Bembidion (Zeplataphus) tairuense Bates, 1878

Larochelle, André, Zeperyphodes, Broun & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2015, Synopsis of the genus Bembidion Latreille in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidiini), Insecta Mundi 2015 (415), pp. 1-78 : 23-24

Bembidion (Zeplataphus) tairuense Bates, 1878

Fig. 12 , 47 , 98

Bembidium tairuense Bates, 1878a: 193 . Type locality: Tairua, CL.

Other synonymy as in Larochelle and Larivière (2001: 85).

Description. Body length 4.5–6.1 mm. Black; antennae and legs piceous (antennal segment 1 and tibiae pale rufous). Microsculpture of elytra very strong, irregularly transverse (isodiametric in other Zeplataphus species). Very shiny, without metallic lustre or with feeble aeneous lustre on head and pronotum, with slight metallic lustre (somewhat bluish) on elytra. Thorax. Pronotum strongly convex; thin raised lateral bead complete, well developed near posterolateral angles; sides moderately rounded anteriorly, slightly sinuate posteriorly; posterolateral angles rectangular, obtuse at tip; laterobasal foveae moderately deep, oblong, short, not reaching basal margin. Elytra. Subdepressed, elongate. Scutellar striole consisting of a line and punctures. Striae 2–6 complete, deep, coarsely punctate; stria 7 strong, incomplete, coarsely punctate. Intervals depressed; interval 3 with four or five discal setiferous punctures. Apical striole deep, connected to stria 5. Sutural apices angulate. Abdomen. Last visible sternum (sternum VII) of female with numerous short setae in addition to four long ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 47 ): moderately arcuate; base sinuate dorsally; middle wide and strongly convex towards its base, narrow and subparallel towards its apex; apex subtriangular, slightly concave dorsally and ventrally, with extreme tip wide and short.

Material examined. 1,589 specimens ( CMNH, JNNZ, LUNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 98 ). North Island: AK, BP, CL, GB, HB, ND, RI, TO, WA, WI, WN, WO. South Island: BR, CO, DN, FD, KA, MB, MC, MK, NC, NN, OL, SC, SD, SL, WD.

Ecology. Lowland, montane, subalpine. Epigean. River banks, close to the water. Open ground; wet, gravelly, bare soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day deep among gravel and under small well embedded stones. Gregarious.

Biology. Seasonality: Throughout the year (September–August). Tenerals: November–March. Occasionally infested with fungi (Laboulbeniales) and mites. Defence mechanism: when alarmed, the adult escapes by running.

Dispersal power. Macropterous, probably capable of flight. Fast runner. Vagility likely favoured by flight capacity.

Collecting techniques. Pouring water over the ground; treading the soil with the feet; raking the soil; turning stones.

Reference. Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 85 (catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution, references).

Remarks. Lindroth (1976: 168, 176) overlooked the presence of numerous short setae in addition to the usual four long ambulatory setae on the last visible sternum (sternum VII) of the female of this species. Bembidion tairuense is among the most commonly encountered species on gravelly river banks. It is well recognizable among members of the subgenus Zeplataphus by its subdepressed elytra with transverse microsculpture.

Figures

Figures 9–12. Dorsal habitus. 9) Bembidion embersoni. 10) B. brullei. 11) B. rotundicolle. 12) B. tairuense. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 45–52. Aedeagi, lateral. 45) Bembidion brullei. 46) B. rotundicolle. 47) B. tairuense. 48) B. granuliferum. 49) B. maorinum maorinum. 50) B. charile. 51) B. dehiscens. 52) B. actuarium.

Figures 95–100. Species distribution maps. 95) Bembidion rotundicolle. 96) B. solitarium. 97) B. stewartense. 98) B. tairuense. 99) B. tekapoense. 100) B. tepaki new species.