Description and notes on the bionomics of a new species of Potamophilops Grouvelle, 1896 (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Larainae), from the Cerrado biome in Brazil

Abstract

Potamophilops bragaorum sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on adult specimens collected in a mountainous area in the Cerrado biome in Taquaruçú district, Tocantins state, Brazil. This is the second species described in the genus and it represents the northernmost record of Potamophilops, which is known only from Argentina and Brazil. In this article we provide a diagnosis, details on the morphology and images of the habitus and structures used to determine the species and to distinguish the gender. Field observations permitted the description of some aspects on the biology of the new species that seem to be very similar to those of other Larainae genera. Examination of gut contents revealed a diet based mostly on periphyton.

Keywords:

• aquatic insects
• riffle beetles
• taxonomy
• Cerrado biome
• Neotropics

Acknowledgements

A.S.F. is grateful to Ariana S. Braga, Maria do Carmo Silva and Jerônimo P. Braga for their hospitality and support in Palmas and Taquaruçú, Brazil. Sincere thanks are due to Watson A. Gama Jr for identification of diatoms and Philip M. Fearnside, who reviewed the manuscript. We are also sincerely grateful to William D. Shepard, and two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments. Financial support was provided by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), Brazil, and by research projects supported by the Programa de Apoio aos Núcleos de Excelência (PRONEX)-CNPq-Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas (FAPEAM) and INPA (MCT). Finally, A.S.F. is grateful to the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes), Ministry of Education, Brazil, for the Ph. D. fellowship (CGBE/BEX – Proc. 5359-10-9).