Revision of the Neotropical water scavenger beetle genus Novochares Girón & Short (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Acidocerinae)

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: Novocharesaperitosp. nov. (Bolivia), N.bacasp. nov. (Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Suriname), N.bidenssp. nov. (Brazil), N.bisinuatussp. nov. (Brazil), N.clavierisp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Peru), N.dantasp. nov. (Venezuela), N.dentatussp. nov. (Ecuador, Venezuela), N.dicranospathussp. nov. (Peru), N.duosp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela), N.fernandezaesp. nov. (Brazil, Peru, Venezuela), N.florifersp. nov. (Brazil), N.furcatussp. nov. (Brazil), N.garciaisp. nov. (Venezuela), N.garfosp. nov. (Brazil), N.geminussp. nov. (Brazil), N.kawsaysp. nov. (Ecuador, Peru), N.latussp. nov. (Brazil), N.minorsp. nov. (Peru, Suriname, Venezuela), N.mojenossp. nov. (Bolivia), N.murasp. nov. (Brazil), N.orchissp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname), N.pastinumsp. nov. (Ecuador), N.pertusussp. nov. (Brazil), N.piaroasp. nov. (Venezuela), N.pilatussp. nov. (Venezuela), N.pumesp. nov. (Venezuela), N.punctatostriatussp. nov. (Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname), N.quadrispinussp. nov. (Brazil, Guyana, Suriname), N.spanglerisp. nov. (Peru), N.tambopatensesp. nov. (Peru), N.tenedorsp. nov. (Guyana, Venezuela), N.triangularissp. nov. (Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay), N.tridentissp. nov. (Brazil), N.trifurcatussp. nov. (Peru), N.unguissp. nov. (Bolivia, Peru), N.xingusp. nov. (Brazil), and N.yanomamisp. nov. (Venezuela), N.yorasp. 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.

Revision of the family Haliplidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) in Japan

The Japanese members of Haliplidae were reviewed and 13 species in two genera are recognized. A new species, Haliplusmoriisp. 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.

A revision of the Chilean water penny genus Tychepsephus Waterhouse, 1876 (Coleoptera, Psephenidae, Eubriinae), with description of a second species and two larval morphotypes, and notes on other Chilean Psephenidae

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. Tychepsephuscekalovicisp. 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.

Review of the New World Notomicrus Sharp (Coleoptera, Noteridae) I: Circumscription of species groups and review of the josiahi group with description of a new species from Brazil

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.interstinctussp. nov. from northern Brazil. Provided are descriptions, habitus images and illustrations of diagnostic characters.

Review of the Neotropical water scavenger beetle genus Tobochares Short & García, 2007 (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Acidocerinae): new lineages, new species, and new records

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: Tobocharesakoeriosp. nov. (Suriname), T.arawaksp. nov. (Guyana), T.anthonyaesp. nov. (Venezuela: Bolívar), T.aturessp. nov., (Venezuela: Amazonas), T.benettiisp. nov. (Brazil: Amazonas), T.canaimasp. nov. (Venezuela: Bolívar), T.communissp. nov. (Brazil: Amapá and Roraima, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela: Bolívar), T.fusussp. nov. (Brazil: Amapá, French Guiana), T.goiassp. nov. (Brazil: Goiás), T.kappelsp. nov. (Suriname), T.kolokoesp. nov. (Suriname), T.luteomargosp. nov. (Venezuela: Bolívar), T.micropssp. nov. (Suriname), T.pemonsp. nov. (Venezuela: Bolívar), and T.romanoaesp. 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.fusussp. 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.

Predaceous water beetles (Coleoptera, Hydradephaga) of the Lake St Lucia system, South Africa: biodiversity, community ecology and conservation implications

Water beetles are one of the dominant macroinvertebrate groups in inland waters and are excellent ecological indicators, reflecting both the diversity and composition of the wider aquatic community. The predaceous water beetles (Hydradephaga) make up around one-third of known aquatic Coleoptera and, as predators, are a key group in the functioning of many aquatic habitats. Despite being relatively well-known taxonomically, ecological studies of these insects in tropical and subtropical systems remain rare. A dedicated survey of the hydradephagan beetles of the Lake St Lucia wetlands (South Africa) was undertaken between 2013 and 2015, providing the first biodiversity census for this important aquatic group in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the Maputaland biodiversity hotspot. A total of 32 sites covering the entire spectrum of waterbody types were sampled over the course of three collecting trips. The Lake St Lucia wetlands support at least 68 species of Hydradephaga, a very high level of diversity comparing favourably with other hotspots on the African continent and elsewhere in the world and a number of taxa are reported for South Africa for the first time. This beetle assemblage is dominated by relatively widespread Afrotropical taxa, with few locally endemic species, supporting earlier observations that hotspots of species richness and centres of endemism are not always coincident. Although there was no significant difference in the number of species supported by the various waterbody types sampled, sites with the highest species richness were mostly temporary depression wetlands. This contrasts markedly with the distribution of other taxa in the same system, such as molluscs and dragonflies, which are most diverse in permanent waters. Our study is the first to highlight the importance of temporary depression wetlands and emphasises the need to maintain a variety of wetland habitats for aquatic conservation in this biodiverse region.

Review of the Berosus Leach of Venezuela (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Berosini) with description of fourteen new species

The species of the water scavenger beetle genus Berosus Leach occurring in Venezuela are reviewed. Thirty-six species are recorded, including fifteen new species, fourteen of which are described here as new: Berosus araguasp. n., Berosus asymmetricussp. n., Berosus capanaparosp. n., Berosus castaneussp. n., Berosus corozosp. n., Berosus ebeninussp. n., Berosus garciaisp. n., Berosus humeralissp. n., Berosus jolyisp. n., Berosus llanensissp. n., Berosus megaphallussp. n., Berosus ornaticollissp. n., Berosus repertussp. n., and Berosus tramidrumsp. n. The fifteenth new species, known from a single female, is left undescribed pending the collection of males. Twelve species are recorded from Venezuela for the first time: Berosus ambogynus Mouchamps, Berosus consobrinus Knisch, Berosus elegans Knisch, Berosus geayi d'Orchymont, Berosus ghanicus d'Orchymont, Berosus guyanensis Queney, Berosus holdhausi Knisch, Berosus marquardti Knisch, Berosus olivae Queney, Berosus reticulatus Knisch, Berosus wintersteineri Knisch, and Berosus zimmermanni Knisch.

Discovery of the water scavenger beetle genus Brownephilus Mouchamps in Turkey (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Hydrophilini

The recently described Hydrochara major İncekara, Mart, Polat, & Karaca, 2009 from Turkey is transferred to the genus Brownephilus Mouchamps. New records and habitat information are given for the species, as well as diagnostic features for separating it from the only other described member of the genus, Brownephilus levantinus Balfour-Browne. The discovery of Brownephilus in Turkey marks the first time the lineage has been found since its original description more than seventy years ago.