Ctenognathus hoarei 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 : 59-60

Ctenognathus hoarei Larochelle and Larivière , new species

Fig. 79 , 122 , 134

Ctenognathus hoarei Larochelle and Larivière , new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “[ NEW ZEALAND MC] NZ: 43°47′S 172°49′E Reynolds [near Reynolds Valley Road] ( NP1 ) FIT: 13 days (# R043-006 ) Native: 27m from edge RE: Neumegen 21-Dec-05 (typed) / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Ctenognathus hoarei Larochelle & Larivière, 2021 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: one female (NZAC) from Middle Road [near Kaituna Valley, Banks Peninsula] (MC) and one female (LUNZ) from Kaituna Valley, Kaituna Stream (MC), bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 11.1–12.3 mm. Head, pronotum, and elytra mostly piceous black; lateral margins of pronotum and elytra reddish; abdomen rufopiceous; antennae and palpi rufotestaceous; femora dark yellow; tibiae and tarsi reddish. Microsculpture isodiametric on head, moderately transverse on pronotum, and isodiametric on elytra (elytra almost granulate). Iridescence absent. Head and pronotum very shiny, elytra dull. Forebody moderately wide in comparison to elytra. Head. Moderately wide. Mandibles moderately long and curved anteriorly. Labrum strongly transverse, deeply emarginate anteriorly. Eyes moderately convex; two setiferous punctures on inner side of each eye. Tempora not inflated. Neck constriction shallow dorsolaterally. Mentum: medial tooth slightly emarginate apically; two setae. Submentum with six setae. Palpi with terminal segment truncate apically. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, impunctate, deeply wrinkled on disc, feebly wrinkled across base, narrow, slightly cordate, widest before middle; apex slightly emarginate; anterolateral angles poorly developed, rounded; anterior bead obsolete; sides moderately rounded, moderately sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads complete; lateral depressions narrow anteriorly, widened posteriorly; two setiferous punctures (anterior and posterior) on each side; posterolateral angles acute, slightly projected laterally; laterobasal foveae very deep, moderately wide, prolonged forward; posterior bead obsolete; base emarginate. Legs. Moderately long. Metafemora with two posteroventral setae. Meso- and metatarsomeres 1–4 well developed, tricarinate dorsally, deeply bisulcate laterally. Metatarsomeres 4 moderately bilobed, symmetrical apically. Metatarsomeres 5 glabrous ventrally. Elytra. Moderately convex, not sloping down toward apex, subovate, widest about middle. Shoulders moderately rounded. Sides strongly rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore visible. Scutellar striole moderately long, impunctate. Striae shallow, finely punctate. Intervals subdepressed; interval 3 with three shallow, minute setiferous punctures. Umbilicate series with 17–18 setiferous punctures. Subapical sinuations feeble. Apices obtusely rounded. Abdomen. Sterna IV–VI: both sexes with two 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. 122 ): moderately arcuate; base strongly convex dorsally, with basal lobe narrow; middle slightly convex dorsally, moderately concave ventrally, with dorsal membranous area very wide and long; apex angulate, straight dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with extreme tip subtriangular, moderately wide, and moderately long. Dorsal view: moderately wide, asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to the left); basal bulb moderately distant from membranous area.

Material examined. 38 specimens ( CMNZ, LUNZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 134 ). South Island: MC –Banks Peninsula.

Ecology. Lowland. Epigean. Dry forests (broadleaf, podocarp, beech), scrublands, and tree plantations (pine). Shaded ground; dry soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day under logs and stones, or in leaf litter. Gregarious.

Biology. Seasonality: October–April, June. Tenerals: February. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).

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

Collecting techniques. Turning logs and stones; sifting leaf litter.

Remarks. This species is named after Robert J.B. Hoare (Landcare Research, Auckland), longtime friend and colleague, for his special help and encouragement in our carabid research and for his special talent and dedication as a manuscript reviewer. Ctenognathus hoarei is morphologically close to C. oreobius . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, C. hoarei has the following distinguishing features: antennae rufotestaceous; terminal segment of palpi truncate apically; eyes moderately convex; pronotum deeply wrinkled on disc, slightly cordate, posterolateral angles acute and slightly projected laterally; elytra subovate, sides strongly rounded, striae shallow and finely punctate. Both species are allopatric: C. hoarei is restricted to the Banks Peninsula (MC), while C. oreobius occurs mostly in southeastern areas of the South Island (MK to SL).

Figures

Figures 77–79. Dorsal habitus. 77) Ctenognathus davidsoni new species. 78) C. oreobius. 79) C. hoarei new species. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 115–122. Aedeagus, lateral. 115) Ctenognathus xanthomelus. 116) C. intermedius. 117) C. colensonis. 118) C. otagoensis. 119) C. earlyi new species.120) C. davidsoni new species.121) C. oreobius. 122) C. hoarei new species.

Figures 130–135. Species distribution maps. 130) Ctenognathus edwardsii. 131) C. elevatus. 132) C. garnerae new species. 133) C. helmsi. 134) C. hoarei new species. 135) C. intermedius.