Oopterus nunni, 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 : 51-52

Oopterus nunni new species

Fig. 52 , 98 , 137

Holotype: male ( NZAC) labeled: “ NEW ZEALAND SL Catlins SFP [= Catlins State Forest Park], Tawanui Campground 100m 12.I.1999 Larochelle and Larivière (typed) / Wet beech forest – along stream banks – in leaf litter. (typed) / [male symbol] / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Oopterus nunni Larochelle & Larivière, 2017 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: one female (NZAC) and one male (MONZ) from the same locality as the holotype, bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 4.9–5.8 mm. Head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen mostly piceous black; disc of head paler; lateral margins, suture, and apex of elytra reddish yellow; abdomen reddish piceous, yellow laterally and apically; antennae, palpi, and legs reddish; femora pale yellow. Microsculpture strong and isodiametric on head, obsolete and very transverse (with microlines) on pronotum and elytra. Iridescence absent on head, very strong on pronotum and elytra. Very shiny, without metallic luster. Head. Labrum strongly transverse, slightly emarginate anteriorly. Antennae submoniliform, moderately long: segment 1 (scape) moderately long, about 2x longer than its maximum width. Frontal furrows wide, deep, convergent. Eyes slightly convex; two setiferous punctures on inner side of each eye. Tempora slightly inflated (about one third as long as eyes). Mentum: medial tooth entire, acute apically, moderately shorter than lateral lobes. Paraglossae membranous, prominent, much longer than ligula. Thorax. Pronotum moderately convex, impunctate, wrinkled discally, strongly transverse, widest before middle; apex emarginate; anterolateral angles moderately developed, rounded; anterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; sides strongly rounded, slightly sinuate posteriorly; lateral grooves absent; two setiferous punctures on each side; posterolateral angles subrectangular; posterolateral carinae absent; laterobasal foveae well defined, impunctate, moderately deep, very wide, oblong, not prolonged forward, double; posterior bead absent; base emarginate, much narrower than pronotal apex, slightly narrower than elytral base. Legs. Moderately long. Elytra. Moderately convex, ovate, widest about middle. Basal margin incomplete, reaching about stria 4. Shoulders rounded. Sides strongly rounded. Scutellar striole obsolete. Striae incomplete; striae 1–4 shallow, finely punctate; striae 5–7 obsolete; stria 3 with three setiferous punctures. Recurrent stria long, sharp, directed apically toward stria 5. Subapical seta present. Intervals depressed. Sutural apices obtusely rounded. Abdomen. Last visible sternum (sternum VII): male with two apical ambulatory setae; female with four apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 98 ): moderately arcuate, not widened in apical half; base strongly biconvex dorsally; middle slightly concave dorsally, moderately convex ventrally, with dorsal membranous area moderately wide and long; apex subtriangular, slightly concave dorsally, moderately concave ventrally, with extreme tip slender and curved downward. Dorsal view: narrow, symmetrical (ostium of membranous area dorsal); apex straight; basal orifice narrow, closed anteriorly, moderately distant from membranous area. Parameres with four to six apical setae.

Material examined. 75 specimens ( JNNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 137 ). South Island: DN, SL.

Ecology. Lowland. Endogean. Wet forests (beech, broadleaf, podocarp), along streams. Shaded ground. Nocturnal; hides during the day in leaf litter, under well-embedded fallen branches, logs, and stones. Gregarious.

Biology. Seasonality: December–March, July. Tenerals: February (DN). Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).

Dispersal power. Subapterous (incapable of flight). Moderate runner.

Collecting techniques. Treading leaf litter into water; lifting fallen branches, logs, and stones; pitfall trapping.

Remarks. This species is named after our friend and colleague John Nunn (Dunedin) for his contribution to the building of important reference collections of New Zealand carabids. Oopterus nunni is morphologically close to O. garnerae . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, O. nunni has the following distinguishing features: head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen mostly piceous black; tempora slightly inflated (about one third as long as eyes); pronotum moderately convex, not cordate, posterolateral carinae absent; elytra moderately convex. The two species are allopatric: O. nunni is found in the southeast of the South Island (DN, SL), while O. garnerae occurs in the southwest of the South Island (FD, SL).

Figures

Figures 51–54. Dorsal habitus. 51) Oopterus garnerae new species. 52) O. nunni new species. 53) Synteratus ovalis. 54) Pseudoopterus otiraensis new species. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 98–105. Aedeagi, lateral. 98) Oopterus nunni new species. 99) Synteratus ovalis. 100) Pseudoopterus otiraensis new species. 101) P. plicaticollis. 102) P. latipennis. 103) P. fiordlandensis new species. 104) Maungazolus pygmeatus. 105) M. septempunctatus new species.

Figures 136–141. Species distribution maps. 136) Oopterus nanus new species. 137) O. nunni new species. 138) O. ocularius. 139) O. palmai new species. 140) O. patulus. 141) O. punctatus new species.