Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Monograph
Published: 2009-03-16
Page range: 1–119
Abstract views: 47
PDF downloaded: 3

Revisions of the genera Parhydraena Orchymont, Protozantaena Perkins, Decarthrocerus Orchymont, and Parhydraenopsis nomen novum, aquatic and humicolous beetles from Africa and Madagascar, and comparative morphology of the tribe Parhydraenini (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae)

Department of Entomology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
Coleoptera Hydraenidae Parhydraena Orchymont Protozantaena Perkins Pseudhydraena Orchymont Decarthrocerus Orchymont Parhydraenopsis nomen novum Pneuminion Perkins new species Africa Madagascar aquatic insects aquatic microhabitats humicolous

Abstract

The hydraenid genera Parhydraena Orchymont, 1937, Decarthrocerus Orchymont, 1948, Protozantaena Perkins, 1997, and Parhydraenopsis nomen novum are comprehensively revised, based on the study and databasing of 13,323 specimens. Decarthrocerus Orchymont is considered a valid genus, not a subgenus of Parhydraena. A new generic name, Parhydraenopsis nomen novum, is provided to replace Pseudhydraena Orchymont, 1947 (a junior homonym of Pseudhydraena Acloque, 1896). The genera are redescribed, and new species are described in Parhydraena (14), Protozantaena (4), Parhydraenopsis (2), and Decarthrocerus (3). Redescriptions are provided for Parhydraena brevipalpis (Régimbart), P. lancicula Perkins & Balfour-Browne, P. seriata Balfour-Browne, Protozantaena labrata Perkins, Parhydraenopsis cooperi (Orchymont), and Decarthrocerus jeanneli Orchymont. Selected morphological features of Pneuminion Perkins, and members of the tribe Hydraenidini, Hydraenida Germain and Parhydraenida Balfour-Browne, are illustrated and compared with those of members of Parhydraenini. Keys to the genera of Parhydraenini and keys to the species of the genera revised herein are given. Male genitalia, representative spermathecae, antennae, and elytra are illustrated. Scanning electron micrographs of external morphological characters are presented. High resolution digital images of the primary types of all species (except the holotypes of three species, which could not be found) are presented (online version in color), and geographical distributions are mapped. The tribe Parhydraenini has both fully aquatic and humicolous adapted species, and shows notable diversity in the lengths of the maxillary palpi and legs, reflecting the microhabitat type. Humicolous species have relatively short maxillary palpi and tarsi, and often have a specialized body form, as in the very differently shaped members of Discozantaena and Decarthrocerus. Parhydraena has both aquatic and humicolous species, the latter being broad-shouldered species with very short maxillary palpi and tarsi. Protozantaena has one aquatic species, the four other species in the genus being collected by sifting litter in humicolous microhabitats. Species of Decarthrocerus have only been collected by sifting litter; many of the specimens are from bamboo forests. As far as is known, members of Parhydraenopsis are fully aquatic, or found in wet streamside mosses. The following new species are described (type locality in South Africa unless otherwise given): Parhydraena ancylis (Western Cape Province, Heuningnes River), P. asperita (Western Cape Province, Knysna, Diepwalle), P. brahma (Mpumalanga Province, Uitsoek), P. brunovacca (Eastern Cape Province, Umtata, Nquadu Mt.), P. divisa (Sudan, Gilo), P. sebastiani (KwaZulu-Natal Province, Cathedral Peak), P. maculicollis (KwaZulu-Natal Province, Polela River, Himeville), P. maureenae (Western Cape Province, W. Wiedouw farm), P. mpumalanga (Mpumalanga Province, Fanie Botha Trail, Maritzbos Hut area, SW Sabie), P. namaqua (Western Cape Province, Van Rhyns Pass), P. ora (Western Cape Province, Cape Town), P. parva (Western Cape Province, George, Saasveld, Kaaimans River), P. semicostata (Mpumalanga Province, Soutpansberg, Entabeni), P. toro (Western Cape Province, Kirstenbosch, Table Mountain), Protozantaena ankaratra (Madagascar, Antananarivo, Ankaratra, Reserve Manjakatompo, M. Arirana, SE drainage River Ambodimangavo), P. grebennikovi (Tanzania, W. Usambara Mts., Lushoto district, Grant’s Lodge, Mkuzu river, 3–4 km upstream of Kifungilo), P. malagasica (Madagascar, Antsiranana, Parc National Montagne d’Ambre), P. palpalis (Madagascar, Antananarivo, Anjozorobe, Ravoandrina, left affluent of River Ampanakamonty), Parhydraenopsis alta (Ethiopia, Wolamo Province, Mt. Damota), P. simiensis (Ethiopia, Simien Mountains National Park, Jinbar Wenz), Decarthrocerus bambusicus (Democratic Republic of Congo, P. N. Virunga, Volcan Sabinyo, Chanya W., W. Sabinyo), D. mahalicus (Tanzania, Mahali Peninsula, Kungure), D. mbizi (Tanzania, Mt. Mbizi, 12 mi. NE Sumbawanga).

