Ctenognathus novaezelandiae ( Fairmaire, 1843 )

Larochelle & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2021, Synopsis of the tribe Platynini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2021 (864), pp. 1-96 : 32-34

Ctenognathus novaezelandiae ( Fairmaire, 1843)

Fig. 55 , 98 , 138

Anchomenus Novae-Zelandiae Fairmaire, 1843: 12 . Holotype: one specimen from “Nouvelle-Zélande” [= New Zealand] (MNHN, Fairmaire Collection , could not be located).

Anchomenus (Ctenognathus) novae zeelandiae [sic]: White 1846: 3.

Ctenognathus novae zelandiae: Chenu 1851: 139 .

Dicrochile ovicollis Motschulsky, 1865: 316 . Holotype: one specimen from “ Nouvelle-Zélande ” [= New Zealand]. Synonymized by Kuschel (1990: 76).

Anchomenus punctulatus Broun, 1877: 371 . Holotype: “ Habitat : Auckland ” (BMNH, could not be located). New synonym

Colpodes neozelandicus Chaudoir, 1878: 294 . Lectotype (here designated): male (MNHN) labeled “baie des isles [= ND, Bay of Islands] (hand-written) / ExMusaeo Chaudoir (typed) / neozelandicus Chaud. Nouv. Zélande Baie des Isles Coll. Reiche (hand-written) / LECTOTYPE [male symbol] Colpodes neozelandicus Chaudoir, 1878 designated by Larochelle & Larivière, 2021 (red label; typed).” New synonym

Anchomenus montivagus Broun, 1880: 22 . Holotype: one specimen “near Whangarei Heads” [ND] (BMNH, could not be located). New synonym

Anchomenus politulus Broun, 1880: 22 . Holotype: female (BMNH) labeled “Type (circular red-bordered label; typed) / 47. (hand-written) / [ND] [Mt] Manaia 1876 (hand-written) / New Zealand. Broun. Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482. (white label with red horizontal line; typed) / Ctenognathus politulus . (hand-written).” New synonym

Anchomenus suborbithorax Broun, 1880: 24 . Holotype: male (BMNH) labeled “Type (circular red-bordered label; typed) / 51. [male symbol] (hand-written) / [ND] [Mt] Manaia 1877 (hand-written) / New Zeal. Broun. Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482. (white label with red horizontal line; typed) / Ctenognathus suborbithorax (hand-written).” New synonym

Anchomenus perrugithorax Broun, 1880: 24 . Holotype: male (BMNH) labeled “ Type (circular red-bordered label; typed) / 52. [male symbol] (hand-written) / New Zeal. Broun. Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482. (white label with red horizontal line;

typed) / [ND] Mt Manaia 1878 (hand-written) / Ctenognathus perrugithorax . (hand-written).” New synonym Ctenognathus latipennis Sharp, 1886: 363 . Synonymized with Anchomenus montivagus Broun, 1882 by Csiki (1931: 744). Ctenognathus politulus: Broun 1893: 986 .

Ctenognathus suborbithorax: Broun 1893: 986 .

Ctenognathus perrugithorax: Broun 1893: 986 .

Ctenognathus neozealandicus [sic]: Hutton 1904: 144

Anchomenus suborbithorax: Walker 1904: 115 .

Ctenognathus suborbithorax: Hutton 1904: 144 .

Colpodes neozelandicus: Csiki 1931: 758 .

Agonum (Anchomenus) punctatum [sic]: Csiki 1931: 865.

Ctenognathus neozelandius [sic]: Hudson 1934: 174.

Agonum novaezealandicum [sic]: Moeed and Meads 1985: 22.

Ctenognathus novaezelandiae: Kuschel 1990: 24 , 40.

Ctenognathus montivagus: Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 135 .

Ctenognathus punctulatus: Larochelle and Larivière 2007: 81 , 111.

Description. Body length 12.0– 13.9 mm. Head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen black; antennae, palpi, and legs rufopiceous. Microsculpture very transverse (with microlines) on head and pronotum, isodiametric on elytra. Iridescence present on head and pronotum. Very shiny on head and pronotum, moderately shiny on elytra. Forebody moderately wide in comparison to elytra. Head. Moderately wide. Mandibles moderately long and curved anteriorly. Labrum strongly transverse, moderately emarginate anteriorly. Eyes moderately convex; two setiferous punctures on inner side of each eye. Tempora not inflated. Neck constriction shallow dorsolaterally. Mentum: medial tooth entire, rounded apically; two setae. Submentum with four setae. Palpi with terminal segment obtuse apically. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, impunctate, obsoletely wrinkled on disc and across base, wide, slightly cordate, widest before middle; apex strongly emarginate; anterolateral angles well developed, broadly rounded; anterior bead complete; sides moderately rounded, not sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads complete; lateral depressions wide, more so posteriorly; a single setiferous puncture on each side (anteriorly); posterolateral angles obtusely rounded; laterobasal foveae moderately deep and wide, prolonged forward; posterior bead complete; base truncate. Legs. Moderately long. Metafemora with two posteroventral setae. Meso- and metatarsomeres 1–4 poorly developed, not carinate dorsally, deeply bisulcate laterally. Metatarsomeres 4 moderately bilobed and asymmetrical apically. Metatarsomeres 5 setose ventrally (with long setae). Elytra. Slightly convex, not sloping down toward apex, oblong, widest about middle. Shoulders slightly rounded. Sides moderately rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore invisible. Scutellar striole short, impunctate. Striae deep, impunctate. Intervals moderately convex; interval 3 with a single very deep, large (foveate) subapical setiferous puncture. Umbilicate series with 19–20 setiferous punctures. Subapical sinuations moderately strong. Apices obtuse. Abdomen. Sterna IV–VI: both sexes with two long apical ambulatory setae. Sternum VII (last visible sternum): male with two long apical ambulatory setae; female with nine or ten long apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 98 ): strongly arcuate, slender; base moderately convex dorsally, with basal lobe very wide; middle strongly convex dorsally, strongly concave ventrally, with dorsal membranous area strongly widened in apical half and moderately long; apex moderately convex dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with extreme tip narrow and very long. Dorsal view: narrow, asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to the left); basal bulb moderately distant from membranous area.

