Orictites brancuccii, Balkenohl, 2017

Balkenohl, Michael, 2017, Revision of the genus Orictites ANDREWES, 1931 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Clivinini), Contributions to Natural History 35, pp. 1-68 : 50-53

Orictites brancuccii sp. nov.

Type material: Holotype: ♂, labels: white, black printed: “LAOS-NE, Xieng Khouang prov.,~ 19°37–8’N 103°20´E, Phonsavan (30 km NE): Phou Sane Mt. ,~ 1400–1500 m, 10.–30.v.2009, Z. Kraus leg.” / “NHMB Basel , NMPC Prague Laos 2009 Expedition : M. Brancucci, M. Geiser, Z. Kraus, D. Hauck, V. Kubáň ” / “COLL: NHM Basel” ( NHMB).

Paratypes: 1 ♂: “ LAOS, Salavan prov., Xe Xap NPA , 15km NE Ta-Oy, BAN DOUB env. , 400–1000 m, 16°8´N / 106°40–43´E, 25.–31. V. 2012 / NHMB Basel Laos 2012 Expedition, M. Brancucci, M. Geiser, K. Phanthavong & S. Xayalath / COLL: NHM Basel“ ( CBB) ; 1 ♂: “ LAOS centr., Khammouan prov. 4–16.XI., 25–30.XI. 2000 BAN KHOUN NGEUN env. N18°07´, E 104°29´alt. 250m E. Jendek & P. Pacholátko leg.“ ( CBP) .

Remarks: In the paratype some antennomeres are missing as well as two tarsomeres of the right hind leg.

Description ( Figs 10 , 27 ; pp. 10, 25)

Measurements (n = 3): Body length 7–7.4 mm ( = 7.25 mm), width 2.18–2.19 mm ( = 2.18 mm); ratio length/width of pronotum 0.88–0.90 ( = 0.89); ratio length/width of elytra 1.7–1.75 ( = 1.73).

Colour: Shiny. Black. Antennae, mouthparts and legs brown.

Head: A quarter narrower than pronotum. Clypeus fused with wings, clypeal wings indistinctly projecting, anterior margin straight, with raised broad transverse knob between the two clypeal setae, margin of wings obtusely angled, hollowed out, divided from middle part of clypeus by carinae, divided from supraantennal plates by distinct nearly right-angled notches and ridge, clypeus and wings reflexed margined, supraantennal plates vaulted up to mid-eye level, smooth, with reflexed rounded margin, interrupted from supraorbital carina. Frons separated from clypeus by transverse broad furrow, with median impression on frons (indistinct in one paratype), broad furrow between frons and frontal carina, frons moderately convex, smooth. Clypeus with transverse rugae and a few small punctures. Supraorbital setae located in broad furrows between supraorbital carina and frontal carina, the posterior one arising from tubercle at posterior genae level. Eyes flattened but still convex. Genae distinct, gently rounded, as long as eyes, not as high as eyes, forming obtuse angle at neck. Grooves for reception of antennae of moderate length, 0.5 of eye diameter. Neck constriction distinct, with band of punctures. Neck laterally covered with small punctures and rugae. Labrum advanced at middle, 7-setose, ciliate laterally, nearly smooth in anterior part, with isodiametric reticulation in posterior part. Mandibles robust, length half of head, broadened at base, acutely curved at apex, carinae of scrobe complete, both mandibles rounded towards base. Maxilla distinctly curved, acutely hooked at apex. Apical maxillary palpomere slender, indistinctly securiform. Apical labial palpomere slender, straight, slightly longer than 2 nd segment, 2 nd segment bisetose. Ligula with one long seta; paraglossae slender. Ventral surface of neck covered with rugae and a few punctures. Submentum and mentum distinctly separated; submentum with four bigger, about equally spaced setigerous punctures; mentum at base bilaterally with broad and rounded tubercle, with some longitudinal carinae, with fine and complete reflexed margin, lateral lobes projecting, nearly right-angled at tips, with a seta near base of each lobe, median tooth forming broad obtuse triangle, bisetose, not projecting as far as lateral lobes. Antennae relatively long, reaching up to posterior third of pronotum, scapus knee-like angled, with one seta dorsoapically, scapus and pedicellus with fine longitudinal reticulation, segments 5–10 elongate (L/ W 1.55), antennomeres cylindriform, segments 4–11 densely pubescent, with a few additional long setae.

