Prosphodrus waltoni Britton, 1959

Larochelle & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2021, Synopsis of the tribe Platynini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2021 (864), pp. 1-96 : 14-15

Prosphodrus waltoni Britton, 1959

Fig. 43 , 86 , 164

Prosphodrus waltoni Britton, 1959: 106 . Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “ Type (circular red-bordered label; typed) / alive on wall 500 yrds inside Waipuna Cave Te Kuiti [WO] 11.Jan.1958. B.M. May (hand-written) / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Prosphodrus waltoni gen. sp. n. (hand-written).” Paratype: one female (BMNH) from the same locality as the holotype, bearing a blue paratype label.

Description. Body length 17.0– 20.1 mm. Head, pronotum, and elytra black; abdomen black or reddish brown; antennae and palpi reddish brown; legs dark brown. Microsculpture isodiametric on head, moderately transverse on pronotum and elytra. Very shiny, without metallic luster. Head. Mandibles much longer than in other species, strongly curved anteriorly. Labrum strongly transverse, slightly biconcave anteriorly. Antennae very long. Eyes small, strongly convex. Tempora strongly inflated and very long (about two times as long as eyes). Mentum with six setae. Submentum with eight setae. Palpi with terminal segment truncate apically. Thorax. Pronotum strongly convex, impunctate, feebly wrinkled medially and laterally, wide, strongly cordate, widest before middle; apex slightly emarginate; anterolateral angles moderately developed, rounded; anterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; sides strongly rounded anteriorly, strongly sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads incomplete, obsolete in basal third; lateral depressions complete, widened anteriorly and posteriorly; posterolateral angles strongly rounded; laterobasal foveae very deep and wide, elongate (reaching pronotal apex), prolonged forward; posterior bead absent; base emarginate. Legs. Very long. Protibiae with dorsal longitudinal groove. Elytra. Moderately convex, sloping down toward apex, subovate, widest about middle. Basal margin complete, reaching about scutellum. Shoulders strongly rounded. Sides moderately rounded. Scutellar striole very long, impunctate. Striae deep, finely punctate. Intervals slightly convex; interval 3 with three obsolete setiferous punctures. Umbilicate series with 19–20 setiferous punctures. Subapical sinuations moderately strong. Apices obtusely rounded. Abdomen. Sternum VII (last visible sternum): both sexes with two long apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 86 ): strongly arcuate in basal half; base slightly convex dorsally, with basal lobe moderately wide; middle very wide, strongly convex, slightly concave toward apex dorsally, slightly convex ventrally, with dorsal membranous area strongly widened in apical half; apex subtriangular, moderately concave dorsally, almost straight, slightly convex ventrally, with extreme tip narrow and rather short. Dorsal view: moderately wide, asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to the left).

Material examined. 37 specimens ( AMNZ, BMNH, CMNH, CMNZ, JNNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 164 ). North Island: AK, CL, RI, TK, WO.

Ecology. Lowland, montane. Fossorial, amphibious. Margins of rills (about 1–2 m wide) and seepages crossing dense wet forests (broadleaf, podocarp); caves (occasionally). Associated with gullies and ravines. Shaded ground; wet, stony or gravelly soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day under embedded stones, logs, and clods of clay. Gregarious.

Biology. Seasonality: January–February, April, June–July. Tenerals: March–April, June. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology). Defense mechanism: when alarmed, the adult escapes by running and diving into the water.

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

Collecting techniques. Turning embedded stones and logs, also clods of clay; pitfall trapping.

References. Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 139 (catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution, references), 2007: 114 (list), 2016: 38 (list).

Figures

Figures 41–44. Dorsal habitus. 41) Notagonum submetallicum. 42) Prosphodrus mangamuka new species. 43) P. waltoni. 44) P. sirvidi new species. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 80–86. Aedeagus, lateral. 80) Platynus macropterus. 81) Notagonum chathamense. 82) N. lawsoni. 83) N. feredayi. 84) N. submetallicum. 85) Prosphodrus mangamuka new species. 86) P. waltoni.

Figures 160–164. Species distribution maps. 160) Prosphodrus mangamuka new species. 161) P. occultus. 162) P. sirvidi new species. 163) P. waimana new species. 164) P. waltoni.