4. Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli kartalinicus subsp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 48E4155D-C809-4B99-A5D0-E0C76578D91F

(Figs. 1, 16–23, 95–96, 116, 120)

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Georgia, Kvemo-Kartli, Trialeti Mt. Range near Manglisi vill., NW part of Kartli Mt. Range, N slopes of Shikhan Mt., 2070 m, N 41°45’ / E 44°22’, pitfall traps, 07.06.- 17.07.2017 (D. Fominykh) (ZISP) . Paratypes: 47♂♂, 43♀♀, same data as holotype (ZISP, MPSU, CFDD, CTAY, CZAM); 2♂♂, Georgia, Shida-Kartli, Trialeti Mt. Range near Dre vill., NW part of Razmeti Mt. Range, 1920 m, N 41°50’ / E 44°05’, 08.06.2017 (D. Fominykh) (CFDD) .

Description. Small sized subspecies (Figs. 16–23). GBL = 18.0– 24.9 mm, males 18.0–24.0 mm, females 20.7– 24.9 mm, SBL = 16.8–21.2 mm in both sexes. Body faintly elongate, ovate. Underside black, dorsum oftener with bright metallic luster, green, bronze, more seldom violet or black, in females less bright, somewhat mat; pronotum black basally, with metallic luster at sides. Head broad, a little more narrow than pronotum, HL = 3.0– 3.8 mm in males, 3.2–4.1 mm in females, HW = 3.7–4.7 mm in males, 4.2–5.0 mm in females; antennae short. Pronotum transverse, PW = 4.8–6.3 mm in males, 5.8–7.0 mm in females, PB = 3.5–4.8 mm in males, 4.3–4.8 mm in females, PL = 2.7–3.8 mm in males, 3.0– 3.9 mm in females, PW/HW = 1.2–1.5 in both sexes, PW/PL = 1.6–1.9 in both sexes, PW/PB = 1.2–1.5 in both sexes; hind angles faintly protruding posteriorly; disk rugose. Legs short. Elytra convex, EW/PW = 1.2–1.4 in both sexes; EL = 10.9–13.3 mm in males, 13.1–15.2 mm in females, EW = 6.1–7.9 mm in males, 7.0–9.0 mm in females, EL/EW = 1.6–1.9 in both sexes; elytral punctation faint, usually with only several impressions behind.

Male genitalia (Figs. 95–96) resembles other forms of C. stjernvalli in the shape of the projections and lobes of endophallus, but is smaller, which seems to correlate with the general body size.

Differential diagnosis and remarks. The new subspecies differs from the other subspecies, first of all, in the consistently smaller body size 3. It also differs from both C. stjernvalli stjernvalli and C. stjernvalli gvalijai in body proportions (Table 1, Fig. 116), the elytra being generally somewhat broader. It is closest morphologically to C. stjernvalli tabackuriensis, but is also distinguishable by body size and proportions. The new subspecies differs from all other taxa of C. stjernvalli in the structure of endophallus, particularly in its less developed ventroapical lobe (Fig. 92).

2 Studied 2♂♂, 2♀♀, labelled “ Georgia, Ktsia, Tabatskury reserve, h = 2100, alpine zone, 41.652982° N, 43.705407° E [?41°4100.1 N, 43°3229.6 E], 12.5.2017, leg. Pavel Turek”.

3 Body size obviously does not correlate with the biotope altitude, since individuals with about 1.5–2.5 times larger body occur at the same elevations in different localities of the same Trialeti Mountain Range.

Distribution and habitat. C. stjernvalli kartalinicus subsp. nov. is distributed in the northeastern part of the Trialeti Mountain Range, at Kartli Mountain Range, and in the northern part of Trialeti Mountain Range, at its Razmeti spur. Both areas are separated from the main distribution range of C. stjernvalli by arid woodlands in mountain depressions of the Trialeti Mountain Range, which, as far as we know, are not populated by C. stjernvalli . The new subspecies inhabits xerophytic meadows at 1920–2070 m. Activity of the imago was observed in the beginning of June in rather dense herbage. The following Carabus species occur together with this subspecies: C. armeniacus, C. calleyi, C. clypeatus Adams, 1817, C. decolor Fischer von Waldheim, 1823, C. puschkini kolenatii Chaudoir, 1846, C. septemcarinatus Motschulsky, 1840, and C. cribratus .

Etymology. The subspecific epithet refers to the name of historical region in the central-to-eastern Georgia, a cradle of the Georgian statehood, Kartalinia (or Kartli) and Kartli Mountain Range proper.