Lebia (Metalebia) ranomafanae 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 : 257

Lebia (Metalebia) ranomafanae Kavanaugh and Rainio , sp. nov.

Figure 34

TYPE MATERIAL.— Holotype ( Figs.34A–B ), a male, in NMNH, labeled: “ MADAGASCAR: Prov. Fianarantsoa, 7 km W Ranomafana , 1100m 22-31 October 1988 W. E. Steiner ”/ “ Malaise trap in small clearing, montane rain forest”/ “ HOLOTYPE Lebia (Metalebia) ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [red label] . Paratypes (only 1): a female (in CAS) labeled “ MADAGASCAR: Prov. Fianarantsoa, 7 km W Ranomafana , 900m 23-28 February 1990 W. E. Steiner ”/ “ Malaise trap in small clearing, montane rain forest”/ “ PARATYPE Lebia (Metalebia) ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [yellow label] .

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

DERIVATION OF SPECIES NAME.— The species epithet, ranomafanae , is a noun in apposition, derived from the name of the national park in which the type was collected.

RECOGNITION.— Size slightly small for genus, SBL of male = 4.3 mm, of female = 4.2 mm. Members of this species ( Fig. 34A ) key to subgenus Metalebia Jeannel (1949) and the madagascariensis group in Jeannel’s (1949) key: the basal elytral border is absent medially between the base of stria 3 and the scutellum; the elytral striae are deep and the elytral intervals convex and impunctate; the forebody (head plus pronotum) has no metallic reflection and the elytra are uniform in color (but not necessarily in reflection); and the frons is slightly convex and without distinct frontal furrows between the eyes. Within the madagascariensis group, L. ranomafanae members can be distinguished from those of all species except L. alluaudana , L. apicoviolacea sp. nov., L. mirana and L. tanala by the presence of elytral metallic reflection (metallic reflection absent from the elytra of members of the remaining seven species). They are distinguished from members of L. mirana by their reddish labrum (black in L. mirana members) and from those of L. alluaudana by their small size and relatively short and broad elytra, with ratio of elytra length to width = 1.3 (size larger, SBL of males = 4.6–5.0 mm, of females 4.6– 5.3 mm, and elytra relatively longer, with ratio EL/EW = 1.4, in L. alluaudana members). They are distinguished from members of L. tanala in having very dark and relatively faint elytral metallic reflection, pronotum with anteri- or angles indistinct, smoothly rounded from apical to lateral margin and not at all projected anteriorly beyond apical margin, lateral margins nearly parallel in posterior two-thirds and not or only very slightly sinuate anterior to obtusely angulate hind angles (elytral metallic reflection more distinct, pronotum with anterior angles broadly round but slightly projected anteriorly beyond apical margin, lateral margins distinctly sinuate anterior to sharp, rectangular hind angles slightly projected laterally in members of L. tanala ). Finally, they can be distinguished from members of L. apicoviolacea by slightly larger size and the faint, concolorous dark blue-green elytral metallic reflection and (size slightly smaller, SBL of male = 3.8 mm, of female = 4.0 mm, and elytra with distinct tricolored metallic reflection, green basally and on medial two-thirds, brassy on lateral one-third and violet in apical one-fifth, in L. apicoviolacea members. Shape of the median lobe of the male aedeagus ( Fig. 34C–D ) is also diagnostic, with the shaft broadest at basal one-third, slightly and evenly arcuate on ventral margin in lateral view ( Fig. 34C ) and apex parallel-side basally and broadly rounded apically in dorsal view ( Fig. 34D ).

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

HABITAT DISTRIBUTION.— Both specimens of the type series were collected in malaise traps in secondary montane rainforest in the Talatakely area at elevations ranging from 900 to 1100 m.

Figures

FIGURE 34. Digital images of holotype male of Lebia (Metalebia) ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. nov. A. Habitus, dorsal aspect; B. Labels; C–D. Aedeagus of male genitalia; C. Left lateral aspect; D. Dorsal aspect. Scale lines = 0.5 mm.