Blennidus (Agraphoderus) bombonensis, Allegro, Gianni & Giachino, Pier Mauro, 2015

Allegro, Gianni & Giachino, Pier Mauro, 2015, Annotated checklist of the Blennidus subgenus Agraphoderus species from Peru with description of B. bombonensis n. sp. and synonymic notes (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Pterostichinae), Zootaxa 4000 (1), pp. 1-48 : 7

Blennidus (Agraphoderus) bombonensis n. sp.

( Figs. 11, 17 , 55, 93)

Type locality. Peru, Cerro de Pasco, Dr. Junin [actually the town of Cerro de Pasco is located in Dept. Pasco]

Diagnosis. A Blennidus species 8.0– 9.5 mm long, dark brown to black, moderately shiny, with legs and antennae brownish. It is similar in the aedeagal morphology to a few species distributed in central Peru, but it can be distinguished from all of them by the following character set: hind angles of pronotum rounded (angulate in B. egens , B. pachycerus , B. curtatus , B. nigritulus , B. phaenogonus , B. anxius , B. rectangulus ), postangular seta distinctly moved forwards (inserted at the angle in the mentioned species and in B. tardus ), front angles of pronotum prominent (not prominent in B. pascoensis and B. tardus ), 1st elytral stria hardly more impressed than others (distinctly more impressed in B. inca , B. pascoensis , B. ticlianus ).

Type Series. HT ♂, Peru, Dr. Junin, Cerro de Pasco, 4,100–4,200 mtr., 29.III.1977, legit J. Mateu (CSt). PTT: 6 ♂ 3 ♀, same data as the holotype (CSt, CMa, CAl, CGi); 1 ♀, 30 Km sud Cerro de Pasco, legit J. Mateu (CSt); 7 ♂ 1 ♀, Peru, Cerro de Pasco, 4,000 mtr. (ex Staudinger) (CSt).

Description. Habitus as in Figs. 11 and 17 . Overall length of the HT ♂ (from labrum to apex of elytra) 9.14 mm (PTT ♂ 7.9–9.2, ♀ 9.4–10.4 mm). Dorsal surface dark brown to black, moderately shiny (♂) or dull (♀) with marked polygonal microsculpture, much more evident on elytra. Antennae, legs and mouthparts reddish-brown. Brachypterous.

Head moderately large, eyes convex in both sexes; temples as long as 1/3 of eyes. Clypeus bisetose, moderately excavate at middle; labrum transverse, 6-setose. Frontal impressions deeply impressed and diverging towards eyes. Frons between eyes smooth and shiny. Terminal labial palpomere with thin and sparse hairs; penultimate palpomere bisetose and with a short apical seta. Median tooth of mentum prominent and excavate at apex. Antennae short, hardly reaching the base of pronotum, with antennomeres 4–10 only slightly longer than wide.

Pronotum transverse (width/length=1.32), with base slightly narrower than the anterior margin. Microsculpture evident only at sides, disk smooth and shiny. One basal impression on each side, superficial, linear and impunctate. Mid longitudinal line superficial, generally only impressed between the submarginal sulci, which are hardly evident, but sometimes reaching the base. Lateral margins narrowly bordered and unevenly curved, almost linear in the middle part. Anterior and posterior margins bordered at sides; base concave at middle. Front angles generally prominent; hind angles rounded (Fig. 55). Two lateral setae on each side, one distinctly moved forwards the hind angles and the other at about 3/4 from base. Prosternal process glabrous, rounded and margined at apex.

Elytra oval (length/width=1.6), fairly convex but depressed on disk. Microsculpture more impressed in ♀. Shoulders obtuse, without denticles. Scutellar stria present between striae 1 and 2. No setigerous punctures near base. Sides rounded and distinctly sinuate near apex; lateral keel narrow. Usually 3 setigerous punctures on each elytron, the 1st at basal 4th and adjoining the 3rd stria, the second at middle or just behind middle and adjoining the 2nd stria; the third at apical 4th and on the 2nd stria. All striae impressed and distinct to apex of elytra, the 1st more impressed than others. Intervals flat or hardly convex in both sexes; 2nd and 3rd interval (and sometimes 5th) wider than 1st.

Metepisterna slightly longer than wide. Abdominal sterna IV–VI glabrous except for the pair of central setae; a transverse impression with stout punctures evident at sides, shortly interrupted at middle. Sternum VII with one pair of apical setae in males and 2 pairs in females.

Legs stout. Mesotibiae crenulate at the external edge; male mesotibiae preapically swollen. Metatrochanters half as long as femora. 5th tarsomeres with one pair of setae dorsally and 2 pairs ventrally. Male protarsomeres 1–3 triangular and strongly dilated. Metatarsomeres 1–4 externally not furrowed.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 93 ) stout (length 2.3 mm), with median lobe roundedly inserted on the basal bulb, in lateral view distinctly bent downwards at apex, thicker at base and at middle, distally thin and distinctly sinuate; in dorsal view, the median lobe is nearly parallel-sided and the apical blade is triangular with blunt apex. Ostium in dorsal position, with standard size. Left paramere disc shaped, the right one narrow, nearly straight and apically spatulate.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the toponym ‘Meseta de Bombón’, the plateau where Cerro de Pasco is located.

Distribution and ecology. At present B. bombonensis n. sp. is only recorded from the area of Cerro de Pasco (Dept. Pasco). The data reported on the labels (4,000–4,200 m) suggest a preference of this species for the high altitude Andean grassland.

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 19. Habitus of Blennidus: bellesi male HT (16); bombonensis n. sp. male HT (17); crassus female HT (18); curtatus male HT (19).

FIGURES 88 – 93. Aedeagus (left lateral and dorsal aspects) of Blennidus: abditus HT (88); abramalagae HT (89); anxius HT (90); aulacostigma HT (91); bellesi HT (92); bombonensis n. sp. HT (93).