Bembidion (Zecillenus) puponga, Larochelle & Zeperyphodes & Broun & Larivière, 2015

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 : 15-16

Bembidion (Zecillenus) puponga new species

Fig. 6 , 42 , 94 , 112

Bembidion puponga Larochelle and Larivière , new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled: “ NEW ZEALAND NN Puponga Forest [= Farm ] Park, Green Hills Stream mouth 4030 S 17239 E 4.III.2003 Larochelle & Larivière (typed)/ Estuary stream and lagoon: wet, bare, white-silver sand flat near dune; 1-2 m from water (typed)/ HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Bembidion puponga Larochelle & Larivière, 2015 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: one male (CMNZ) and one female (NZAC) from the same locality as the holotype, bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 3.0– 4.5 mm. Head and pronotum black or piceous; elytra pale testaceous, with a reduced brownish irregular discal marking (reaching interval 6) and interval 2 infuscated behind middle; antennae with segments 1–4 pale testaceous and segments 5–11 infuscated; legs pale testaceous, with apex of femora and base of tibiae slightly infuscated; abdomen piceous. 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 rectangular; laterobasal foveae shallow, ill-defined (rounded), short, not reaching basal margin. Elytra. Shorter than in other Zecillenus species (except B. tillyardi ). 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 subdepressed on disc. Lateral margins slightly widened subapically; subapical tooth obtuse. Subapical sinuations moderately strong. Sutural apices obtusely rounded. Apex strongly rounded. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 42 ): moderately strongly arcuate, slightly widened in apical half; base moderately convex dorsally; middle moderately convex dorsally, slightly concave towards its apex, almost straight ventrally towards its apex; apex subtriangular, moderately concave dorsally and ventrally, with extreme tip wide and long.

Material examined. 93 specimens ( CMNZ, JNNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 94 ). North Island: WI–Santoft Forest (Koitiata Stream mouth). WN – Kuku Beach (near Levin) [=Kuku Beach Road end beach]. Lake Waiorongomai Stream mouth. Titahi Bay. South Island: NN –Puponga Forest [=Farm] Park (Green Hills Stream mouth; Wharariki Stream mouth).

Ecology. Coastal lowland. Fossorial. Banks of meandering estuarine streams (1–2 m wide) running through sand dunes ( Fig. 112 ), just above the highest tidal line, at a certain distance (2–3 m) from water. Open ground; wet, sandy (white, black), bare soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day in the sand. Gregarious. Occurs in association with staphylinids ( Coleoptera ).

Biology. Seasonality: September, December, March. Tenerals: December, March. Occasionally infested with fungi (Laboulbeniales). Defence mechanism: when alarmed, the adult escapes by running.

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.

Remarks. This species is named after its type locality, Puponga Farm Park. Bembidion puponga is morphologically close to B. tillyardi . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, B. puponga has the following distinguishing features: head and pronotum black or piceous; elytra pale testaceous with a reduced brownish irregular discal marking and interval 2 infuscated behind middle; legs pale testaceous with apex of femora and base of tibiae slightly infuscated; abdomen piceous; elytra with intervals subdepressed on disc and subapical sinuations moderately strong. Bembidion puponga occurs in the southwestern North Island (WI, WN) and northwestern South Island (NN, Puponga Farm Park) while B. tillyardi is restricted to a single locality from the northwestern South Island (NN, Nelson, Tahunanui).

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 89–94. Species distribution maps. 89) Bembidion maorinum maorinum. 90) B. musae. 91) B. nesophilum. 92) B. orbiferum. 93) B. parviceps. 94) B. puponga new species.

Figures 111–112. Species habitats, Bembidion (Zecillenus). 111) Hawkes Bay (HB), Waimarama, B. waimarama new species. 112) Nelson (NN), Puponga Farm Park, B. puponga new species.