Geocharis antheroi Serrano & Aguiar

Serrano, Artur R. M. & Aguiar, Carlos A. S., 2011, Two new species of the genus Geocharis Ehlers, 1883 and new data on Anillina species from Portugal (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Zootaxa 3116, pp. 33-46 : 38-45

Geocharis antheroi Serrano & Aguiar , new species

( Figs 4 a–4h, 5c–5d, 6b)

Type material: Holotype, 3, Portugal, Carção (Vimioso) (U.T.M. coordinate: 29TQG0010), 22.IV.2010, (A. Serrano leg.). Paratypes, 8 3 and 12 Ƥ (23, 1Ƥ gold coated), same locality of holotype, 22.IV.2010, (A. Serrano leg.), 1Ƥ, Santulhão (Vimioso) (U.T.M. coordinate: 29TPG9806), 22.IV.2010, (A. Serrano leg.).

Diagnosis. Anophtalmous; body slightly depressed, brown with integument microreticulated. Sparse pubescence mainly on pronotum and elytra. Elytron with vestigial striae, humeral region strongly punctured, disk with one anterior and one posterior seta. Male forelegs with the first tarsomere dilated. Males and females without a median tooth on the internal margin of the metafemora. Mesotibiae with dense pubescence in both margins. Hind tibiae more or less straight. Aedeagus as in Figs 5 c–5d.

Description. Length of holotype: 1.9 mm. Length of paratypes: 1.6–1.9 mm (males and females).

Head ( Fig. 4 a) more or less as long as wide [length: 0.31–0.37 mm (males), 0.27–0.37 mm (females); width: 0.32–0.38 (males), 0.33–0.38 mm (females)], microsculpture distinct. Cephalic chaetotaxy (fixed setae of right side): L3+C1+F1+SA1+SP1+ V1 +O1+P0+G2. Frontal and clypeal setae inserted in two large and two small sulci, respectively. Antennae light brown, antennomeres 1–2 longer than the others, the latter subpyriform, the third and the fourth are the shortest ones and subpyriforms, antennomeres 5–10 gradually longer and oval-shaped, the last one acuminate. Mouth-parts ( Fig. 4 b) show the general pattern of the genus.

Pronotum cordiform ( Fig. 4 c), transverse, about 1.2–1.3 times wider than long [length: 0.35–0.43 mm (males), 0.34–0.41 mm (females); width: 0.43–0.51 mm (males), 0.42–0.50 mm (females)]; anterior angles not produced, widely rounded off, lateral channel not recurved inside of anterior angles; disk slightly convex, depressed between the two basal pits, with a superficial central sulcus which does not reach the anterior margin; anterior margin slightly straight and posterior margin slightly arcuate outwards; lateral margins with two or three slight denticles just before the posterior angles, which are right and dentate. Vestiture (pubescence): surface covered with scattered erect pubescence; one seta on the lateral margin in the broadest part of the pronotum, another one near the posterior angle; two additional setae inserted near the anterior angles.

Elytra ( Figs. 4 d–4e) 1.7–1.8 times longer than wide [length: 0.96–1.12 mm (males), 0.94–1.08 mm (females), width: 0.54–0.63 mm (males and females)], slightly convex, parallel and oval posteriorly, with vestigial traces of striae. Tegument microsculptured, disk more punctured in the shoulders, punctures sparser and disappearing to apex ( Figs. 4 d–4f); lateral margin narrow, finely serrate from the humeral angles, which are rounded, to the seventh seta of the umbilicate series. Vestiture: part of the pubescence of the disk is arranged in six irregular lines, these setae are erect and slightly directed anteriad ( Fig. 4 e); umbilicate series follows the pattern of the genus. The longest setae of this series are the 2nd, the 6th and the 9th with the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th, more slightly inserted within the elytral margin; besides these setae there are one parascutellar basad, two discal (one anterior and one posterior) and one apical seta ( Figs 4 d–4f).

Last abdominal ventrite with one pair of medium sub-marginal setae in males, two pairs of medium sub-marginal setae in females ( Figs 4 g–4h).

Male legs with the protarsomere 1 dilated; tarsomere 1 in all legs more pigmented (light brown) than the others; mesotibiae with a strong pubescence on both margins; hind femora (males and females) without any median tooth on the internal margin ( Figs. 4 g–4h).

Male genitalia ( Figs 5 c–5d) with median lobe arcuate (lateral view), apex strongly sharp and bent down (lateral view), arcuate inwards in the right side and broadly rounded in the left side (dorsal view); basal lobe with apophysis prominent, basal edge arcuate; internal sac as in figures 5c–5d; left and right parameres with 2 apical setae, left paramere with dorso-basal edge expanded ( Fig. 5 c).

