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The present study is on the morphology and molecular data of the genus Dineutus MacLeay, were collected from the Eastern Ghats mountains in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu states located in the eastern Ghats of India. The morphological identification was based on elytral spines, setation on paramere and structure of the median lobe. Molecular characterization was based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16s ribosomal RNA gene. Species identified as being D. indicus, D. spinosus, and D. unidentatus. Phylogenetic trees were constructed for both genes, and the COI fragment shows raw genetic distance between 10–12% among the three species of D. indicus, D. spinosus and D. unidentatus, whereas 16s gene shows a divergence of 4–5%. The present study contributes five novel mitochondrial COI and five ribosomal RNA sequences for D. spinosus and D. unidentatus for the first time from India.

The primary and secondary chaetotaxy of the larval head capsule and head appendages of five New World species of Enochrus Thomson are described for the first time. These species belong to three subgenera: Enochrus (Hugoscottia) tremolerasi (Knisch), E. (Lumetus) hamiltoni (Horn), E. (Methydrus) barituensis Fernández, E. (Methydrus) ochraceus (Melsheimer) and E. (Methydrus) pygmaeus (Fabricius). Morphometric characters derived from the head capsule and mouthparts are also included, together with detailed illustrations of all characters. A comparative study of the chaetotaxy of four subgenera of Enochrus yields an important number of characters useful to diagnose the larvae of these subgenera, and could be used in future phylogenetic analyses. Several characters showing variation within a subgenus are discussed; additionally, possible diagnostic characters for Enochrus and the subfamily Enochrinae are discussed. The chaetotaxy of two subgenera, Enochrus Thomson and Hydatotrephis MacLeay, still remains unknown, and should be a priority to complete the larval knowledge of the genus Enochrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular data for 19 specimens of Elmis syriaca syriaca and E. s. zoufali from eight countries have been analysed in order to investigate the taxonomic status and the geographical distribution of these two subspecies. The nominative subspecies was previously thought to be endemic to the Levant (Israel, Lebanon, Syria), while E. s. zoufali was regarded as being widespread from the Balkans to eastern Anatolia and Afghanistan. The results of our molecular studies using DNA barcoding and nuclear DNA data reveal that the two taxa are in fact distinct species, which separated around 2 Mya. A distinction based on the external morphological characters of 354 specimens was found to be impossible due to the pronounced variability, especially of the pronotal microsculpture, which had hitherto been used as the main distinguishing feature. The two species can only be distinguished by the aedeagal parameres and by the geographical distribution, which deviates considerably from the concept of previous authors. Elmis zoufali is distributed in Romania, the Balkan Peninsula, some Aegean Islands and in western Anatolia, while E. syriaca occurs from the Caucasus region southwards to eastern Turkey, Iran (probably also Afghanistan) and the Levant. Geographically, both species are widely separated by the so-called Anatolian Diagonal. Elmis zoufali resp. E. syriaca are recorded for the first time from Croatia, Romania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran and Turkey. In addition, we examined 13 specimens tentatively identified as Elmis quadricollis (Reitter, 1887), a closely related species from Central Asia; we sequenced one specimen from China, which was revealed to be a sister to E. zoufali and E. syriaca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building a reasonable model for predicting biodiversity using limited data is challenging. Expanding limited experimental data using a variational autoencoder generative adversarial network (VAEGAN) to improve biodiversity predictions for a region is a new strategy. Aquatic beetle diversity in a large >30-year-old artificial pool that had not had human interference in Nanshe Village (Dapeng Peninsula, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China) was investigated. Eight ecological factors were considered. These were water temperature, salinity, pH, water depth, proportional area of aquatic plants, proportional area of submerged plants, water area, and water level. Field sampling was performed for 1 or 2 days in the middle or late part of each month for a year. A type D net was swept 10 times in the same direction in each ~1 m × ~1 m sample square, generating 132 datasets (experimental data). In total, 39 aquatic beetle species were collected, 19 of which were assigned to Hydrophilidae, 16 to Dytiscidae, 3 to Noteridae, and 1 to Gyrinidae. A one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1-D CNN) was used to assess and predict the grade of the number of individuals and the number of aquatic beetle species. The Bayesian-optimized 1-D CNN established using 112 experimental datasets as the training set and the other 20 datasets as validation and testing sets gave a 74.0% prediction accuracy for the grade of the number of individuals and a 70.0% prediction accuracy for the number of species. The impact of insufficient sample data on the model was assessed using a VAEGAN to expand the training set from 112 to 512 samples, and then the Bayesian-optimized 1-D CNN-based VAEGAN prediction model was re-established. This improved prediction accuracy for the grade of the number of individuals to 86.0% and for the number of species to 85.0%. The grade of the number of individuals' prediction accuracy was 88.0% and the number of species' prediction accuracy was 85.0% when the random effects of only obtaining a single individual of a species were excluded. The results indicated that the