Adelopomorpha tethys, Will & Guéorguiev, 2021

Will, Kipling & Gueorguiev, Borislav, 2021, Phylogenetic systematics of the genera of Thryptocerina Jeannel, 1949 and new species from New Caledonia (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Oodini), ZooKeys 1044, pp. 375-425 : 375

Adelopomorpha tethys sp. nov. Figs 27 , 37 , 52

Material examined.

Holotype: New Caledonia • ♂; " NEW CALEDONIA Mandjélia, above Pouébo 11-13 May 1984, 6- 750 m G. Monteith & D. Cook " Holotype pinned, with genitalia in a separate microvial. Source collection QM, deposited MNHN. Type locality as given on label.

Other material.

New Caledonia • ♂; "21°11' Sx 166°01'E: Mt. Koghis, 500 m, 22 Nov 2000 G.B. Monteith. Pyrethrum trunks & logs. 9931" [ZSM] .

Diagnosis.

Similar to C. microps in size and the lack of impressed striae 1-5, but with much larger, prominent eyes and male having protarsomeres 1-3 not expanded. Both Adelopomorpha glabra and A. tuberculata also lack impressed striae, but are smaller, and in A. tethys the male has a pair of setae on ventrite 6 that is lacking in A. glabra and A. tuberculata . The aedeagus is also decisively different (Fig. 27 ), with a relatively short and slightly acute tip.

Description

(based on holotype). Habitus. Small sized, BL: 6.75 mm and BW: 3.25 mm. Color and luster. Head dark reddish black; pronotum, elytra and ventral surface of body black, pronotum marginally diaphanous reddish black, extreme apical edge of ventrite 6 deep reddish black medially; legs deep reddish brown; antennae and palpi brown. Integument moderately dull, without spectral iridescence except ventrally. Microsculpture and punctation. Dorsal surface of head, pronotum, and elytra with prominent isodiametric meshes; ventral surface with scarcely-visible sculpticells or sculpticells mostly not apparent. Head lacking macropunctation or wrinkles on vertex; head, pronotum and elytra with scattered micropunctation, only on elytra do micropunctures and sculpticells form some irregular rosettes (sensu Spence 1983); all abdominal ventrites very shallowly wrinkled to nearly smooth. Head. Approximately 1/3 as wide as pronotum (Suppl. material 2: Table S1). Eye size moderate, eye somewhat protruded, EyW/HW: 1.35. Frontoclypeal sutures not evident. Mentum without paramedial border. Thorax. Pronotum 1 2/3 wider than long (PW/PL: 1.67), with sides evenly, very shallowly rounded from anterior angles to posterior ones; maximal width in posterior 1/5; width at apex 2 2/3 × less than at widest point (PW/PA: 2.32). Posterior angles obtuse, broadly rounded. Mesosternum without medial tubercle. Metepisternum 1 1/3 × wider than long, with lateral margin slightly convex, coadunation with epipleuron along entire length. Elytra. Broad, nearly as wide as long (EL/EW: 1.06). Basal margin distinct, forming small, rounded callosity at shoulder, ended medially at level of parascutellar punctures, joined to parascutellar puncture fovea by a short, shallow striole. Apical sinuation scarcely evident, very shallow. Female genitalia. Female specimens unknown. Male genitalia. Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view long, almost straight (Fig. 37 ); lobe in dorsal view with apical lamella moderately long, rounded, triangular and slightly oriented to right (Fig. 27 ); sclerotized portion of endophallus visible in repose, with two sclerites.

Etymology.

The specific epithet Adelopomorpha tethys is treated as a noun in the genitive case and is from the mythological Greek Titan goddess Tethys, said to be the primal source of water to nourish Earth.

Notes.

The male specimen from Mt. Koghis ("Additional specimen examined" above) differs from the holotype in somewhat larger eyes (EyW/HW> 1.40), mentum with distinct paramedial border, pronotum with anterior submarginal sulcus present laterally each side and absent in medial 1/4, mesosternum with transversely elongate medial tubercle, and somewhat different structure of the median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view. Given the significant distance (~ 280 km) between the collecting localities and the several morphological differences between them, it is possible that the population from Mt. Koghis represents a separate species, and we exclude this specimen from being a paratype. However, given that these are slight and subtle differences in otherwise very similar looking individuals, it is also possible that this specimen is a conspecific variant. Additional specimens and further study are needed to settle this question.

Figures

Figures 22 - 31. Aedeagus, dorsal view of 22 Coptocarpus microps sp. nov. 23 C. erwini sp. nov. 24 C. cyllodinus (Fauvel) 25 C. amieuensis sp. nov. 26 C. magnus sp. nov. 27 Adelopomorpha tethys sp. nov. 28 A. tuberculata sp. nov. 29 A. glabra Heller 30 Adelopomorpha glabra group male from Mt. Koghis 31 Adelopomorpha glabra group male from Gelima.

Figures 32 - 40. Aedeagus, left lateral view of 32 Coptocarpus microps sp. nov. 33 C. erwini sp. nov. 34 C. cyllodinus (Fauvel) 35 C. amieuensis sp. nov. 36 C. magnus sp. nov. 37 Adelopomorpha tethys sp. nov. 38 A. tuberculata sp. nov. 39 A. glabra Heller 40 right lateral view of tip with arrow indicating the dorsal tooth of C. magnus.

Figures 52, 53. Maps of localities of New Caledonian Oodini.