The female genitalia follows the general pattern described for the other species of the genus (e.g., Zaballos & Jeanne 1987, Zaballos 1998, Zaballos, 2005). Female genitalia ( Fig. 6 b) shows the gonocoxite IX sickle-shaped, and has a long ensiform seta in the middle region of the external margin, one ensiform seta in the middle dorsal region and a double nematiform seta in the internal margin near the beginning of the apical third. Gonosubcoxite IX without special features; laterotergite IX with a variable number of setae (8–10). Internal genitalia (not shown) with spermathecal duct long, parallel and enlarged very slightly near the bursa copulatrix (length: 0.16 mm), a spherical spermatheca (width: 0.019 mm), duct of spermathecal gland short and thin, gland fusiform (lenght: 0.096 mm), middle region membranous, apical portion sclerotized.

Etymology. This new species is dedicated to the Portuguese naturalist Anthero Frederico Ferreira de Seabra, who greatly contributed to the knowledge of the Coleoptera of Portugal in the first half of the XX century.

Morphological affinities. The two new species share with most species of Geocharis two setae on the elytral disk, one anterior and one posterior (Table 1). In Table 1 some other morphological characters like the presence or absence of elytral striae, a tooth on the internal margin of the hind femora and the number of setae of the left paramere are compared in all species of Geocharis .

Taking into account the presence on the elytral disk of two setae, the absence of a tooth on the internal margin of the hind femora of males and females, as well as the fact that the adults present traces of elytral striae, the new species are close to G. b i v a r i Serrano & Aguiar, G. julianae Zaballos, G. k o r b i (Ganglbauer), G. massinissa (Dieck) , G. montecristoi Zaballos and G. testatretafoveata Zaballos (all the adults of these species exhibit the above characters). Nevertheless, in G. b i v a r i and G. julianae the elytral striae are stronger than in the new species (see Zaballos 1989, Serrano & Aguiar 2004). Geocharis bivari , G. julianae and the remaining other four species are also easily segregated from the new ones by the shape of the median lobe of aedeagus plus the pattern of internal sac sclerites ( Zaballos 1989, 2005, Serrano & Aguiar 2004a). The new species are easily separated from one another by the aedeagus conformation (cf. Figs 5 a–5b and 5c–5d) though they much resemble each other on external morphology.

The growing knowledge of the genus Geocharis in terms of number of species and morphological peculiarities, corroborates former conclusions (e.g. Zaballos 2005) about the difficulty of identifying its species based only in the external morphology, with the exception of some taxa (see Table 1). Characters that are not mentioned in Table 1 like ovulate elytra and the presence of a vestigial sutural stria ( G. coiffaiti and G. femoralis ), left paramere features, the pronotum shape or even hind tibiae shape are useful for identifying particular Geocharis species. This happens with adults of G. leoni Zaballos which present the left paramere with lamellar and membranous scales in the apex instead of setae, the adults of G. portalegrensis which exhibit a pronotal disk strongly flattened, the adults of G. iborensis Zaballos which present the hind tibiae arcuate inwards instead of the general straight pattern, and the adults of G. julianae which present a fold in the internal margin of this structure ( Zaballos 1989, 1990, 1998, Serrano & Aguiar 2000). Indeed, the best characters to identify and segregate the Geocharis species, besides the ones mentioned above, are found in the aedeagus, as are the general conformation of median lobe (lateral view), the apex of the same structure (dorsal view) and the armature pattern of the internal sac.

Faunistic data on other Geocharis taxa and Hypotyphlus lusitanicus . Geocharis olisipensis Schatzmayr, 1937 . Material examined: Bucelas (U.T.M. coordinates: 29SMD9305), 3.III.2011, 53, 4 Ƥ, 22.III.2011, 13, 2Ƥ, 30.III.2011, 23, 1 Ƥ. Within the genus Geocharis this species was the first one described for Portugal based on two specimens collected near Lisbon ( Schatzmayr 1937). Serrano & Aguiar (2004a) after some efforts to locate this species found it in the outskirts of Lisbon (Valejas and Fanhões) and more recently in Serra de Montejunto (almost 50 km north of Lisbon) ( Serrano & Aguiar 2008). The new locality near Bucelas is close to the former ones ( Fig. 7 ).

Geocharis quartaui Serrano & Aguiar, 2004 . Material examined: Serra de Sicó (Pombal) (U.T.M. coordinates: 29SNE3319), 31.III.2008, 1Ƥ, 15.IV.2008, 13, 3Ƥ; Serra do Sicó (Pombal) (U.T.M. coordinates: 29SNE3419), 15.IV.2008, 23 3, 10 Ƥ. This species was described on the basis of several specimens collected near Alcobaça (Carvalhal), a locality close to Serra de Aire e Candeeiros and recorded later in Serra de Montejunto ( Serrano & Aguiar 2008). This new localization in Serra do Sicó (almost 40 km north of Serra de Montejunto), indicates for this species a wider distribution than the previously thought ( Fig. 7 ). Interesting also is the fact that the Serra de Sicó male specimens exhibit a stronger median tooth on the internal margin of the hind femora than that observed in specimens of the other localities.