accuracy of the 1-D CNN in predicting the aquatic beetle species number and abundance from relevant environmental factors can be improved using a VAEGAN to expand the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water scavenger beetle genus Novochares Girón & Short, 2021 is revised using a combination of adult morphological and DNA sequence data. Thirty-eight new species are described: Novochares aperito sp. nov. (Bolivia), N. baca sp. nov. (Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Suriname), N. bidens sp. nov. (Brazil), N. bisinuatus sp. nov. (Brazil), N. clavieri sp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Peru), N. danta sp. nov. (Venezuela), N. dentatus sp. nov. (Ecuador, Venezuela), N. dicranospathus sp. nov. (Peru), N. duo sp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela), N. fernandezae sp. nov. (Brazil, Peru, Venezuela), N. florifer sp. nov. (Brazil), N. furcatus sp. nov. (Brazil), N. garciai sp. nov. (Venezuela), N. garfo sp. nov. (Brazil), N. geminus sp. nov. (Brazil), N. kawsay sp. nov. (Ecuador, Peru), N. latus sp. nov. (Brazil), N. minor sp. nov. (Peru, Suriname, Venezuela), N. mojenos sp. nov. (Bolivia), N. mura sp. nov. (Brazil), N. orchis sp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname), N. pastinum sp. nov. (Ecuador), N. pertusus sp. nov. (Brazil), N. piaroa sp. nov. (Venezuela), N. pilatus sp. nov. (Venezuela), N. pumesp. nov. (Venezuela), N. punctatostriatussp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname), N. quadrispinus sp. nov. (Brazil, Guyana, Suriname), N. spangleri sp. nov. (Peru), N. tambopatense sp. nov. (Peru), N. tenedor sp. nov. (Guyana, Venezuela), N. triangularis sp. nov. (Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay), N. tridentis sp. nov. (Brazil), N. trifurcatus sp. nov. (Peru), N. unguis sp. nov. (Bolivia, Peru), N. xingu sp. nov. (Brazil), and N. yanomami sp. nov. (Venezuela), N. yora sp. nov. (Peru). One new synonym is proposed: N. carmona (Short, 2005) syn. nov. was determined to be a junior subjective synonym of N. chaquensis (Fernández, 1982). Novochares inornatus (d’Orchymont, 1926) is considered incertae sedis. Updated distributions and new records are provided for most previously described species in the genus. Novochares sallaei (Sharp, 1882) is considered native to the USA (Florida) and not an introduced species as previously suggested. Novochares now contains 52 species and spans the entire Neotropical region from Mexico to Argentina, including the Caribbean islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The larval morphology of Crephelochares Kuwert, 1890 and Peltochares Régimbart, 1907 is described in detail based on specimens of C. abnormalis (Sharp, 1890) and P. atropiceus (Régimbart, 1903) collected in Taiwan; the chaetotaxy of the head capsule and head appendages of both genera is described for the first time. Larvae were obtained by laboratory rearing and field collecting; field collected larvae were identified by morphological comparison with those reared in the laboratory. Larval morphology of C. abnormalis corresponds with that of C. nitescens (Fauvel, 1883) except for the serrate margin of the nasale in C. abnormalis. We confirm that Crephelochares does not construct the usual egg case, and report active behaviour of its larvae, possibly indicating they are not ambush predators. Larval morphology of P. atropiceus corresponds with that of P. foveicollis; on the other hand, we conclude that the larvae previously described as Peltochares from Madagascar belong to Tritonus Mulsant, 1844 of the tribe Laccobiini. The egg-carrying behaviour of Peltochares is confirmed. We briefly summarize the state of the knowledge of immature stages of the Acidocerinae, indicating that a special effort in discovering and describing immature stages from northern South America and Brazil is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is on the morphology and molecular data of the genus Dineutus MacLeay, were collected from the Eastern Ghats mountains in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu states located in the eastern Ghats of India. The morphological identification was based on elytral spines, setation on paramere and structure of the median lobe. Molecular characterization was based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16s ribosomal RNA gene. Species identified as being D. indicus, D. spinosus, and D. unidentatus. Phylogenetic trees were constructed for both genes, and the COI fragment shows raw genetic distance between 10-12% among the three species of D. indicus, D. spinosus and D. unidentatus, whereas 16s gene shows a divergence of 4-5%. The present study contributes five novel mitochondrial COI and five ribosomal RNA sequences for D. spinosus and D. unidentatus for the first time from India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese members of Haliplidae were reviewed and 13 species in two genera are recognized. A new species, Haliplus morii sp. nov. is described from Honshu; it is similar to Haliplus japonicus Sharp, 1873, but belongs to a different subgenus. Haliplus diruptus J. Balfour-Browne, 1946, syn. nov. is treated as a junior synonym of Haliplus kotoshonis Kano & Kamiya, 1931. The records of Haliplus davidi Vondel, 1991 from Japan are regarded as misidentifications of H. kotoshonis. Haliplus basinotatus latiusculus Nakane, 1985, syn. nov. is treated as a junior synonym of H. basinotatus. Haliplus angustifrons Re'gimbart, 1892 known from south and southeast Asia, is newly recorded from Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediterranean temporary rivers maintain a high biodiversity, although they support a significant anthropic influence. The community of aquatic Coleoptera and Hemiptera of the Arevalillo River (N Ávila province), a temporary river in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, with a section previously restored. This restauration consisted in the reforestation of the riverside and the recovery of pools in the riverbed to ensure the maintenance of the water. The aim is to determine the composition of the aquatic Coleoptera and Hemiptera community, its seasonal variation and the differences between two sections with similar characteristics, restored and non-restored, on these groups of aquatic insects. 