Diving beetles of the genus Liodessus Guignot, 1953 in Colombia, with description of three new species (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

Abstract

The Colombian species of the diving beetle genus Liodessus Guignot, 1939 are revised. Liodessus bogotensis Guignot, 1953 is re-described. Three higher altitude species are new to science: Liodessus azufralis sp. n., L. quillacinga sp. n. and L. quimbaya sp. n. We also introduce two new subspecies, L. quillacinga cochaensis ssp. n. and L. quillacinga cumbalis ssp. n. We delineate the species using morphological structures such as male genital structure and beetle size, shape and colour pattern. Mitochondrial cox1 sequence data provided an additional character source. All the new species occur on higher altitudes above 2700 m and were collected in shallow, exposed peatland pools and puddles, mostly in Páramo. Liodessus obscurellus (LeConte, 1852), not yet recorded from Colombia, is included into the key due to its presence in nearby Costa Rica and Ecuador. The known distribution and habitat preferences of each species are outlined briefly.