Pseudotetracha timberensis, Häckel, Martin & Anichtchenko, Alexandr, 2015

Häckel, Martin & Anichtchenko, Alexandr, 2015, Pseudotetracha timberensis: a new species from the Northern Territory, Australia (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Cicindelinae, Megacephalini) and considerations on the taxonomy of Pseudotetracha, Zootaxa 4057 (1), pp. 143-150 : 144

Pseudotetracha timberensis sp. nov.

Type material. Holotype (♂): “ Australia. Northern Territory, 120 km w Timber Creek, Saddle Creek R. A. 15°57.26'S 129°33.42'E, lgt. loc. collector ( Fig. 2 , cMH, donated to MAGNT). Paratypes: 1♂, 3♀, same data ( Fig. 3 , cMH, cRS, cSJ); 1♂, 2♀, Western Australia, Kimberley Reg.Victoria Hwy, ~ 102km N Halls Creek 17°25.58'S 127°59.17'E Spring Creek I—2014 lgt. J. Horák, S. Jákl (cMH, cSJ).

Description. Length 15.1–17.6 mm, width 4.9–6.8 mm. Proportions: pronotum 1.07x wider than long, 0.93x wider than head, elytra 1,45x wider than pronotum.

Coloration. Unicolorous; body black or dark brown with green and often also slight purple metallic sheen; antennae, palps and mandibles yellowish, proximal four antennomeres and mandibles with distal parts dark; labrum dark brown, in some specimens with yellowish base and lateral margins. Legs yellowish, with distal onefifth to one-fourth of femora dark. Underside with sterna reddish brown, or in two instances with metallic green sheen laterally, except 6 and lateral edges of 5 testaceous.

Head: Large, with widely spaced bulging eyes. Labrum with four very small apical teeth, more developed in female, and four submarginal setae; mandibles with smooth teeth; male with second tooth longer than third, female with third tooth longer than second, both sexes with a small fourth basal tooth.

Thorax with portion cut off by lateral carina (reddish brown with or without green sheen); pronotum moderately transverse, 1.07x wider than long, trapezoidal; maximum width at anterior third; posterior dorsal sulcus very well developed, lateral carina present throughout length.Elytra ovoid, humeri distinct but rounded, basal third punctate, punctation in irregular rows except third row with foveae parallel to suture, more coarsely and deeply impressed, and extending to apex; in some specimens also first row reaches apical part of elytra. Wingless.

Venter. Sternum VI of male with apex emarginate.

Aedeagus similar to that in P. marginicollis ( Sloane, 1906) but with different outer curvature, especially near base where it widens in funnel-like fashion and creates a fold, whereas in P. marginicollis widening is gradual and curvature in lateral view is uniterrupted, without fold ( Figs 1 c, 2c); apex is less downturned than in P. marginicollis . . More pronounced differences are apparent in shape of endophallus ( Figs. 1 b, 2b).

Differential diagnosis. P. timberensis sp. nov. resembles P. marginicollis ( Sloane, 1906) , differing from it by elytral sculpture with punctures in third row coarser, more deeply impressed and more extended to apex ( Fig. 3 c); lighter overall coloration; by only distal darkening of femora and first four antennomeres ( Figs 1-3 a, 3b; and by shape of endophallus ( Figs 1 b, 2b).

Etymology. Named after Timber Creek, a tributary of Victoria River, the first known area of occurrence of the new species.

Distribution. Southwestern Northern Territory, northeastern Westerrn Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 1 Pseudotetracha marginicollis (Sloane, 1906). A—male, habitus; B—aedeagus with expanded endophallus left, upper and right views; C—aedeagus in left lateral view.

FIGURE 2 Pseudotetracha timberensis sp. nov. A—male, habitus; B—aedeagus with expanded endophallus left, upper and right views; C—aedeagus in left lateral view.

FIGURE 3 Pseudotetracha timberensis sp. nov. A—female, habitus; B—proximal antennomeres, detail; C—elytral apex, detail.