Desmopachria robusta, Miller, 2022

Miller, Kelly B., 2022, Nineteen new species of Desmopachria Babington, 1841 (Coleoptera, Adephaga, Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae, Hyphydrini) with notes on the taxonomy of the genus, ZooKeys 1136, pp. 1-56 : 1

Desmopachria robusta sp. nov.

Figures 72-75 , 81

Type locality.

Venezuela, Zulia State, Perija National Park, Tukuko, Rio Manantial, 9°50.490'N, 72°49.310'W.

Diagnosis.

This species is similar to other species in the Desmopachria striola species group with “shouldered” median lobes ( Miller and Wolfe 2019), but the male median lobe in this species is considerably broader than in other species (Fig. 74 ).

Description.

Measurements. TL = 1.7 mm, GW = 1.1 mm, PW = 0.8 mm, HW = 0.6 mm, EW = 0.3 mm, TL/GW = 1.5, HW/EW = 2.2. Body very broad, broadly rounded, laterally broadly curved, lateral margins continuous between pronotum and elytron, body broadest across elytra at midlength of body (Fig. 72 ).

Coloration. Dorsal surface of head and pronotum evenly yellow. Elytron pale orange-brown, narrowly darker along anterior and sutural margins. Head appendages, legs, and ventral surfaces orange-yellow.

Sculpture and structure. Head broad, anteriorly curved; anterior margin of clypeus curved, flattened, margined with conspicuous, continuous narrow bead; surface of head shiny, finely and sparsely punctate; eyes large (Fig. 72 , HW/EW = 2.2); antennae short, scape and pedicel relatively large and rounded, flagellomere III long and slender, apically expanded, antennomeres IV-X short and broad, lobed at anterodorsal angle, antennomere XI elongate, apically pointed. Pronotum very short, lateral margins short, slightly curved with continuous narrow bead, slightly wider medially; surface shiny, impunctate medially, very finely and indistinctly punctate around margins. Elytron moderately broad, laterally broadly curved; surface shiny, extremely finely punctate across surface; with distinctive subsutural stria, or groove, extending most of length of elytron (Fig. 72 ). Prosternum extremely short, longitudinally compressed, medially slightly carinate; prosternal process slender anteriorly, with distinctive, small medial tubercle, apical blade short and broad, medially concave, apically broadly pointed. Metaventrite broad and evenly smoothly convex medially, surface shiny, impunctate; metaventrite wings extremely slender. Metacoxa with medial portion short, <1/3 length of metaventrite medially, metacoxal lines divergent anteriorly, sinuate; lateral portion of metacoxa extremely large, anteriorly strongly expanded; surface shiny, impunctate. Metatrochanter large, subequal to length of ventral margin of metafemur; legs otherwise not noticeably modified. Abdomen with surfaces shiny and smooth, impunctate.

Male genitalia. Male median lobe elongated in lateral aspect, robust, apical half broad, broadly and evenly curved dorsad to narrowly rounded apex (Fig. 73 ); in ventral aspect very broad, robust, lateral margins subparallel basally, with two distinct “shoulders” one medially, and one more distinct subapically, apically distinctly narrowed with medial rounded apex (Fig. 74 ). Lateral lobe in lateral aspect moderately throughout length, distinctly bent dorsad, apex slightly curved ventrad, rounded (Fig. 75 ); in ventral aspect evenly broad throughout length, medially distinctly bent mediad (Fig. 74 ).

Sexual dimorphism and variation. Only a male specimen was examined.

Etymology.

This species is named Desmopachria robusta , Latin for strong or robust, for the conspicuously broader male median lobe than that of other similar species in the genus.

Distribution.

This species is known from Zulia State, Venezuela (Fig. 81 ).

Habitat.

The type specimen was collected from a "detrital pool."

Type material.

Holotype in MIZA, male labeled, "VENEZUELA: Zulia State 9°50.490'N, 72°49.310'W, Perija Nat. Park: Tukuko: Rio Manantial 29.i.2009; Short, García, Camacho VZ09-0129-01B: detrial [sic] pool/ SM0844647 KUNHM-ENT [barcode label]/ HOLOTYPE Desmopachria robusta Miller, 2021 [red label with black line border]."

Checklist of Desmopachria striola species group

Desmopachria amyae Miller, 2001 - Bolivia, Brazil (Braga and Ferreira-Jr. 2014)

Desmopachria atropos Miller & Wolfe, 2019 - Venezuela

Desmopachria chei Miller, 1999 - Bolivia

Desmopachria chlotho Miller & Wolfe, 2019 - Suriname

Desmopachria ferrugata Régimbart, 1895 - Brazil

Desmopachria fossulata Zimmermann, 1928 - Brazil (Braga and Ferreira-Jr. 2014)

Desmopachria grouvellei Régimbart, 1895 - Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay?

Desmopachria lachesis Miller & Wolfe, 2019 - Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela

Desmopachria robusta sp. nov. - Venezuela

Desmopachria ruginosa Young, 1990 - Brazil

Desmopachria striola Sharp, 1887 - Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil (Braga and Ferreira-Jr. 2010), Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad, USA (Florida), Venezuela.

Figures

Figure 81. Desmopachria species distributions, Desmopachria portmanni-aldessa species group, Desmopachria portmanni-portmanni species group, and Desmopachria striola species group.

Figures 72 - 75. Desmopachria robusta. 72 habitus 73 lateral lobe, right lateral aspect 74 median lobe and right lateral lobe, ventral aspect 75 right lateral lobe, right lateral aspect. Scale bar: 1.0 mm.