Material examined. 1421 specimens ( AMNZ, BMNH, CMNH, JNNZ, LUNZ, MNHN, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 138 ). North Island: AK, BP, CL, HB, ND, TK, WO.

Ecology. Coastal lowland. Epigean, fossorial, arboreal. Sand dunes and adjacent forests (broadleaf, podocarp), shrublands, and tree plantations (pine). Mostly open ground; dry soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day in burrows at the base of plants ( Muehlenbeckia , grass), in leaf litter, under logs, fallen trees and branches, or stones. Gregarious. Larval habitat: leaf litter and rotten logs.

Biology. Seasonality: Throughout the year; numbers decreasing from mid-winter onward. Tenerals: Spring. Young adults mostly inactive over summer. An autumn-winter breeder. Egg stage: 9 days. Larval development:

82.2 days (autumn and winter). Pupal stage: 11.8 days. Adult lifespan: one year. Predacious. Food: Small arthropods, e.g., insects. Predators: Rats. Occasionally infested with mites.

Dispersal power. Subapterous (incapable of flight). Moderate runner. Occasional burrower. Frequent climber (on trees).

Collecting techniques. Examining burrows at the base of Muehlenbeckia plants, pitfall trapping; sifting leaf litter; turning logs, fallen branches, and stones; pan trapping (yellow pan traps).

References. Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 131, 135–136 (as “ Anchomenus ” punctulatus , Ctenognathus montivagus , C. neozelandicus , C. novaezelandiae , C. perrugithorax , C. politulus , C. suborbithorax ; catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution, references), 2007: 81, 111 (as Ctenognathus punctulatus ; list); Philip and Burgess, 2008a: 35–39 (life history, rearing), 2008b: 41–46 (behavior, ecology), Larochelle and Larivière 2016: 37 (as Ctenognathus montivagus , C. neozelandicus , C. novaezelandiae , C. perrugithorax , C. politulus , Ctenognathus punctulatus , C. suborbithorax ; list).

Remarks. The holotype of Anchomenus Novae-Zelandiae could not be located in MNHN where Fairmaire’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, Ctenognathus novaezelandiae has the following distinguishing features: tempora not inflated; pronotum not sinuate posteriorly, sides moderately rounded, posterolateral angles obtusely rounded, base truncate, posterior bead present, complete; elytral apices obtuse. This species occurs in coastal dunes and forests on the North Island (ND to TK–HB). The holotypes of Anchomenus punctulatus Broun and Anchomenus montivagus Broun could not be located in BMNH where Broun’s specimens can usually be found. However, there is no ambiguity regarding the identity of these taxa; their original descriptions can only apply to Ctenognathus novaezelandiae as currently understood. Chaudoir described Colpodes neozelandicus from three specimens, one of which (a male) could be seen (MNHN) and is here designated as lectotype in order to preserve stability of nomenclature in the future. Examination of this specimen revealed it to be conspecific with C. novaezelandiae . Finally, examination of Broun’s types of Anchomenus politulus , A. suborbithorax and A. perrugithorax also revealed them to be conspecific with Ctenognathus novaezelandiae .

Figures

Figures 53–56. Dorsal habitus. 53) Tuiplatynus sophronitis, teneral. 54) T. libitus, teneral. 55) Ctenognathus novaezelandiae. 56) C. elevatus. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 94–100. Aedeagus, lateral. 94) Kupeplatynus crenatus. 95) K. lucifugus. 96) Tuiplatynus sophronitis. 97) T. libitus. 98) Ctenognathus novaezelandiae. 99) C. elevatus. 100) C. garnerae new species.

Figures 136–141. Species distribution maps. 136) Ctenognathus kaikoura new species. 137) C. marieclaudiae new species. 138) C. novaezelandiae. 139) C. oreobius. 140) C. otagoensis. 141) C. perumalae new species.