Actenonyx whitei Larochelle and Larivière, 2025

Actenonyx whitei Larochelle and Larivière View in CoL View at ENA , new species

Fig. 8, 11 View Figures 1–13 , 20 View Figures 20–22 , 27 View Figures 27–32

Actenonyx whitei LaRocHeLLe and LaRiviÈRe , new sPecies. HoLotyPe: maLe (NZAC) LaBeLed “ NEW ZEALAND CO CLutHa R [=RiveR] 2 km S CRomweLL [-45.0643° 169.2203°] 21 Nov 1974 (Hand-wRitten) / J.S. DugdaLe RiveR side BouLdeR & sand BeacHes (Hand-wRitten) / HOLOTYPE [maLe symBoL] Actenonyx whitei LaRocHeLLe & LaRiviÈRe, 2025 (Red LaBeL; tyPed).” PaRatyPes: two maLes and two femaLes (NZAC) fRom tHe same LocaLity as tHe HoLotyPe, BeaRing BLue PaRatyPe LaBeLs.

Description. Body LengtH 6.9–8.4 mm. MicRoscuLPtuRe modeRateLy stRong and ReguLaRLy isodiametRic on Head, modeRateLy stRong and iRReguLaRLy isodiametRic on PRonotum, veRy stRong and ReguLaRLy isodiametRic on eLytRa. IRidescence aBsent. SHiny on Head, PRonotum, and eLytRa. MetaLLic LusteR PResent, veRy stRong, aeneous. Head. ABout as wide as PRonotum. LaBRum tRuncate aPicaLLy. FRontaL fuRRows sHaLLow. Mentum tootH Bifid aPicaLLy. Thorax. PRonotum modeRateLy convex, deePLy Punctate anteRioRLy and PosteRioRLy, deePLy wRinkLed tRansveRsaLLy on disc, stRongLy coRdate, mucH wideR tHan Long, ReLativeLy LaRge comPaRed to eLytRa; anteRoLateRaL angLe stRongLy Rounded; sides stRongLy Rounded anteRioRLy, stRongLy sinuate PosteRioRLy; LateRaL setifeRous PunctuRes aBsent; PosteRoLateRaL angLes suBRectanguLaR; PosteRioR Bead veRy sHoRt LateRaLLy, oBsoLete mediaLLy; anteRioR and PosteRioR tRansveRse imPRessions oBsoLete; median LongitudinaL imPRession sHaLLow; Base mucH wideR tHan aPex; PRoePisteRna cLeaRLy visiBLe fRom aBove. Elytra. DePRessed. SHouLdeRs oBtuseLy Rounded. Sides sLigHtLy Rounded. StRiae deeP, Punctate. InteRvaLs dePRessed; inteRvaL 3 witH tHRee to five sLigHtLy foveate setifeRous PunctuRes, inteRvaL 5 witH six to seven sLigHtLy foveate setifeRous PunctuRes, inteRvaL 7 witH five to seven non-foveate setifeRous PunctuRes. UmBiLicate seRies sePaRated into two majoR gRouPs (6(7) + 9), witH 1 seta in Between; 16–17 setifeRous PunctuRes. APex anguLaR. Aedeagus. LateRaL view ( Fig. 8 View Figures 1–13 ): modeRateLy aRcuate, modeRateLy wide PosteRioRLy; Base stRongLy convex doRsaLLy; middLe sLigHtLy convex doRsaLLy, RatHeR stRaigHt ventRaLLy; aPex suBtRianguLaR, sLigHtLy concave doRsaLLy, RatHeR stRaigHt ventRaLLy, witH extReme tiP sHoRt, veRy wide, Rounded, and PRojected PosteRioRLy. DoRsaL view: symmetRicaL (ostium of memBRanous aRea doRsaL); aPex ( Fig. 11 View Figures 1–13 ) modeRateLy wide; aPicaL disc sHoRt, modeRateLy wide, Rounded, BaReLy deflected to tHe Left.

Material examined. 169 sPecimens ( AMNZ, CMNZ, LUNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 27 View Figures 27–32 ). SoutH IsLand: CO, DN, FD, KA, MC, MK, NC, OL, SC.

Ecology. LowLand, montane. RiPaRian, ePigean. RiveR Banks (mostLy) and Lake sHoRes, at a ceRtain distance ( 1–5 m) fRom wateR. OPen gRound; wet, sandy oR gRaveLLy, BaRe soiL. NoctuRnaL and diuRnaL; usuaLLy Hides duRing tHe day undeR stones oR among Loose gRaveL; often Runs in tHe oPen in tHe veRy Hot sunsHine. GRegaRious.

Biology. SeasonaLity: OctoBeR–APRiL, mostLy FeBRuaRy–MaRcH. TeneRaLs: FeBRuaRy–MaRcH. PRedacious (Based on moutHPaRt moRPHoLogy). Defense mecHanism: wHen aLaRmed, tHe aduLt escaPes By Running.

Dispersal power. MacRoPteRous, PRoBaBLy caPaBLe of fligHt. Fast RunneR.

Collecting techniques. PouRing wateR oveR tHe gRound; tuRning stones; Raking tHe Loose gRaveL.

Remarks. This sPecies witH a stRongLy HeaRt-sHaPed PRonotum is named foR JonatHon WHite (AuckLand), a sPeciaL acquaintance and HigHLy skiLLed HeaLtH sPeciaList, and someone wHo takes His Patients’ weLL-Being at HeaRt. In addition to diagnostic cHaRacteRs of tHe maLe genitaLia, Actenonyx whitei Has tHe foLLowing distinguisHing featuRes: PRonotum stRongLy coRdate and mucH wideR tHan Long, sides stRongLy Rounded anteRioRLy, PosteRoLateRaL angLes suBRectanguLaR; eLytRa witH deeP stRiae and anguLaR aPex; Head, PRonotum, and eLytRa sHiny, witH veRy stRong metaLLic LusteR. This sPecies is known mostLy fRom tHe easteRn SoutH IsLand (KA to FD–DN).