Zolus unisetosus, Larochelle & Larivière & Larochelle & Larivière, 2017

Larochelle, Larivière, Marie-Claude, Larochelle & Larivière, 2017, Synopsis of the tribe Zolini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2017 (594), pp. 1-110 : 9-10

Zolus unisetosus new species

Fig. 159, 160, 161

Holotype: male ( NZAC) labeled: “ NEW ZEALAND OL Mt [= Mount] Aspiring NP [= National Park], Blue Pools walk 350m -44.1623 169.2736 7.III.2017 Larivière, Larochelle (typed) / Wet silver beech forest on river terrace. Under logs and fallen branches. (typed) / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Zolus unisetosus Larochelle & Larivière, 2017 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: one female (NZAC) from Cameron Flat, Mount Aspiring National Park (OL) and two females (NZAC) from Mount Kinnaird, Westland National Park (WD), bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 9.2–10.1 mm. Head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen mostly black piceous; abdomen yellow laterally; antennae, palpi, and legs reddish; apical half of femora pale yellow. Microsculpture moderately deep, isodiametric on head, moderately transverse on pronotum, very deep and strongly isodiametric on elytra. Iridescence absent. Very shiny on head and pronotum, dull on elytra, without metallic luster. Head. Labrum strongly transverse, slightly emarginate anteriorly. Antennae subfiliform, very long: segment 1 (scape) very long, about 2.5x longer than its maximum width. Frontal furrows wide, deep, convergent. Eyes strongly convex; a single setiferous puncture on inner side of each eye (posteriorly). Tempora not inflated. Mentum: medial tooth entire, acute apically, moderately shorter than lateral lobes. Paraglossae membranous, prominent, about as long as ligula. Thorax. Pronotum strongly convex, coarsely punctate across base, wrinkled discally and across base, moderately cordate, widest about middle; apex truncate; anterolateral angles poorly developed, rounded; anterior bead complete; sides strongly rounded, moderately sinuate posteriorly; lateral grooves very deep, very long (longer than adjoining foveae); a single setiferous puncture on each side (anteriorly); posterolateral angles rectangular; posterolateral carinae sharp, very long (longer than adjoining foveae); laterobasal foveae well defined, coarsely punctate, very deep and wide, oblong, prolonged forward, simple; posterior bead absent; base depressed throughout (convex medially in other Zolus species ), emarginate, much wider than pronotal apex, about as wide as elytral base. Legs. Very long. Elytra. Moderately convex, ovate, widest about middle. Basal margin complete, reaching about scutellum. Shoulders slightly rounded. Sides strongly rounded. Scutellar striole present. Striae complete, very deep, impunctate; stria 3 or interval 3 with three setiferous punctures. Recurrent stria long, sharp, directed apically toward stria 5. Intervals moderately convex. Sutural apices broadly rounded. Abdomen. Last visible sternum (sternum VII): male with two apical ambulatory setae; female with four apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 160 ): strongly arcuate, moderately widened in apical half; base slightly convex dorsally; middle angulate anteriorly and moderately sinuate dorsally, moderately convex ventrally, with dorsal membranous area very wide and long; apex triangular, strongly convex dorsally, moderately convex ventrally, with extreme tip wide and short. Dorsal view: very wide, asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to right); apex straight; basal orifice wide, closed anteriorly, moderately distant from membranous area. Parameres with six apical setae.

Material examined. 12 specimens ( CMNZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 161 ). South Island: OL–Mount Aspiring National Park (Blue Pools Walk; Cameron Flat). WD –Jackson Bay. Westland National Park (Mount Kinnaird). Open Bay Islands.

Ecology. Lowland, montane. Epigean. Wet forests (beech, broadleaf). Shaded. Nocturnal; active at night on trees; hides during the day under logs, fallen branches, and stones.

Biology. Seasonality: September, December, August. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology). Occasionally infested with fungi (Laboulbeniales).

Dispersal power. Subapterous (incapable of flight). Fast runner. Regular climber.

Collecting techniques. Lifting logs, fallen branches, and stones.

Remarks. This species is based on the Latin uni (one) and setosus (setose), referring to the pronotum with a single setiferous puncture on each side (anteriorly). Zolus unisetosus is morphologically close to Z. wongi . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, Z. unisetosus has the following distinguishing features: body length 9.2–10.1 mm; eyes strongly convex; pronotum strongly convex, widest about middle, sides strongly rounded, a single setiferous puncture on each side (anteriorly), base depressed throughout; elytra with intervals moderately convex and sutural apices broadly rounded. Zolus unisetosus is restricted to southwestern South Island (OL, WD), while Z. wongi occurs mostly in western areas of the South Island (SD to WD).

Figures

Figures 159–161. Zolus unisetosus new species. 159) Dorsal habitus. Scale line = 1 mm. 160) Aedeagus, lateral. 161) Distribution map.