Pristacrus ranomafanae Kavanaugh and Rainio, 2016

Kavanaugh, David H. & Rainio, Johanna, 2016, Twenty-six New Species of Predaceous Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Adephaga: Carabidae) from Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 63 (7), pp. 201-268 : 238-241

Pristacrus ranomafanae Kavanaugh and Rainio , sp. nov.

Figures 21 –22

Pristacrus n. sp. 1; Rainio 2009: 33, Rainio 2012: 73 (informal designation).

TYPE MATERIAL.— Holotype ( Figs.21A–B ), a male, in CAS, labeled: “CASENT 1003833”/ “ MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Talatakely area , 900 m, mixed tropical forest, 2-22 January 2001,”/ “ 21.25041°S / 47.41945°E, Stop# DHK-01-001, D.H. & K.M Kavanugh, R.L. Brett, E. Elsom, F. Vargas, R. Ranaivosolo,”/ “ E.F. Randrianirina, N. Rasoamananana, T.J. Ravelomanana, and H.C. Raveloson collectors”/ “collected at night on surface of rotting logs on forest floor or suspended just above it”/ “ HOLOTYPE Pristacrus ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [red label] . Paratypes (total of 19): 1 male and 1 female (in CAS) labelled “CASENT 1003832” or “CASENT 1003831”, respectively, otherwise labeled same as holotype; 1 female (in CAS) labeled “CASENT 1004470”/ “ MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Talatakely area , 900 m, mixed tropical forest, 2-22 January 2001,”/ “ 21.25041°S / 47.41945°E, Stop# DHK-01-001, D.H. & K.M Kavanugh, R.L. Brett, E. Elsom, F. Vargas, R. Ranaivosolo,”/ “ E.F. Randrianirina, N. Rasoamananana, T.J. Ravelomanana, and H.C. Raveloson collectors”/ “collected in daytime from large accumulation of dead leaf, twig, and branch debris on and extended up to 2 m above forest floor”; 1 male (in CAS) labeled “CASENT 1002838”/ “ MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Talatakely area , 900 m, mixed tropical forest, 2-22 January 2001,”/ “ 21.25041°S / 47.41945°E, Stop# DHK-01-001, D.H. & K.M Kavanugh, R.L. Brett, E. Elsom, F. Vargas, R. Ranaivosolo,”/ “ E.F. Randrianirina, N. Rasoamananana, T.J. Ravelomanana, and H.C. Raveloson collectors”/ “collected in daytime under loss bark of rotting log logs on forest floor or suspended just above it”; 1 male and two females

(in CAS and MZF) labeled “CASENT

1003752”, “CASENT 1003751” or “CASENT

1003753”, respectively/ “ MADAGASCAR,

Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National

Park , Talatakely area, 900 m, mixed tropical forest, 2-22 January 2001,”/ “ 21.25041°S /

47.41945°E, Stop# DHK-01-001, D.H. & K.M

Kavanugh, R.L. Brett, E. Elsom, F. Vargas,

R. Ranaivosolo,”/ “E.F. Randrianirina,

N. Rasoamananana, T.J. Ravelomanana, and

H.C. Raveloson collectors”/ “collected in daytime on underside of rotting log logs on forest floor or suspended just above it”; 1 male (in

CAS) labeled “CASENT 1004313”/ “MADA- FIGURE 22. Digital images of aedeagus of genitalia of GASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranoma- male holotype of Pristacrus ranomafanae Kavanaugh & fana National Park, Talatakely area , 900 m, Rainio sp. nov. A. Left lateral aspect; B. Dorsal aspect. Scale line = 0.5 mm .

