Amarotypus edwardsii Bates, 1872

Larochelle & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2022, Synopsis of the tribe Amarotypini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2022 (942), pp. 1-30 : 5-6

Amarotypus edwardsii Bates, 1872

Fig. 11 , 21 , 40

Amarotypus Edwardsii Bates, 1872: 51 . Type locality: New Zealand (MNHN).

Description. Body length 6.0–7.0 mm; ovate. Head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen rufopiceous; antennae, palpi, tibiae, and tarsi rufotestaceous; femora rufopiceous. Microsculpture strong, isodiametric (almost granulate) on head, isodiametric on pronotum and elytra. Iridescence absent. Shiny on head, pronotum, and elytra. Metallic luster present (aeneous). Head. Labrum moderately transverse. Eyes moderately convex. Thorax. Pronotum strongly convex, finely punctate basally, obsoletely wrinkled across base, trapezoid, widest basally; apex moderately emarginate; anterolateral angles poorly developed, angulate; anterior bead complete; sides strongly rounded anteriorly, moderately rounded posteriorly, not sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads narrow throughout; lateral depressions absent anteriorly, wide posteriorly; posterolateral angles subrectangular; laterobasal foveae with outer fovea oblong, narrow, shallow, and inner fovea oblong, moderately wide, moderately deep; posterior bead obsolete. Legs. Pro- and mesotarsomeres 1–4 of both sexes moderately dilated. Elytra. Oblong. Free along suture (hindwings partially developed, 65–75% of elytral length). Strongly convex. Shoulders slightly obtuse. Sides slightly rounded. Striae replaced by rows of coarse punctures; row 3 with three poorly developed, fine setiferous punctures. Scutellar striole very long (about two-thirds of elytral length). Intervals subdepressed (surface uneven). Umbilicate series with 15 setiferous punctures. Apices obtusely rounded. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 11 ): strongly arcuate, stout, strongly widened in apical half; base slightly convex dorsally; middle strongly convex dorsally, strongly concave ventrally, with dorsal membranous area wide and long in apical half; apex slightly convex dorsally, moderately concave ventrally, with extreme tip narrow, rounded, and curved downward. Dorsal view: asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to the left). Left paramere lanceolate in apical half (not lanceolate in other amarotypine taxa).

Material examined. 531 specimens ( AMNZ, LUNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 40 ). North Island: AK, BP, CL, GB, HB, ND, RI, TK, TO, WA, WI, WN, WO. South Island: BR, CO, DN, FD, MB, MC, NC, NN, OL, SD, SL, WD. Stewart Island.

Ecology. Lowland, montane, subalpine. Arboreal, silvicolous. Wet forests (beech, broadleaf, podocarp) and shrublands. Shaded ground. Nocturnal; active at night on trees (often on beech) and shrubs; hides during the day under the loose bark of dead trees, as well as in moss, liverworts, and lichens growing on trees and shrubs.

Biology. Seasonality: throughout the year. Tenerals: September. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology). Defense mechanism: either emits a strong smell or drops on the ground when disturbed. Occasionally infested with mites.

Dispersal power. Submacropterous (incapable of flight). Moderate runner. Regular climber (on trees and shrubs).

Collecting techniques. Lifting the loose bark of dead trees; beating trees and shrubs; examining mossy trunks at night; malaise trapping; yellow pan trapping; inspecting moss, liverworts, and lichens.

References. Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 40 (catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution, references), 2007: 110 (list).

Remarks. This species was found in “ New Zealand ” by Mr. H. Edwards who collected three specimens which were described by Bates (1872). There is no ambiguity about the identity of this species, based on its original description and the redescription by Jeannel (1938) who saw the type material in the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN), Paris, France. In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, Amarotypus edwardsii has the following distinguishing features: metallic luster present (aeneous); eyes moderately convex; posterolateral angles of pronotum subrectangular; elytra oblong, sides slightly rounded, striae replaced by rows of coarse punctures, intervals unevenly surfaced. This species is distributed throughout New Zealand (North, South, and Stewart Islands).

Figures

Figures 1–14. Amarotypini morphology. 1–4) Microsculpture. 1) Granulate. 2) Isodiametric. 3) Moderately transverse. 4) Very transverse. 5–7) Head. 5) Setiferous punctures medial, close to eye, frontal furrows (ff) subparallel posteriorly. 6) Punctures medial, distant from eye, furrows subparallel posteriorly. 7) Punctures postmedial, distant from eye, furrows convergent posteriorly. 8–10) Gonocoxites 1 (gc 1) and 2 (gc 2). 8) Amarotypus. 9) Amaroxenus. 10) Amarophilus. 11–14) Aedeagus, lateral. 11) Amarotypus edwardsii. 12) Amarotypus takaheensis new species. 13) Amarotypus fiordlandensis new species. 14) Amarotypus murchisonorum new species.

Figures 21–24. Dorsal habitus. 21) Amarotypus edwardsii. 22) Amarotypus simoninensis new species (holotype). 23) Amarotypus takaheensis new species (paratype). 24) Amarotypus glasgowensis new species (holotype). Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 36–41. Species distribution maps. 36) Amarophilus lomondensis new species. 37) Amarophilus otagoensis new species. 38) Amarophilus rotundicollis new species. 39) Amarophilus wanakensis new species. 40) Amarotypus edwardsii. 41) Amarotypus fiordlandensis new species.