Pristosia crenata

Schmidt, Joachim & Hartmann, Matthias, 2009, Pristosia Motschulsky, 1865 from the Nepal Himalaya: Taxonomy and Biogeography (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Sphodrini), Zootaxa 2009, pp. 1-26 : 21-22

The Pristosia crenata species group

Diagnosis: This is a monotypic species group, too, and include the only fully winged species of the Himalaya, which is a shiny dark brown species of medium body size, and which is very characteristic both in external features and aedeagal characters: According with the ability to fly the elytra are relatively slender with sides parallel in middle, and the metepisterna are longer than wide (plesiomorphic character set). Elytral striae deep, punctate, third interval with two setigerous pore punctures (plesiomorphic features). Aedeagal median lobe capsule very weekly sclerotized, elongated, in lateral view not bent behind basal bulb, and with a sharp terminal hook. Internal sac with a strongly sclerotized clubbed longitudinal fold extending from basal bulb up to median lobe apex. The weekly sclerotized median lobe on the one hand, and the strongly sclerotized internal sac which also fills out the whole basal bulb on the other hand, together constitute a very remarkable character set in which the internal sac, inter alia, seems to assume the ancient backing function role of the lobe. These aedeagal characters are derived and unique within Sphodrini and related tribes.

Description: Remarks: Up to now we have seen just a single male specimen and therefore, we will present a short description only, with regard to the most important diagnostic features within the genus.

Body length 9.5–11.5 mm.

Head: Averaged in general form, convex on disc, collar constriction very slightly developed, mandible relatively short. Eyes not reduced and distinctly protruded laterally, temporae short (about 1/4 of eye diameter). Antennae slender, with antennomere VIII extending beyond the basal border of pronotum; antennomeres I–III smooth apart from primary apical setation.

Pronotum: Moderately transverse, distinctly wider than head across eyes, widest in middle, base distinctly wider than anterior margin, disc convex. Front angles rounded, slightly protruding, hind angles obtuse and broadly rounded at tip. Base almost straight. Anterior marginal bead interrupted in middle, posterior marginal bead completely reduced. Lateral gutter moderately narrow in anterior third, distinctly extended toward base and broadly connected with the laterobasal impressions; the latter deep and sparsely punctate in middle. Both lateral and basolateral setae present, with lateral setae located somewhat before pronotal middle and beside interior border of lateral gutter, and basolateral seta located distinctly distant from lateral and basal edges (each with 2 times pore diameter).

Elytra: Relatively slender, with sides parallel in middle, moderately restricted toward base, distinctly broader than pronotum, humerus obtuse, disc convex. Basal groove moderately concave, forward bent toward scutellum and humerus as well, forming a right angle with scutellar stria and an obtuse angle with lateral groove. Striae deep, punctate, intervals convex. Parascutellar pore present, third interval with two setigerous pore punctures, the first slightly anterad to elytral middle, the second at beginning of posterior quarter; umbelicate series with 18 pore punctures.

Hind wings: Fully developed.

Ventral side: Prosternal process with lateral bead reduced at tip. Metepisterna 1.4 times longer than wide. Abdominal sternum VII in male with one pair of setae near apical margin.

Legs: Relatively stout. Metafemur with two setae on ventral surface, one near base and one beyond middle of femoral length. Middle and hind tarsi I–III laterally each with longitudinal furrows, but which are more weakly engraved on inner lateral surface; tarsomere V with 5 pairs of setae underneath, claws pectinate.

Male genitalia: Aedeagal median lobe capsule remarkably soft (weakly sclerotized; “immature” sensu Lindroth 1956), elongated, in dorsal view slightly S-shaped, in lateral view not bent behind basal bulb, with a short apical lamella which is ending in a sharp terminal hook ( Figs. 20, 21 , see also Lindroth 1956: p. 547, Fig. 30 C+D). Internal sac with a strongly sclerotized clubbed longitudinal fold extending from basal bulb up to median lobe apex.

Species included: Pristosia crenata ( Putzeys, 1873) .

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 23. Pristosia spp., aedeagal median lobe, dorsal view (Figs. 16, 18, 20, 22) and left lateral view (Figs. 17, 19, 21, 23, with exception of P. crenata, the internal sac is figured only in dorsal view). Figs. 16, 17, P. championi (Andrewes, 1934), Holotype. Figs. 18, 19, P. nepalensis sp. n., Paratype. Figs. 20, 21, P. crenata (Putzeys, 1873), nontype, Nepal, Dailekh. Figs. 22, 23, P. amaroides (Putzeys, 1877), non-type, Nepal, Deorali to Sheldoti. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 30 – 35. Pristosia spp., aedeagal median lobe, dorsal view (Figs. 30, 32, 34) and left lateral view (Figs. 31, 33, 35, the internal sac is figured only in dorsal view). Figs. 30, 31, P. dahud polita ssp. n., Paratype. Figs. 32, 33, P. dahud Morvan, 1994, non-type, Khari Lagna (transitional form). Figs. 34, 35, P. dahud Morvan, 1994, non-type, Khari Lagna (typical form). Scale bar = 1 mm.