Pronotum: Square, distinctly wider than long, outline with transverse appearance, disc distinctly convex, reflexed margin convex from anterior to posterior angles. Disc distinctly convex. Anterior margin bisinuate. Reflexed lateral margin with traces of scars (120x). Margin from posterior angle to base running as slightly convex line. Lateral channel distinctly broadened between the two lateral setigerous punctures, with isodiametric reticulation. Anterior setigerous puncture located in anterior quarter adjoining convexity of pronotum, the posterior one located at level of posterior angle, removed from lateral channel by diameter of pore. Anterior angle distinctly projecting, rounded, formed by reflexed lateral margin, posterior angle developed as tooth, projecting antero-laterally. Anterior transverse line indistinct, formed by minute punctures. Median line deep, moderately broad, rugose, reaching up to anterior transverse line but not joining, not adjoining base. Surface with small punctures and basally with transverse rugae, basal impression indistinct. Basal channel short, moderately broad. Flange raised keel-like (lateral view).

Elytra: Subcylindrical, sides slightly diverging, marginal channel broad, visible from above, with uninterrupted row of big setigerous punctures arising from broad tubercles and a second row of minute punctures. Reflexed margin slightly crenulated posterior to humerus. Margin bending with channel over rounded humerus up to 5 th stria. Humerus with distinct tooth. Basal tubercle distinct, with setigerous puncture, situated at declivity of 1 st stria. Striae 1–4 free at base, all striae deep, nearly impunctate, striae 1 and 2 ending free at apex, 3–4, and 5–6 joined apically; striae 6 and 7 shortened at humerus. Striole distinct. Intervals moderately convex, 3 rd and4 th moderately raised at base, both with tubercle at base, 7 th and 8 th carinate. All intervals shiny on disc. Interval 3 with four setigerous punctures adjoining stria 3.

Hind wings: Fully developed.

Ventral surface: Epipleuron shiny, with big punctures, submarginal furrow distinct. Proepisternum and episternum with punctures, keeled at middle like an inverted V, mesosternum smooth. Sternites with punctures, 3 rd to 5 th with paralateral ambulatory setae at each side, ventral strigae distinct, with transverse reticulation, sternite 6 smooth at middle, with two widely separated apical setae at each side.

Legs: Anterior tibia with strong digitation, with two big and one small lateral preapical denticles, apical spine curved distinctly towards ventral, with indistinct dorsal furrow, with minute punctures, basal tarsomere elongated, longer than the following four together. Mesotibia with preapical spine nearly at apex of tibia, furnished with strong seta. All tarsomeres relatively broad.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 27 ): Moderately long, distinctly sclerotized. Median lobe moderately arcuate, apex not distorted, without spatula. Endophallus with numerous blunt teeth. Parameres of about same length, both slender, longer than median lobe, ventral one distinctly twisted, asetose.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

Variation: In the holotype the median impression on the clypeus is deeply impressed, in the paratype it is indistinct.

Diagnosis: A big massive black species with transverse knob on the clypeus and transverse broad furrow, with distinct, moderately sharp humeral tooth, tubercles at the base of intervals 3 and 4 of the elytra, and four setigerous punctures on interval 3. Moreover, the anterior transverse line is indistinctly developed. Distinguished from all other species by the transverse and conspicuously convex pronotum.

Distribution: Known from Laos, collected at an altitude of 400–1500 metres.

Etymology: The species is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Michel Brancucci, Curator Coleoptera and Head of the Department of Entomology (NHMB) who passed away in 2012.

Figures

Figs 9–12: Orictites spp., habitus. 9: O. barclayi sp. nov., holotype, female; 10: O. brancuccii sp. nov., holotype, male; 11: O. barclayi minorfrater ssp. nov., holotype, male; 12: O. tubercucollis sp. nov., holotype, male.

Figs 27–30: Orictites spp., aedeagus, ventral view. 27: O. brancuccii sp. nov., holotype, scale bar 0.2 mm; 28: O. barclayi minorfrater ssp. nov., holotype, scale bar 0.2 mm; 29: O. tubercucollis sp. nov., holotype, scale bar 0.2 mm; 30: O. anteriorlatus sp. nov., holotype, scale bar 0.2 mm.