Amaroxenus huttensis 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 : 13

Amaroxenus huttensis Larochelle and Larivière , new species

Fig. 16 , 29 , 48

Amaroxenus huttensis Larochelle and Larivière , new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “ NEW ZEALAND MC Mt [=Mount] Hutt Skifield Basin 24-Dec-99 (typed) / Under rock on silty substrate (typed) / Donated by J. Nunn (typed) / HOLOTYPE ♂ Amaroxenus huttensis Larochelle & Larivière, 2022 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: one male and two females (NZAC) from the same locality as the holotype, bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 6.2–6.5 mm. Head, pronotum, and elytra rufopiceous; abdomen rufotestaceous; antennal segments 1–2 rufotestaceous, 3–11 rufopiceous; palpi rufotestaceous; femora rufopiceous; tibiae and tarsi rufotestaceous. Microsculpture weak, isodiametric (almost granulate) on head, isodiametric on pronotum, and moderately transverse on elytra. Iridescence present on elytra. Shiny on head and pronotum, dull on elytra. Head. Labrum strongly transverse. Eyes slightly convex. Thorax. Pronotum strongly convex, obsoletely punctate basally, obsoletely wrinkled medially and across base, cordate, widest before middle; apex subtruncate; anterolateral angles poorly developed, obtuse; anterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; sides strongly rounded, not sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads narrow throughout; lateral depressions absent; posterolateral angles rectangular; laterobasal foveae rounded, moderately wide, shallow, separated from lateral depressions by a carina; posterior bead incomplete, obsolete laterally. Legs. Pro- and mesotarsomeres 1–4 of both sexes moderately dilated. Elytra. Strongly convex. Sides strongly rounded. Striae shallow, finely punctate; stria 3 with two or three well developed, coarse setiferous punctures. Intervals slightly convex. Umbilicate series with 13 to 16 setiferous punctures. Apices angulate. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 16 ): strongly arcuate, stout, strongly widened and multistriate in apical half; base almost straight dorsally; middle strongly convex dorsally, strongly concave ventrally, with dorsal membranous area moderately wide and short in apical half; apex almost straight dorsally, moderately concave ventrally, with extreme tip very wide, rounded. Dorsal view: asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to the right).

Material examined. 15 specimens ( NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 48 ). South Island: CO–Hawkdun Range. Saint Bathans Range. MC –Mount Hutt Skifield. MK –Ohau Skifield.

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

Biology. Seasonality: December–March. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).

Dispersal power. Subapterous (incapable of flight).

Collecting technique. Turning stones.

Remarks. This species is named after the type locality Mount Hutt (MC) and the Latin suffix – ensis denoting a place, locality, or country. Amaroxenus huttensis is morphologically close to A. kahurangiensis . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, A. huttensis has the following distinguishing features: antennal segments 1–2 rufotestaceous, 3–11 rufopiceous; pronotum strongly convex, not sinuate posteriorly, with posterolateral angles rectangular, laterobasal foveae shallow; elytra dull, strongly convex, with shallow and finely punctate striae. The two species are allopatric: A. huttensis occurs in southeastern areas of the South Island (CO, MC, MK), while A. kahurangiensis is known only from the northwest of the South Island (NN).

Figures

Figures 15–20. Aedeagus, lateral. 15) Amaroxenus glacialis new species. 16) Amaroxenus huttensis new species. 17) Amaroxenus kahurangiensis new species. 18) Amarophilus otagoensis new species. 19) Amarophilus lomondensis new species. 20) Amarophilus wanakensis new species.

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 48–49. Species distribution maps. 48) Amaroxenus huttensis new species. 49) Amaroxenus kahurangiensis new species.