Bembidion (Zeperyphodes) nesophilum Broun, 1886

Larochelle, André, Zeperyphodes, Broun & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2015, Synopsis of the genus Bembidion Latreille in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidiini), Insecta Mundi 2015 (415), pp. 1-78 : 34-35

Bembidion (Zeperyphodes) nesophilum Broun, 1886 revised status

Fig. 24 , 57 , 91

Bembidium nesophilum Broun, 1886: 828 . Holotype: male (BMNH) labeled: “var. 114. (hand-written/ 1472. [male symbol] (hand-written) / Type (circular red-bordered label; typed)/ New Zeal. Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482. (white label with red horizontal line; typed) Bembidion nesophilum . (hand-writ- ten) / Waikato [=Lower Waikato River] (hand-written) / LECTOTYPE (rectangular red-bordered label (typed) nesophilum Lth. (hand-written) By C.H. Lindroth (typed) / callipeplum Bts. (hand-written) det. Lindroth (typed).74 (hand-written).” Synonymized with B. callipeplum Bates, 1878 by Lindroth, 1976: 182.

Bembidion (Peryphus) nesophilum: Csiki 1928: 104 .

Bembidion (Zeactedium) nesophilum: Netolitzky 1931: 182 .

Description. Body length 3.6–4.9 mm. Slender. Head and pronotum black; elytra yellowish with light brown variegated markings; antennae and legs pale testaceous; abdomen pale brownish. Microsculpture transverse, obsolete on disc of head and pronotum, feeble on elytra. Very shiny, with metallic lustre on head, pronotum, and dark elytral markings (aeneous, greenish). Head. Antennae subfiliform, with segments 8–10 stout. Thorax. Pronotum: anterolateral angles obtuse; sides strongly rounded anteriorly, strongly sinuate posteriorly; posterolateral angles acute, projected laterally, sharp at tip; laterobasal foveae obsolete, shallow, sublinear, moderately long, not reaching basal margin. Elytra. Widest before middle. Sides very slightly rounded anteriorly (almost parallel). Striae 2–6 incomplete, shallow, finely punctate; striae 6–7 weak, incomplete, finely punctate. Intervals depressed to subdepressed. Apical striole shallow, connected to stria 5. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 57 ): strongly angulate; base slightly convex dorsally with a slight concavity towards its apex; middle angulate dorsally with dorsal membranous area very wide and long, deflected to the left, rather straight ventrally; apex stout, triangular, straight dorsally and ventrally, with extreme tip wide and short.

Material examined. 203 specimens ( AMNZ, BMNH, CMNH, JNNZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 91 ). North Island: AK, ND, WO.

Ecology. Coastal lowland. Fossorial. Banks of meandering estuarine streams (2–3 m wide) situated near dunes, just above the highest tidal line, at a certain distance (2–3 m) from water. Also banks and shores of neighbouring streams, lagoons, and lakes. Open ground; wet, sandy (white, yellow, black), bare soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day in the sand. Gregarious. Occurs in association with staphylinids and Bembidion (Zecillenus) species.

Biology. Seasonality: September–March. Tenerals: December–March. Occasionally infested with fungi (Laboulbeniales). Defence mechanism: when alarmed, the adult escapes by running.

Dispersal power. Macropterous, probably capable of flight. Fast runner. Vagility likely favoured by flight capacity.

Collecting techniques. Pouring water over the ground; treading the soil with the feet.

References. Lindroth 1976: 182 (as a synonym of Bembidion callipeplum ; taxonomy); Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 83 (as a synonym of Bembidion callipeplum ; catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution, references).

Remarks. Bembidion nesophilum is morphologically close to B. callipeplum and has previously been synonymized with it by Lindroth (1976). Examination of the lectotype of B. nesophilum revealed it to be a separate species from B. callipeplum . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, B. nesophilum has the following features that clearly separate it from B. callipeplum : body slender, larger (length 3.6–4.9 mm); microsculpture transverse, obsolete on disc of head and pronotum, feeble on elytra; antennae subfiliform (segments 8–10 stout), pale testaceous; legs also pale testaceous; pronotum with sides strongly sinuate posteriorly and posterolateral angles acute, projected laterally; elytra widest before middle, with smaller light brown markings. Bembidion nesophilum is restricted to the northernmost part of the North Island (ND, AK, WO). This species is found in association with members of the subgenus Zecillenus , on the sandy banks of coastal estuarine streams; it hides during the day in the sand, at a certain distance from water.

Figures

Figures 21–24. Dorsal habitus. 21) Bembidion orbiferum. 22) B. giachinoi. 23) B. callipeplum. 24) B. nesophilum. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 53–60. Aedeagi, lateral. 53) Bembidion musae. 54) B. orbiferum. 55) B. giachinoi. 56) B. callipeplum. 57) B. nesophilum. 58) B. tekapoense. 59) B. anchonoderus. 60) B. stewartense.

Figures 89–94. Species distribution maps. 89) Bembidion maorinum maorinum. 90) B. musae. 91) B. nesophilum. 92) B. orbiferum. 93) B. parviceps. 94) B. puponga new species.