Trechosia intermedia, Geginat, Gernot, 2007

Geginat, Gernot, 2007, A new species group of the genus Trechosia from the Cape region of South Africa (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae), Zootaxa 1469, pp. 43-50 : 44-45

Trechosia intermedia sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Small Trechosia species, well differentiated from all other species of the genus by the elytral striation pattern, the elytral microsculpture, and the internal armature of the aedeagus. Elytral striae 1–3 not deepened, striae 5–7 still well discernible, only outer striae slightly effaced towards elytral borders. Internal sack of the aedeagus armed with a series of prominent spines. Penultimate and antepenultimate spines enlarged enormously. Antepenultimate spine longer than parameres without setae.

Description. Length (measured from apex of elytra to anterior edge of labrum) 4.3 mm, whole body shiny, elytra reddish brown, pronotum and head darker brown, legs yellow, antennae rufescent ( Fig. 1 A). Head with large, glabrous, moderately protruding eyes, short temples (less than 1/3rd of diameter of eyes); temporal tumescence weakly developed, moderately convex and only slightly protruding. Two supraorbital punctures with seta present, anterior one situated at level of centre of eyes, posterior one near posterior edge of orbital tumescence. Frons with moderately deep, not canaliculated frontal furrows which converge inwards in basal half, diverge thereafter towards anterior edge of clypeus where frontal furrows become obsolete before each ending in a large terminal bisetous fovea. Labrum oblong, much wider than long, anterior edge concave, bearing two long lateral and two short medial setae. Antennae reaching anterior seta on elytral disc; all antennomeres longer than broad, scape with 2 medially, 2 laterally and 1 dorsally projecting setae, antennomeres 2–4 with numerous setae, antennomeres 5–11 densely pubescent. Mentum transverse, mentum tooth bifid. Suture between mentum and submentum distinct and entire. Mentum posterior central recessus with two long anteriad projecting setae. Tip of ligula broadly rounded, each side with 1 long and 1 short central and 2 short lateral setae ( Fig. 1 C). Penultimate palpomere of palps club-shaped, distally dilated, terminal palpomere cone-shaped in maxillary palps, spindle-shaped in labial palps, as long as penultimate palpomere in maxillary and labial palps. Penultimate palpomere of labial palps with 4 setae, two of them projecting from medial surface of palpomere. Pronotum transverse (length 0.8 mm, width 1.1 mm, length/width ratio 0.8). Lateral convexity of borders towards base without sinuosity, ending well before posterior angles. Hind angles sharply rectangular, protruding. Short carina reaching lateral border of pronotum shortly before hind angle. Posterior edge of pronotum slightly convex. Pronotum on each side with large basal impressions, small central basal impression at beginning of mid line. Elytra moderately elongated (length 2.5 mm, width 1.6 mm, length/width ratio 1.5), shoulders well developed. Scutellar stria well marked, parallel to suture, ending at level of anterior discal setiferous puncture. Elytral striae 1–4 well marked on disc, striae 1–3 effacing between anterior setiferous puncture and elytral base, striae 5–7 more effaced but still clearly discernible. Recurrent sutural stria more impressed at the apex, effacing thereafter, merging with the 5th elytral stria. Third stria with two setiferous foveate punctures. Setiferous punctures of series umbilicata regular with last 2 punctures moved towards apex. Anterior seta of apical group at end of vestigial 2nd stria, posterior setae of apical group smaller at apical border of elytra. Microsculpture of elytra isodiametric to moderately transverse, identical in 1st (sutural) and 2nd intervals, length/width ratio of mesh approximately 1:1 to 2:1 ( Fig. 1 B). Macropterous. Legs slender, cleaning organ well developed. Apical spur of protarsus as long as 1st tarsomere. Proximal two tarsomeres of protarsi of male medially enlarged with an anteriad projecting dent. Aedeagus length (dorsal view) 1.0 mm ( Fig. 1 D). Apex of median lobe elongated, tip of median lobe thickened. Internal sack with series of well sclerotized dents, antepenultimate and penultimate dents enormously enlarged, protruding from apical orifice. Antepenultimate spine longer than styles (without apical setae). Styles broadly rounded apically, each bearing five long setae at apex.

Etymology. From the Latin adjective “ intermedia ”, intermediate.

Material examined. Holotype male: S.Africa, Cape-Cedarbg., jeep track, 1130 m [a.s.l.], sifted marsh shore, 32°28’S / 19°14’E, 7.11.1983, E-Y: 2055, leg. Endrödy-Younga [deposited in Transvaal Museum, Pretoria, South Africa ( TMSA)].

Paratypes: S.Africa, Cape-Cedarbg., jeep track, 1130 m [a.s.l.], sifted marsh shore, 32°28’S / 19°14’E, 7.11.1983, E-Y: 2055, leg. Endrödy-Younga, [5 specimens in TMSA, 2 specimens in coll. Geginat]; Cape Prov.: Clanwilliam distr., Sederberg, 1500m [a.s.l.], VII 1958, leg. J.Smith [6 specimens in Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgium ( MRAC), 2 specimens in coll. Geginat].

Remarks. Trechosia intermedia is only known from the Cedarberg range south-east of Clanwilliam, Western Cape Province. Despite the fact that during most of the year the climate of the Cedarberg is generally quite arid there is a permanent bog at an altitude of around 1000 m which is crossed by the road connecting the Algeria and Sanddrif campsites. This place probably is the type location of T. intermedia . My visit to this place in 2002 did not reveal any Plocamotrechini.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Trechosia intermedia sp. nov., holotype, male. General habitus (A), microsculpture of elytra between the anterior and posterior discal setiferous punctures (B), mentum and ligula ventral view (C), aedeagus lateral view (D).