Thysanotus bimaculatoides 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 : 232-234

Thysanotus bimaculatoides Kavanaugh and Rainio , sp. nov.

Figures 17–18

TYPE MATERIAL.— Holotype ( Figs.16A–B ), a male, in CAS, labeled: “ MADAGASCAR

Ranomafana NP. Mangevo plot 1600m 20.4.2005 ”/ “240” [handwritten label]/ “ HOLOTYPE

Thysanotus bimaculatoides Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [red label]. Paratypes (total of 2): 1 female (in MNHN) labeled “ MADAGASCAR Ranomafana NP. Mangevo plot 1600m 22.4.2005 ”/ “240” [handwritten label]; 1 female (in CAS) labeled “CASENT 8069538”/ “ MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa, Forêt d’Ambalagoavy Nord , Ikonga , Abatombe Nov-2000 ”/ “ 21°49’39”S, 47°20’20”E Calif. Acad. of Sciences colls: R. Harin’Hala & M.E. Irwin, malaise trap 625m MA-01-12-01”. Both paratypes also bear the following label: “ PARATYPE Thysanotus bimaculatoides Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [yellow label].

TYPE LOCALITY.— Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park .

DERIVATION OF SPECIES NAME.— The species epithet, bimaculatoides , is an adjective derived from the Latin words, bis, meaning two, and macula, meaning spot or spotted, and the Greek word eidos, meaning like. The name refers to the similarity between members of this species and those of Thysanotus bimaculatus Deuve (2010) .

RECOGNITION.— Size slightly less than average for genus, SBL of male = 5.7 mm, of females = 5.3 mm. Members of this species ( Fig. 17A ) key to Thysanotus bimaculatus Deuve (2010) in Deuve’s key based on the following combination of features: elytra shiny, intervals smooth, elytral microsculpture indistinct (comprised of faintly impressed microlines and markedly transverse sculpticells, each elytron with a large, pale macula near the base on intervals 2 to 4, also extended partially onto interval 1 and to scutellum at basomedial part of macula, elytral apex bluntly round- ed, not toothed. Members of T. bimaculatoides differ from the holotype of T. bimaculatus in having slightly larger body size (SBL of holotype female of T. bimaculatus = 4.9 mm), pronotum slightly narrower, ratio of PW/PL = 1.1 (ratio of PW/PL = 1.2 in T. bimaculatus ), narrower basally with subbasal sinuation of the lateral margin slightly longer and deeper and hind angles sharp- er, rectangular to distinctly acute (compare with Deuve 2010, Fig. 17 ). Deuve did not have a male specimen of T. bimaculatus , so we cannot compare male genitalia of these two species. However, for future comparative purposes, we provide digital photographs of the genitalia ( Figs. 18A,C ) of the holotype of T. bimaculatoides as well as those of a male of Thysanotus spinosus ( Alluaud 1936c) ( Figs. 18B,D ) [males of this species previously unknown], to complement the illustrations of other Thysanotus species provided by Jeannel (1949) and Deuve (2010).

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.— At present, known only from two localities, 52 km apart, in central Fianarantsoa Province. Both localities are on the eastern slope off the central plateau.

HABITAT DISTRIBUTION.— The holotype and one paratype were collected by hand in the Mangevo area , about 1600 m distance in from the edge of montane rainforest, at an elevation of 1600 m. The other paratype was collected in a malaise trap in montane rainforest at an elevation of 650 m.

Figures

FIGURE 17. A-D. Digital images of holotype male of Thysanotus bimaculatoides Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. nov. A–D. A Habitus, Dorsal aspect; B. Labels. Scale line = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 18. Digital images of aedeagus of male genitalia. A, C. Left lateral aspect; B, D. Dorsal aspect. A–B. Holotype male of Thysanotus bimaculatoides Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. nov.; B, D. Thysanotus spinosus Alluaud (from Ranomafana National Park). Scale lines = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 16. Digital images of holotype female of Archicolliuris ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. nov. A. Habitus, dorsal aspect; B. Labels. Scale line = 1.0 mm.