Disciferella psammophila, Kataev & Muilwijk, 2020

Kataev, Boris M. & Muilwijk, Jan, 2020, A remarkable new lebiine genus with two new species from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lebiini), Zootaxa 4763 (1), pp. 73-84 : 79-81

Disciferella psammophila sp. n.

( Figs 15–17 , 19, 21, 23, 26–29, 30 b)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7CC4567A-6590-4006-ACA2-E6646B512304

Type material. Holotype: ♂, “S. Iran, 400m / 6 km W Genu / 7.– 9.5.1977 // Loc. No. 323 Czechoslovak-Iranian entomological expedition” ( MNP) . Paratypes: 1 ♂, 7 ♀ “ Iran, Ziarat / 26 km NWN Bila’i / 14– 15.4.1977 // Loc. No. 330 / Czechoslovak-Iranian entomological expedition” ( MNP, RMNH, HMIM, ZIN) , 1 ♀, “ Iran Belutschistan / Iranshar 800m / 11.–21.IV.1954 / Richter u. Schäuffele” ( SMNS) ; 1 ♂, 1♀, “SE Iran / Bahu-Kalat / 3– 4.4.1973 // Loc. No. 147 / Czechoslovak-Iranian entomological expedition” ( MNP) .

Description. Habitus as in Figs 15 and 17 . Body length 4.4–4.8 mm, width 2.3–2.6 mm.

Characters as described for D. kabakovi sp. n. except as follows.

Colour: Brownish yellow, mat, with elytral disc, particularly medio-basally, slightly darker than head and pronotum, with yellowish suture; apex and inner margin of mandibles blackish brown (one female completely black, with small yellow elytral border).

FIGURES 18–23. Disciferella gen. n. 18, 20, 22, D. kabakovi sp. n.; 19, 21, 23, D. psammophila sp. n. 18, 19, head; 20, 21, pronotum, 22, 23, left metepisternum. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Head (Fig. 19): Approximately as wide as pronotum (HWmax/PWmax 0.97–1.03 and HWmin/PWmax 0.60– 0.66). Eyes larger and more convex than those in D. kabakovi sp. n. Tempora convex, about half as long as eye. Labrum also with three pairs of setigerous pores, one setigerous pore at each apical angle and two pair near middle, with clear incision at middle of anterior margin. Antennae densely pubescent from apical half of antennomere 4; antennomeres 1–3 with scattered short setae.

Pronotum (Fig. 21): Similar in shape to that of D. kabakovi sp. n. (PWmax/PL 1.17–1.25, PWmax/PWmin 1.44–1.62, and PWmax/PWbas 1.37–1.44). Sides sinuate at posterior fifth, bearing each, in addition to seta in basal angle, a strong seta approximately in widest point of pronotum (at the end of anterior fifth); apical angles each with a seta at apex; this seta shorter than anterior lateral seta and seta in basal angles but markedly longer than background pubescence. Lateral furrow reaching basal angle, narrow almost throughout, only slightly narrowed to apical angles. Dorsal microsculpture very distinct throughout, consisting of fine irregular meshes.

Elytra: Similar in shape to that of D. kabakovi sp. n. (EL/EW 1.14–1.18, EL/PL 3.30–3.53, EW/PWmax 2.34– 2.54). Sutural angle nearly right or narrowly rounded (not related to sex). Discal setigerous pore absent. In addition to marginal umbilicate series consisting of 12–14 large setigerous pores, one pore located at apex of position of stria 3 and one pore at apex of stria 6. Microsculpture very distinct throughout, not finer than that on head or pronotum, consisting of granulate meshes.

Ventral surface of thorax and abdomen: Prosternum throughout covered with partly slightly transversal and partly isodiametric microsculpture and more scarce setae than on proepisterna. Metepisternum (Fig. 23) longer than that of D. kabakovi sp. n., about twice as long as wide. Apex of last visible abdominal sternite in both sexes with one pair of marginal setae, concave in middle.

Legs: Protibia with one apical spur (ca half of protarsomere 1). Two inner apical spurs of metatibia ca 0.3–0.4 as long as metatarsomere 1 ( Fig. 16 ). Tarsi similar to those of D. kabakovi sp. n., but mesotarsomeres 3 and 4 slightly dilated in males.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 29 ): Laterotergite wider than long, with wide and deep emargination on mesal margin anteriorly; its apical membranous portion reduced; gonosubcoxite elongate, markedly longer than laterotergite, without setae and spines.

