Omphreus Dejean, 1828

Ćurčić, Srećko B., Waitzbauer, Wolfgang, Zolda, Pamela & Ilić, Nastas, 2008, Two new high-altitude species of the genus Omphreus Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Harpalinae) from Serbia, Zootaxa 1926, pp. 20-26 : 21-24

Omphreus Dejean, 1828

Omphreus (Omphreus) ovcarensis S.B. Ć ur č i ć & Ili ć, sp. n. ( Figs. 1–4 )

Etymology. After Mt. Ovčar, the type locality of this species.

Type material. Holotype male: Republic of Serbia, Č ačak, Mt. Ovčar, v. Ovčar Banja, vicinity of the Preobrażenje Monastery, 24.5.1996, leg. N. Ilić; four paratype males and two paratype females, same collecting data as holotype. The type series is deposited in the collection of the Center for Biospeleology of Southeast Europe, Belgrade, Serbia.

Description. Large-sized. Body length: 17.61–18.61 mm (average 18.24 mm). Elytra oval ( Fig. 1 ). Body color black, but mouthparts, apical antennomeres, and tarsi black-brownish. Tegument shiny, except for elytra.

Head rounded, width/length ratio: 1.00 (0.97–1.03), shorter (head/pronotum length ratio: 0.66) and narrower (head/pronotum width ratio: 0.71) than pronotum ( Fig. 1 ). Head inconspicuously wider than fore pronotal margin, moderately constricted behind eyes; maximum head width: 3.05 mm. Labrum wide, bearing four setae. Epistome large, with concave fore border, bisetose. Vertex and occiput relatively wrinkled, without fine punctuation. Frontal foveae deep and relatively long. Gula with two setae. Mandibles long and sickle-shaped, somewhat widened proximally. First labial palpomere shorter than second, without setae. Second and third articles of labial palps widened distally, distal-most article more densely setose. Two distal-most articles of maxillary palps densely pubescent. Average antennal length: 10.38 mm (10.08–10.61 mm). Antennae pubescent from fourth antennomere. Antennae/body length ratio: 0.57 (0.54–0.58). First antennomere sharply widened distally, with sparsely distributed long setae apically, shorter than the following three antennomeres together. Antennomere II shorter than antennomere III.

Pronotum sub-bell-shaped, long, width/length ratio: 0.92 (0.89–0.965), slightly convex anteriorly (lateral view); fore angles rounded, hind angles almost right, with a rounded top ( Fig. 1 ). Length of fore pronotal margin: 3.01 mm; length of hind pronotal margin: 3.23 mm. Lateral margins arcuated anteriorly and sinuated posteriorly. Pronotum widest above midline (4.26 mm). Both anterior and posterior margins concave. Lateral margins with four anterior setae, one median seta, and one posterior seta. Lateral furrows narrow and shallow. Median furrow almost as long as pronotum itself. Basal foveae deep and long, somewhat shorter than half of pronotal length.

Elytra elongately oval, mostly flattened and convex apically (lateral view), relatively long, with sub-parallel lateral margins, width/length ratio: 0.59 (0.57–0.60) ( Fig. 1 ). Elytral width: 6.32 mm in males; 6.30 mm in females. Length of elytral base: 3.83 mm; maximum length of elytra: 10.80 mm. Elytral striae weakly expressed. Scutellum large, with weakly impressed median line longer than half of the scutellar length and a few short lateral folds. Scutellar striae developed, but paired scutellar punctures absent. Elytra widest at level of their mid-point (6.32 mm). One or two setiferous punctures situated in seventh interstrial spaces basally (close to sixth stria), four median setiferous punctures situated in seventh interstrial spaces (close to seventh stria), and five setiferous punctures on seventh stria apically. Striae fine, slightly more deepened basally, very lightly punctuated. Umbilicate series regular, its setae densely distributed. Elytral intervals flattened.

Protarsomeres 1 and 2 dilated in males; metacoxae long and rounded. Tarsal claws long, glabrous, without teeth.

Aedeagus long, laterally regularly curved, moderately widened subapically (in both dorsal and lateral views), with a pointed triangular apex, basal bulb widened distally ( Figs. 2, 3 ). Parameres moderately long.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 4 ): gonocoxites IX relatively small, thin, regularly curved, distally narrowed, apically pointed, and basally joined with massive gonosubcoxites IX.

Male abdominal sternite IX (urite) well-developed, sub-triangular.

Bionomy and distribution. The new species inhabits high-altitude localities on Mt. Ovčar, especially epigean and endogean habitats near the Preobrażenje Monastery. These soil-dwelling beetles are predators, their diet consists mostly of other insects and earthworms. The species represents an endemic and relict form, probably of Tertiary origin.

Omphreus (Omphreus) serbooccidentalis S.B. Ć ur č i ć, sp. n. ( Figs. 5–9 )

Etymology. This species is named for its type locality in western Serbia.

