Lebia timorensis, Baehr & Reid, 2017

Baehr, Martin & Reid, Chris A. M., 2017, On a Collection of Carabidae from Timor Leste, with Descriptions of Nine New Species (Insecta: Coleoptera, Carabidae), Records of the Australian Museum 69 (6), pp. 421-450 : 442-443

Lebia timorensis sp. nov. Baehr

Figs 10 , 17

Holotype ♂, “ TIMOR LESTE Mt Laritame 8.69178S 126.38719E water tank, edge moss forest 1150m TL2012/ 011/016 mv light bucket trap 31.v.2012 ” K402493 ( AMS) . Paratypes (3): 2♂♂, same data as holotYpe, K402495 ( AMS), K402494 ( CBM) ; 1 ♂, “ TIMOR LESTE Hatoudo 8°58'55"S 125°37'27"E riverine rain forest, 735m 27.v.2012 C.Reid TL2012/088/562 mv lamp” K402492 ( AMS) .

Etymology. The name refers to the range of this species, the island of Timor.

Diagnosis. Rather small, unicolourous yellow species; distinguished from the most similar species L. keiana Baehr, 2012 by basally distinctly sinuate lateral margins of the pronotum, longer elYtra, and different arrangement of the denticulate folds in the internal sac of the aedeagus.

Description. Measurements. Body length: 4.3–5.0 mm; width: 2.05–2.4 mm. width/length of pronotum: 1.44–1.57; width pronotum/head: 1.17–1.21; length/width of elytra: 1.37–1.41; width elytra/pronotum: 1.86–1.95.

Colour ( Fig. 10 ). Upper and lower surfaces uniformly yellow to pale reddish; mouth parts, palpi, antennae, and legs yellow. Elytra without any pattern.

Head ( Fig. 10 ). Of average size and shape, slightly narrower than the pronotum. Eye very large, semicircular. Antenna of moderate size, surpassing the basal angle of the pronotum by about two antennomeres. Labrum in middle gently impressed. Frons with short, shallow, slightly irregular frontal impressions, in middle with a more or less distinct, shallow, triangular impression. Surface with distinct though slightlY superficial, about isodiametric microreticulation, with scattered, fine punctures, glossY.

Pronotum ( Fig. 10 ). Wide, considerably wider than head, widest at or slightly in front of middle, slightly narrowed basad. Apical angle widelY rounded off, lateral margin anteriorly very convex, from middle slightly obliqueconvex, in front of the produced, less than rectangular, basal angle distinctly sinuate. Base in middle much produced, lateral excision deep, lateral parts of base transversal, almost straight. Apex laterally margined, in middle not or indistinctly margined, base in middle coarsely margined. Lateral margin explanate throughout, explanation even widened basad, marginal channel fairly deep. Surface with a distinct, moderately deep prebasal transverse sulcus. Disk with quite irregular, concave wrinkles that are more pronounced in basal half; with distinct, about isodiametric microreticulation which is finer and more superficial in the apical half and rugose in middle of the basal half; and with sparse, verY fine punctures, surface rather dull to moderatelY glossy.

Elytra ( Fig. 10 ). Moderately short (in group), oval-shaped, markedly widened towards apex, widest well behind middle. Upper surface slightly convex. Humerus rounded, lateral margin slightly convex throughout, only apical markedly convex, barely incized at basal third. Apical angle widely rounded, apex faintly sinuate, apical margin slightly incurved at suture. Striae complete, deep, at bottom very finelY crenulate. Intervals convex throughout. 3rd interval bipunctate, punctures situated at 3rd stria. Series of marginal punctures composed of 13–14 punctures, the penultimate one removed from margin; series not interrupted in middle. Intervals with distinct but slightly superficial, rather transverse microreticulation and very scattered punctures which are barely recognizable, rather glossy. Metathoracic wings fully developed.

Lower surface. Metepisternum rather elongate, slightly less than 2 × as long as wide. Prosternum with a few short hairs in middle; abdominal sterna very sparsely pilose, pilosity slightly denser on terminal sternum. Male terminal sternum quadrisetose.

