Bembidion (Zecillenus) chalmeri ( Broun, 1886 )

Larochelle, André, Zeperyphodes, Broun & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2015, Synopsis of the genus Bembidion Latreille in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidiini), Insecta Mundi 2015 (415), pp. 1-78 : 17-18

Bembidion (Zecillenus) chalmeri ( Broun, 1886)

Fig. 8 , 44 , 79 , 114

Cillenum [sic] chalmeri Broun, 1886: 881 . Type locality: Port Chalmers, DN.

Cillenum [sic] batesi Sharp, 1886: 374 . Type locality: Otago, South Island. Secondary homonym of Notaphus batesi Putzeys, 1875 (= Bembidion niloticum Dejean, 1831 ).

Bembidion (Cillenus) batesianum Csiki, 1928: 130 (replacement name for Bembidion batesi Sharp, 1886 ). Synonymized by Lindroth 1980: 185.

Bembidion (Cillenus) chalmeri: Csiki 1928: 130 .

Zecillenus chalmeri: Lindroth 1980: 185 .

Bembidion (Zecillenus) chalmeri: Toledano 2005: 130 .

Description. Body length 3.9–4.8 mm. Head dark brown; pronotum pale brown basally, apically and on disc; elytra pale testaceous, with a dark brown triangular discal marking (reaching interval 7) and interval 2 entirely pale; antennae with segments 1–4 pale testaceous and segments 5–11 slightly infuscated; legs mostly pale testaceous, with apex of femora slightly infuscated; abdomen piceous. Microsculpture strong, irregularly isodiametric on disc of head; obsolete, with traces of transverse meshes (microlines) on disc of pronotum; strong on elytra, isodiametric on disc, granulate elsewhere. Head, pronotum, and disc of elytra shiny, remainder of elytra dull; metallic lustre present on head (aeneous). Thorax. Pronotum widest about middle; sides moderately rounded anteriorly, not sinuate posteriorly; posterolateral angles subrectangular; laterobasal foveae shallow, ill-defined (vaguely elongate), short, not reaching basal margin. Elytra. Elliptical, widest about middle. Shoulders somewhat prominent. Sides moderately rounded. Striae incomplete, barely suggested and impunctate laterally and apically; striae 2–5 poorly impressed, shallow and finely punctate on disc; striae 6–7 obsolete. Intervals subdepressed on disc. Lateral margins slightly widened subapically; subapical tooth obtuse. Subapical sinuations moderately strong. Sutural apices obtusely rounded. Apex oblique (rounded in other Zecillenus species ). Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 44 ): moderately arcuate, moderately widened in apical half; base moderately convex dorsally; middle rather straight dorsally, with moderate concavity towards its apex, moderately convex ventrally; apex subtriangular, moderately concave dorsally and ventrally, with extreme tip wide and long.

Material examined. 260 specimens ( AMNZ, BMNH, JNNZ, LUNZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 79 ). South Island: DN –Aramoana, The Spit. Port Chalmers. “ Otago ” [Coast or Peninsula]. Sandfly Bay, Morris Creek. Taieri Mouth (near Saw Mill Road). SL–Long Point, Waiheke Stream mouth. Long Beach, Longbeach Creek mouth. Papatowai beach. Tutuku Beach, Isas Creek.

Ecology. Coastal lowland. Fossorial. Banks of meandering estuarine streams (3–4 m wide) running through sand dunes ( Fig. 114 ), just above the highest tidal line, at a certain distance (2–4 m) from water. Open ground; wet, sandy (yellow), bare soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day in the sand. Gregarious. Occurs in association with staphylinids ( Coleoptera ).

Biology. Seasonality: October–February. Tenerals: December–February. Food: Staphylinids ( Coleoptera ). Occasionally infested with fungi (Laboulbeniales). Defence mechanism: when alarmed, the adult escapes by running.

Dispersal power. Brachypterous (incapable of flight). Moderate runner. Vagility limited by flight incapacity.

Collecting techniques. Pouring water over the ground; treading the soil with the feet.

Reference. Larochelle and Larivière 2001: 86 (as Zecillenus chalmeri and Z. embersoni ; catalogue; biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution, references).

Remarks. Examination of the holotype of Cillenum batesi confirmed it to be conspecific with Bembidion chalmeri . The illustration of the pronotum of Bembidion chalmeri by Lindroth (1980, Fig. 12 ; as Zecillenus chalmeri ) does not represent the normal situation for this species where the pronotum is distinctly constricted basally.

Figures

Figures 5–8. Dorsal habitus. 5) Bembidion waimarama new species. 6) B. puponga new species. 7) B. tillyardi. 8) B. chalmeri. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 37–44. Aedeagi, lateral. 37) Bembidion karikari new species. 38) B. albescens. 39) B. alacre. 40) B. tepaki new species. 41) B. waimarama new species. 42) B. puponga new species. 43) B. tillyardi. 44) B. chalmeri.

Figures 77–82. Species distribution maps. 77) Bembidion callipeplum. 78) B. chalceipes. 79) B. chalmeri. 80) B. charile. 81) B. dehiscens. 82) B. embersoni.

Figures 113–114. Species habitats, Bembidion (Zecillenus). 113) Nelson (NN), Tahunanui, Back Beach, B. tillyardi. 114) Southland (SL), Long Point, Waiheke Stream, B. chalmeri.

Figures 9–12. Dorsal habitus. 9) Bembidion embersoni. 10) B. brullei. 11) B. rotundicolle. 12) B. tairuense. Scale line = 1 mm.