Amarophilus rotundicollis Larochelle and Larivière, 2022

Larochelle & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2022, Synopsis of the tribe Amarotypini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2022 (942), pp. 1-30 : 15-16

Amarophilus rotundicollis Larochelle and Larivière , new species

Fig. 31 , 38

Amarophilus rotundicollis Larochelle and Larivière , new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “ NEW ZEALAND CO Old Man Ra [= Range ] The Obelisk 24 Jan 2014 M. Gimmel, R. Leschen, J. Nunn (typed) / RL1785 -45.322933 169.20’E 1680m under rocks (typed) / Sp 81 (hand-written) / HOLOTYPE ♂ Amarophilus rotundicollis Larochelle & Larivière, 2022 (red label; typed).” Paratype: one female (MONZ) from Nevis [=Nevis Crossing, CO], bearing a blue paratype label.

Description. Body length 5.8 mm; subovate. Head, pronotum, and elytra piceous black; abdomen rufopiceous; antennal segments 1–4 rufotestaceous, 5–11 rufopiceous; palpi rufotestaceous, slightly infuscate; legs rufopiceous. Microsculpture isodiametric, strong on head (almost granulate), weak on pronotum and elytra. Iridescence absent. Shiny on head, pronotum, and elytra. Head. Labrum strongly transverse. Eyes subdepressed; setiferous puncture inserted medially on inner side of each eye. Frontal furrows moderately deep, subparallel posteriorly. Thorax. Pronotum strongly convex, impunctate, obsoletely wrinkled mediobasally, rounded, widest before middle; apex subtruncate; anterolateral angles poorly developed, angulate; anterior bead complete; sides strongly rounded, not sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads narrow throughout; lateral depressions absent; posterolateral angles rounded; laterobasal foveae rounded, moderately wide, moderately deep, not separated from lateral depressions by a pronounced convexity; posterior bead absent; base narrower than elytral base. Legs. Pro- and mesotarsomeres 1–4 of male moderately dilated. Elytra. Moderately convex. Shoulders slightly rounded. Sides slightly rounded. Striae shallow, finely punctate; stria 3 without setiferous punctures. Intervals depressed. Umbilicate series with 14 or 15 setiferous punctures. Apices obtusely rounded. Aedeagus. Not examined.

Material examined. 2 specimens ( MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 38 ). South Island: CO– Nevis Crossing. Old Man Range (Obelisk).

Ecology. Alpine. Epigean. Fellfields. Open ground. Nocturnal; hides during the day under stones.

Biology. Seasonality: January–February. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).

Dispersal power. Subapterous (incapable of flight).

Collecting technique. Turning stones.

Remarks. This species is named after the Latin adjective rotundus and the Latin noun collis, referring to the rounded sides of the pronotum. This species is known only from one female and one male which was not dissected to preserve the integrity of the holotype. However, there is no ambiguity regarding the identity of this taxon. Amarophilus rotundicollis is morphologically close to A. otagoensis from which it can be distinguished by the following features: body subovate, piceous black; antennae bicolored, segments 1–4 rufotestaceous, 5–11 rufopiceous; pronotum rounded, widest before middle, with lateral beads narrow throughout and posterolateral angles rounded; sides of elytra slightly rounded. Amarophilus rotundicollis is known only from two South Island localities in western Central Otago (CO), while A. otagoensis occurs throughout Central Otago (CO) and is also known from Ben Lomond (OL).

Figures

Figures 29–32. Dorsal habitus. 29) Amaroxenus huttensis new species. 30) Amaroxenus kahurangiensis new species. 31) Amarophilus rotundicollis new species (holotype). 32) Amarophilus otagoensis new species. 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.