53 species of Coleoptera and 17 of Hemiptera were identified, most of them with a wide geographical distribution, although 21 new records were made for the province of Ávila. The richness of Coleoptera and Hemiptera doesn't show significant differences between the two studied stations, but they are indeed observed for the benthic macroinvertebrate community as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chilean water penny genus Tychepsephus Waterhouse, 1876 is revised, with descriptions and photographic illustrations of life stages including two larval morphotypes, the pupa of one morphotype, and adults of two species. The pupa of Tychepsephus has not been reported previously. Tychepsephus cekalovici sp. nov. is described, and Ectopria (Chilectopria) grandis Pic, 1947, syn. nov. is proposed as a new synonym of Tychepsephus felix Waterhouse, 1876, which is redescribed. Taxonomic treatment of the adults of both species includes images of the habitus of males and females, morphological variation, and male and female genitalia. Males and females are sexually dimorphic. Information on the habitat of Tychepsephus is provided and illustrated with photographs, and the known geographic distribution of the two species is mapped. The occurrence of Tychepsephus in Argentina is reported; therefore, the genus no longer can be considered endemic to Chile. The taxonomic status and geographic distribution in South America of other species of Psephenidae, particularly members of the subfamily Eubriinae, is reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aquatic beetles of the Elmidae family are widely used in the hydrobiological monitoring of lotic ecosystems. In this work, samples belonging to 22 municipalities and 38 bodies of water in the department of Antioquia were reviewed, which were collected using a triangular or surber network. The species Cylloepus francescae, C. whitemanae, Macrelmis clypeata, M. elicioi and Disersus longipennis are recorded for the first time in Colombia. This information contributes to the updating of the number of species and geographical distribution of the family Elmidae in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building a reasonable model for predicting biodiversity using limited data is challenging. Expanding limited experimental data using a variational autoencoder generative adversarial network (VAEGAN) to improve biodiversity predictions for a region is a new strategy. Aquatic beetle diversity in a large >30-year-old artificial pool that had not had human interference in Nanshe Village (Dapeng Peninsula, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China) was investigated. Eight ecological factors were considered. These were water temperature, salinity, pH, water depth, proportional area of aquatic plants, proportional area of submerged plants, water area, and water level. Field sampling was performed for 1 or 2 days in the middle or late part of each month for a year. A type D net was swept 10 times in the same direction in each ~1 m × ~1 m sample square, generating 132 datasets (experimental data). In total, 39 aquatic beetle species were collected, 19 of which were assigned to Hydrophilidae, 16 to Dytiscidae, 3 to Noteridae, and 1 to Gyrinidae. A one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1-D CNN) was used to assess and predict the grade of the number of individuals and the number of aquatic beetle species. The Bayesian-optimized 1-D CNN established using 112 experimental datasets as the training set and the other 20 datasets as validation and testing sets gave a 74.0% prediction accuracy for the grade of the number of individuals and a 70.0% prediction accuracy for the number of species. The impact of insufficient sample data on the model was assessed using a VAEGAN to expand the training set from 112 to 512 samples, and then the Bayesian-optimized 1-D CNN-based VAEGAN prediction model was re-established. This improved prediction accuracy for the grade of the number of individuals to 86.0% and for the number of species to 85.0%. The grade of the number of individuals’ prediction accuracy was 88.0% and the number of species’ prediction accuracy was 85.0% when the random effects of only obtaining a single individual of a species were excluded. The results indicated that the accuracy of the 1-D CNN in predicting the aquatic beetle species number and abundance from relevant environmental factors can be improved using a VAEGAN to expand the experimental data.

In this checklist 163 aquatic beetles species from 11 families belonging to 46 genera that have been recorded from Azerbaijan are presented. Dytiscidae includes maximum numbers of species This study is based on a generalization of all available literature data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the new genus Spanglerelmis Polizei & Bispo is described; Microcylloepus ochus Hinton, 1940 is synonymized with Microcylloepus femoralis Hinton, 1940, and transferred to the new genus; and two new species, S. xiririca gen. et sp. nov. and S. timburi gen. et sp. nov. are described. The new genus can be characterized by the combination of the following characters: 1) pronotum without transverse, longitudinal or oblique impressions, sulci or gibbosities on disc; 2) elytra with a carina on interval III and two sublateral carinae on intervals V and VI; 3) mesoventrite with sides strongly raised; and 4) femora with an oblique belt of tomentum dorsally and a transverse belt ventrally. The specimens of the two new species were collected mainly in riffles of unimpacted streams in the Atlantic Forest in São Paulo State, Brazil. Scanning electron microscope images, an identification key for the genus and habitat notes are also presented.