Type material. Holotype male: Republic of Serbia, Valjevo, Mt. Maljen, v. Mrčići, Bukovi Peak, 900 m a.s.l., 1.6.1997, leg. N. Ilić; two paratype males and one paratype female, same collecting data as holotype. The type series is deposited in the collection of the Center for Biospeleology of Southeast Europe, Belgrade, Serbia.

Description. Large-sized. Body length: 17.92–19.54 mm (average 18.52 mm). Body elongated; elytra widely oval ( Fig. 5 ). Body color black, but mouthparts, apical antennomeres, and tarsi black-brownish. Tegument shiny, except for elytra.

Head rounded, its width/length ratio: 1.01 (1.00–1.03), shorter (the head/pronotum length ratio: 0.62) and narrower (the head/pronotum width ratio: 0.67) than pronotum ( Fig. 5 ). Head somewhat narrower than fore pronotal margin (ratio: 0.97), moderately constricted behind eyes; head width: 3.10 mm. Labrum wide, bearing four setae. Epistome large, with concave fore border, bisetose. Vertex and occiput intensively wrinkled, without fine punctuation. Frontal foveae deep and relatively long. Gula with two setae. Mandibles long and sickle-shaped, not dilated proximally. First labial palpomere shorter than second, without setae. Second and third articles of labial palps widened distally, the ultimate one more densely setose. Two distal-most articles of maxillary palps densely pubescent. Average antennal length: 10.02 mm (9.77–10.23 mm). Antennae pubescent from fourth antennomere. Antennae/body length ratio: 0.54 (0.52–0.56). First antennomere gradually widened distally, with sparsely distributed long setae apically, slightly shorter than the following three antennomeres together. Antennomere II as long as antennomere III.

Pronotum sub-bell-shaped, long, its width/length ratio: 0.93 (0.92–0.94), slightly convex apically (lateral view); its fore angles protracted and hind angles obtuse, with rounded apex ( Fig. 5 ). Length of fore pronotal margin: 3.19 mm; length of hind pronotal margin: 3.46 mm. Lateral margins arcuated anteriorly and both well concave and divergent posteriorly. Pronotum widest after its fore third (4.615 mm). Both anterior and especially posterior margins concave. Lateral margins well-expressed, wide, with four anterior setae, one median seta, and one posterior seta. Lateral furrows wider and deeper (especially apically) than in Omphreus (O.) ovcarensis sp. n. Median furrow almost as long as pronotum itself. Basal foveae deep and as long as half of pronotal length.

Elytra roundly oval, slightly convex (lateral view), relatively long, with arcuated lateral sides, their width/ length ratio: 0.62 (0.61–0.64) ( Fig. 5 ). Elytral width: 6.77 mm in males; 7.19 mm in females. Elytral striae weakly expressed. Scutellar striae present, but paired scutellar punctures absent. Scutellum smooth, with very short folds. Elytra widest somewhat after level of their half-way point (6.77 mm). Length of the elytral base: 4.27 mm; length of elytra: 10.88 mm. One or two setiferous punctures situated in seventh interstrial spaces basally (close to sixth striae), five median setiferous punctures situated in seventh interstrial spaces (close to seventh striae), and five setiferous punctures on seventh striae apically. Striae fine, more deepened basally, deeper than in Omphreus (O.) ovcarensis sp. n., very lightly punctuated. Umbilicate series regular, its setae densely distributed. Elytral intervals flattened.

Two fore protarsomeres in males dilated; metacoxae long and rounded. Tarsal claws long, glabrous, without teeth.

Aedeagus long, regularly curved laterally, intensively widened sub-apically (in both dorsal and lateral view), with an obtuse triangular apex. Parameres relatively elongate. Basal bulb not widened distally ( Figs. 6, 7 ).

Female genitalia ( Fig. 8 ): gonocoxites IX long and thick, somewhat curved, distally somewhat narrowed, apically rounded, basally joined with massive gonosubcoxites IX.

Male abdominal sternite IX (urite) well-developed, sub-triangular ( Fig. 9 ).

Bionomy and distribution. The new species inhabits montane localities on Bukovi Peak, Mt. Maljen, western Serbia, especially epigean and endogean. These beetles are soil-dwellers whose nutrition is probably the same as in other Omphreus species. This species represents an endemic and relict form, probably of Tertiary origin.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Omphreus (Omphreus) ovcarensis n. sp. from the village of Ovċar Banja, Mt. Ovċar, Serbia. 1 — holotype male, habitus (dorsal view); 2 — holotype male, aedeagus (dorsal view); 3 — holotype male, aedeagus (lateral view); 4 — paratype female, genitalia. Scale lines 1.00 mm.

FIGURES 5 – 9. Omphreus (Omphreus) serbooccidentalis n. sp. from the village of Mrċiċi, Bukovi Peak, Mt. Maljen, Serbia. 5 — holotype male, habitus (dorsal view); 6 — holotype male, aedeagus (dorsal view); 7 — holotype male, aedeagus (lateral view); 8 — paratype female, genitalia; 9 — holotype male, abdominal sternite IX (urite). Scale lines 1.00 mm.