Aristolebia timorensis, Baehr & Reid, 2017

Baehr, Martin & Reid, Chris A. M., 2017, On a Collection of Carabidae from Timor Leste, with Descriptions of Nine New Species (Insecta: Coleoptera, Carabidae), Records of the Australian Museum 69 (6), pp. 421-450 : 439-441

Aristolebia timorensis sp. nov. Baehr

Figs 9 , 22

Holotype ♀, “ TIMOR LESTE c3k W Maubara 8.37'14'S 125.10'45'E at light, clearing in closed forest 60m 20.xi.2011 V. Kessner, C. Afrano TL145/11” K402684 ( AMS).

Etymology. The name refers to the occurrence of this species on the island of Timor.

Diagnosis. Moderately large species (in genus), distinguished from all vividly patterned species except A. oculata Baehr, 2010 , A. triramosa Baehr, 2010 , and A. floreana Baehr, 2011 by presence of a red spot in the posterior half of the elytra. From these three species distinguished by the distinct pale lateral margin of the pronotum and slightlY different colour pattern of the elytra, particularly the narrow, oblique, rhomboidal posterior elytral spot. From the nearest related species, A. floreana and A. timorensis also distinguished by narrower pronotum and longer elytra.

Description. Measurements. Body length: 8.9 mm; width: 3.8 mm. Width/length of pronotum: 1.49; width of pronotum/ width of head: 1.32; length/width of elytra: 1.57; width of elytra/width of pronotum 1.65.

Colour ( Fig. 9 ). Head black, labrum and mandibles reddish brown, palpi and antenna pale red; pronotum black with distinct, wide pale lateral margins; elytra black with a pale red pattern, which consists of a large, oblique spot in basal half which is narrowly separated at suture, separated by a narrow black stripe from the lateral border, and narrowly attains the base, and with a narrow, oblique, rhomboidal spot from mid of 3rd to 8th interval in apical half that is widely separated from apex. The median basal area al well as the whole apex is black. The lateral margin is very narrowly pale red. Legs yellow with the tibiae very slightly darker. Epipleurae of prothorax and elytra yellow, rest of lower surface reddish-piceous, abdomen apicad darker.

Head ( Fig. 9 ). Of moderate size. Eye very large, semicircular, laterad remarkably protruded, orbit not perceptible. Neck with fairly deep transverse impression. Labrum anteriorly straight, 6-setose. Mentum with very shallow, apically transverse or very slightly rounded convexity. Glossa elongate, polysetose at apex , paraglossae wide, foliaceous, as long as glossa and fused to it, densely setose at margin. Galea with wide, rather depressed last segment that is extremely densely pilose. Lacinia large, with very elongate terminal hook and rather dense row of teeth at inner margin. Palpi of normal size, very sparsely pilose. Mentum asetose, but submentum with a very elongate seta at either side. Mandibles short and wide, evenly curved. Antenna elongate, surpassing base of pronotum by three antennomeres, pilose from 4th antennomere, 6th and 7th antennomeres almost 3 × as long as wide. Labrum and clYpeus with fine and sparse punctures, frons and neck with some wrinkles and with coarse and rather dense punctures that are anteriorly rather corrugated. Microreticulation present but extremely very superficial and fine, barely recognizable, isodiametric, therefore surface glossy.

Pronotum ( Fig. 9 ). Rather wide. Anteriorly half about semicircular, widest slightly behind middle, little narrowed towards base, therefore base much wider than apex. Apex slightly concave, apical angles very widely rounded, lateral margin convex, in basal half oblique and almost straight, basal angle slightly more than rectangular, slightly obtuse at tip, base in middle slightly produced, laterally almost straight. Apex narrowly margined, base in middle coarsely, laterallY more finelY margined. Anterior transverse sulcus and median line rather deep, sulcus situated close to apex. Posterior transverse sulcus deeply impressed. Lateral margin anteriorly moderately wide, widened and widely explanate towards base. Disk gently convex.Anterior lateral seta situated about at anterior third, slightly removed from margin, posterior seta situated at basal angle. Surface of disk very irregular, corrugated strioles, barely punctate, onlY with finest traces of extremelY superficial, isodiametric microreticulation, glossy.

Elytra ( Fig. 9 ). Moderately elongate, fairly wide, widened towards apex, widest about at apical third, upper surface depressed. Humerus evenly rounded, lateral margin evenly convex. External apical angle angulate, forming a short, acute denticle. Sutural angle angulate but not spined, with a tiny denticle; apex oblique, gently bisinate, only near the external angle slightly excised. Striae complete, well impressed, finelY crenulate. Intervals moderatelY raised, slightly convex. 3rd interval with two setiferous punctures, both situated at inner margin of 3rd stria, the anterior one at about basal third, the posterior one behind apical fourth. 14 marginal setiferous punctures present, series slightly interrupted in middle. Punctures of intervals sparse but distinct, irregularly uniseriate, in parts biseriate. Intervals with distinct though slightlY superficial, about isodiametric microreticulation which is arranged in irregularly transverse rows, with sparse, extremely short, erect pilosity that is visible onlY from laterallY and at high magnification; surface rather glossy. Posterior wings fully developed.

Lower surface. Prosternal process with an elongate seta at middle. Prosternum, metasternum, and abdomen with moderately sparse, elongate, erect to slightly declined pilosity. Metepisternum elongate,>2 × as long as wide at anterior margin. Terminal sternum in female with 2, resp. 3 setae at either side.

Legs. Of average size. 4th tarsomeres of all legs widened, deeply (> half of tarsomere) excised, with dense tarsal brush. 5th tarsomere with two rows of several setae on the lower margin. Claws with 9 elongate teeth.

Male genitalia. Unknown.

Female gonocoxites ( Fig. 22 ). Foliaceous. Gonocoxite 1 large, little sclerotized, only the lateral rim narrowly sclerotized, without setae at the apical rim. Gonocoxite 2 short and wide, only partly, but weakly sclerotized, but the lateral and latero-ventral margins narrowly sclerotized, with a small hyaline lateral area, asetose. The ventral and ventrolateral margins of the lateral plate strongly sclerotized, with a triangular appendix at the ventro-lateral margin.

Variation. Unknown.

Distribution. Western part of Timor Leste. Recorded only from the type locality.

Collecting circumstances. Sampled at light in clearing in closed forest at low altitude.

Relationships. Based on similar body size, shape, and colour pattern of the elytra, this species is probably closest to A. floreana Baehr, 2011 , recorded from the neighbouring island of Flores, less so to A. triramosa Baehr, 2010 and A. oculata Baehr, 2010 , both from Sulawesi. These four species apparentlY form a distinct species group that is confined to the southeastern part of the Indonesian Archipelago (Wallacea).

Figures

Figure 9. Aristolebia timorensis sp. nov. (body length 8.9 mm).

Figures 18–22. Female gonocoxites 1 and 2. (18) Mecyclothorax timorensis sp. nov. (scale 0.1 mm). (19) Rhytisternus externus sp. nov. (scale 0.5 mm). (20) Arhytinus timorensis sp. nov. (scale 0.25 mm). (21) Notagonum reidi sp. nov. (scale 0.25 mm). (22) Aristolebia timorensis sp. nov. (scale 0.5 mm).