Bozidaria serbooccidentalis Ćurčić & Pavićević, 2021

Ćurčić, Srećko, Pavićević, Dragan, Vesović, Nikola, Vrbica, Maja, Kuraica, Miloš, Marković, Đorđe, Petković, Matija, Lazović, Vladimir, Pantelić, Dejan & Bosco, Fabrizio, 2021, On the diversity of subterranean beetles of the Dinarides: new leiodid taxa (Coleoptera: Leiodidae) from Serbia, European Journal of Taxonomy 782 (1), pp. 55-81 : 63-66

Bozidaria serbooccidentalis Ćurčić & Pavićević gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A2B51421-4CD9-4696-BF46-7EACBC395C4E

Figs 2–3

Diagnosis

The genus is currently monotypic and therefore a differential diagnosis for Bozidaria serbooccidentalis gen. et sp. nov. cannot be provided.

Etymology

The species is named after western Serbia, where its type locality and known localities are situated.

Type material

Holotype SERBIA • ♂; western Serbia, town of Ljubovija, Mt Bobija ; alt. 1000 m; 19 Apr. 1980; Guido Nonveiller leg.; traps for endogean fauna baited with rotten meat; IZFB-21/1 .

Paratypes SERBIA • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; SBS- 21/1 to 21/3 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; IZFB-21/2 • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; CDP- 21/1 to 21/4 • 10 ♂♂, 14 ♀♀; western Serbia, town of Ljubovija, Mt Povlen , Debelo Brdo saddle, village of Gornje Košlje , Simina Jama Pit ; 44°08′32.2″ N, 19°37′40.4″ E; 20 May–5 Nov. 2017; Miloš Kuraica leg.; pitfall trapping; IZFB-21/3 to 21/26 • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same locality as for preceding; 31 Dec. 2010; Iva Njunjić leg.; pitfall trapping; SBS- 21/4 to 21/6 • 18 ♂♂, 39 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; CDP-21/5 to 21/61 ( Fig. 2 ) .

Description

HABITUS. Body elliptical, TL R 2.51–2.80 mm (R 2.51–2.73 mm in males, R 2.67–2.80 mm in females), reddish-brown in colour, shiny, pubescent, with a fine punctuation ( Fig. 2A ).

HEAD. Short, wide, slightly wider than long (HL/HW M 0.97), without eyes ( Fig. 2A ). Antennae long and slender, apically gradually widened and flattened, ending slightly after basal third of elytra in males or slightly prior to basal third of elytra in females. Antennomere II longer than antennomere I (A1/A2 M 0.795). A3/A2 M 0.67. A3/A5 M 1.24. Antennomeres IV–VI of similar length, of which IV narrowest and VI widest. Antennomere VII apically widened. A7/A6 M 1.56. Antennomere VIII slightly longer than half of antennomere VII (A7/A8 M 1.53), oval, somewhat elongate (A8LW M 1.52). Antennomere IX somewhat elongate, gradually widened distally (A9LW M 1.47). A9/A8 M 1.52 in males, M 1.42 in females. Antennomere X slightly longer than wide (A10LW M 1.24), more widened apically. Antennomere XI slender, ovoid, apically pointed, more elongate in males (A11LW M 2.45) than in females (A11LW M 1.97), as long as preceding two antennomeres combined or slightly shorter than the latter. Occipital carina present. Hairs yellow, erect. Microsculpture composed of small isodiametric meshes.

THORAX. Pronotum transverse, widest sub-basally, almost twice as wide as long (PL/PW M 0.59) ( Fig.2A ). Lateral pronotal margins arcuate, rounded medially, sub-parallel prior to hind pronotal angles. Pronotal base more than twice as long as anterior pronotal margin (PB/AM M 2.13). Both anterior pronotal margin and pronotal base convex medially, the latter less pronouncedly. PL+EL/AL M 1.63 in males, M 1.89 in females. Fore angles prominent, obtuse, rounded, hind angles sharp, rounded, prominent, directed backwards. Microsculpture of pronotum composed of large isodiametric meshes. Hairs yellow, recumbent ( Fig. 2B ). Pronotal disc weakly convex. Mesosternal carina high, obtuse-angled, anterior margin strongly convex, posterior margin barely convex, almost straight, with hairs and teeth ( Fig. 2C ). Mesosternal carina with an apical tooth. Ventral border of mesosternal carina not grooved.

