Chlaenius robertae Kavanaugh and Rainio, 2016

Kavanaugh, David H. & Rainio, Johanna, 2016, Twenty-six New Species of Predaceous Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Adephaga: Carabidae) from Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 63 (7), pp. 201-268 : 221-223

Chlaenius robertae Kavanaugh and Rainio , sp. nov.

Figure 12

TYPE MATERIAL.— Holotype ( Figs.12A–B ), a male, in CAS, labeled: “CASENT 1002781”/ “ MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Vohiparara area , 1150 m, mixed tropical forest, 2-22 January 2001,”/ “ 21.24032°S / 47.39399°E, Stop# DHK-01-002, D.H. & K.M. Kavanaugh, R.L. Brett, E. Elsom, F. Vargas, Ranaivosolo,”/ “ E.F. Randrianifirina, N. Rasoamananana, T.J. Ravelomanana, and H.C. Raveloson collectors”/ “collected in daytime by treading marsh vegetation and shore”/ “ HOLOTYPE Chlaenius robertae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [red label] . Paratypes (only 1): a female (in CAS) labeled “CASENT1049009”/ “ MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Vohiparara area , 1050 m, mixed tropical forest, 27 April 1998,”/ “ 21°13.6’S / 47°23.0’E,”/ “Stop # 98-91, D.H. Kavanaugh collector collected on bare soil at night in abandoned rice paddy area”/ “ PARATYPE Chlaenius robertae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [yellow label] .

TYPE LOCALITY.— Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park .

DERIVATION OF SPECIES NAME.— The species epithet, robertae , is a noun in the genitive case,

derived from the given name of Roberta L. Brett, former graduate student and technical assistant of DHK and one of the collectors of the type series.

RECOGNITION.— Sized moderate for genus, SBL of male = 12.9 mm, of female = 13.3 mm. Members of this species ( Fig. 12A ) exhibit the following features, which place them in genus Chlaenites sensu Jeannel (1949) : antennomere 3 longer than antennomere 4; maxillary palpi setose; penultimate labial palpomeres 4 or 5 setose; pronotum with basolateral setae inserted distinctly anterior to the hind angles; elytra with pubescence restricted to near the striae on disk (i.e., not present on the centers of intervals), except more generally and densely present on lateral intervals and near apices; and tarsi asetose dorsally, tarsomeres 5 with two rows of stout setae ventrally. In Jeannel’s (1949) key to subgenera of Chlaenites , members of this species key to his new subgenus Chlaenitidius , which is now considered a junior synonym of subgenus Amblygenius Laferté-Sénectère (1851) ( Lorenz 2005), in having the pronotum relatively broad and the setose punctures along the lateral margins of the elytral intervals slightly foveate, especially in the apical half apically. Member s of C. robertae differ distinctly from those of the each of the four species Jeannel included in this subgenus. They differ from members of Chlaenius cupreolus Faimaire (1901) in having striae deeply impressed and intervals moderately convex (striae superficial only and intervals flat in C. cupreolus members), head with metallic green reflection but pronotum black without a trace of metallic reflection (both head and pronotum with green metallic reflection in C. cupreolus members), and elytra without a pale lateral and apical margin (a thin pale margin present in C. cupreolus members). They differ from members of Chlaenius allacteus Alluaud (1919) , which is current classified in subgenus Oochlaenius Alluaud (1933) ( Lorenz 2005), in having all elytral interval similarly and moderately convex (intervals 1, 3, 5 and 7 more convex and intervals 2, 4, 6 and 8 flat in C. allacteus members) and, again, elytra without a pale lateral and apical margin (a wide pale margin present in C. allacteus members). They differ from members of Chlaenius inaequalis Faimaire (1901) in having the pronotum black without metallic reflection (metallic green reflection present on pronotum in C. inaequalis members), a longer and narrower elytral form (shorter and broader elytra in C. inaequalis members) and elytral epipleurae black (pale in C. inaequalis members). Overall, members of C. robertae are most similar to those the fourth species, Chlaenius lyperus Jeannel (1949) , with which they share similar elytral shape, depth of striae and convexity of intervals. However, they differ from C. lyperus members in having a pronotum broader basally than the latter and legs that are pale in color (dark in C. lyperus members). Males of C. robertae also have genitalia ( Figs. 12C–D ) that are markedly different in form those of the other four species (compare with Jeannel’s (1949) Fig. 386a-d).

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.— At present, known only from the type locality.

HABITAT DISTRIBUTION.— Both specimens of the type series were collected in open habitats at the edges of mixed tropical forest in the Vohiparara area at elevations ranging from 1050 to 1150 m. One was collected in daytime by treading down vegetation at the edge of a marsh, the other was found at night running on bare soil in an abandoned rice paddy.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Digital images of holotype male of Chlaenius robertae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. nov. A. Habitus, dorsal aspect; B. Labels; C–D. Aedeagus of genitalia; C. Left lateral aspect; D. Dorsal aspect. Scale lines = 1.0 mm.