Psychristus (Nipponobradycellus) umbraticornis WRASE & JAEGER, 2007

D. W, Jaeger, B. & H, Rolwaling, 2007, New species of Psychristus ANDREWES 1930 subgenus Nipponobradycellus HABU 1973 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Harpalini, Stenolophina) from Nepal, Linzer biologische Beiträge 39 (1), pp. 681-692 : 685-687

Psychristus (Nipponobradycellus) umbraticornis WRASE & JAEGER nov.sp.

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: " NEPAL Manaslu Mts. SE-slope W Gupchi Danda 25- 2600 m 28°08’59N 84°46’06 E 19/ 20.5.2006 leg. J. Schmidt " (Coll. J. Schmidt, Admannshagen, Germ.).

D i a g n o s i s:Anapterousspeciesofsmallsizein Nipponobradycellus , dark reddish brown with antennae partly darkened, antennae relatively short for a stenolophine, with pronotum almost rectilinearly narrowed toward the short, weakly obtusely angled but sharp posterior angles, and with elytral striae distinctly punctured (habitus see Fig. 5 , for values of measurements and ratios see also Tabl. 1).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 3.9 mm; width 1.6 mm, respectively.

Colour: Head, pronotum and elytra dark reddish brown, sutural interval a little lighter. Antennomeres 3-6 distinctly darkened, legs reddish brown, palpi yellowish.

Head: Large for a species in Nipponobradycellus , somewhat narrower than pronotum (0.81 times as wide as pronotum), with eyes only moderately prominent. Tempora oblique, of about one fifth of eye diameter. Antennae pubescent from of antennomere 4.

Pronotum ( Fig. 5 ): Transverse, cordate (1.20 times as wide as long, 1.23 times as wide as head), widest at about anterior third, lateral seta inserted a little before this. Disc only sligthly convex, median line moderately deeply impressed, becoming shallowly and not reaching anterior margin, toward base somewhat deepened and reaching posterior margin; anterior transverse impression indistinct, posterior transverse impression almost indistinct. Anterior margin rectilinear with anterior angles hardly projecting forward. Sides slightly curved apicad, from widest point weakly convex and almost rectilinearly narrowed toward the short, weakly obtuse-angled posterior angles, sharp at tip, denticle small but distinct. Base a little narrower than anterior margin, evenly and weakly concave (maximum width 1.42 times as wide as base). Lateral furrows narrow, anterior margin only laterally bordered, lateral border at basal margin reaching almost basal foveae. Basal foveae somewhat elongately impressed and somewhat curved laterad, not reaching the basal margin. Base except middle coarsely and moderately sparsely punctured, puncturation continuing along lateral margin to anterior angles, some irregularly scattered fine punctures behind anterior margin.

Elytra ( Fig. 5 ): Short-oval (1.48 times as wide as long, 1.55 times as wide as pronotum), on disc moderately convex, with humeri weakly developed, widely rounded, without humeral tooth; toward behind distinctly enlarged, widest at about middle. Basal bead weakly sinuate, arcuately curving inside humerus and without angle turning to lateral margin. Scutellar pore puncture present, scutellar stria short at left, and reduced at right side. Third interval with a setigerous pore puncture at stria 2 shortly before middle. Striae weakly impressed, distinctly punctured, intervals flat. Subapical sinuation weak. Last sternite with 2 setae on each side.

Hind wings: Strongly reduced to small scales.

Sterna: Prosternum impunctate, pro- and mesepisternum sparsely, coarsely and somewhat irregularly punctured. Metepisternum ( Fig. 8 ) impunctate, short, ventral margin about as long as anterior margin, strongly narrowed posteriad.

Legs: Male protarsi weakly and mesotarsi very weakly dilated, both with adhesive vestiture ventrally, consisting of not numerous biseriate, elongate hyaline setae difficult to see (in protarsi apically distinctly, in metatarsi weakly widened).

Microsculpture of surface: Strongly reduced (except strong isodiametric meshes on labrum and scutellum), on head and pronotum practically invisible, on elytra microsculpture mesh pattern consisting of strong-transverse meshes weakly impressed, surface of forebody strongly shiny, elytra very faintly iridescent.

Median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 6, 7 ): Arcuate, with apex flattened and somewhat reflexed (lateral view), apicad moderately narrowed into middle-long apical lamella, twisted somewhat to the left (dorsal view). Internal sac without any larger teeth but with a specific folding pattern.

Female genitalia: Unknown.

C o m p a r i s o n s: See under P. schmidti nov.sp. and key. Differing also from the other species described here in having elytra laterally more convex.

E t y m o l o g y: The new species is named for the partly darkened antennae (Latin "umbra": shadow, and "cornu": horn = antenna).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Currently only known from the type locality in the southeastern slopes of the Manaslu Himal in Central-Nepal.

H a b i t a t: Collected by sifting leaf-litter in a mixed broadleaf forest of the lower cloud forest zone.

Figures

Figs 5-8: Psychristus (Nipponobradycellus) umbraticornis nov.sp. Habitus (5). Median lobe, lateral view (6), median lobe, dorsal view (7). Left metepisternum (8). Scale bars: 1 mm (5); 0.5 mm (6, 7, 8).