Nesamblyops tararua, Sokolov, 2023

Sokolov, Igor M., 2023, Eight new species of the genus Nesamblyops Jeannel (Anillini: Carabidae: Coleoptera) from New Zealand with notes about dispersal of the genus to the North Island, Zootaxa 5230 (2), pp. 179-201 : 192-195

Nesamblyops tararua , sp. nov.

Figs. 3B , 4H , 6D–F , 7G , 9

Type material. HOLOTYPE, male, in NZAC, labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Tararua Range Judd Ridge Otaki Forks 800m \ 5Nov 1980 C.F. Butcher litter 80/101 \ NZ PB\. PARATYPES (129 specimens glued on boards and triangles plus more than 20 specimens in plastic capsules, in NZAC, dissected 16 exx.), 9 males and 6 females labeled same as holotype; 5 males and 4 females labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Tararua Ra Dundas Hut Ridge 950m 3 Dec 1984 \ R.C. Craw Sifted litter 84/88\ Duplicate specimens in alcohol\ NZ PB\; 1 female labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Tararua Ra Dundas Hut Ridge 1350m, E side 6 Dec 1984 \ R.C. Craw Sifted litter 84/88\ Duplicate specimens in alcohol\ NZ PB\; 2 females labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Tararua Ra Dundas Hut Ridge 990m 3 Dec 1984 \ B.G.Bennet & T.K. Crosby Sifted litter 84/83 \ NZ PB\; 1 female labeled: \ Tararua Ra Dundas Hut Ridge River Forks 900m 11 Feb 1985, G.W. Ramsay, litter 85/12 \ NZ PB\; 2 females labeled: \ Tararua Ra., Dundas Hut Ridge, 800m, 13 Feb 1985, G.W. Ramsay, Sifted litter 85/16 \ NZ PB\; 2 females labeled: \ Tararua Ra., Dundas Hut Ridge, 950m, 29 Nov 1984, R.C. Crow, in Blechnum discolour \ NZ PB\; 1 female labeled: \ Tararua Ra., Dundas Hut Ridge, 990m, 13 Feb 1985 \ C.F. Butcher Litter 85/19 \ NZ PB\; 1 male and 1 female labeled: \ 10km S of Levin, Waikawa, 150m, 8 Mar 1978 S.B. & J. Peck \ litter \ S. & B. Peck Collection \ NZ PB\; 1 male labeled: \ Nth. Manakau Rd 12.5.91 J.A. & J.I. Townsend\ J.I.Townsend Collection\; 1 male labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Levin Kimberley Reserve 6 Nov 1980 C.F.Butcher\ litter 80/103 \ NZ PB\; 2 females labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Mt Holdsworth Start of Interior Track 30 Jan 1985 \ H.P. McColl Sifted litter 2/85 \ NZ PB\; 4 males labeled: \ Mt. Holdsworth 2000’ Tararuas 19.xi.68 S. Edridge\ moss 68/202 \ DSIR \ No \ NZ PB\; 2 females labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Tararua Range Judd Ridge Otaki Forks, 272m 5Nov 1980 \C.F. Butcher litter 80/102 \ NZ PB\; 1 male and 1 female labeled: \ Tararua Ra. 17 Nov 68 S.Edridge \ N. D 3 \ 2000’ litter 68/200 \ DSIR \ No \ NZ PB\; 1 female labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN W. Peak Tararua Ra 1280m 14 Apr 1974 J.C. Watt \ Litter under Olearia colensoi & Chionochloa 74/31 \ NZ PB\; 1 female labeled: \ Nr. Field Hut 3000’ 6.9.65 J.I.Townsend moss in forest \; 1 male labeled: \ litter under grass track N. of Wharite 3000’ 13.11.89 J.I.Townsend \ J.I.Townsend Collection \; 1 male labeled: \ Waiotauru Rd Akatarawa Range litter 16.11.91 J.Nunn \ J.I.Townsend Collection \; more than 10 specimens in plastic capsule labeled: \ Waiotauru Rd. 22-10-91 Akatarawa Range litter under silver beech J.I.Townsend \ J.I.Townsend Collection \; more than 10 specimens in plastic capsule labeled: \ Akatarawa Range Waiotauru Rd litter 16.11.91 J.I.Townsend \ Nesamblyops oreobius \ J.I.Townsend Collection \; 1 male labeled: \ leaf litter silver beech forest Waiotauru 830m 26.4.88 J. Cooksley Tararua Forest Park \ J.I.Townsend Collection \; 1 male labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Tararua Forest Park Waiotauru Rd 20 Jul 1999 E.Spurr \ 7/S \ NZ PB\; 1 male labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Tararua Forest Park Waiotauru Rd 11 May 1999 E.Spurr \ 10/W \ NZ PB\; 8 males and 4 females labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Akatarawa Sdle 600m, 7 Mar 1978 S.B. Peck Litter \ S. & B. Peck Collection \ NZ PB\; 3 males and 8 females labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Akatarawa Sdle Tararua FP Tk 17 Jan 1984 H.P. McColl \ 8/84 litter \ Duplicate specimens in alcohol \ NZ PB\; 1female labeled: \ Akatarawa Range S. of Saddle 1700’ Leaf litter 8-9-85 A.J. Townsend \ Anillini Nesamblyops oreobius (Broun) \ J.I.Townsend Collection \; 1 male labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Kaitoke Waterworks Swingbridge Tk 200m, 29 Jan 1985 \ C. Welch Nothofagus truncata litter \ NZ PB\; 1 female labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Kaitoke Waterworks Bush Walk, 200m 29 Jan 1985 \ C. Welch Mixed forest litter \ NZ PB\; 1 male labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Orongorongo V, W.N. 15 Jan 1995 \ Hard beech forest litter Tullgren #61 \ Nesamblyops oreobius Broun det. A. Larochelle 1995 \; 1 male and 1 female labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Orongorongo V, W.N. 17 Dec 1993 \ Hard beech forest litter Tullgren #34 \ Nesamblyops oreobius Broun det. A. Larochelle 1995 \ NZ PB\; 1 male labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Orongorongo V, W.N. 17 Dec 1993 \ Hard beech forest litter Tullgren #35 \ Nesamblyops oreobius Broun det. A. Larochelle 1995 \ NZ PB\; 3 females labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Orongorongo V Stn Ridge 100m 27 Jan 1992 J.S. Dugdale \ Litter Nothophagus solandri emergence trap \ NZ PB\; 1 female labeled: \ Orongorongo V. Well. 152m \ 23 Sep 69 J.S. Dugdale \ litter \ DSIR \ No \ NZ PB\; 1 male labeled: \ Orongorongo Res. Stn. Well. \ 21 May 69 J.S. Dugdale \ litter \ DSIR \ No \ NZ PB\; 1 male labeled: \ Orongorongo F.S. Wellington \ 18 Sep 69 J.C. Watt J.S. Dugdale \ litter \ DSIR \ No \; 1 female labeled: \ Orongorongo Res. Sta Wellington 21 May 69\ J.S. Dugdale \ litter \ DSIR \ No \ NZ PB\; 1 female labeled: \ NEW ZEALAND WN Wainuiomata Whakanui Tr 10 Jan 1993 GR Grehan \ Moss, 700m beech/kamahi \ NZ PB\; 1 male labeled: \ New Zealand WN Table Top Tararua FP 10.2.85 \ in leatherwood litter \ Nesamblyops oreobius det. J. Nunn \; 4 males and 1 female labeled: \ New Zealand WN 4km along Waiotauru Rd. 7-Nov-06 \ Washed soil sample. Taruarua Rng. \; 1 male labeled: \ New Zealand WN Waiotauru Rd. Tararua FP, 23.4.95 \ in leaf litter \. 7 males labeled: \ Port Ligar 304m Marlborough 26 Oct 69 F. Alack \ Litter 69/175\ DSIR \ No \ NZ PB\; 14 males and 8 females labeled: \ Port Ligar 1000’ Marlb. 26.x. 69 F. A. Alack \ Litter 69/175\ DSIR \ No \ NZ PB\; 1 male labeled: \ Canoe Bay Pelorus Snd. 2-9-62 J. I. Townsend \ J. I. Townsend Collection \ Nesamblyops oreobius (Broun) Det. I. Townsend 1973 \.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition and refers to the name of the Mountain Range, where the type series was collected.

