Abstract
The representatives of the genus Cercyon Leach occurring in the Greater Antilles are reviewed. Ten species are recorded, of which five are described here as new: C. gimmeli sp. n. (Dominican Republic), C. armatipenis sp. n. (Dominican Republic), C. taino sp. n. (Dominican Republic), C. sklodowskae sp. n. (Jamaica) and C. spiniventris sp. n. (Dominican Republic). Diagnoses and detailed distributional data are also provided for C. floridanus Horn, 1890 (distributed in southeastern United States of America and Cayman Islands), C. insularis Chevrolat, 1863 (endemic to the Antilles) C. praetextatus (Say, 1825) (widely distributed in the New World incl. Greater Antilles), C. quisquilius (Linnaeus, 1761) (an adventive species of Paleartic origin) and C. nigriceps (Marshall, 1802) (an adventive species probably of Oriental origin). Cercyon armatipenis, C. gimmeli, C. taino form a group of closely related species only distinguishable by male genitalia and DNA sequences. A key to the Great Antillean Cercyon is provided and important diagnostic characters are illustrated. The larvae of C. insularis and C. taino were associated with adults using COI barcode sequences, illustrated and diagnosed. Full occurrence data, additional images and COI barcode sequences were submitted to open access on-line depositories in an effort to provide access to complete data.
Highlights
Until very recently, water scavenger beetles (Hydrophilidae) from the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean Region were largely neglected and systematic or faunistic studies were scarce
Six species of Cercyon have been recorded from the Greater Antilles: the Cuban-endemic C. insularis Chevrolat whose identity has remained unclear (Hansen 1999; Peck 2005), two species widely distributed in the New World (Cercyon variegatus Sharp, Cercyon praetextatus (Say); Leng and Mutchler 1917; Smetana 1984; Fikáček 2009), one species native to southeastern United States of America (Cercyon floridanus Horn; Thomas et al 2013) and two widely distributed adventive species (Cercyon nigriceps Marsham, Cercyon quisquilius (Linnaeus); Leng and Mutchler 1917; Fikáček 2009)
On our request to loan this specimen, we received a single specimen standing under the name C. insularis in the Chevrolat collection, corresponding well with the original description and marked as a type
Summary
Water scavenger beetles (Hydrophilidae) from the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean Region were largely neglected and systematic or faunistic studies were scarce. 260 species have been described from all zoogeographical zones (Short and Fikáček 2011), of which 24 have been recorded from Central and South America (Hansen 1999; Fikáček 2006). Six species of Cercyon have been recorded from the Greater Antilles: the Cuban-endemic C. insularis Chevrolat whose identity has remained unclear (Hansen 1999; Peck 2005), two species widely distributed in the New World (Cercyon variegatus Sharp, Cercyon praetextatus (Say); Leng and Mutchler 1917; Smetana 1984; Fikáček 2009), one species native to southeastern United States of America (Cercyon floridanus Horn; Thomas et al 2013) and two widely distributed adventive species (Cercyon nigriceps Marsham, Cercyon quisquilius (Linnaeus); Leng and Mutchler 1917; Fikáček 2009). In order to provide a review that will constitute a reliable reference for future studies on the genus Cercyon and the tribe Megasternini, we complemented the traditional taxonomic account with COI sequences (i.e., “DNA barcodes”), complete occurrence data, and full set of highresolution photographs, all deposited in online freely available platforms
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