The three genera and four species of Larainae (Elmidae) previously described from Australia are reviewed, and one new genus and seven new species are described: Australara glaisteri gen. et sp. nov., Ovolara lawrencei sp. nov., Ovolara monteithi sp. nov., Stetholus carinatus sp. nov., Stetholus longipennis sp. nov., Stetholus metatibialis sp. nov., and Stetholus woronora sp. nov. A lectotype is designated for Hydora laticeps (Carter & Zeck), and the first new collection records of the species are reported since its description in 1932. The occurrence in Australia of Potamophilinus papuanus Satô, described from Papua New Guinea, is reported. A key to the species, photographic images of the external morphology and male genitalia, distribution maps, and habitat and behavioral information, when known, are provided for all twelve species of Australian Larainae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands present an important diversity of life and are very productive. Many biotic and abiotic factors intervene in their functioning. Thus, understanding this functioning requires, among other characteristics, physicochemical characterizations of their waters and the determination of the specific structure of the stand that inhabits those environments. In this work, the authors were interested in the characterization of the waters of Lake Sidi Boughaba, wetland and biological reserve registered with the RAMSAR convention. This lake is made up of three parts of unequal volume and duration of flooding. The results showed that the studied living environment is very heterogeneous physicochemical and that from one biotope to another the values of the majority of the physicochemical parameters can vary from single, to double, to three times, and even more. Only the pH, oxygen, and ammonium content are relatively stable. In addition, the results showed that the aquatic beetle population of the prospected environment consists of 34 species and subspecies, grouped into 9 systematic families and that the Dyticidae family and the Hydrophilidae family are the most represented. Likewise, the biotypological analysis of the population of beetles collected showed the distribution of the 34 inventoried species that are divided into four groups and that, among the 16 physicochemical parameters studied 10 intervene the determination of the specific structure of each of the groups of 'identified species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cosmopolitan subfamily Acidocerinae (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) is one of the largest and most taxonomically challenging lineages of water scavenger beetles. Recent phylogenetic studies have substantially advanced our understanding of acidocerine relationships but also illuminated the twin challenges of poorly delineated generic concepts and a classification broadly incompatible with the phylogeny. Here, these two challenges are addressed by providing a comprehensive synthesis and taxonomic tools for the Acidocerinae, including (1) a brief history and the current state of acidocerine classification, (2) a review of acidocerine ecology and collection methods, (3) the current knowledge of larval and fossil acidocerines, (4) a morphological primer on characters of taxonomic and systematic importance within the lineage, (5) a key to the world genera of Acidocerinae, (6) diagnoses, habitus, and aedeagal images, distribution maps, and summary of knowledge for each of the 23 extant genera in the subfamily, and (7) a complete annotated taxonomic catalog including the published distributions, synonyms, and references for all described 541 acidocerine species recognized as of 1 April 2021. The following nomenclatural acts are proposed to bring the phylogeny and classification into alignment: Colossochares gen. nov. is established to accommodate two African species previously described as Helochares (s. str.); Novochares gen. nov. is newly established to accommodate 15 Neotropical species previously included in Helochares (s. str.); the remaining Helochares subgenera Helocharimorphus Kuwert syn. nov. and Hydrobaticus MacLeay syn. nov. are synonymized with Helochares Mulsant. Peltochares Régimbart sensu nov. is redefined to include eight Old World species previously included in Helochares (s. str.). A lectotype is designated for Peltochares conspicuus Régimbart, the type species of the genus. The taxonomic and morphological circumscription of Helochares sensu nov. is narrowed and redefined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary chaetotaxy of the head capsule and head appendages of the larva of Chaetarthria bruchiBalfour-Browne is described for the first time. Morphometric characters derived from the head capsule and mouthparts are included, together with detailed illustrations of all characters. Chaetotaxy of C. bruchi is compared with that of C. seminulum (Herbst), the only other Chaetarthriini species for which the chaetotaxy has been described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New