ELYTRA. Elongate (EL/EW M 1.38 in males, M 1.40 in females), more than 2.5 times as long as pronotum (EL/PL M 2.65), obovoid, sub-parallel below humeral angles, weakly narrowed basally, rounded medially, narrowed apically ( Fig. 2A ). Apex rounded. Sutural striae absent. Scutellum small, triangular. Elytra widest between basal third and mid-length. Microsculpture composed of large isodiametric meshes. Hairs yellow, recumbent ( Fig. 2D ). Elytral disc convex. Pygidium not completely covered by elytra.

LEGS. Elongate and thin, with hairs ( Fig. 2A ). Tibiae with a few spines laterally.Anterior tarsi tetramerous in both genders, somewhat dilated in males (P1LW M 1.825 in males, M 1.88 in females).

ABDOMEN. Median lobe of aedeagus elongate, thin, sub-parallel, sub-apically rounded ( Figs 2E , 3A ). Apex elongate, triangular. Basal bulb relatively narrow, elongate, with a sub-triangular basal projection. Copulatory piece weakly chitinised, consisting of a basal phanera, median paired stripes and apical paired sclerotizations. Median lobe proximally straight, distally relatively curved, gradually narrowed distally in lateral view ( Fig. 3B ). Basal bulb narrow in lateral view. Parameres slender, thin, longer than median lobe, sub-terminally widened, terminally narrowed, apex slightly dilated, proximally arcuate and distally straight in lateral view, with three setae: one apical terminal, one apical inner and one sub-apical inner ( Fig. 2F ). Two apical parameral setae close-set. Parameral apices directed inwards. Parameres basally slightly curved, distally relatively straight in lateral view, sub-terminally widened, terminally narrowed in lateral view ( Fig. 3B ).

GONOSTYLI. Almost straight, elongate, thin, with one apical seta, three inner setae and one outer seta ( Fig. 2G ).

SPERMATHECA. Small, curved, widest in proximal third, apically sub-spherical ( Fig. 2H ).

FEMALE ABDOMINAL STERNITE VIII. Large, transverse, setose both medially and distally, with a narrow, pointed anterior process. Microsculpture consisting of transverse polygonal meshes ( Fig. 2I ).

Bionomy, distribution and type locality

The type specimens were collected in traps for endogean fauna (cans) baited with rotten meat placed in the deep soil on Mt Bobija, near the town of Ljubovija, western Serbia, as well as by pitfall trapping with rotten meat as bait in the deep, totally dark parts of the Simina Jama Pit, village of Gornje Košlje, Debelo Brdo saddle, Mt Povlen, near the town of Ljubovija, western Serbia ( Fig. 9 ). The type locality on Mt Bobija is located on its northern slope, at an altitude of 1000 m a.s.l., in a beech forest, close to several streams. The entrance of the Simina Jama Pit is situated at 920 m a.s.l., the total length of its investigated channels is 270 m, while its depth is 56 m. It starts with a 31-m long vertical passage, which splits into two horizontal channels – left and right ( Anđelić et al. 2011). Beetle specimens were found at the end and in the middle of the left horizontal channel with a clay muddy substrate and rocks, on the vertical limestone walls and floor with a high level of humidity (presence of trickling water). The places where the specimens were found in the pit are shown in Fig. 4 . It is assumed that the species is actually endogean, as is the case with some other leiodid taxa (e.g., Magdelainella spp. ), which inhabit the soil beneath deeply sunken rocks and forest detritus, but can also be found in caves and pits ( Pavićević et al. 2012).

Figures

Fig. 2. Bozidaria serbooccidentalis Ćurčić & Pavićević gen. et sp. nov. from the Simina Jama Pit, village of Gornje Košlje, Debelo Brdo saddle, Mt Povlen, near the town of Ljubovija, western Serbia. A–F. Paratype male (IZFB-21/3). A. Habitus (dorsal view). B. Surface of pronotum (dorsal view). C. Mesosternal carina (lateral view). D. Surface of elytra (dorsal view). E. Aedeagus (dorsal view). F. Left paramere apex (dorsal view). G–I. Paratype female (IZFB-21/4). G. Left gonostylus (dorsal view). H. Spermatheca (lateral view). I. Abdominal segment VIII (ventral view). Scale bars: A = 500 μm; B, D, G, I = 100 μm; C, E = 200 μm; F = 25 μm; H = 50 μm.

Fig. 3. Bozidaria serbooccidentalis Ćurčić & