Ctenognathus pictonensis Sharp, 1886

Larochelle & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2021, Synopsis of the tribe Platynini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2021 (864), pp. 1-96 : 41-42

Ctenognathus pictonensis Sharp, 1886

Fig. 62 , 105 , 142

Ctenognathus pictonensis Sharp, 1886: 364 . Lectotype (here designated): male (BMNH) labeled “ Anchomenus pictonensis type D.S. Picton, N.Z. Helms (hand-written) / Type H.T. (circular red-bordered label; typed) / Sharp Coll. 1905-313. / Picton New Zealand. Helms. (typed). / LECTOTYPE [male symbol] Ctenognathus pictonensis Sharp, 1886 designated by Larochelle & Larivière, 2021 (red label; typed).”

Anchomenus pictonensis: Sharp 1886: 454 , Plate XII, Figure 5 (error for Ctenognathus pictonensis )

Ctenognathus simmondsi Broun, 1912: 386 . Holotype: male (BMNH) labeled “Type (circular red-bordered label; typed) / 3169. (hand-written) / [WN] Mt. Quoin 1000 feet. / Ctenognathus simmondsi (hand-written) / New Zeal. Broun. Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482 (white label with red horizontal line; typed).” New synonym

Description. Body length 11.0– 13.6 mm. Head and pronotum black; elytra and abdomen piceous black; antennae, palpi, and legs reddish. Microsculpture isodiametric on head, moderately transverse on pronotum, and isodiametric on elytra. Iridescence absent. Very shiny. Forebody narrow in comparison to elytra. Head. Narrow. 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 moderately emarginate apically; two setae. Submentum with four setae. Palpi with terminal segment truncate apically. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, impunctate, obsoletely wrinkled across base, narrow, elongate, strongly cordate, widest before middle; apex strongly emarginate; anterolateral angles well developed, angulate; anterior bead complete; sides strongly rounded (with a slight angulation) and sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads complete; lateral depressions narrow anteriorly, wide posteriorly; a single setiferous puncture on each side (anteriorly); posterolateral angles very long, acute, projected laterally, obtuse at apex; laterobasal foveae moderately deep, rather narrow, prolonged forward; posterior bead complete; base subtruncate. Legs. Very long. Metafemora with two posteroventral setae. Meso- and metatarsomeres 1–4 well developed, tricarinate dorsally, deeply bisulcate laterally. Metatarsomeres 4 moderately bilobed and asymmetrical apically. Metatarsomeres 5 glabrous ventrally. Elytra. Slightly convex, not sloping down toward apex, subovate, widest about middle. Shoulders moderately rounded. Sides strongly rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore visible. Scutellar striole short, impunctate. Striae deep, impunctate. Intervals slightly convex; interval 3 with a single very deep, large (foveate) subapical setiferous puncture. Umbilicate series with 18–20 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 two long apical ambulatory setae; female with eight or nine long apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 105 ): strongly arcuate; base moderately convex dorsally, with basal lobe very wide; middle subparallel, moderately convex dorsally, strongly concave ventrally, with dorsal membranous area very wide and moderately long; apex strongly convex dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with extreme tip narrow 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. 989 specimens ( AMNZ, BMNH, CMNH, JNNZ, LUNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 142 ). North Island: WA, WI, WN. South Island: MB, NN, SD.

Ecology. Lowland. Epigean. Wet forests (broadleaf, podocarp, beech) and tree plantations (pine). Associated with streams, rills, and seepages. Shaded ground; wet soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day under logs, fallen branches, or under stones. Gregarious.

Biology. Seasonality: September–March. Tenerals: February–April. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology). Regularly infested with fungi (Laboulbeniales).

Dispersal power. Subapterous (incapable of flight). Swift runner. Occasional climber (on trees).

Collecting techniques. Pitfall trapping; turning logs, fallen branches, and stones.

References. Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 136 (as Ctenognathus pictonensis , C. simmondsi ; catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution, references), 2007: 111 (as C. pictonensis , C. simmondsi ; list), 2016: 37 (as C. pictonensis , C. simmondsi ; list).

Remarks. Sharp described Ctenognathus pictonensis from several specimens, one of which (a male; BMNH) is here designated as lectotype in order to preserve stability of nomenclature in the future. Examination of the type of Ctenognathus simmondsi revealed it to be conspecific with C. pictonensis .

Figures

Figures 61–64. Dorsal habitus. 61) Ctenognathus adamsi. 62) C. pictonensis. 63) C. tawanui new species. 64) C. perumalae new species. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 101–107. Aedeagus, lateral. 101) Ctenognathus tepaki new species. 102) C. urewera new species. 103) C. cardiophorus. 104) C. adamsi. 105) C. pictonensis. 106) C. tawanui new species. 107) C. perumalae new species.

Figures 142–147. Species distribution maps. 142) Ctenognathus pictonensis. 143) C. sandageri. 144) C. takahe new species. 145) C. tawanui new species. 146) C. tepaki new species. 147) C. urewera new species.

Figures 1–13. Microsculpture: 1) granulate; 2) isodiametric; 3) moderately transverse; 4) very transverse. Neck constriction, dorsolateral view: 5) deep; 6) shallow; 7) absent. Eye and buccal fissure, lateral view: 8) touching; 9) separated. Terminal segment of palpi: 10) obtuse apically; 11) truncate. Paraglossae: 12) pubescent; 13) glabrous.