References

  1. Acloque, A. (1896) Faune de France contenant la description de toutes les espèces indigènes disposées en tableaux analytiques. Et illustrée de figures représentant les types caractéristiques des genres et des sous genres. Coléoptères. J.-B. Baillière et Fils, Paris, 466 pp.

    Balfour-Browne, J. (1954) A Preliminary Contribution to the Knowledge of the South African Palpicornia (Coleoptera). (Professor J. Omer-Cooper's Investigation of the Inland Waters of Africa). Journal of the Entomological Society of South Africa, 17, 96–114.

    Hansen, M. (1998) World Catalogue of Insects, Volume 1. Hydraenidae (Coleoptera). Apollo Books, Stenstrup, Denmark, 168 pp.

    Orchymont, A. d'. (1947) Report on the Palpicornia (Coleoptera), Mr. Omer-Cooper's Investigation of the Abyssinian fresh waters (Hugh Scott Expedition). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 117, 716–741.

    Orchymont, A. d'. (1948) Mission Scientifique de l'Omo. Coleoptera XV. Hydraenidae. Mémoires du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, nouvelle serie, 27, 29–62.

    Perkins, P.D. (1997) Life on the effective bubble: exocrine secretion delivery systems (ESDS) and the evolution and classification of beetles in the family Hydraenidae (Insecta: Coleoptera). Annals of Carnegie Museum, 66 (2), 89–207.

    Perkins, P.D. (2004a) A revision of the South African endemic water beetle genus Pneuminion Perkins (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae). Zootaxa, 538, 1–38.

    Perkins, P.D. (2004b) A revision of the South African endemic humicolous beetle genus Nucleotops Perkins and Balfour-Browne (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae). Zootaxa, 559, 1–12.

    Perkins, P.D. (2005a) A revision of the South African endemic humicolous beetle genus Discozantaena Perkins and Balfour-Browne (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae). Zootaxa, 915, 1–48.

    Perkins, P.D. (2005b) A revision of the African hygropetric genus Coelometopon Janssens, and description of Oomtelecopon new genus (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae). Zootaxa, 949, 1–103.

    Perkins, P.D. (2007) Hydraenidae. In: Stals, R. & de Moor, I. J (Eds.), Guides to the Freshwater Invertebrates of Southern Africa, Volume 10: Coleoptera. Water Research Commission, Pretoria, South Africa, pp. 117–132.

    Perkins, P.D. (2008) New species and new collection records for Prosthetopine water beetles from southern Africa (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae). Zootaxa, 1864, 1–124.

    Perkins, P.D. & J. Balfour-Browne (1994) Contribution to the taxonomy of aquatic and humicolous beetles of the family Hydraenidae in southern Africa. Fieldiana: Zoology (New Series), 77, 1–159.

    Régimbart, M. (1906) Voyage de M. Ch. Alluaud dans l'Afrique Orientale. Dytiscidae, Gyrinidae, Hydrophilidae. Annals de la Société Entomologique de France, 75, 235–278.