Erephognathus ranomafanae Kavanaugh and Rainio, 2016

Kavanaugh, David H. & Rainio, Johanna, 2016, Twenty-six New Species of Predaceous Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Adephaga: Carabidae) from Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 63 (7), pp. 201-268 : 262-264

Erephognathus ranomafanae Kavanaugh and Rainio , sp. nov.

Figure 38

TYPE MATERIAL.— Holotype ( Figs.38A–B ), a female, in CAS, labeled: “CASENT 8068531”/

“ MADAGASCAR: Province Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana, Vohiparara , at broken bridge, el 1110 m 8-15 November 2001 ”/ “ 21°13.57’S, 047°22.19’E collector: R. Harin’Hala California Acad of Sciences malaise trap in high altitude rainforest, MA-02-09A-02”/ “ HOLOTYPE Erephognathus ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [red label]. Paratypes (total of 2): 1 female (in CAS) labeled same as holotype, except “CASENT 8068532”; 1 female (in CAS) labeled “CASENT 8068672”/; “ MADAGASCAR: Province d’Antananarivo 3 km 41° NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147° SSE Anjozorobe elev 1300 m 5-13 December 2000 ”/ “ 18°28’24”S 47°57’38”E coll. Fisher, Griswold et al. California Acad. of Sciences montane rainforest, malaise trap, coll. code: BLF2375”. Both paratypes also bear the following label: “ PARATYPE Erephognathus ranomafanae Kavanaugh & Rainio sp. n. 2015” [yellow label] .

TYPE LOCALITY.— Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park .

DERIVATION OF SPECIES NAME.— The species epithet, ranomafanae , is a noun in apposition, derived from the name of the national park in which the type was collected.

RECOGNITION.— Size moderate for genus, SBL of females = 7.5 - 8. 9 mm. In Jeannel’s (1949) key to species of Erephognathus , members of E. ranomafanae key to E. coerulescens ( Fairmaire 1903) based on their short antennae (extended posteriorly only to the basal one-fourth of the elytra or less) and the absence of the tuft of setae from the apex of antennomere 11 (terminal antennomere) found in E. margarithrix Alluaud (1936a) members. The pronotum ( Fig. 38A ) is distinctly longer, narrower and less convex and with anterior angles more projected, narrowed and angulate than in members of E. coerulescens .

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.— We have examined specimens from only two areas. Two female specimens were collected in Ranomafana National Park, the type locality, on the eastern slope off the central plateau in the northeastern part of the southern half of the island of Madagascar. A third specimen, also a female, was collected near Anjozorobe, in Antananarivo Province, slightly north of the center of the island and just over 300 km north of Ranomafana along the eastern slope off the central plateau. No specimens have been recorded from intervening areas .

HABITAT DISTRIBUTION.— Specimens of the type series were all collected in malaise traps in montane rainforest at elevations ranging from 1110 to 1300 m.

Figures

FIGURE 38. Digital images of holotype female of Erephognathus ranomafanae Kavanaugh and Rainio sp. nov. A. Habitus, dorsal aspect; B. Labels. Scale line = 1.0 mm.