Ctenognathus urewera Larochelle and Larivière, 2021

Larochelle & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2021, Synopsis of the tribe Platynini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2021 (864), pp. 1-96 : 37-38

Ctenognathus urewera Larochelle and Larivière , new species

Fig. 59 , 102 , 147

Ctenognathus urewera Larochelle and Larivière , new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “ NEW ZEALAND GB Urewera NP, Huiarau Summit 923m 14–18.II.1994 Larivière, Larochelle (typed) / Nothofagus + Horopito + tree fern for. [= forest], wet slopes. Pittraps. (typed) / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Ctenognathus urewera Larochelle & Larivière, 2021 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: two females (MONZ, NZAC) from the same locality as the holotype, bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 12.7–13.8 mm. Head, pronotum, and elytra coal black; abdomen blackish; antennae, palpi, and femora rufopiceous; tibiae and tarsi reddish. Microsculpture very transverse (with microlines) on head, pronotum, and elytra. Iridescence present on head and pronotum. Very shiny. Forebody narrow in comparison to elytra. Head. Narrow. Mandibles moderately long and curved anteriorly. Labrum strongly transverse, moderately emarginate anteriorly. Eyes moderately convex; two setiferous punctures on inner side of each eye. Tempora not inflated. Neck constriction shallow dorsolaterally. Mentum: medial tooth truncate apically; two setae. Submentum with four setae. Palpi with terminal segment obtuse apically. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, obsoletely punctate across apex and base, slightly wrinkled on disc, narrow, strongly cordate, widest before middle; apex strongly emarginate; anterolateral angles well developed, angulate; anterior bead complete, less impressed medially; sides strongly rounded and sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads complete; lateral depressions narrow; a single setiferous puncture on each side (anteriorly); posterolateral angles rectangular; laterobasal foveae moderately deep, rather narrow, prolonged forward; posterior bead complete, less impressed medially; base emarginate. Legs. Very long. Metafemora with two posteroventral setae. Meso- and metatarsomeres 1–4 well developed, tricarinate dorsally, deeply bisulcate laterally. Metatarsomeres 4 moderately bilobed and asymmetrical apically. Metatarsomeres 5 glabrous ventrally. Elytra. Slightly convex, not sloping down toward apex, subovate, widest about middle. Shoulders moderately rounded. Sides strongly rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore invisible. Scutellar striole short or moderately long, impunctate. Striae obsolete, impunctate. Intervals slightly convex; interval 3 with a single shallow, minute subapical setiferous puncture. Umbilicate series with 17–18 setiferous punctures. Subapical sinuations feeble. Apices rounded. Abdomen. Sterna IV–VI: both sexes with two long apical ambulatory setae. Sternum VII (last visible sternum): male with two long apical ambulatory setae; female with ten long apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 102 ): strongly arcuate; base strongly convex dorsally, with basal lobe very wide; middle moderately convex in basal half and straight in apical half dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with dorsal membranous area very wide and very long; apex subtriangular, straight dorsally and ventrally, with extreme tip narrow and short. Dorsal view: moderately wide, asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to the left); basal bulb moderately distant from membranous area.

Material examined. 811 specimens ( JNNZ, LUNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 147 ). North Island: BP, GB, HB.

Ecology. Lowland, montane. Epigean, fossorial, arboreal. Wet forests (beech, broadleaf) and tree plantations (pine). Associated with stream, seepages, and mud flats. Shaded ground; wet, soaked soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day under logs, fallen branches, and stones. Gregarious.

Biology. Seasonality: September–January, March–April. Tenerals: December–February. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology). Occasionally infested with mites and fungi (Laboulbeniales).

Dispersal power. Subapterous (incapable of flight). Occasional climber (on trees).

Collecting techniques. Pitfall trapping; turning logs, fallen branches, and stones.

Remarks. The species is named after the Urewera National Park (GB) which includes the type locality Huiarau Summit, and is applied as a noun in apposition. Ctenognathus urewera is morphologically close to C. cardiophorus . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, C. urewera has the following distinguishing features: pronotum widest before middle, slightly wrinkled on disc, sides strongly sinuate posteriorly, posterolateral angles rectangular; interval 3 of elytra with a minute subapical setiferous puncture. The two species are allopatric: C. urewera occurs in eastern central areas of the North Island (BP, GB, HB), while C. cardiophorus is found in more northern areas (ND–WO).

Figures

Figures 57–60. Dorsal habitus. 57) Ctenognathus garnerae new species. 58) C. tepaki new species. 59) C. urewera new species. 60) C. cardiophorus. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 101–107. Aedeagus, lateral. 101) Ctenognathus tepaki new species. 102) C. urewera new species. 103) C. cardiophorus. 104) C. adamsi. 105) C. pictonensis. 106) C. tawanui new species. 107) C. perumalae new species.

Figures 142–147. Species distribution maps. 142) Ctenognathus pictonensis. 143) C. sandageri. 144) C. takahe new species. 145) C. tawanui new species. 146) C. tepaki new species. 147) C. urewera new species.