Male genitalia ( Figs 26–28 ): Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view slightly less arcuate than in D. kabakovi sp. n., with apical portion less markedly bent ventrally. Internal sac with a small field of slightly longer spines on the right side medio-ventrally and with spiny patch medially.

Etymology. The name of this new species refers to its assumed mode of life.

Distribution ( Fig. 30b ). This species is known from south-eastern Iran (Hormozgan and Sistan va Baluchestan provinces).

Bionomics. Most specimens of the type series of this new species were collected by the Czechoslovak-Iranian entomological expedition in 1973 and 1977. According to the description of the sampling localities ( Hoberlandt, 1981, 1983), the species seems to be a psammophile. The habitats in “Ziarat” are sandy dunes in the vicinity of date-palms and trees; the habitats in “Bahu-Kalat” and in “ 6 km W of Genu” are respectively a gravel sandy river bed and a savanna vegetation formation. In all localities, material was collected both by hand and by light trap, but there is no information concerning the specimens of the new species.

Comparative remarks. This new species is similar to D. kabakovi sp. n. in habitus and aedeagus, but can be easily distinguished from it, among other characters mentioned in the description, by using the following key:

1. Pronotum (Fig. 20) without anterior lateral seta at widest point. Each elytron in position of interval 3 with one very small discal setigerous pore located at the end of basal quarter. Head (Fig. 18) slightly narrower than pronotum, with smaller eyes. Metepisternum (Fig. 22) shorter, about 1.5 times as long as wide. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 13, 14 , 24, 25 ) in lateral view slightly more arcuate, with apical portion more markedly bent ventrally; internal sac with a small, nearly transverse row of finer spines on the right side medially. Laterotergite ( Fig. 10 ) about as long as wide, with shorter emargination on mesal margin anteriorly. Brownish yellow, with elytra slightly paler than head and pronotum. Larger: body length 4.7–5.2 mm. Afghanistan, Pakistan.............................................................................. Disciferella kabakovi sp. n.

- Pronotum (Fig. 21) on each side with a strong anterior lateral seta at widest point in addition to setae in basal and apical angles. Elytron without discal pore in position of interval 3. Head (Fig. 19) wider, approximately as wide as pronotum, with larger eyes. Metepisternum (Fig. 23) longer, about twice as long as wide. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 26 ) in lateral view slightly less arcuate, with apical portion less markedly bent ventrally; internal sac with a small field of slightly longer spines on the right side medio-ventrally. Laterotergite wider than long, with wider emargination on mesal margin anteriorly ( Fig. 29 ). Usually darker, with elytral disc slightly darker than head and pronotum. Smaller: body length 4.4–4.8 mm. South-eastern Iran...................................................................................... Disciferella psammophila sp. n.

Figures

FIGURE 30. Disciferella gen. n., distribution. a, D. kabakovi sp. n.; b, D. psammophila sp. n.

FIGURES 15–17. Disciferella psammophila sp. n. (15, 17, habitus; 16, metatarsomere 1). 15, male (holotype); 16, 17, female (paratype). Scale bars: A = 1.0 mm (15, 17), B = 0.5 mm (16).

FIGURES 24–29. Disciferella gen. n. 24, 25, D. kabakovi sp. n. (holotype); 26–29, D. psammophila sp. n. (26–28, holotype; 29, paratype). 24–26, median lobe of aedeagus, right lateral view (24, in transmitted light; 25, 26, in reflected light); 27, left paramere; 28, right paramere; 29, left laterotergite (ltg), gonosubcoxite (gscx) and gonocoxite (gcx). Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 4–14. Disciferella kabakovi sp. n. 4, labium; 5, left maxilla; 6, apex of last abdominal sternite (holotype), 7, same (female paratype); 8, hind leg; 9, left metepisternum; 10, left laterotergite (ltg), gonosubcoxite (gscx) and gonocoxite (gcx); 11, left paramere; 12, right paramere; 13, median lobe of aedeagus, left lateral view; 14, same, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 1.0 mm (8), B = 0.5 mm (9), C = 0.5 mm (4–7, 10–14).