World species of the minute aquatic beetle genus Notomicrus Sharp compose a much greater diversity than their Old World congeners, with 14 of the 17 known Notomicrus species occurring in the Neotropics. A recent phylogenetic study recovered four primary New World species groups and found that there are a number of undescribed species across all of these main lineages. Here, we provide a taxonomic key to these New World species groups, including two described species that we currently do not place in any group ("incertae sedis" species), complete with images and illustrations of diagnostic characters and taxonomic notes including a list of known species in each group. This work provides a scaffold for further planned taxonomic revisions within the genus. In addition, we review the first of the four New World groups, the josiahi species group and describe one new taxon, N. interstinctus sp. nov. from northern Brazil. Provided are descriptions, habitus images and illustrations of diagnostic characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water scavenger beetle genus Tobochares Short & García, 2007 currently contains ten species, including one known but formally undescribed taxon. Although Tobochares was revised in 2017, ongoing fieldwork as well as an expanded concept of the genus has led to the recognition of numerous additional species. Here a combination of morphological and molecular data is presented to review this newly found Tobochares diversity. Fifteen new species are described from South America, bringing the total number of known species to 25: Tobochares akoerio sp. nov. (Suriname), T. arawak sp. nov. (Guyana), T. anthonyae sp. nov. (Venezuela: Bolívar), T. atures sp. nov., (Venezuela: Amazonas), T. benettii sp. nov. (Brazil: Amazonas), T. canaima sp. nov. (Venezuela: Bolívar), T. communis sp. nov. (Brazil: Amapá and Roraima, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela: Bolívar), T. fusus sp. nov. (Brazil: Amapá, French Guiana), T. goias sp. nov. (Brazil: Goiás), T. kappel sp. nov. (Suriname), T. kolokoe sp. nov. (Suriname), T. luteomargo sp. nov. (Venezuela: Bolívar), T. microps sp. nov. (Suriname), T. pemon sp. nov. (Venezuela: Bolívar), and T. romanoae sp. nov. (Brazil: Roraima). Both morphological and molecular analyses support four clades within the genus, which are here diagnosed and described as species groups. New distributional records are provided for T. kusad Kohlenberg & Short, 2017 and T. sipaliwini Short & Kadosoe, 2011, both of which are recorded from Brazil for the first time. Previously restricted to the Guiana Shield region of South America, the distributional range of the genus is now broadly expanded to include localities as far south as the central Brazilian state of Goiás. Consistent with the biology of the previously described species, almost all the new species described here are associated with seepage and wet rock habitats. Remarkably, one species, T. fusus sp. nov., was collected in both seepage habitats as well as in the rotting fruits of Clusia Linnaeus (Clusiaceae), making it one of the few known acidocerines with terrestrial habits outside of the genus Quadriops Hansen, 1999. High-resolution images of most species are included, as well as a key to species groups, species, and habitat photographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water scavenger beetle genus Chasmogenus Sharp, 1882 is reviewed in northeastern South America using an integrative approach that combines adult morphology and molecular data from the gene cytochrome c oxidase I (COI). Eighteen new species are described: Chasmogenus acuminatus sp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname), C. amplius sp. nov. (Venezuela), C. berbicensis sp. nov. (Guyana), C. brownsbergensis sp. nov. (Suriname), C. castaneus sp. nov. (Venezuela), C. clavijoi sp. nov. (Venezuela), C. cuspifer sp. nov. (Venezuela), C. flavomarginatus sp. nov. (Venezuela), C. gato sp. nov. (Venezuela), C. guianensis sp. nov. (Suriname, Guyana), C. ignotus sp. nov. (Brazil), C. ligulatus sp. nov. (Suriname), C. lineatus sp. nov. (Venezuela), C. pandus sp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname), C. schmits sp. nov. (Suriname), C. sinnamarensis sp. nov. (French Guiana), C. tafelbergensis sp. nov. (Suriname), and C. undulatus sp. nov. (Guyana). We found genetic support for an additional new species in Guyana which is currently only known from females that we refer to as Chasmogenus sp. C. We examined the holotypes of the four species previously known from the region, and found that C. occidentalis García syn. nov. and C. yukparum García syn. nov. are conspecific with C. bariorum García, 2000 and are synonymized with that species, which is here redescribed. We redescribe C. australis García and expand the range of this species to include northern Brazil, Guyana, and French Guiana. All species are aquatic, with most being associated with forested streams and forest pools. Of the 21 species, more than half (11) are only known from a single