mixed tropical forest, 2-22 January 2001,”/

“ 21.25041°S / 47.41945°E, Stop# DHK-01-001, D.H. & K.M Kavanugh, R.L. Brett, E. Elsom, F. Vargas, R. Ranaivosolo,”/ “E.F. Randrianirina, N. Rasoamananana, T.J. Ravelomanana, and H.C. Raveloson collectors”/ “collected in daytime from leaf litter on forest floor”; 1 female (in CAS) labeled “CASENT 1051144”/ “ MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Talatakely area , 900 m, mixed tropical forest, 27 April 1998 ”/ “ 21°15.3’S 47°25.9’E, Stop # 98-85 A D.H. Kavanaugh collector collected in and under rotten logs on forest floor” ; 1 female (in CAS) labeled “CASENT 8068264”/ “ MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana, Belle Vue at Talatakely , elev 1020 m 28 April – 5 May 2002 ”/ “ 21°15.99’S 47°25.21’E collector: R. Harin’Hala California Acad of Sciences malaise secondary tropical forest MA-02-09C-27” ; 1 female (in CAS) labeled “CASENT 8068264”/ “ MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana, Belle Vue at Talatakely , elev 1020 m 15-22 November 2001 ”/ “ 21°15.99’S 47°25.21’E collector: R. Harin’Hala California Acad of Sciences malaise secondary tropical forest MA-02-09C-03” ; 1 male (in NMNH) labeled “ MADAGASCAR: Prov. Fianarantsoa, 7 km W Ranomafana, 900 m 1-9 February 1990 W. E. Steiner ”/ “at black light in montane rainforest near river and stream” ; 1 male (in CAS) labeled “CASENT 8005762”/ “ 21.25041°S / 47.41945°E MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Prov Ranomafana National Park, Talatakely area, 900m, 10:1:2001 Col. K. Will headlamp search logs” ; 5 males and 1 female (in EMEC and MNHN) labeled “CASENT 8005762”/ “ 21.25041°S / 47.41945°E MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Prov Ranomafana National Park, Talatakely area, 900m, 10:1:2001 Col. K. Will headlamp search logs”. All paratypes also bear the following label: “ PARATYPE Pristacrus ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [yellow label] .

TYPE LOCALITY.— Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park . DERIVATION OF SPECIES NAME.— The species epithet, ranomafanae , is a noun in apposition, derived from the name of the national park in which the type was collected .

RECOGNITION.— Size small for genus, SBL of males = 8.3–8. 5 mm, of female = 8.6 mm. Members of this species ( Fig. 21A ) are distinguished from those of all other species in the genus except Pristacrus binotatus Klug (1833) by their small body size (SBL greater than 10.0 mm in members of the three other species). They differ from members of Pristacrus semipiceus ( Fairmaire 1887) , in having much smaller body size (SBL = 13.6 to 14. 5 mm in P. semipiceus members), a shinier dorsal surface, shorter and broadly rounded mandibles and an impunctate (but longitudinally rugulose) frons (dorsal surface duller, mandibles distinctly longer and more tapered, and frons punctate as well as rugulose in P. semipiceus members). They differ from members of P. laticollis in having slightly smaller body size (SBL = 10.2–11. 1 mm), slightly shinier dorsal surface, relatively longer and narrower pronotum and elytra that are broadly ovoid with lateral margin arcuate and lateral explanation broad throughout, especially at middle, and elytral apices distinctly angulate and toothed (duller dorsal surface, relatively broader and shorter pronotum and elytra that are nearly parallel-sided at middle with lateral explanation narrower throughout and elytral apices broadly rounded in P. laticollis members). They differ from the unique type of Pristacrus rotundatus ( Fairmaire 1892) in having smaller body size (SBL = 11.9 mm in P. rotundatus type), shinier dorsal surface, elytra less broadly rounded and humeri less anteriorly projected (dorsal surface dull and elytra markedly broad and rounded and humeri more projected anteriorly in P. rotundatus type). Members of P. ranomafanae are very similar to those of P. binotatus in size and overall form. Specimens of the former have the dorsal surface slightly shinier, the pronotum relatively broader basally, with subbasal sinuation of the lateral margins absent or only very faint and hind angles less sharply defined, and elytra with striae slightly more deeply impressed and intervals more convex and more roughened at the raised center than in most members of P. binotatus . However, at least a few specimens of P. binotatus share one or more of these features with P. ranomofanae members. They only features that most reliably distinguish members of P. ranomafanae from those of P. binotatus , as well as from members of the other species, are the male genitalia. In P. ranomafanae males (Fig. 22A–B), the shaft of the median lobe is inflated subbasally but lacks the large, well-defined dorsal bulge seen in males of P. binotatus (see Jeannel 1949, Fig. 486) and, in lateral aspect ( Fig. 21A ), the apex is distinctly hooked dorsally (apex not hooked in P. binotatus males. Males of the each of the other species also have the shaft of the median lobe uniquely shaped.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.— At present, known only from the type locality.

HABITAT DISTRIBUTION.— Specimens of the type series were all collected in secondary montane rainforest in the Talatakely area at elevations of 900 to 1020 m. The area is replete with invasive guava ( Psidium cattleianum ). Specimens were found in daytime in masses of dead leaves, twigs and branch debris accumulated on the forest floor, in leaf litter, and under loose bark or on the underside of rotting logs on the forest floor. Several were found at night running on the surfaces of rotting logs on the forest floor; two were collected in malaise traps and one was attracted to and collected at an ultraviolet light.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Digital images of holotype male of Pristacrus ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. nov. A. Habitus, dorsal aspect; B Labels. Scale line = 1.0 mm.