Notagonum submetallicum ( White, 1846 )

Larochelle & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2021, Synopsis of the tribe Platynini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2021 (864), pp. 1-96 : 11-12

Notagonum submetallicum ( White, 1846)

Fig. 41 , 84 , 158

Colpodes submetallicus White, 1846: 2 . Holotype: “ New Zealand ” (BMNH, could not be located).

Colpodes (?) submetallicus: Chaudoir 1859: 359 .

Anchomenus submetallicus: Bates 1874: 241 .

Agonum (Europhilus) submetallicum: Csiki 1931: 873 .

Notagonum submetallicum : Darlington 1956: 6.

Notagonum (“ Agonum ”) submetallicum : Darlington 1961: 21.

Notagonum submetallicum: Moore in Moore et al. 1987: 221.

Description. Body length 8.6–10.4 mm. Dorsal surface with a greenish tinge. Head black; pronotum and elytra mostly brown; lateral margins of pronotum widely yellowish, of elytra narrowly reddish yellow; abdomen greenish; antennal segments 1–3 yellowish, 4–11 brownish; palpi brownish; legs yellowish. Microsculpture isodiametric on head, very transverse (with microlines) on pronotum, and isodiametric on elytra. Iridescence present on pronotum. Very shiny; metallic luster (bronze) moderate on head, strong on pronotum and elytra. Head. Mandibles moderately curved anteriorly. Labrum moderately transverse, slightly emarginate anteriorly. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, impunctate, strongly wrinkled on disc and mediobasally, very wide, slightly cordate, widest before middle; apex moderately emarginate; anterolateral angles well developed, rounded; anterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; sides strongly rounded, not sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads complete; lateral depressions very wide; posterolateral angles obtusely rounded; laterobasal foveae moderately deep and wide, prolonged forward; posterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; base subtruncate. Legs. Very long. Metatarsomeres 5 setose ventrally (with short setae). Elytra. Subdepressed, sloping down toward apex, oblong. Free along suture (hindwings fully developed). Shoulders broad, strongly rounded. Sides slightly rounded. Scutellar striole impunctate. Striae shallow, impunctate. Intervals depressed; interval 3 with three shallow, minute setiferous punctures. Umbilicate series with 16–19 setiferous punctures. Subapical sinuations feeble. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 84 ): moderately arcuate, slender; base strongly convex dorsally, with basal lobe narrow; middle wider basally and apically, moderately convex dorsally, strongly concave ventrally, with dorsal membranous area narrow; apex slender, moderately concave dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with extreme tip narrow and moderately long.

Material examined. 906 specimens ( AMNZ, BMNH, CMNH, JNNZ, LUNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 158 ). North Island: AK, BP, CL, GB, HB, ND, RI, TK, TO, WA, WI, WN, WO. South Island: BR, CO, DN, FD, KA, MB, MC, MK, NC, NN, OL, SC, SD, SL, WD. Offshore Islands: CH, TH.

Ecology. Lowland, montane, subalpine. Epigean, fossorial, arboreal. Edges of eutrophic marshes, ponds ( Juncus , Gramineae ) and slow rivers. Open ground; wet, soft, muddy soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day at the base of plants, in soil cracks and burrows, under vegetal debris, embedded logs, branches, and stones. Gregarious.

Biology. Seasonality: Throughout the year. Tenerals: February–March. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology). Food: Sandhoppers; strawberry seeds (occasionally). Predators: Starlings. Occasionally infested with mites and fungi (Laboulbeniales).

Dispersal power. Macropterous. Frequent flier to artificial lights at night. Abundant in seashore drift (indirect evidence of flight). Swift runner. Occasional climber (on trees and shrubs).

Collecting techniques. Treading the vegetation into water; examining cracks and burrows at the base of plants; turning vegetal debris, embedded logs, branches, and stones.

References. Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 138 (catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution, references), 2007: 114 (list), 2016: 38 (list); Baehr 2016: 5–6 (taxonomy).

Remarks. The holotype of Colpodes submetallicus could not be located in BMNH where White’s specimens can usually be found. However, there is no ambiguity regarding the identity of this taxon; the original description can only apply to the species as currently understood. In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, Notagonum submetallicum has the following distinguishing features: large in size, body length 8.6–10.4 mm; head greenish black; pronotum and elytra mostly greenish brown; antennal segments 1–3 yellowish, 4–11 brownish; legs yellowish; pronotum slightly cordate and widest before middle, lateral depressions wide throughout; legs very long; elytral striae impunctate. This species occurs on the Three Kings Islands (TH), North Island, South Island, and the Chatham Islands ( CH). According to Baehr (2016: 1, 4, 6), Notagonum submetallicum is a species endemic to New Zealand, while Notagonum marginicolle ( Macleay, 1871) is a separate valid species occurring in eastern and southwestern Australia.

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 154–159. Species distribution maps. 154) Maoriplatynus marrisi new species. 155) Notagonum chathamense. 156) N. feredayi. 157) N. lawsoni. 158) N. submetallicum. 159) Platynus macropterus.