locality indicating the genus may have many more micro-endemic species yet to be discovered in the region. Characters of the male genitalia are essential for confirming the identity of some species, consequently it is not always possible to make positive identifications of unassociated female specimens based on morphology alone. Habitus images are provided as well as a revised key to the genus for northeastern South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Austrolimnius cleidecostae sp. nov. is one of the smallest species of Elmidae from the Neotropical region. The new species is described and illustrated based on male and female specimens. This species represents the first record in Elmidae of mandibles with an articulated, sclerotized process on inner subapical edge. The specimens were collected from streams in the Atlantic rainforest of São Paulo and Santa Catarina, and habitat notes are given. An updated key for the Austrolimnius Carter & Zeck, 1929 of Brazil is provided. Austrolimnis browni Hinton, 1971 and A. musgravei Hinton, 1939 are recorded for the first time from Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the water scavenger beetle, Laccobius (Glyptolaccobius) motuoensis sp. nov., is described from Motuo County, Xizang, China and its diagnostic characters are illustrated. Examination of this new species and re-examination of previously described species revealed that the separation of the subgenus Glyptolaccobius Gentili, 1989 and Cyclolaccobius Gentili, 1991 is artificial: both subgenera are hence combined here. Cyclolaccobius syn. nov. is synonymized with Glyptolaccobius, and the latter is shown to be diagnosed by 7-segmented antennae as a unique synapomorphy. All species treated until now under Cyclolaccobius are here transferred to Glyptolaccobius, with the only exception of L. hingstoni Orchymont, 1926, L. jumlanus Gentili, 2015 and L. zugmayeri Knisch, 1910 which are tentatively transferred to the subgenus Hydroxenus Wollaston, 1867, as their antennae bear eight antennomeres. Three species are recorded for the first time from China: L. (Microlaccobius) orientalis Knisch, 1924 from Xizang, Laccobius (M.) exilis Gentili, 1974 from Xinjiang, and Laccobius (M.) sublaevis J. Sahlberg, 1900 from Xinjiang. Additional faunistic data from China are provided for the following species: L. (Microlaccobius) hammondi Gentili, 1984, Laccobius (M.) formosus Gentili, 1979, Laccobius (Hydroxenus) hingstoni d'Orchymont, 1926, Laccobius (Glyptolaccobius) yunnanensis Gentili, 2003, Laccobius (Compsolaccobius) decorus (Gyllenhal, 1827), Laccobius (Dimorpholaccobius) bipunctatus (Fabricius, 1775), Laccobius (D.) striatulus (Fabricius, 1775), Laccobius (s. str.) bedeli Sharp, 1884, L. (s. str.) binotatus d'Orchymont, 1934, Laccobius (s. str.) cinereus Motschulsky, 1860, and Laccobius (s. str.) minutus (Linnaeus, 1758). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent study of the water scavenger beetle subfamily Acidocerinae in the Neotropical region has uncovered numerous undescribed species that are not able to be placed in existing genera. Here, we describe three new genera to accommodate 17 of these new species from South America: Aulonochares gen. nov. for Aulonochares lingulatus sp. nov. (French Guiana, Suriname), Aulonochares novoairensis sp. nov. (Brazil), and Aulonochares tubulus sp. nov. (Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela); Ephydrolithus gen. nov. for Ephydrolithus hamadae sp. nov. (Brazil), Ephydrolithus minor sp. nov. (Brazil), Ephydrolithus ogmos sp. nov. (Brazil), Ephydrolithus spiculatus sp. nov. (Brazil), and Ephydrolithus teli sp. nov. (Brazil); and Primocerus gen. nov. for Primocerus cuspidis sp. nov. (Venezuela), Primocerus gigas sp. nov. (Venezuela), Primocerus neutrum sp. nov. (Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela), Primocerus ocellatus sp. nov. (Venezuela), Primocerus petilus sp. nov. (Brazil), Primocerus pijiguaense sp. nov. (Venezuela), Primocerus maipure sp. nov. (Venezuela), Primocerus semipubescens sp. nov. (Guyana), and Primocerus striatolatus sp. nov. (Suriname). The genus Ephydrolithus gen. nov. is currently known to be restricted to seepages in the mountainous regions of the Brazilian Shield. Aulonochares gen. nov. and Primocerus gen. nov. are both currently only known from the Guiana Shield, though widespread in that region where they are associated with streams and seeps. We present differential diagnoses, maps, habitat details, and illustrations of all new genera and species here described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Heterelmis Sharp, 1882, comprises 22 species and subspecies with 3 species assigned to Brazil so far. Here the forth species, Heterelmis debilis sp. nov. from Brazil, is described and illustrated. The type material is deposited in the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (MZSP) and Natural History Museum, London, UK (NHMUK). Additionally, an identification key with distributional data for Brazilian species is proposed.

