Moriosomus seticollis Straneo

Erwin, Terry L. & Moore, Wendy, 2007, Taxonomic review of the Neotropical genus Moriosomus Motschulsky (Insecta: Coleoptera, Carabidae, Morionini) with notes on the way of life of the species, Zootaxa 1438, pp. 49-63 : 54-55

Moriosomus seticollis Straneo

( Figs. 3 , 6 , 8 )

Type specimens. Holotype not examined. Colombia: without precise locality data. Straneo Collection, Genoa, Italy, male. Paratype examined. Ecuador: Pichincha, W. San Juan, old road, Quito - Sto. Domingo, under logs, 00° 39’ 0 S, 078° 21’ 0 W, 1981–2134 m, June ( Ecuador Expedition 1982, H.E. Frania Collection #122), ( NMNH: ADP 108773, male).

Proposed English vernacular name. Hairy-thorax robust carabid beetle.

Diagnosis. With the attributes of the genus as described above and pronotum as long as wide or slightly longer than wide, lateral margin with six setae; elytron with interneurs smooth, not punctulate; submentum with two setae; prosternum and prosternal intercoxal process sparsely setose. Size medium, SBL = 15mm.

Description. ( Fig. 3 ). Size medium, ABL = 14 to 15.6 mm, SBL = 15 mm, TW = 4.9 to 5.2 mm (smaller measures from Straneo 1985). Color: Head, pronotum and elytra black, legs very dark rufous. Microsculpture: Dorsal surface of head with isodiametric sculpticells, dorsal surface of pronotum and elytra with very fine transverse sculpticells. Head: Frons setose, two setae on left side, one seta on right side; clypeus shallowly emarginate, with one seta on each side near anterior margin; labrum emarginate with six setae on anterior margin; mandibles relatively narrow for genus, lateroventral margin of mandible slightly explanate; submentum with one pair of setae. Prothorax: Pronotum markedly convex, slightly longer than wide, with six setae along lateral margin, five evenly distributed in anterior 2/3 and one at hind angle, lateral margin beaded; prosternum and prosternal intercoxal process sparsely setose. Pterothorax: Metepisternum about quadrate, lateral margins slightly longer than and anterior margin, metasternum sparsely setose. Elytra apparently fused along suture. Interval 7 carinate; Interneurs of elytron smooth, impunctate. Metathoracic wing small scale, vestigial. Abdomen: Sternum VII with four or five setae in males and two setae in females. Male genitalia: ( Figs. 6 a–c) Phallus progressively more infuscated distally; basal bulb crested ( Fig. 6 a), subacute; ostium length 2/3 shaft length; ventral left and right margin slightly sinuate ( Fig. 6 b); apex flattened dorso-ventrally, curved ventrally, and broadly rounded ( Fig. 6 c). Endophallus unarmed, microtrichial fields not apparent. Parameres subequal in length; left paramere in ventral aspect ( Fig. 6 b) almost quadrate, distal margin very broad, subtruncate. Female reproductive tract ( Fig. 8 ): Spermathecal gland and associated diverticula attach at the base of the spermatheca; gonocoxite-2 as long as gonocoxite-1, narrow and with acute apex.

Dispersal potential. Like adults of M. motschulskyi , these beetles are flightless and therefore they must walk to disperse. Accordingly, the species may be expected to have a markedly restricted geographical range.

Way of life. Available evidence suggests that this species may be confined to high altitude forests and that its members are active in the dry season.

Other specimens examined. ECUADOR: COTOPAXI PROV., Las Pampas vic., 1800–2000m, 00° 25' 0 S, 078° 57' 0 W April–May (K.W. Will) ( KWWC: 5 females, 4 males) ( CASC: 1 female, 1 male).

Geographic distribution. Adults of this species have been recorded from Colombia and Ecuador, in the Cordillera Oriental of the Andes.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Moriosomus seticollis Straneo, male, ADP 108773, habitus, ABL = 13.5 mm.

FIGURE 6. Moriosomus seticollis Straneo, ADP 108773. Male genitalia, including phallus, endophallus, and parameres – (a) dorsal aspect, (b) ventral aspect, and (c) left lateral aspect.

FIGURE 8. Moriosomus seticollis Straneo. Ventral view of female reproductive tract. bc = bursa copulatrix; co = common oviduct; sp = spermatheca; sg = spermatheca appended gland; sgd = spermatheca gland duct diverticula; gc 1 = gonocoxite- 1; gc 2 = gonocoxite- 2.