Kiwiplatynus taranaki Larochelle and Larivière, 2021

Larochelle & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2021, Synopsis of the tribe Platynini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2021 (864), pp. 1-96 : 21-22

Kiwiplatynus taranaki Larochelle and Larivière , new species

Fig. 49 , 92 , 150

Kiwiplatynus taranaki Larochelle and Larivière , new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “ NEW ZEALAND TK Mt Messenger For [=Forest], Mokau Rd-Kiwi Rd tk [=track] 200m 385350S 1743600E 5–11.XII.1999 Larivière, Larochelle (typed) / Wet broadleaf forest: pittraps. (typed) / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Kiwiplatynus taranaki Larochelle & Larivière, 2021 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: one female (NZAC) and one male (AMNZ) from Mount Messenger Forest , Mokau Road-White Cliffs track, bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 16.1–19.0 mm. Head, pronotum, and elytra black; abdomen blackish; antennae, palpi, and legs rufopiceous. Microsculpture very transverse (with microlines) on head and pronotum, moderately transverse on elytra. Iridescence present on head and pronotum. Very shiny on head and pronotum, moderately shiny on elytra. Head. Mandibles moderately curved anteriorly. Labrum moderately transverse, subtruncate anteriorly. Mentum: medial tooth strongly emarginate apically. Submentum with eight setae. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, obsoletely punctate, obsoletely wrinkled on disc, narrow, moderately cordate, widest before middle; apex slightly emarginate; anterolateral angles well developed, broadly rounded; anterior bead complete; sides moderately rounded and sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads complete; lateral depressions narrow; posterolateral angles rectangular, acute at tip; laterobasal foveae moderately deep, very wide, prolonged forward; posterior bead absent; base subtruncate. Legs. Metatarsomeres 5 setose ventrally (with long setae). Elytra. Slightly convex, not sloping down toward apex. Shoulders moderately rounded. Sides moderately rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore visible. Scutellar striole short or moderately long, punctate. Striae deep, coarsely punctate. Intervals strongly convex; interval 3 with a single shallow, minute subapical setiferous puncture. Umbilicate series with 22–23 setiferous punctures. Subapical sinuations feeble. Apices obtusely triangular. Abdomen. Sternum IV: both sexes with four long apical ambulatory setae. Sterna V–VI: both sexes with four or five long apical ambulatory setae. Sternum VII (last visible sternum): male with four long apical ambulatory setae; female with eight long apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 92 ): moderately arcuate; base strongly convex dorsally, with basal lobe rather narrow; middle subparallel, slightly biconcave dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with dorsal membranous area moderately widened from base to apex and moderately long; apex subtriangular, moderately biconvex dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with extreme tip narrow, moderately long, and moderately curved downward; internal sac with numerous scale-like sclerites. Dorsal view: very wide, asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to the left); basal bulb close to membranous area.

Material examined. 65 specimens ( AMNZ, BMNH, LUNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 150 ). North Island: TK, TO, WO.

Ecology. Lowland, montane, subalpine. Epigean. Wet forests (broadleaf, beech, podocarp) and swamp forests. Associated with streams and slopes. Shaded ground; wet soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day under logs. Gregarious.

Biology. Seasonality: October–January, March–April. Tenerals: November–December. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology). Occasionally infested with fungi (Laboulbeniales).

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

Collecting techniques. Pitfall trapping; turning logs.

Remarks. This species is named after the Taranaki region which includes the type locality Mount Messenger (TK), and is applied as a noun in apposition. Kiwiplatynus taranaki is morphologically close to K. bidens . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, K. taranaki has the following distinguishing features: submentum with eight setae; elytra with striae coarsely punctate, interval 3 with a single subapical setiferous puncture; sternum VII, male with four long apical ambulatory setae, female with eight long apical ambulatory setae. Kiwiplatynus taranaki is known from the central North Island (WO, TK, TO), while K. bidens occurs throughout the North Island (ND to TK– GB; WN).

Figures

Figures 49–52. Dorsal habitus. 49) Kiwiplatynus taranaki new species. 50) Kupeplatynus sulcitarsis. 51) K. crenatus. 52) K. lucifugus. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 87–93. Aedeagus, lateral. 87) Prosphodrus sirvidi new species.88) P.waimana new species.89) P. occultus. 90) Maoriplatynus marrisi new species. 91) Kiwiplatynus bidens. 92) K. taranaki new species. 93) Kupeplatynus sulcitarsis.

Figures 148–153. Species distribution maps. 148) Ctenognathus xanthomelus. 149) Kiwiplatynus bidens. 150) K. taranaki new species. 151) Kupeplatynus crenatus. 152) K. lucifugus. 153) K. sulcitarsis.