Cryptobatis chontalensis Bates

Erwin, Terry L., 2004, The beetle family Carabidae of Costa Rica: The genera of the Cryptobatida group of subtribe Agrina, tribe Lebiini, with new species and notes on their way of life (Insecta: Coleoptera), Zootaxa 662, pp. 1-54 : 20-22

Cryptobatis chontalensis Bates

(Figs. 13, 14, 34)

Cryptobatis chontalensis Bates 1883:202 . Lectotype male, labeled by me in BMNH (The Natural History Museum, London). Type locality: NICARAGUA, Chontales.

Common name. Nicaraguan cobalt­blue carabid beetle.

Diagnosis. With the attributes of the genus as described above and head, prothorax, venter and base of femur testaceous; elytra metallic blue; antennae, palpi, apex of femur, tibia and tarsi black. Sides of pronotum markedly explanate.

Description. (Fig. 13). Size medium: ABL = 6.58 to 7.91 mm, SBL = 6.25 to 7.75 mm, TW = 3.0 to 4.0 mm. Color: Head, prothorax, venter and base of femur testaceous; elytra metallic blue; antennae, palpi, apex of femur, tibia and tarsi black. Metathorasic wings smoky grey. Luster: Dorsal and ventral surfaces very shiny. Microsculpture: Absent from head and pronotum; of transverse meshes on elytra. Head: Markedly narrower than pronotum across eyes; frontal furrows absent except for small groove at margin of clypeus; frons convex; eyes moderately large, markedly produced; ultimate labial palpomere securiform; antennae of moderate length, reaching just posterior of humerus. Prothorax: Markedly convex, side margin markedly explanate, subangulate at mid­lateral setigerous pore, slightly sinuate anterior to hind angle. Pterothorax: Normal for Agrina, fully winged. Legs: Normal for Agrina. Abdomen: Sterna normal for Agrina, glabrous, except normal ambulatory setae on sterna 3–5 and males with one pair of ambulatory setae on sternum 6, females with two pairs on sternum 6. Male genitalia: Phallus ( Fig. 14 ) with ostium 1/4 its length, catopic, apex moderately long and narrow, endophallus with flagellum, flagellum apex not barbed; left paramere very small, right moderately large.

Way of life. Elsewhere these beetles have been collected on the undersides of bracket fungi on fallen tree trunks and it is likely that the same holds true for Costa Rican populations. Several specimens from the ALAS project were collected in Malaise traps in secondary forest. The known altitudinal range of this species is between 10 and 1400 meters above sea level. Specimens have been obtained in all months except February and October, hence this is a widespread species east of the Cordillera Central in the lowlands through to upper middle altitudes and they are active as adults in both the dry and rainy seasons.

Other specimens examined. COSTA RICA. 1 female, CARTAGO, Turrialba, IICA Experimental Station, CATIE, 1.6 km N Rio Reventazon, 600 m, 09° 53' 0 N, 083° 39' 0 W, LN574947,208307, April (E. Giesbert)( CAS: ADP 100289), 1 female Reserva Indígena Chirripó, 39 km SE Grano de Oro, 1120 m, 09° 49' 06” N 083° 27' 32” W, LN200250,595900, September (P. Campos)( INBIO: CRI 001618293); 3 females, GUA­ NACASTE, P. N. Guanacaste, Estación Cacao, 1100 m, 10° 59' 26” N, 085° 25' 40” W, LN323100,375800, July (B. Gamboa)( INBIO: CRI 002187559), SW side, 1000–1400 m LN323300,375700, May (F. Quesada)( INBIO: CRI 000378764), November, December (R. Blanco, C. Chavez)( INBIO: CRI 000144405), 2 females, P.N. Guanacaste, 9 km S Santa Cecilia, Estación Pitilla, 700 m, LN330200,380200, September (GNP Biodiversity Survey)( INBIO: CRI 000035327, CRI 000077953), 1 female, March, April, ( INBIO: CRI 000019479), 1 male, August ( INBIO: CRI 0001024191); 1 female, HEREDIA, 3.0 km S Puerto Viejo, Finca La Selva , Estación Biologica La Selva , 50–150 m, 10° 25' 55” N, 084° 00' 32” W, LN535500,268000, January (INBio­OET: CRI 002227335), 3 females, April, (INBio­OET: CRI 002227442, CRI 002227310, CRI 002229741), 3 males, 1 female, June, (males, INBio­OET: CRI 002268433, CRI 002227028, female, CRI 002228919, CRI 002228291), 1 female, 1 male, August (female, INBio­OET: CRI 002227316, male, CRI 002229390), November (INBio­OET, CRI 002726727), 1 male, March (H.A. Hespenheide)( INBIO: CRI 002268360), 1 male, 1 female, July (H.A. Hespenheide)(male, UASM: ADP 102316, female, (INBio­OET: CRI 002267718), 1 female, August ( HAH: ADP 102197); 1 female, LIMÓN, Rio Reventazon, Ebene, Hamburg Farm, 10 m, 10° 15' 0 N, 083° 28' 0 W, January (F. Nevermann)( NMNH: ADP007940), 3 females, 1 male, P. B. Hitoy Cerere, Estación Hitoy Cerere, Valle de la Estrella, 100 m, LN643400,184600, December­January (G. Carballo)(females, INBIO: INB0003430493, INB0003317401), 1 female, 1 male, April (W. Araña)(female, INBIO: INB0003057085), 1 male, Sendero Bobocara, 300 m, ( INBIO: INB0003076892).

Geographic distribution. (Fig. 34). Known only from lower Central America in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panamá.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Phallus, dorsal, ventral, left lateral aspects of Cryptobatis chontalensis Bates, specimen # CRI 002228291.