Bembidion (Zecillenus) tillyardi ( Brookes, 1927 )

Larochelle, André, Zeperyphodes, Broun & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2015, Synopsis of the genus Bembidion Latreille in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidiini), Insecta Mundi 2015 (415), pp. 1-78 : 16-17

Bembidion (Zecillenus) tillyardi ( Brookes, 1927)

Fig. 7 , 43 , 101 , 113

Cillenum [sic] tillyardi Brookes,1927: 563 . Type locality: Tahuna (= Tahunanui, Back Beach), NN. Bembidion (Cillenus) tillyardi: Andrewes 1938: 195 .

Zecillenus tillyardi: Lindroth 1980: 184 .

Bembidion (Zecillenus) tillyardi: Toledano 2005: 130 .

Description. Body length 3.1–4.1 mm. Head and pronotum ferrugineous; elytra pale testaceous, with or without a reduced pale brown irregular discal marking (sometimes reaching interval 6) and interval 2 entirely pale; antennae with segments 1–4 pale testaceous and segments 5–11 slightly infuscated; legs entirely pale ferrugineous; abdomen dark brown. Microsculpture strong and moderately transverse on disc of head; obsolete, with traces of transverse meshes (microlines) on disc of pronotum; strong on elytra, isodiametric on disc, granulate elsewhere. Head, pronotum, and disc of elytra shiny, remainder of elytra dull; metallic lustre present on head and pronotum (aeneous). Thorax. Pronotum widest before middle; sides moderately rounded anteriorly, not sinuate posteriorly; posterolateral angles subrectangular; laterobasal foveae shallow, ill-defined (subelongate), short, not reaching basal margin. Elytra. Shorter than in other Zecillenus species (except B. puponga ). Elliptical, widest about middle. Shoulders prominent. Sides moderately rounded. Striae incomplete, barely suggested and impunctate laterally and apically; striae 2–5 poorly impressed, shallow and finely punctate on disc; striae 6–7 obsolete. Intervals depressed. Lateral margins slightly widened subapically; subapical tooth obtuse. Subapical sinuations moderately strong. Sutural apices obtusely rounded. Apex strongly rounded. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 43 ): moderately strongly arcuate, moderately widened in apical half; base moderately convex dorsally; middle bisinuate dorsally, slightly convex ventrally towards its apex; apex subtriangular, slightly concave dorsally and ventrally, with extreme tip wide and long.

Material examined. 67 specimens ( AMNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 101 ). South Island: NN – Nelson, Tahunanui, Back Beach.

Ecology. Coastal lowland. Fossorial. Tahunanui, Nelson: Terraces and mounds of a lagoon/inlet circled by meandering estuarine tidal channels (2–3 m wide) situated near dunes ( Fig. 113 ), just above the highest tidal line, at a certain distance (2–4 m) from water. Open ground; wet, sandy (yellow), bare soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day in the sand. Semi-gregarious. Found in association with staphylinids ( Coleoptera ).

Biology. Seasonality: November–February. Tenerals: December, February. Defence mechanism: when alarmed, the adult escapes by running or hiding in sandhopper burrows.

Dispersal power. Brachypterous (incapable of flight). Fast runner. Vagility limited by flight incapacity.

Collecting techniques. Pouring water over the ground; treading the soil with the feet.

Reference. Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 86 (as Zecillenus tillyardi ; catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution).

Remarks. After extensive surveys by the authors in the coastal areas of the northern South Island, this species remains known only from the type locality Tahunanui, Back Beach (NN) where it is locally abundant. Bembidion tillyardi appears to be more marine than other Zecillenus species.

Figures

Figures 5–8. Dorsal habitus. 5) Bembidion waimarama new species. 6) B. puponga new species. 7) B. tillyardi. 8) B. chalmeri. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 37–44. Aedeagi, lateral. 37) Bembidion karikari new species. 38) B. albescens. 39) B. alacre. 40) B. tepaki new species. 41) B. waimarama new species. 42) B. puponga new species. 43) B. tillyardi. 44) B. chalmeri.

Figures 101–106. Species distribution maps. 101) Bembidion tillyardi. 102) B. townsendi. 103) B. urewerense. 104) B. waiho new species. 105) B. waimarama new species. 106) B. wanakense.

Figures 113–114. Species habitats, Bembidion (Zecillenus). 113) Nelson (NN), Tahunanui, Back Beach, B. tillyardi. 114) Southland (SL), Long Point, Waiheke Stream, B. chalmeri.