Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim, 1830

Fominykh, Dmitriy D., Zamotajlov, Alexandr S., Khomitskiy, Eugeniy E. & Titarenko, Andrey Yu., 2020, Contribution to the knowledge of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli Mannerheim, 1830 in the Caucasus, with description of two new subspecies (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Carabini), Zootaxa 4729 (3), pp. 301-328 : 309-315

6. Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim, 1830

( Figs. 1 , 24–67 , 95–108 , 115 , 121–124 )

Material examined. 5♂♂, 2♀♀, Georgia, Adjaria (= Adjara, Adzharia), Baki ( Bako ) vill. env., 08.- 26.06.1998 ( V. Filippov) ( CFDD) ; 15♂♂, 3♀♀, Georgia, Adjaria, Arsiani (= Arsiyan) Mt. Range near Goderdzi Pass , Chanchakhi Mt. , 2300 m, N 41°36’35.00” / E42°31’34.15”, 10.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD) ; 30♂♂, 17♀♀, Georgia, Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti, N slopes of Khormani Mt. Range, right bank of Khveibliani River , 1 km E of Zarzma vill., 1266 m, N 41°40’36.50” / E 42°40’04.90”, pitfall traps, 01.05.- 09.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( ZISP, MPSU, CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 6♂♂, 9♀♀, Georgia, Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti, Adigeni Distr., Khormani Mt. Range , E slopes of Tail’ Mt. , 2290 m, N 41°36’57.00” / E 42°40’32.40”, 22.- 24.05.2015 (A. Zubov & R. Khryapin) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 48♂♂, 53♀♀, Georgia, Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti, N slopes of Adzhar-Imereti (= Meskheti) Mt. Range , S part of Pirsagat Mt. Range , Pirsagat Mt. , 2290 m, N 41°43’50.60” / E 42°44’23.10”, pitfall traps, 26.05.- 11.06.2015 (A. Zubov & R. Khryapin) ( ZISP, MPSU, CFDD, CTAY, CZAM, CKEE) ; 44♂♂, 59♀♀, Georgia, Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti, upper of Borbala River, 10 km SW of Akhaltzikhe town, N slopes of Shabanibeli Mt. , 2270 m, N 41°33’12.00” / E 42°55’18.10”, pitfall traps, 28.05.- 11.06.2015 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( ZISP, MPSU, CFDD, CTAY, CZAM, CKEE) ; 15♂♂, 17♀♀, Georgia, Adjaria, Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range near Chidila Pass , 6 km S of Bakhmaro vill., 2350 m, N 41°47’27,62” / E 42°19’20,22”, 05.06.2016 (D. Fominykh) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, Georgia, Guria, N slopes of Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range near Chkhakoura vill., E slopes of Dzegvila Mt. , right bank of Chkhakoura River , 1081 m, N 41°54’16,70” / E 42°22’41,10”, pitfall traps, 09.04.- 04.06.2016 (D. Fominykh) ( CFDD) ; 4♀♀, Georgia, Guria, N slopes of Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range near Chkhakoura vill., E slopes of Dzegvila Mt. , right bank of Chkhakoura River , 1434 m, N 41°53’30,10” / E 42°22’14,00”, 09.04.- 04.06.2016 (D. Fominykh) ( CFDD) ; 37♂♂, 34♀♀, Georgia, Guria, Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range near Gomismta vill., 2100-2300 m, N 41°49’14.89” / E42°11’16.95”, 08.06.2015 (A. Zubov) ( ZISP, MPSU, CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 1♂, 2♀♀, Geor- gia, Guria, N slopes of Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range near Gomi vill. between Bzhuzhi and Kalova rivers, 1440 m, N 41°50’16,60” / E 42°08’29,20”, pitfall traps, 10.04.- 07.06.2016 (D. Fominykh) ( CFDD) ; 25♂♂, 15♀♀, Georgia, Imereti, Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range near Zekari Pass , 2100-2200 m, 14.- 15.06.2014 (D. Fominykh & A. Zubov) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 6♂♂, 7♀♀, Georgia, Imereti, N slopes of Adzhar-Imereti Mt. Range S of Sairme vill., W slopes of Samtikheli Mt., right bank of Sairme-Gele River , 1526 m, N 41°52’46,50” / E 42°46’22,30”, pitfall traps, 08.04.- 31.05.2016 (D. Fominykh) ( CFDD) ; 27♂♂, 34♀♀, Georgia, Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti, S slope of Ad- zhar-Imereti Mt. Range near Sviri vill., 1580 m, N 41°44’03,10” / E 42°58’37,10”, pitfall traps, 14.04.- 11.06.2018 (D. Fominykh) ( CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 41♂♂, 45♀♀, Georgia, Adjaria, Mts. between Skhalta and Tchirukhists- kali rivers near Momtsvari vill., 1300 m, N41°36’02,50” E42°14’43,70”, pitfall traps, 10.04.- 13.06.2018 (D. Fominykh) ( ZISP, MPSU, CFDD, CTAY, CZAM) ; 217♂♂, 188♀♀, Georgia, Adjaria, Tsvinta Mt. env. N of Goderdzi Pass., 2400 m, N 41°40’32,95” / E 42°30’56,18” 12. VI.2018 (D. Fominykh) ( ZISP, MPSU, CFDD, CTAY, CZAM, CKEE) .

