Cerabilia (Cerabilia) cordata Larochelle and Larivière, 2024

Larochelle, Andre & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2024, Synopsis of the genus Cerabilia Laporte de Castelnau in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Abacetini), Insecta Mundi 2024 (36), pp. 1-31 : 9-10

Cerabilia (Cerabilia) cordata Larochelle and Larivière , new species

Fig. 27 , 31 , 43

Cerabilia (Cerabilia) cordata Larochelle and Larivière , new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “ New Zealand [MK] Ohau Skifield c. 1500m 1.3.89 (hand-written) / 1284 (typed) / Ex. John Nunn Collection Donated 2020 (typed) / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Cerabilia (Cerabilia) cordata Larochelle & Larivière, 2024 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: two females (NZAC) from Lake Ohau (MK), bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 7.5–8.8 mm; slender. Head, pronotum, and elytra black, lateral margins of elytra rufous in apical half; abdomen black; antennae and palpi rufous; femora and tibiae rufopiceous; tarsi rufous. Microsculpture strong, isodiametric on head, moderately transverse on pronotum, isodiametric on elytra. Iridescence present on pronotum. Dull on head and elytra, shinier on pronotum. Head. Eyes moderately large, moderately convex. Tempora not inflated. Frons wrinkled (with oblique strioles). Mentum with median tooth subrounded apically. Palpi with terminal segment obtuse apically. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, obsoletely wrinkled discally and mediobasally, subcordate, moderately wide compared to elytra, widest before middle; apex slightly emarginate; anterolateral angles poorly developed, obtuse; sides strongly rounded anteriorly, moderately sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads mostly narrow, slightly widened near posterolateral angles; a single setiferous puncture on each side (anteriorly), each setiferous puncture close to lateral bead, distant by about one puncture width; median line complete apically and basally; posterolateral angles subrectangular; laterobasal foveae single, deep, rounded; posterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; base slightly emarginate, about as wide as apex. Tip of scutellum slightly projected behind elytral base. Prosternum wrinkled throughout. Elytra. Oblong, widest about middle, moderately convex. Basal margin strongly arcuate, complete, reaching scutellum. Shoulder tooth well developed, obtuse. Sides slightly rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore absent. Striae shallow, incomplete basally (at least two or three striae obsolete). Intervals slightly convex; interval 3 without setiferous puncture. Umbilicate series with 14 setiferous punctures separated into two major groups (6+7), with 1 seta in between. Subapical sinuations feeble. Apices obtuse. Abdomen. Sternum VII of male with dense coarse punctures medially. Aedeagus. Resembling C. maori . Dorsal view ( Fig. 27 ): apex very wide, obtusely triangular, not deflected to the left.

Material examined. 5 specimens ( NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 43 ). South Island: MK–Bush Stream. Christmas Creek, Mount Cook. Lake Ohau. Ohau Skifield.

Ecology. Lowland, montane. Epigean, silvicolous, xerophilous. Dry forests (beech). Shaded ground. Probably nocturnal and hiding during the day under cover.

Biology. Seasonality: October–March, August. Tenerals: March. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).

Dispersal power. Subapterous. Moderate runner.

Collecting technique. Probably turning stones or logs.

Remarks. The name of this species is derived from the Latin adjective cordatus (cordate), referring to its heartshaped pronotum. Cerabilia cordata is morphologically close to C. maori . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, C. cordata has the following distinguishing features: pronotum subcordate, sides strongly rounded anteriorly, moderately sinuate posteriorly, posterolateral angles subrectangular; elytra moderately convex with intervals slightly convex and apices obtuse; tip of scutellum slightly projected behind elytral base. This species is known only from the Mackenzie region (MK) of the South Island, while C. maori is more broadly distributed in southern areas of the South Island (CO, DN, MK).

Figures

Figures 14–27.Aedeagus, lateral. 14) Cerabilia rugosa new species. 15) C. laevis new species. 16) C. rufipes. 17) C. aphela. 18) C. striatula. 19) C. oblonga. Aedeagus, dorsal view of apex.20) C.kaihoka new species.21) C. laevisnew species. 22) C. takaka new species. 23) C. rufipes. 24) C. aphela. 25) C. willi new species. 26) C. maori. 27) C. cordata new species.

Figures 28–31. Dorsal habitus. 28) Cerabilia takaka new species. 29) C. kaihoka new species. 30) C. maori. 31) C. cordata new species. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 42–47. Species distribution maps. 42) Cerabilia aphela. 43) C. cordata new species. 44) C. kaihoka new species. 45) C. laevis new species. 46) C. major. 47) C. maori.