O, R lateral view.

Figure 10. Distribution of Novochares abbreviatus species group A N. abbreviatus: examined specimens (red) and literature / unconfirmed records (blue) B N. oculatus: examined specimens (red) and literature / unconfirmed records (blue) C N. pallipes (red), N. latus (yellow), N. baca (blue), N. pilatus (green).

Figure 11. Aedeagi of Novochares spp. A-C N. aperito D-F N. orchis G-K N. minor G-J Peru K Venezuela A, D, G, K dorsal view B, E, H ventral view C, F, J oblique view I lateral view.