Cerabilia (Cerabilia) striatula ( Broun, 1893 )

Larochelle, Andre & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2024, Synopsis of the genus Cerabilia Laporte de Castelnau in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Abacetini), Insecta Mundi 2024 (36), pp. 1-31 : 16-17

Cerabilia (Cerabilia) striatula ( Broun, 1893)

Fig. 18 , 39 , 52

Zabronothus striatulus Broun, 1893: 1327 . Lectotype (here designated): male (NHMUK) labeled “Type (circular red-bordered label; typed) / 2333 (hand-written) / [male symbol] (hand-written) / Dyer’s Pass (hand-written) / New Zealand. Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482. (typed) / Zabronothus striatulus (hand-written) / LECTOTYPE [male symbol] Zabronothus striatulus Broun, 1893 designated by Larochelle & Larivière, 2024 (red label; typed).”

Cerabilia striatula : Larochelle and Larivière 2007: 80.

Cerabilia (Cerabilia) striatula : Will 2020a: 20.

Description. Body length 6.9–8.0 mm; stout. Head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen piceous black; antennae and palpi rufotestaceous; femora and tibiae rufopiceous; tarsi rufotestaceous. Microsculpture weak and isodiametric on head, strong and isodiametric on pronotum, strong and moderately transverse on elytra. Iridescence present on elytra. Dull on head, pronotum, and elytra. Head. Eyes moderately large, slightly convex. Tempora not inflated. Frons wrinkled (with oblique strioles). Mentum with median tooth subtruncate apically. Palpi with terminal segment obtuse apically. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, obsoletely wrinkled mediobasally, subquadrate, moderately wide compared to elytra, widest before middle; apex moderately emarginate; anterolateral angles well developed, obtuse; sides moderately rounded anteriorly, slightly sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads narrow throughout; two setiferous punctures on each side (anteriorly and posteriorly), each anterior setiferous puncture close to lateral bead, distant by about one puncture width; median line incomplete apically and basally; posterolateral angles moderately obtuse; laterobasal foveae single, shallow, parallel; posterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; base strongly emarginate, about as wide as apex. Tip of scutellum slightly projected behind elytral base. Prosternum wrinkled throughout. Elytra. Oblong, widest about middle, moderately convex. Basal margin slightly arcuate, complete, reaching scutellum. Shoulder tooth well developed, obtuse. Sides moderately rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore absent. Striae shallow, incomplete basally (at least two to four striae obsolete). Intervals depressed, becoming convex apically; interval 3 without setiferous puncture. Umbilicate series with 15 setiferous punctures separated into two major groups (7+8). Subapical sinuations feeble. Apices obtuse. Abdomen. Sternum VII of male with dense coarse punctures medially. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 18 ): moderately arcuate, slender; base rather straight dorsally, with basal lobe; middle moderately convex dorsally, slightly concave ventrally; apex rather straight dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with extreme tip narrow, very long, slightly curved downward. Dorsal view: apex very wide, rounded, not deflected to the left.

Material examined. 34 specimens ( NHMUK, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 52 ). South Island: MC–Banks Peninsula (Ahuriri Reserve, Summit Road; Cass Hill/Peak; Coopers Knob (bush above road); Hinewai [Scenic Reserve]; Kaituna Valley (head of); Morice Settlement [Reserve]; Otepatotu Reserve (Summit Road); Purple Peak, Akaroa). Dyers Pass. Port Hills.

Ecology. Lowland. Epigean, silvicolous, xerophilous. Dry forests (broadleaf, beech) and scrublands. Shaded ground. Nocturnal; hides during the day under stones and logs.

Biology. Seasonality: October–June, August. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).

Dispersal power. Subapterous. Moderate runner.

Collecting technique. Turning logs and stones.

References. Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 140 (as Zabronothus striatulus ; catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution, references), 2007: 80 (taxonomy), 110 (list), 2016: 30 (list); Will 2020a: 20 (taxonomy), 2020b: supplementary material 1 (classification).

Remarks. Cerabilia striatula is morphologically close to C. oblonga . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, C. striatula has the following distinguishing features: head, pronotum, and elytra dull piceous black; femora and tibiae rufopiceous; tarsi rufotestaceous; pronotum with apex moderately emarginate, base strongly emarginate; elytra with shoulder tooth well developed. Cerabilia striatula is found only around Banks Peninsula (MC), while C. oblonga occurs more widely in the northeast of the South Island (KA, MB, MC excluding Banks Peninsula area, NC).

Figures

Figures 14–27.Aedeagus, lateral. 14) Cerabilia rugosa new species. 15) C. laevis new species. 16) C. rufipes. 17) C. aphela. 18) C. striatula. 19) C. oblonga. Aedeagus, dorsal view of apex.20) C.kaihoka new species.21) C. laevisnew species. 22) C. takaka new species. 23) C. rufipes. 24) C. aphela. 25) C. willi new species. 26) C. maori. 27) C. cordata new species.

Figures 36–39. Dorsal habitus. 36) Cerabilia laevis new species (abdomen missing). 37) C. aphela (teneral). 38) C. rufipes (teneral). 39) C. striatula. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 48–53. Species distribution maps. 48) Cerabilia motunau new species. 49) C. oblonga. 50) C. rufipes. 51) C. rugosa new species. 52) C. striatula. 53) C. takaka new species.