Legs. Of moderate size. 4th tarsomeres very deeply excised. Tarsal claws with 4 large teeth. 1st–3rd male tarsomeres sparsely, biseriately squamose.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 17 ). Genitalia very similar to those of L. keinana Baehr, 2012 . Genital ring large, rather elongate, fairly asymmetric, remarkably widened towards apex, with wide, oblique and convex apex and narrow, elongate basis. Aedeagus moderately elongate, slightly widened in middle, barely sinuate, lower surface very gently concave. Apex rather elongate, depressed, straight, triangular. Orificium rather short, situated mainly on the upper surface. Folding of internal sac complex, with a transverse, densely spinose sclerite in middle that is interrupted at bottom, and another straight fold in middle of bottom that consists of 5 rather large spines. Parameres of dissimilar shape, left paramere short in comparison, though longer than right one, with obtusely triangular apex; right paramere short but massive, rhomboidal.

Female gonocoxites. Unknown.

Variation. Rather uniform species, but the largest specimen bears a comparably narrow pronotum.

Distribution. Western part of Timor Leste.

Collecting circumstances. All specimens collected at light, in moss or rain forest at median altitude.

Relationships. With respect to body shape, colouration and structure of the internal sac of the aedeagus this species is very similar, and probably most closely related, to L. keiana Baehr, 2012 from nearby Kei Islands.According to shape and structure of the aedeagus the new species and L. keiana form a group of fairly similar species together with L. subglabra Baehr, 2004 from New Guinea, L. novabritannica Baehr, 2004 from New Britain, and L. salomona Baehr, 2004 from Solomon Islands.

Remarks. Lebia timorensis is the first species of the genus Lebia explicitly recorded from Timor. But this probably is a consequence of the almost non-existent exploration of that island. Additional species from other species groups in future will be detected on Timor, as biological exploration of this island is intensified.

The new species forms a distinct species group together with a number of similarly shaped, but not always similarly coloured, species that possess structurally rather similar male genitalia, as noted above. These species occur on the nearby Kei Islands, on New Guinea, New Britain, and certain islands of the Solomon Archipelago. The group may include additional, not yet detected or described species from the mentioned area, perhaps even from other islands. However, the distribution of the group clearly demonstrates its Papuan provenance, and thus, the new species from Timor is a Papuan faunal element rather than an Oriental one.

Peliocypas sp. 1 .— 1 ex. “7k E Laclubar on Manatuto rd 8°44'39"S 125°58'29"E grassy bog/stunted E uro / Melastoma 1180m 4.vi.2012 C. Reid TL2012/108/600” K402501 ( AMS). The Asian species of the genus Peliocypas Schmidt- Goebel , 1846 are badly in need of revision, particularly those of the southern Oriental Region. Although apparently no species of the genus has been recorded from Timor, we refrain from describing any new species, as long as the fauna of Sulawesi, the Moluccas, and the Lesser Sunda Islands has not been satisfactorily worked .

Peliocypas sp. 2 .— 4 ex. “c 8k NE Maubisse 8:49'33"S 125:37'21"E steep limestone grassland 1600m 16.xi.2011 C. Reid site 47” K402498–500 ( AMS); “1k E Mt. Acalara , Turiscai Rd 4.5k from h’way 8°49'45"S 125°37'40"E E uro woodland/vacc on ridge 1625m 31.v.2012 C.Reid, TL2012/096/749” K402496 ( AMS) .

Peliocypas sp. 3 .— 1 ex. “ Mt Laritame 8.6918°S 126.3872°E water tank, edge moss forest, 1150m TL2012/ 011/016 bucket trap 31.v.2012 ” K402497 ( AMS) .

Figures

Figure 10. Lebia timorensis sp. nov. (body length 4.4 mm).

Figure 17. Lebia timorensis sp. nov. male genitalia: aedeagus left side, parameres, genital ring. Scale 0.5 mm.