Maungazolus septempunctatus, Larochelle & Larivière & Larochelle & Larivière, 2017

Larochelle, Larivière, Marie-Claude, Larochelle & Larivière, 2017, Synopsis of the tribe Zolini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2017 (594), pp. 1-110 : 63-64

Maungazolus septempunctatus new species

Fig. 59 , 105 , 118

Holotype: male ( NZAC) labeled: “[ NEW ZEALAND SI] Table Hill Stewart I. (typed) / 2000’ 16.II.68 J. McBurney (typed) / Mat plants (typed) 68/55 (hand-written) / [male symbol] / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Maungazolus septempunctatus Larochelle & Larivière, 2017 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: one female (NZAC) and one male (CMNZ) from the same locality as the holotype, bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 3.1–4.4 mm. Head, pronotum, and elytra mostly piceous black; lateral margins, suture, and extreme apex of elytra reddish; abdomen mostly reddish piceous, reddish laterally and apically; antennae, palpi, and legs reddish; antennal segment 1 (scape) and femora bright yellow, femora strongly contrasting with tibiae. Microsculpture strong and isodiametric on head, absent on pronotum and elytra. Iridescence absent. Very shiny, with metallic luster (aeneous) on head, pronotum, and elytra. Forebody narrow in comparison to elytra (wide in other Maungazolus species ). Head. Labrum strongly transverse, slightly emarginate anteriorly. Antennae submoniliform, short: segment 1 (scape) moderately long, about 2x longer than its maximum width. Frontal furrows wide, shallow, convergent. Eyes moderately convex; two setiferous punctures on inner side of each eye. Tempora not inflated. Mentum: medial tooth entire, acute apically, moderately shorter than lateral lobes. Paraglossae membranous, prominent, slightly longer than ligula. Thorax. Pronotum strongly convex, coarsely punctate across base, unwrinkled, slightly transverse, strongly cordate, widest before middle; apex subtruncate; anterolateral angles poorly developed, rounded; anterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; sides strongly rounded, strongly sinuate posteriorly; lateral grooves shallow, very long (about as long as adjoining foveae; absent in other Maungazolus species ); two setiferous punctures on each side; posterolateral angles rectangular; posterolateral carinae absent; laterobasal foveae ill-defined, coarsely punctate, shallow to moderately deep, moderately wide, not prolonged forward, simple; posterior bead absent; sub-basal transverse impression well developed, coarsely punctate (with about 8 punctures); basal transverse impression well developed, coarsely punctate (with about 10 punctures); base emarginate, much narrower than pronotal apex, about as wide as elytral base. Legs. Short. Elytra. Strongly convex, ovate, widest about middle. Basal margin incomplete, reaching about stria 3. Shoulders rounded. Sides strongly rounded. Scutellar striole present. Striae complete, finely punctate; stria 1 deep; striae 2–7 shallow; stria 3 with seven setiferous punctures. Recurrent stria long, blunt, directed apically toward stria 5. Subapical seta present. Intervals subdepressed. Sutural apices obtusely rounded. Abdomen. Last visible sternum (sternum VII): male with two apical and two medial ambulatory setae (without medial setae in other Maungazolus species ); female with four apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 105 ): moderately arcuate, not widened in apical half; base slightly convex dorsally; middle slightly convex dorsally, mostly straight ventrally, with dorsal membranous area very wide and long; apex subtriangular, strongly concave dorsally, vaguely slightly convex, with extreme tip wide and short. Dorsal view: very narrow, almost thin, asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to right); apex straight; basal orifice narrow, very close to membranous area. Parameres with two or three apical setae.

Material examined. 11 specimens ( CMNZ, JNNZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 118 ). Stewart Island: Mount Anglem. Table Hill.

Ecology. Alpine. Epigean. Herbfields. Open ground. Nocturnal; hides during the day in mat plants. Gregarious.

Biology. Seasonality: February. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).

Dispersal power. Subapterous (incapable of flight). Slow runner.

Collecting technique. Sifting mat plants.

Remarks. The species name is derived from the Latin words septem (seven) and punctatus (punctate), referring to the presence of seven setiferous punctures in elytral stria 3. In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, Maungazolus septempunctatus has the following distinguishing features: metallic luster present on head, pronotum, and elytra; forebody narrow in comparison to elytra; seven setiferous punctures in elytral stria 3. Maungazolus septempunctatus is restricted to Stewart Island, while other Maungazolus species occur on the South Island and in southern areas of the North Island.

Figures

Figures 59–62. Dorsal habitus. 59) Maungazolus septempunctatus new species. 60) M. priestleyensis new species. 61) M. parvulus. 62) M. acutus new species. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 98–105. Aedeagi, lateral. 98) Oopterus nunni new species. 99) Synteratus ovalis. 100) Pseudoopterus otiraensis new species. 101) P. plicaticollis. 102) P. latipennis. 103) P. fiordlandensis new species. 104) Maungazolus pygmeatus. 105) M. septempunctatus new species.

Figures 118–123. Species distribution maps. 118) Maungazolus septempunctatus new species. 119) M. tararuaensis new species. 120) Oopterus anglemensis new species. 121) O. arthurensis new species. 122) O. clivinoides. 123) O. collaris.