Proditomus mirus Schauberger, 1934

Kаtаev, Boris M. & Wrаse, Dаvid W., 2018, Notes on Ditomina, with description of two new genera and a new species (Coleoptera, Carabidae) from the Middle East and India, Zootaxa 4459 (2), pp. 350-368 : 361-363

Proditomus mirus Schauberger, 1934

( Figs 25–29 )

Proditomus mirus Schauberger, 1934b: 233

Type material examined. Holotype: ♀, labeled “Turkestan” [handwritten], “Type”, “ Proditomus mirus Schaub., Loc. class.” [last two labels handwritten by Schauberger, the first one on red label], “Coll. Dr. E. Schauberger “[printed on white label], “ Proditomus mirus Schaub. [handwritten by Schauberger], “ mirus Schaub. ” [partly handwritten, partly printed on white label], “Type” [handwritten by Schauberger on red label] (OÖLL). The specimen is in very poor condition with a part of appendages completely or partly missing. Mouthparts and female genitalia were already dissected out and glued to a separate card by Schauberger.

Description (female). With characteristics of the genus. Habitus as in Fig. 28 . Body robust and convex, length 14.0 mm from apex of mandibles to apex of elytra, and 13.2 mm from apex of clypeus to apex of elytra. Black, including palpi, antennae and legs, only apices palpi paler. Head large (HWmax/PWmax = 1.08; HWmin/PWmax = 0.97), with small, very moderately convex eyes (HWmax/HWmin = 1.11), irregularly and coarsely punctate; distance between punctures longer than their diameter. Pronotum (PWmax/PL = 1.50; PWmax/PWmin = 1.76) very coarsely and sparsely punctate in anterio-medial portion and more densely and finely laterally and basally. Elytra oval (EL/EW = 1.42; EL/PL = 2.55; EW/PWmax = 1.20), widest at middle. Humerus rather widely rounded. Elytral striae thin, superficial, punctate, coarsely in basal half and finely apically, not reaching elytral base. Parascutellar striae long, basal pore puncture very small. Elytral epipleurae impunctate, distinctly bordered along inner margin. Intervals throughout flat, very finely and sparsely punctate; punctation uniform. Pro-, meso- and metathorax coarsely punctate, setation moderately long. Metepisternum ( Fig. 29 ) much longer than wide, strongly narrowed posteriorly. Hind wings fairly long but not folded (see remarks below). Аbdominal sternites finely and densely punctate, covered with short setae. Three penultimate abdominal sternites each with two long setae along posterior margin. Last visible sternite (in female) not modificated, with distal margin medially not enlarged and not plate-like. Female genitalia ( Figs 26, 27 ): laterotergite with numerous short setae on outer margin apically and at apex; basal and apical stylomeres wide and short, apical one rounded at apex, covered with large setigerous pore on inner margin and with numerous short setae.

Distribution. The species is only known from the holotype described from “Turkestan” without more detailed data. Since the territory of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan was carefully explored during last century, the range of this remarkable species may be restricted to northern Iran or northern Аfghanistan as well as to western Xinjiang ( China).

Remarks. The only known specimen of this species is in very bad condition, so we do not dare to re-prepare it for investigation of the hind wings, fearing it will fall into pieces, so we can only cite the statement of Schauberger (1934b) concerning this character. Аs the wings are not folded at apex, the species is seemingly incapable of flight.

Figures

FIGURES 25–29. Proditomus mirus Schauberger, 1934 (holotype). 25, labium; 26, right laterotergite and stylus; 27, stylus; 28, habitus; 29, left metepisternum. 25, 26, 29, ventral view; 27, lateral view; 28, dorsal view. Scale bars = 1.0 mm (A: Fig. 25, 29; C: Fig. 28), 0.5 mm (B: Figs 26, 27).