Chlaenius kathrynae 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 : 219-221

Chlaenius kathrynae Kavanaugh and Rainio , sp. nov.

Figure 11

TYPE MATERIAL.— Holotype ( Figs.11A–B ), a male, in CAS, labeled: “CASENT 1002782”/ “ MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Vohiparara area , 1150 m, mixed tropical forest, 2-22 January 2001,”/ “ 21.24032°S / 47.39399°E, Stop# DHK-01-002, D.H. & K.M. Kavanaugh, R.L. Brett, E. Elsom, F. Vargas, Ranaivosolo,”/ “ E.F. Randrianifirina, N. Rasoamananana, T.J. Ravelomanana, and H.C. Raveloson collectors”/ “collected in daytime by treading marsh vegetation and shore”/ “ HOLOTYPE Chlaenius kathrynae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [red label] . Paratypes (total of 8): 4 males (in CAS, MNHN and MZF) and 1 female (in CAS) labeled same as holotype except “CASENT 1002783”, “CASENT 1002784”, “CASENT 1002786”, “CASENT 1002787”, and “CASENT 1002785”, respectively ; 1 male ( CAS) labeled “CASENT 1049008”/ “ MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park, Vohiparara area , 1050 m, mixed tropical forest, 23 April 1998,”/ “ 21°13.6’S / 47°23.0’E,”/ “Stop # 98-71, D.H. Kavanaugh collector collected in soil cracks, under dirt clods, and under root clods in abandoned rice paddy area” ; 2 females (in MTEC) labeled “ MADAGASCAR: Fianaran. Pr. Ranomafana N.P. HQ. area 21°15’24”S 47°25’15”E 25NOV1994, at night M.A. Ivie & D.A. Pollack ”. All paratypes also bear the following label: “ PARATYPE Chlaenius kathrynae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [yellow label] .

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

DERIVATION OF SPECIES NAME.— The species epithet, kathrynae , is a noun in the genitive case, derived from the first given name of Kathryn May Kavanaugh, daughter of DHK and one of the collectors of the type series.

RECOGNITION.— Size slightly below average for genus, SBL of males = 10.2–10. 8 mm, of females 9.8–11. 1 mm. Members of this species ( Fig. 11A ) share the following features, which place them in genus Chlaenites sense Jeannel (1948): antennomere 3 longer than antennomere 4; maxillary palpi setose, penultimate labial palpomeres 4 or 5 setose; pronotum with basolateral setae inserted distinctly anterior to the hind angles; elytra with pubescence restricted to near the striae on disk (i.e., not present on the centers of intervals), except more generally and densely present on lateral intervals and near apices; and tarsi asetose dorsally, tarsomeres 5 with two rows of stout setae ventrally. In Jeannel’s (1949) key to subgenera of Chlaenites , members of this species key best, although not fully, to subgenus Chlaeniostenus Kuntzen (1919) , which is now considered a subgenus of Chlaenius ( Lorenz 2005) . Shared with other Malagasy members of this subgenus are the following features: pronotum relatively narrow, more or less cordiform, narrowed basally, with the anterior angles not projected anterior of the basal margin and the anterolateral areas of the pronotum distinctly curved ventrally; and the setose punctures along the lateral margins of the elytral intervals not or only faintly evident, most clearly evident in the apical half only. Jeannel included three other species in this subgenus; namely, Chlaenius attenuatus Klug (1833) , Chlaenius subovatus Chaudoir (1876) , and Chlaenius sellatus Dejean (1831) . Members of C. kathrynae differ from those of the other species in lacking any trace of the pale lateral and apical elytral border distinct in members of the other three species. They are also smaller than members of the other species (SBL in the latter ranges from 11.9 to 15. 3 mm), have slightly broader and less cordiform pronota and males have genitalia ( Figs. 11C–D ) that are very different in form from those of any of the other species (compare with Jeannel’s (1949) Figs. 388c-i)

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

HABITAT DISTRIBUTION.— Most specimens of the type series were collected in open habitats at the edges of mixed tropical forest in the Vohiparara area at an elevation of 1050 m. Several were collected by treading down vegetation at the edge of a marsh, and one specimen was found under loose dirt and root clods in an abandoned rice paddy area.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Digital images of holotype male of Chlaenius kathrynae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. nov. A Habitus, dorsal aspect; B. Labels; C–D. Aedeagus of genitalia; C. Left lateral aspect; D. Dorsal aspect. Scale lines = 1.0 mm.