Zunielmis pax, a new genus and species of riffle beetles (Coleoptera: Elmidae) from Colombia

GONZÁLEZ-CÓRDOBA, MARCELA; MANZO, VERÓNICA; GRANADOS - MARTÍNEZ CRISTIAN

ZOOSYSTEMATICA ROSSICA

Academia Rusa de Ciencias

Lugar: San Petesburgo; Año: 2021 vol. 30 p. 248 - 265

0320-9180

A new riffle beetle, Zunielmis pax gen. et sp. nov., is described from Colombia (Vichada, PuertoCarreño, Bita River basin). It can be distinguished from all the other elmids by having large areas of amicrogranular mesh (plastron) on the pronotum and elytra, crenulate lateral margin of the latter two, the shorter interocular distance than diameter of each eye, as well as by the characters of the structure of mandibles, the shape and sculpture of pronotum, and the structure of mesosternum, mesotibiae and elytra. The imagoes were collected on freshwater sponges. The habitat, where the new species was found, is described, and the adaptive meaning of the characteristics of plastron are discussed. Drawings and photographs of the adult habitus, distinctive morphological characters, and male and female genitalia are provided.