Distribution and habitat. Since the type locality of C. stjernvalli stjernvalli cannot be unequivocally established, we follow hereafter the concept of this form, accepted in the last revision ( Březina et al. 2017) and by Retezár (2015), i.e. the nominotypical subspecies inhabits the Lesser Caucasus in Georgia and Armenia and Northeastern Anatolia, C. stjernvalli tabackuriensis , C. stjernvalli gvalijai Retezár, 1992 , and C. stjernvalli humboldtii representing distinct valid subspecies. Thus we attribute to the nominotypical subspecies populations from Adzhar-Imereti (=Meskheti), Shavsheti, Arsiani (Yalnýzçam) mountains (ranges), and ones from Mount Shabanibeli southwards of Akhaltsikhe ( Fig. 1 ). Material has been collected mainly on alpine meadows, but some populations were forestdwelling. Activity of the imago on meadows starts in spring just after thaw.

Remarks. The above recorded populations exhibit rather pronounced morphological heterogeneity from one to another in average body size, elytral sculpture and body coloration ( Figs. 24–67 ). Decrease in body size does not definitely correlate with altitude (on the contrary, individuals of some forest populations in several localities are significantly smaller than alpine meadow-dwelling ones), elytral sculpture (which is variable even within the same population), and body coloration. In all alpine localities, except only for Shabanibeli Mountain Mass, completely black individuals are rather usual, while in the forests they were observed only in the Zarzma village vicinity at 1266 m. Elytral punctation is also variable, some individuals possess rather smooth elytra, while others—rows of impressions or distinct coarse punctation. The upper side is usually with bright metallic or mirror flare luster, red-bronze to violet.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Collecting sites of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli Mannerheim in the South Caucasus: red square—C. stjernvalli ssp., Gorelovka env.; green square—C. stjernvalli paravanicus subsp. nov.; pink rhombs—C. stjernvalli tabackuriensis Novotný & Vořišek; red rhombus—C. stjernvalli tabackuriensis Novotný & Vořišek, type locality; red triangles—C. stjernvalli kartalinicus subsp. nov.; blue circle—C. stjernvalli bogatshevi Zamotajlov, type locality; violet empty squares—C. stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim; red crosses—C. stjernvalli gvalijai Retezár.

FIGURE 115. Distribution of morphometric characters in some Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli Mannerheim subspecies constructed using discriminant analysis based on 8 parameters (see text for measurements details): red squares—C. stjernvalli ssp., Gorelovka env.; green squares—C. stjernvalli paravanicus subsp. nov.; violet empty squares—C. stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim.

FIGURE 121. Habitat of Carabus stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim, Georgia, Tail’ Mt., 2300 m.

FIGURE 122. Habitat of Carabus stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim, Georgia, Pirsagat Mt., 2300 m.

FIGURE 123. Habitat of Carabus stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim, Georgia, Chidila Pass env., 2300 m.

FIGURE 124. Habitat of Carabus stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim, Georgia, Gomismta env., 2100 m.

FIGURES 24–31. Dorsal habitus of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim: 24–27— Baki env.; 28–29—Goderdzi Pass env., 2300 m; 30–31—Gomi env., 1500 m. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 32–39. Dorsal habitus of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim: 32–35—Zarzma env., 1300 m; 36–39—Tail’ Mt., 2300 m. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 40–47. Dorsal habitus of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim: 40–43—Pirsagat Mt., 2300 m; 44–47—Akhaltsikhe env., 2270 m. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 48–55. Dorsal habitus of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim: 48–51—Dzegvila Mt., 1100 m; 52–55—Chidila Pass env., 2350 m. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 56–63. Dorsal habitus of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim: 56–59—Gomismta env., 2100 m; 60–63—Zekari Pass env., 2100 m. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 64–67. Dorsal habitus of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim, Sairme env., 1500 m. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 92–101. Apical portion of aedeagus and fully inflated endophallus preparation of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli Mannerheim, right lateral view: 92—C. stjernvalli paravanicus subsp. nov., paratype, Paravani lake env., 2200 m; 93—C. stjernvalli tabackuriensis Novotný & Vořišek, Tsalka distr., 1700 m; 94—idem, Tukhmatash Pass env., 2100 m; 95—C. stjernvalli kartalinicus subsp. nov., paratypes, Manglisi env., 2100 m; 96—idem, paratypes, Razmeti Mt. Range, 1900 m; 97—C. stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim, Baki env.; 98—idem, Akhaltsikhe env., 2270 m; 99—idem, Zarzma env., 1300 m; 100— idem, Tail’ Mt., 2300 m; 101—idem, Pirsagat Mt., 2300 m. Scale bar 10.0 mm.

FIGURES 102–114. Apical portion of aedeagus and fully inflated endophallus preparation of Carabus (Lipaster) stjernvalli Mannerheim, right lateral view: 102—C. stjernvalli stjernvalli Mannerheim, Chidila Pass env., 2350 m; 103—idem, Dzegvila Mt., 1100 m; 104—idem, Gomismta env., 2100 m; 105—idem, Gomi env., 1500 m; 106—Goderdzi Pass env., 2300 m; 107— idem, Zekari Pass env., 2100 m; 108—idem, Sairme env., 1500 m; 109—C. stjernvalli gvalijai Retezár, Mravaldzali env., 2200 m; 110—idem, Tli env., 2000 m; 111—idem, Askhi Plateau, 2300 m; 112—idem, Sasashi env., 2300 m; 113—idem, Goldash Mt., 2600 m; 114 —idem, Goldash Mt., 1500 m. Scale bar 10.0 mm.