Perigona nigriceps (Dejean)

Liebherr, James K., 2009, Native And Alien Carabidae (Coleoptera) Share Lanai, An Ecologically Devastated Island, The Coleopterists Bulletin 63 (4), pp. 383-411 : 404-405

Perigona nigriceps (Dejean)

( Fig. 6F , 7D )

Diagnosis. These small-bodied beetles—standardized body length 2.9– 3.0 mm—are unique in the Hawaiian carabid fauna due to the fine setae covering the surface of the outer two elytral intervals ( Fig. 7D ). The head is brunneous, contrasted with the flavous elytra, antennae and legs. The pronotum and elytra may be pale, flavous (e.g., Fig. 7D ), or they may be darker; the pronotum brunneous, and the elytra with a dark piceous cloud on the disc and pale longitudinal maculae laterally that converge toward the suture subapically.

Lanai Distribution. This species’ known distribution on Lanai includes Maunalei Gulch and near Haalelepaakai ( Fig. 6F ), encompassed within the cloud forest and mesic forest community boundaries ( Fig. 1 ) (new island record).

Habitat. Two collections of this species have been made, the first from fungus growing on a dead non-native kukui ( Aleurites moluccana [L.]) log (3-V-1993 lot 01, 450–490 m el., Liebherr; CUIC), and the second by sifting fungusy leaf litter from the floor of a Monterey cypress ( Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw. ) plantation (13-V-2004 lot 05, 985 m el., Liebherr; CUIC). The Monterey cypress plantation specimen was collected along with the ant species Hyperponera punctatissima (Roger) , a species predaceous on other arthropods (Huddleston and Fluker 1968) and an occasional inhabitant of montane areas up to 1,200 m elevation where it has been reported from leaf litter ( Reimer 1994).

Figures

Fig. 6. Known distributions of carabid beetle species on Lanai. A. Blackburnia lanaihalensis. B. B. depressa. C. B. filipes. D. Metacolpodes buchanani. E. Gnathaphanus picipes (small circles), G. picipes plus G. multipunctatus (larger bullseye). F. Perigona nigriceps.

Fig. 7. Non-native carabid beetle species known from Lanai (vignettes represent actual body size). A. Metacolpodes buchanani. B. Gnathaphanus picipes. C. G. multipunctatus. D. Perigona nigriceps.

Fig. 1. Pre-Polynesian vegetation communities on the island of Lanai (after Hobdy 1993): 1) cloud forest; 2) mesic forest; 3) dry forest; 4) arid grassland and shrubland; 5) coast and strand.