Amazonopsis gen. n. is described to include A. theranyi sp. n. from Peru, Venezuela and French Guiana, and A. camachoi sp. n. from Venezuela. The descriptions are accompanied by figures illustrating the male and female habitus of A. theranyi, the male habitus of A. camachoi, and male genitalia of both species. Amazonopsis theranyi exhibits pronounced secondary sexual dimorphism which likewise may be a characteristic of the genus. Amazonopsis males have modified protarsal and mesotarsal claws, a pair of small spines on the anterior prosternum, and a pair of ventrally directed processes on the posterior metaventrite. Females of A. theranyi display a pair of unique, oval perforations in the cuticle of the pronotum and have unmodified claws; females of A. camachoi are unknown. Descriptions are furnished of the stream habitats and microhabitats where the study specimens were collected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent collecting efforts in the Neotropics have led to the discovery of numerous new species and lineages of aquatic beetles. Here, three new genera are described to accommodate fifteen new species of water scavenger beetles of the subfamily Acidocerinae from northern South America: Crucisternum gen. n. for C. escalera sp. n. (Venezuela), C. ouboteri sp. n. (Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Venezuela), C. queneyi sp. n. (French Guiana), C. sinuatus sp. n. (Brazil), C. toboganensis sp. n. (Venezuela), C. vanessae sp. n. (Suriname), and C. xingu sp. n. (Brazil); Katasophistes gen. n. for K. charynae sp. n. (Peru), K. cuzco sp. n. (Peru), K. merida sp. n. (Venezuela) and K. superficialis sp. n. (Ecuador); and Nanosaphes gen. n. for N. castaneus sp. n. (Brazil), N. hesperus sp. n. (Suriname), N. punctatus sp. n. (Guyana), and N. tricolor sp. n. (Guyana, Suriname). It was also found that the monotypic Neotropical endemic genus Dieroxenus Spangler, 1979, syn. n. is congeneric with Chasmogenus Sharp, 1882 resulting in the single new combination Chasmogenus cremnobates (Spangler, 1979), comb. n.. Katasophistes merida sp. n. is known exclusively from seepage habitats, while the remaining taxa described herein are primarily associated with the margins of densely forested streams. Diagnoses, illustrations, distribution maps, and habitat summaries are provided for all new genera and species. A key to the genera of Acidocerinae of the New World is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterelmis Sharp, 1882, comprises 22 species and subspecies with 3 species assigned to Brazil so far. Here the forth species, Heterelmis debilis sp. nov. from Brazil, is described and illustrated. The type material is deposited in the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (MZSP) and Natural History Museum, London, UK (NHMUK). Additionally, an identification key with distributional data for Brazilian species is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of species of Hydrophilidae from Quindío Department, Colombia is presented. This list is based on recently collected specimens, a survey of data from the literature, and specimens deposited in the Colección de Insectos de la Universidad del Quindío (CIUQ). Twenty-three species, including 16 new records from Colombia, are listed. Information about biology of each species and a checklist of the overall Colombian species are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Venezuelan species of the genus Gyrinus Geoffroy, 1762 are reviewed (Gyrinidae: Gyrininae: Gyrinini). The Venezuelan Gyrinus fauna is found to be comprised of nine species distributed among the subgenera Neogyrinus Hatch, 1926 and Oreogyrinus Ochs, 1935, although Gyrinus (Oreogyrinus) colombicus Régimbart, 1883 is known from imprecisely localized and potentially mislabeled specimens and the species presumably does not occur in Venezuela. Three new species are described: G. (Oreogyrinus) vinolentus sp. nov. from the Andes, and G. (Oreogyrinus) iridinus sp. nov. and G. (Neogyrinus) sabanensis sp. nov., from the Guiana Shield region. Two new synonymies are established: G. amazonicus Ochs, 1958 syn. nov. is synonymized with G. guianus Ochs, 1935, and G. racenisi Ochs, 1953 syn. nov. is synonymized with G. ovatus Aubé, 1838. Gyrinus (Oreogyrinus) feminalis Mouchamps, 1957, described from Venezuela from two female syntypes only, is considered as species inquirendum, as the types were not found. For each species a dorsal habitus, illustration of male and female genitalia, and distribution map are provided. A key and checklist for the Venezuelan Gyrinus species is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water beetles possess a wide variety of ecological attributes that allow them to occupy a wide range of aquatic habitats. Temporary ponds are environments that experience recurrent drought periods that may differ in duration; each pond is further characterized by a particular fauna, and by the size of the population that can be supported. The richness (S) and diversity (H') of water beetles collected in temporary ponds in Corrientes province were analyzed. Rarefaction was used to avoid estimation bias and to use comparative methodology. Pearson correlations were calculated using water temperature, depth, surface (m²), diversity (Shannon & Wiener) and richness. A total of 660 individuals, including 42 species, 22 genera and 7 families were recorded. The greatest percentage of species belonged to the family Hydrophilidae (45%) followed by Dytiscidae (32%) and Noteridae (15%), while the remaining families represent less than 10% of the total species. The Kruskal-Wallis tests did not find significant differences in diversity and richness between the temporary ponds analyzed. The most correlated variables in different ponds were diversity and hydroperiod, surface and depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An annotated list of the aquatic Polyphaga (Coleoptera: Helophoridae, Georissidae, Hydrochidae, Spercheidae, Scirtidae, Elmidae, Dryopidae, Limnichidae and Heteroceridae) recorded from Egypt is presented, based on data gathered from earlier literature. The checklist includes data on the type localities, references in which the species are described in detail, world and Egyptian distributions, and previous literature, for 21 valid species belonging to 13 genera: Helophorus (Helophoridae); Georissus (Georissidae); Hydrochus (Hydrochidae); Spercheus (Spercheidae); Contacyphon (Scirtidae); Oulimnius and Potamodytes (Elmidae); Dryops and Parahelichus (Dryopidae); Bothriophorus and Pelochares (Limnichidae); Augyles and Heterocerus (Heteroceridae). The present study provides a summary that can provide a basis for future progress in the knowledge of the Egyptian aquatic Coleoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water scavenger beetle genus Novochares Girón & Short, 2021 is revised using a combination of adult morphological and DNA sequence data. Thirty-eight new species are described: Novocharesaperito sp. nov. (Bolivia), N.baca sp. nov. (Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Suriname), N.bidens sp. nov. (Brazil), N.bisinuatus sp. nov. (Brazil), N.clavieri sp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Peru), N.danta sp. nov. (Venezuela), N.dentatus sp. nov. (Ecuador, Venezuela), N.dicranospathus sp. nov. (Peru), N.duo sp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela), N.fernandezae sp. nov. (Brazil, Peru, Venezuela), N.florifer sp. nov. (Brazil), N.furcatus sp. nov. (Brazil), N.garciai sp. nov. (Venezuela), N.garfo sp. nov. (Brazil), N.geminus sp. nov. (Brazil), N.kawsay sp. nov. (Ecuador, Peru), N.latus sp. nov. (Brazil), N.minor sp. nov. (Peru, Suriname, Venezuela), N.mojenos sp. nov. (Bolivia), N.mura sp. nov. (Brazil), N.orchis sp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname), N.pastinum sp. nov. (Ecuador), N.pertusus sp. nov. (Brazil), N.piaroa sp. nov. (Venezuela), N.pilatus sp. nov. (Venezuela), N.pume sp. nov. (Venezuela), N.punctatostriatus sp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname), N.quadrispinus sp. nov. (Brazil, Guyana, Suriname), N.spangleri sp. nov. (Peru), N.tambopatense sp. nov. (Peru), N.tenedor sp. nov. (Guyana, Venezuela), N.triangularis sp. nov. (Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay), N.tridentis sp. nov. (Brazil), N.trifurcatus sp. nov. (Peru), N.unguis sp. nov. (Bolivia, Peru), N.xingu sp. nov. (Brazil), and N.yanomami sp. nov. (Venezuela), N.yora sp. nov. (Peru). One new synonym is proposed: N.carmona (Short, 2005) syn. nov. was determined to be a junior subjective synonym of N.chaquensis (Fernández, 1982). Novocharesinornatus (d'Orchymont, 1926) is considered incertae sedis. Updated distributions and new records are provided for most previously described species in the genus. Novocharessallaei (Sharp, 1882) is considered native to the USA (Florida) and not an introduced species as previously suggested. Novochares now contains 52 species and spans the entire Neotropical region from Mexico to Argentina, including the Caribbean islands., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest was declared., (Andrew Edward Z. Short, Jennifer C. Girón.)

The Japanese members of Haliplidae were reviewed and 13 species in two genera are recognized. A new species, Haliplusmorii sp. nov. is described from Honshu; it is similar to Haliplusjaponicus Sharp, 1873, but belongs to a different subgenus. Haliplusdiruptus J. Balfour-Browne, 1946, syn. nov. is treated as a junior synonym of Halipluskotoshonis Kano & Kamiya, 1931. The records of Haliplusdavidi Vondel, 1991 from Japan are regarded as misidentifications of H.kotoshonis . Haliplusbasinotatuslatiusculus Nakane, 1985, syn. nov. is treated as a junior synonym of H.basinotatus . Haliplusangustifrons Régimbart, 1892 known from south and southeast Asia, is newly recorded from Japan., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Masakazu Hayashi, Tomofumi Iwata, Hiroyuki Yoshitomi.)

The Chilean water penny genus Tychepsephus Waterhouse, 1876 is revised, with descriptions and photographic illustrations of life stages including two larval morphotypes, the pupa of one morphotype, and adults of two species. The pupa of Tychepsephus has not been reported previously. Tychepsephuscekalovici sp. nov. is described, and Ectopria (Chilectopria) grandis Pic, 1947, syn. nov. is proposed as a new synonym of Tychepsephusfelix Waterhouse, 1876, which is redescribed. Taxonomic treatment of the adults of both species includes images of the habitus of males and females, morphological variation, and male and female genitalia. Males and females are sexually dimorphic. Information on the habitat of Tychepsephus is provided and illustrated with photographs, and the known geographic distribution of the two species is mapped. The occurrence of Tychepsephus in Argentina is reported; therefore, the genus no longer can be considered endemic to Chile. The taxonomic status and geographic distribution in South America of other species of Psephenidae, particularly members of the subfamily Eubriinae, is reviewed., (William D. Shepard, Cheryl B. Barr.)

Amphicrossus japonicus is the first known facultatively aquatic nitidulid. The adult beetles breed in bamboo sap and subsequently enter water-filled bamboo culms. In water they breathe via a ventral air sheath held by hydrofuge pubescence. The beetles are facultative predators and hunt mosquito larvae, which they grab with their forelegs. The trend to facultative predation in Cucujoidea and the transition for beetles in general from semi-liquid decaying organic matter into water is discussed.