Type locality. New Zealand, North Island, Wellington, Tararua Range .

Recognition. Adults of this species ( Fig. 3B ) are practically indistinguishable from the adults of many Nesamblyops species based on external characters (cf. with Figs. 2A–B, 2D ) and are distinguished from them by the structure of the male genitalia.

Description. Large for genus (SBL range 1.80–2.33 mm, mean 2.05± 0.162 mm, n=25).

Habitus. Body form ( Fig.3B )markedly convex, elongate ovoid, general proportions wide (WE/SBL 0.40±0.010), head narrow relative to pronotum (WH/WPm 0.68±0.017), proportions of pronotum in comparison to elytra average for genus (WPm/WE 0.75±0.015).

Color. Body color brunneopiceous, appendages brunneorufous.

Prothorax. Pronotum ( Fig.4H ) moderately long in comparison to elytra (LP/LE 0.41±0.016) and moderately transverse (WPm/LP 1.21±0.021), with lateral margins rectilinear constricted posteriorly (WPm/WPp 1.27±0.038). Anterior angles indistinct, posterior angles slightly obtuse (98–113°), rounded. Width between posterior angles greater than between anterior angles (WPa/WPp 0.86±0.033). Basal margin almost straight.

Elytra. Ovoid, narrowly depressed along suture, comparatively long (LE/SBL 0.60±0.012) and moderately wide (WE/LE 0.67±0.024). Humeri completely rounded. Lateral margins slightly divergent at basal half, shortly subparallel at middle and evenly rounded to apex in apical half.

Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 6F ) strongly arcuate and moderately twisted. Shaft subparallel, tapering in apical third. Apex moderately curved dorsally with narrowly rounded tip. Apical orifice occupies almost third of the shaft length. Ventral margin of median lobe almost straight, slightly concave before apex. Walls of shaft with poriferous canals basally. Dorsal copulatory sclerites in form of characteristic “bird’s head” plate, surrounded by scaled membraneous field. Spines of internal sac absent. Left paramere ( Fig. 6D ) of normal proportions, with moderately attenuate apex, bearing three long setae. Right paramere ( Fig. 6E ) long and narrow, bearing three long setae, slightly shorter the length of paramere. Ring sclerite as on Fig. 7G .

Female internal genitalia. Not examined.

Geographical distribution. The range of this species splits into two parts. The large northern area of the range occupies the southern parts of the North Island and stretches along the Rimutaka and Tararua Ranges north to Wharite Peak in the Ruahine Range at least, while the small southern part occupies the outer parts of Pelorus Sound to the north of Tennison Inlet in the Marlborough Sounds area ( Crosby et al. 1998) of the South Island ( Fig. 9 , black circles). So, the range of this species includes adjacent territories of both the North and South Islands.

Habitat. Specimens were collected from litter and moss in forest, shrub, fern, and grass communities (labels mention silver N. menziesii , mountain N. solandri , and hard N. truncata beeches, leatherwood Olearia colensoi , and kamahi Weinmannia racemosa shrubs, fern Lomaria (= Blechnum ) discolor, and tussock grass Chionochloa ).

