Perigona (Ripogena) 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 : 228

Perigona (Ripogena) ranomafanae Kavanaugh and Rainio , sp. nov.

Figure 15

Ripogena n. sp. 2; Rainio 2009: 33 (informal designation).

Perigona (Ripogena) n. sp. 2; Rainio 2012: 73, Rainio 2013: 96 (informal designation).

TYPE MATERIAL.— Holotype ( Figs.15A–B ), a male, in CAS, labeled: ““CASENT 1049017”/ “ MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Vatoharanana area, 1050 m, Abotovory stream, 29 April 1998 ”/ “ 21°16.7’S 47° 26.1’E, Stop # 98-100, D.H. Kavanaugh collector collected in large rotting log just under loose bark with cavities”/ “ HOLOTYPE Perigona (Ripogena) ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [red 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 larger than average for subgenus, SBL = 4.4 mm. The holotype male of this species ( Fig. 15A ) shares with members of Perigona heterodera Alluaud (1936) , Perigona prasinus Alluaud (1936) and P. deuvei sp. nov. the following features: pronotum with lateral margins without sinuation anterior to hind angles, posterior margin slightly and smoothly convex, and hind angles either obtuse or broadly rounded. These features distinguish members of these four species from those of Perigona bembidioides Alluaud (1936) and Perigona viridimicans Jeannel (1948) , which have distinct sinuation of the lateral margins anterior to rectangular hind angles and a straight basal margin. Members of P. ranomafanae differ from those of P. prasinus in having slightly smaller body size and dorsum without metallic reflection (dorsum with metallic green reflection in P. prasinus ). They differ from members of P. heterodera and P. deuvei in having larg- er body size (SBL = 3.4 mm in P. heterodera , 3.5 to 3.9 mm in P. deuvei ), pronotal hind angles more sharply angulate, lateral explanation of pronotum markedly widened and flattened in region of hind angles (pronotal hind angles rounded or at least less sharply angulate and lateral explanation only slightly wider near hind angles than anteriorly in P. heterodera and P. deuvei ). The unique male holotype of P. ranomafanae is slightly teneral and the genitalia are very soft and only lightly sclerotized. However, the apex is sclerotized sufficiently to allow comparisons with those of P. heterodera and P. deuvei males. In lateral view ( Fig. 15C ), the apex is slightly longer than in P. heterodera males (see Jeannel 1948, Fig. 351b) and distinctly shorter and straighter than in P. deuvei males. Finally, they differ from members of P. descarpentriesi in having moderately large eyes (eyes markedly reduced eyes in size in P. descarpentriesi ), pronotum widest anterior to middle and lateral margins nearly straight in posterior half (pronotum widest at middle and lateral margins evenly arcuate throughout P. descarpentriesi ). Also, the apex of the median lobe of the male genitalia is narrower and more pointed in lateral aspect in P. ranomafanae males ( Fig. 15C ) than in those of P. descarpentriesi (see Deuve 1998, Fig. 2 .).

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

HABITAT DISTRIBUTION.— The unique holotype was collected by hand in primary montane rainforest in the Vatoharanana area at an elevation of 1050 m from under the loose bark of a large log on the forest floor.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Digital images of holotype male of Perigona (Ripogena) ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. nov. A. Habitus, dorsal aspect; B Labels; C. Aedeagus of genitalia, left lateral aspect [dissection not fully cleaned due to teneral nature of holotype]; D. Dorsal aspect. Scale lines A = 1.0 mm, C = 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 2. Digital images of holotype female of Brachypelus ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. nov. A. Habitus, dorsal aspect; B. Labels. Scale line = 1.0 mm.