New Records of Desmopachria tarda Spangler (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), an Endemic Species from Cuba, with Habitat Notes

Abstract

Departamento de Biologi´a, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad de Oriente. Ave. PatricioLumumba s/n, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. CP:90500e-mail: adeler1982@yahoo.com; ysuarez@cnt.uo.edu.cuThe predaceous water beetles of the genus Desmopachria Babington are small dytiscids ranging fromabout 1.1 to 3.0 mm in length (Young, 1980; Larson et al., 2000; Miller, 2001, 2005). The genus comprisesof 92 species widely distributed in America (Nilsson, 2001), but by far most diverse in the NeotropicalRegion with 87 species. Four species of Desmopachria are found in Cuba (Desmopachria aspera Young, D.darlingtoni Young, D. glabella Young and D. tarda Spangler) of which two, D. glabella and D. tarda areendemic (Young, 1980; Spangler, 1981; Peck, 2005).Desmopachria tarda was described and reported from Cabezada del Ri´o Indio, Gran Piedra, Santiago deCuba from 1000 m.a.s.l. This species shows slower swimming ability compared to other members of thisgenus (Spangler, 1973). This small dytiscid is distinguished from all other species of Desmopachria by itsovate and moderately convex body form, length (1.65 mm) and dark reddish regions on the base of thehead, on the pronotum and along elytral suture.The specimens reported here are the second records of D. tarda from Cuba but are collected from twonews localities. New records: Cuba: Santiago de Cuba: Gran Piedra, El Olimpo, stream, 21 Km east ofSantiago de Cuba, 750 m.a.s.l, 03-VIII-2005, A. Deler-Herna´ndez coll. 15 specimens, 04-VIII-2005, A.Deler-Herna´ndez coll. 18 specimens; Dos Palmas, Nacimiento del Ri´o Cauto, stream, 45 km northwesternof Santiago de Cuba, 450 m.a.s.l, 01-XII-2005, Y. S. Megna coll. 4 specimens.Specimens were collected using an aquatic net of 30 cm in each side, 40 cm of bottom and mesh size 50.5 mm. The substrates were vigorously swept with the net for several minutes. Specimens will be depositedin the Museum of Natural History Charles T. Ramsden de la Torre (CZCTR) of the Universidad de Oriente.The two new localities are in the Sierra Maestra, but in different drainage systems. El Olimpo is 8 kmfrom the type locality on the south slope of the Cordillera La Gran Piedra and the Nacimiento del Ri´oCauto is 70 km to the west in the Cordillera del Turquino.The specimens were collected in the backwaters of freshwater habitats with clear waters, muddy-stonybottom, located in highlands with a low exposure to sun, without aquatic vegetation and with abundantcover vegetation. Prevalence of D. tarda in this pristine habitat would suggest that this species representsa good bioindicador of mountainous freshwater ecosystems. Ribera and Foster (1992) and Sa´nchez-Ferna´ndez et al. (2004) consider freshwater aquatic beetles to have great utility to determine the degree ofconservation of the habitats. Also, the following water beetles were collected in El Olimpo and Nacimientodel Rio Cauto: Gyrinidae: Dineutus longimanus Olivier, Dytiscidae: Laccophilus bifasciatus Chevrolat,Laccophilus venustus Chevrolat, Copelatus insolitus Chevrolat and Copelatus posticatus (Frabricius). Allthese species are rather represented in springs or mountain streams (Megna and Deler, 2006; Deler-Herna´ndez et al., (in press). Although, L. venustus and C. posticatus are generalists and with widerdistribution (Spangler, 1981; Peck, 2005).We thank Patricia L. M. Torres (Universidad de Buenos Aires), Y. Alarie (Laurentian University), B.Reyes-Tur and D. Rosabal (Universidad de Oriente) for their critical review of the manuscript andvaluable comments.Literature CitedDeler-Herna´ndez, A., Y. S. Megna, D. Gonza´lez-Lazo, and C. N. Carcase´s (in press). Insectos acua´ticos ya´reas prioritarias para la conservacio´n en la cuenca alta del ri´o Cauto (Santiago de Cuba, Cuba).Boleti´n Sociedad Entomolo´gica Aragonesa.