Relationships. The structure of the male genitalia of N. tararua suggests relationship to other species having dorsal copulatory sclerite in a shape of a “bird’s head,” such as N. brouni , N. distinctus , and N. townsendi . The details of the copulatory sclerite configuration suggest that N. tararua is close to N. brouni . The reduced scaled membraneous field and the presence of an area with poriferous canals at the base of the shaft suggest that N. tararua may share common ancestry with N. townsendi . Significantly, males of N. tararua are the only members of the genus that possess unexpectedly great variation in the size and to a lesser extent in the shape of the median lobe (see Fig. 8 ). However, among different populations the dorsal sclerite is almost identical, and I was unable to find distinct and stable characters of the median lobe allowing consistent arrangement of this variability geographically. Within-group relationships of N. tararua are unclear.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Digital images of habitus of New Zealand Nesamblyops species, dorsal aspect. A—N. brouni (Lewis Pass, North Canterbury, SO), B—N. carltoni (Dun Mountain, Nelson, SO), C—N. confusus (Mount Stokes, Marlborough Sounds, SO), D—N. distinctus (Fabians Valley, Marlborough, SO), E—N. lescheni (D’Urville Island, Cook Strait, Marlborough Sounds, SO), F—N. oreobius (Mount Pirongia, Waikato, NO). Scale bar 1.0mm.

FIGURE 3. Digital images of habitus of New Zealand Nesamblyops species, dorsal aspect. A—N. parvulus (Mount Stokes, Marlborough Sounds, SO), B—N. tararua (Judd Ridge, Tararua Range, Wellington, NO), C—N. townsendi (Tennyson Inlet, Marlborough Sounds, SO). Scale bar 1.0mm.

FIGURE 4. Digital images of pronota of New Zealand Nesamblyops species, dorsal aspect. A—N. brouni (Lewis Pass, North Canterbury, SO), B—N. carltoni (Dun Mountain, Nelson, SO), C—N. confusus (Mount Stokes, Marlborough Sounds, SO), D—N. distinctus (Fabians Valley, Marlborough, SO), E—N. lescheni (D’Urville Island, Cook Strait, Marlborough Sounds, SO), F—N. oreobius (Mount Pirongia, Waikato, NO), G—N. parvulus (Mount Stokes, Marlborough Sounds, SO), H—N. tararua (Judd Ridge, Tararua Range, Wellington, NO), I—N. townsendi (Tennyson Inlet, Marlborough Sounds, SO). Scale bar 0.2mm.

FIGURE 6. Line drawings of male genitalia of New Zealand Nesamblyops species. N. parvulus (Mount Stokes, Marlborough Sounds, SO): A—left paramere, left lateral aspect, B—right paramere, right lateral aspect, C—median lobe, right lateral aspect. N. tararua (Judd Ridge, Tararua Range, Wellington, NO): D—left paramere, left lateral aspect, E—right paramere, right lateral aspect, F—median lobe, right lateral aspect. N. townsendi (Tennyson Inlet, Marlborough Sounds, SO): G—left paramere, left lateral aspect, H—right paramere, right lateral aspect, I—median lobe, right lateral aspect. Scale bar 0.1mm.

FIGURE 7. Line drawings of ring sclerite of New Zealand Nesamblyops species, male genitalia, dorsal aspect. A—N. brouni (Lewis Pass, North Canterbury, SO), B—N. carltoni (Dun Mountain, Nelson, SO), C—N. distinctus (Fabians Valley, Marlborough, SO), D—N. oreobius (Mount Pirongia, Waikato, NO), E—N. lescheni (D’Urville Island, Cook Strait, Marlborough Sounds, SO), F—N. parvulus (Mount Stokes, Marlborough Sounds, SO), G—N. tararua (Judd Ridge, Tararua Range, Wellington, NO), H—N. townsendi (Tennyson Inlet, Marlborough Sounds, SO). Scale = 0.4mm.

FIGURE 8. Line drawings of spermatheca of New Zealand Nesamblyops species. A—N. oreobius (Mount Pirongia, Waikato, NO), B—N. lescheni (D’Urville Island, Cook Strait, Marlborough Sounds, SO). Scale = 0.05mm.

FIGURE 9. Distributional records for the Nesamblyops species and images of male median lobe, obtained from specimens, collected in the line-connected with images localities. Black circles—N. tararua; yellow circles—N. townsendi; red circles—N. distinctus; green circles—N. brouni. Scale bar= 0.5mm.