Parazuphium aguilerai Andujar , Hernando & Ribera

Andujar, Carmelo, Hernando, Carles & Ribera, Ignacio, 2011, A new endogean, anophthalmous species of Parazuphium Jeannel from Northern Morocco (Coleoptera, Carabidae), with new molecular data for the tribe Zuphiini, ZooKeys 103, pp. 49-62 : 50-52

Parazuphium aguilerai Andujar, Hernando & Ribera sp. n. Figs 13

Type locality.

Souk-Khemis-des-Anjra, Tetuan, Morocco (Fig. 4).

Type specimen.

Holotype: 1♂, "MOROCCO 28-III-2008 / Souk-Khemis-des-Anjra, Tetuan / 123m N35°43'18" W5°31'23" / Andújar, Hernando, Ribera & Agu ilera leg."; voucher number label "31_EN"; plus red holotype label. Type specimen mounted in DMHF in a transparent acetate label, genitalia dissected and mounted in DMHF in a separate label pinned with the specimen. Deposited in the Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona (MCNB), DNA aliquots deposited in the IBE (CSIC) and Univ. Murcia (ZAFUMU col.).

Diagnosis.

Total Length 2.7 mm (from apex of mandible to apex of elytra). Body depressed, flattened, light brown (Fig. 1). Eyes absent (Fig. 2b). First antennomere (0.41mm) as long as antennomeres 2-4 combined (0.37 mm) (Fig. 2e). Pronotum cordiform (Fig. 1). Elytra flat, not fully covering abdomen (Figs 1, 2a). Umbilicate lateral series of elytra with 5+5 spatuliform setae (Figs 2f-h). Apex of elytra divergent (Figs 1, 2a). Metafemora with an acute tooth on interior margin (Fig. 2m).

Description.

Length of holotype: 2.7 mm. Body depressed, flattened and depigmented, light brown. Surface microreticulate, with mesh pattern regular polygonal (observed on the dried specimen) and scattered short setae.

Head (Fig. 1) with trapezoidal shape. No trace of eyes or ocular scars (Fig. 2b). Length of head (from apex of mandible to base) 0.63 mm; maximum width close to base (0.51 mm). Surface microreticulate, microlines deeper on sides. Neck pedunculate. With three long setae, two lateral and one basal. Appendages: antennae (Fig. 2e) with first antennomere (0.41mm) as long as total length of antennomeres 2-3-4 together (0.37 mm); second antennomere pedunculate (0.1 mm), slightly shorter than third (0.13 mm) and fourth (0.14 mm); from fifth to tenth with same length (0.16-0.17 mm); last antennomere longer (0.23mm). Antennomeres from 3° to 11° cylindrical. Labial and maxillary palpi as in Figs 2c, d.

Pronotum cordiform (Fig. 1), longer (0.60 mm) than wide (0.51-0.27 mm), maximum width (0.51 mm) close to anterior angles, almost double minimum width (0.27 mm), at the posterior angles. Anterior angles obtuse, rounded. Anterior margin regularly convex. Median line apparent, marked with two depressions. Two lateral setae at anterior and posterior angles. Lateral margin sinuate before posterior angles.

Elytra (Figs 1, 2a) flattened, short, not totally covering abdomen, wider apically (maximum width, 0.90mm, close to apex); width at humeral angle 0.65mm. Punctuation forming longitudinal series, more evident at basal third, disappearing towards apex. Entire surface with short pubescence. Anterior umbilicate series with 5 spatuliform setae (Figs 2f-g, numbers 1-5), deeply inserted in small marginal indentations, with some other minor setae over them (Fig. 2g, arrows). Posterior umbilicate series with 5 spatuliform setae, the last one just before apex (Fig. 2h, numbers 6-10), with three smaller setae over them (Fig. 2h, arrows). Margin of elytra from 5° umbilical anterior to 2° umbilical posterior seta with a marginal carina (Fig. 2f). Apices divergent (Figs 1, 2a).

Legs. Pro- and meso-femora dilated proximally, forming an obtuse interior angle (Figs 2i, k). Metafemora with a strong acute tooth on the interior margin (Fig. 2m). Front tibia with antennal cleaner (toilette organ), as reported in other species of the genus (Fig. 2i). Meta-tibia long and straight, with an internal spine at apex. Meso and meta tibiae with a circle of seta round the apex. Pro-tarsomeres 1-4 dilated (Fig. 2j). First meso- and meta-tarsomeres as long as 2° to 4° combined (Figs 2l, n). Fourth tarsomere cordiform. Trochanters without tooth or any other special structure.

Aedeagus. Median lobe as in Fig. 3, short and robust with a ventral constriction between the basal and the distal part as described for the genus. Basal margin arcuate, bisinuate, with the apex rounded. Internal sac with two small sclerites. Parameres asymmetric, as in other species of the genus.

Habitat.

The single known specimen of Parazuphium aguilerai sp. n. was found under a large, deeply buried boulder, in the humid soil on a hillside with herbaceous vegetation ( Chamaerops humilis , Nerium oleander and Pistacia lentiscus , Fig. 4). The same sample included some endogean ants ( Leptanilla sp, Amblyopone sp.) and remains of anendogean weevil, Torneuma sp. ( Curculionidae , Cryptorhynchinae ).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a Latinized eponym, genitive case, based on the name of our late friend Pedro Aguilera, who collected the specimen with us during his last trip to Morocco.

Recognition and comparisons.

Parazuphium aguilerai sp. n. can be clearly distinguished from any other species of the genus through the combinations of the following characters: lack of eyes, reduced size (2.7 mm), length and proportions of 2°, 3° and 4° antennomeres (0.1, 0.13 and 0.14mm respectively) and the presence of a tooth on metafemora. Parazuphium feloi from the Canary Islands is also anophthalmous, but it is larger than Parazuphium aguilerai sp. n. and without a tooth on the hind femora ( Machado 1998). Parazuphium ramirezi J. and E. Vives from south Spain shows the same tooth on the metafemora, but is also larger, and with reduced eyes ( Vives and Vives 1976). There are also some differences in the shape of the head and pronotum: in Parazuphium aguilerai sp. n. the head is more parallel-sided, the anterior angles of the pronotum are less rounded, and the anterior margin not straight.