Carabus (Neoplectes) ibericus Fisher von Waldheim, 1823

Fominykh, Dmitriy D. & Zamotajlov, Alexandr S., 2016, Further contribution to the knowledge of Georgian species of the Carabus Linnaeus, 1758 subgenus Neoplectes Reitter, 1885, with description of a new subspecies of C. titarenkoi Zamotajlov & Fominykh, 2014 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Carabini), Zootaxa 4179 (3), pp. 561-599 : 564

Carabus (Neoplectes) ibericus Fisher von Waldheim, 1823

( Figs. 3–14 , 85–98 )

Material. 2♂♂, 3♀♀, Georgia, Shida-Kartli, Surami Mt. Range, 6 km W of Surami vill., S slopes of Sabuleti Mt. , 908 m, N 42°01'14.30" / E 43°28'21.30", pitfall traps, 06.04- 06.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 19♂♂, 21♀♀, Georgia, Imereti, Surami Mt. Range near Jvari (= Dzhvari ) pass, 970m, N 42°11'42.30" / E 43°35'54.90", pitfall traps, 23.04.- 21.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 2♂♂, 8♀♀, Georgia, Imereti, Surami Mt. Range, left bank of Cheratkhevi river , 823 m, N 42°09'10.10" / E 43°38'28.20", pitfall traps, 23.04 - 21.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) .

Distribution and habitat. Described from “ Iberia ”. Inhabits the Surami mountains north of the Chkherimela river valley up to Kvirila river valley at the western slopes and up to Sredniaya Prone river valley at the eastern slopes. All above listed specimens were found in the forest zone of Surami mountains, one of them being located close the type locality: Surami env., valley of Dzhvari (according to Deuve 2012).

Remarks. Based on the endophallus structure, this species is somewhat intermediate between C. lafertei Chaudoir, 1846 , found in the southern Surami mountains, the Adzhar-Imereti mountain range and some other mountain masses, and the C. szekelyi -group, inhabiting mountains in the north, along the east and west of the Racha mountains, penetrating South Ossetia and the extreme north-east end of the Surami mountains nearby Dzhava (=Dzau).

Study of the extensive comparative material available from the known localities of C. imereticus Retezár, 2011 (Surami mountains, Rikoti Pass) and the apparent type locality of C. ibericus (Surami mountains, Dzhvari Pass) revealed no morphological differences between these populations, these data confirming Deuve’s (2015) opinion, who treated C. imereticus as a synonym of C. ibericus . Populations dwelling east of the Aragvi river had been previously regarded by some authors to be C. ibericus , but now they are treated as a different taxon prunierianus Deuve, 2012 (see below). Our data does not support, however, the subspecific status for C. titarenkoi Zamotajlov & Fominykh, 2014 within C. ibericus because it differs in some essential features (see identification key and illustrations below).

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 10. Dorsal habitus of Carabus ibericus Fisher von Waldheim: 3 – 6 — Jvari env.; 7 – 10 — Surami env. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 18. Dorsal habitus of the Carabus subgenus Neoplectes Reitter: 11 – 14 — Carabus ibericus Fisher von Waldheim, Cheratkhevi river; 15 – 18 — Carabus lafertei Chaudoir, Gurkeli env. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 85 – 90. Apical portion of aedeagus and fully inflated endophallus preparation of Carabus ibericus Fisher von Waldheim, Jvari env.: 85 – 87 — right lateral view; 88 – 90 — dorsolateral view. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 91 – 94. Apical portion of aedeagus and fully inflated endophallus preparation of Carabus ibericus Fisher von Waldheim, Surami env.: 91 – 92 — right lateral view; 93 – 94 — dorsolateral view. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 95 – 98. Apical portion of aedeagus and fully inflated endophallus preparation of Carabus ibericus Fisher von Waldheim, Cheratkhevi river: 95 – 96 — right lateral view; 97 – 98 — dorsolateral view. Scale bar 10.0 mm.