Troglochares

Troglochares is a Neotropical genus of water scavenger beetle in the family Hydrophilidae represented by one described species known from caves in Ecuador.^[1]

Troglochares
Dorsal view of Troglochares ashmolei
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Staphyliniformia
Superfamily:	Hydrophiloidea
Family:	Hydrophilidae
Subfamily:	Acidocerinae
Genus:	Troglochares Spangler, 1981
Species:	T. ashmolei
Binomial name
Troglochares ashmolei Spangler, 1981

Taxonomy

The genus Troglochares belongs in the subfamily Acidocerinae. It was described for the first time by Paul Spangler in 1981 to accommodate an eyeless species from Los Tayos Cave in Morona-Santiago Province, Ecuador.^[2]

Description

Small beetles (1.9 mm), smooth and shiny dorsally, yellowish-brown in coloration, with moderately long maxillary palps. The most salient characteristic of the genus is the lack of eyes. A complete diagnosis was presented by Girón and Short.^[1]

Habitat

Troglochares ashmolei is the only acidocerine species known to occur in cavernicolous habitats.^[1]

Species

• Troglochares ashmolei Spangler, 1981