Hypotyphlus lusitanicus Serrano & Aguiar, 2004 . Material examined: Aldeia do Catarredor (Serra da Lousã) (U.T.M. coordinates: 29TNE6636), 2.IV.2008, 2 3; Fundeira (Pampilhosa da Serra) (U.T.M. coordinates: 29TNE8731), 3.IV.2008, 4 3, 3 Ƥ; Silvares (Fundão) (U.T.M. coordinates: 29TPE1141), 4.IV.2008, 1 Ƥ; Folgosa (Peso da Régua) (U.T.M. coordinates: 29TPF1357), 29.IV.2009, 1 Ƥ. One male and 1female from Fundeira are deposited in the collection of Vicente Ortuño; all the remaining specimens are deposited in the collection of the first author, Departamento de Biologia Animal (Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa). This remarkable species was found in the centre of Portugal (Aldeia do Mato near Tomar) ( Serrano & Aguiar, 2004b). Lately it was found in a new locality (Barragem do Cabril, Pedrógão Grande) almost 60 km farther north ( Serrano & Aguiar 2008). The new localities notably increase east- and northwards the distribution of this species ( Fig. 7 ).

Ecological and geographical considerations. The two new species of Geocharis inhabit the endogean environment in the same way than other congeneric taxa. This means that they live in the soil, usually at different depths of the B-horizon. They are found under sunken stones laying at different depths, from superficial (epigean) to well-buried (edaphic or endogean) environments. Individuals of endogean carabids are more easily found close to the superficial horizon layers after heavy rains because then the soil reaches higher percentage of humidity (saturation or close to saturation), pushing the beetles upwards. References to this behaviour are not abundant (e.g. Zaballos 2005; Zaballos & Pérez-González 2011), though we sampled several specimens of G. sacarraoi Serrano & Aguiar and Typhlocharis passosi Serrano & Aguiar, 2005 after rain in these conditions. However, the soil horizons do not always present the same depth and many times the bed rock is closer to the epigean environment. In this case endogean individuals may occur for instance between plates of sunken schistose rocks (e.g. Fig. 2 ).

Though only one species of Geocharis occurs at a given locality, there are some recorded exceptions (e.g. Zaballos 2005; Serrano & Aguiar 2001, 2006, 2008). Sometimes Geocharis species can also be syntopic with species of the genus Typhlocharis (e.g. Dieck 1869, Serrano & Aguiar 2008).

To date, all the Geocharis species located north of Tejo River in Portugal were recorded from localities ranging between the Lisbon region and Serra de Aire e Candeeiros. Interestingly, despite several field surveys to the north of Tejo River, only those conducted in the western region north of Lisbon led to the discovery of Geocharis species until now. Geocharis quartaui (also collected in this study) was found in Serra de Sicó, a mountain also located in the western region. The finding of the two new species here reported from surveys near the Douro River and Vimioso has increased the distribution of this genus 240 km farther north of Serra de Sicó. Yet, more remarkable was the discovery of Hypotyphlus lusitanicus in Folgosa in syntopy with G. barcorabelo n.sp. The presence of the former species north and south of Serra da Estrela ( Fig. 7 ) corroborates the hypothesis that H. lusitanicus is a zoogeographical relict of a lineage that once must have extended westward from the Lionigurian massif to the Lusitanian massif ( Serrano & Aguiar 2004b).

Finally we would like point out that G. barcorabelo n. sp. and G. antheroi n.sp. were not found within the limits of any Natural Park or protected area and as such are not currently under any conservation protection. From the 20 Geocharis species known in Portugal (including the new ones) (Table 1), only 7 (G. b i v a r i, G. boieiroi , G. monfortensis , G. m o s c a t e l u s, G. portalegrensis , G. quartaui and G. rodriguesi ) were recorded inside the geographical limits of a protected area.

Figures

FIGURE 2. The habitat of G. a n t h e ro i n. sp. in Carção (Vimioso region).

FIGURE 4. SEM photographs of structural features of Geocharis antheroi n. sp., (a), head (latero – dorsal view); (b), head (ventral view); (c), pronotum (dorsal view); (d), elytra (dorsal view); (e), right elytron (latero-dorsal view); (f), anterior half of elytra (dorsal view); (g), thorax and abdomen (male, ventral view); (h), thorax and abdomen (female, ventral view).

FIGURE 5. Geocharis barcorabelo n. sp. aedeagus, (a), median lobe and left paramere in lateral view; (b), apex of median lobe in dorsal view. Geocharis antheroi n. sp. aedeagus, (c), median lobe and left paramere in lateral view; (d), apex of median lobe in dorsal view.

FIGURE 6. SEM photographs of female genitalia in ventral view: (a) Geocharis barcorabelo n. sp.; (b) Geocharis antheroi n. sp.

FIGURE 7. Geographical distribution in Portugal (U. T. M. 10 x 10 km coordinates) of G. barcorabelo n. sp. (B), G. a n t h e ro i n. sp. (A), G. olisipensis (O), G. quartaui (Q), and H. lusitanicus (L) (red colour capitals).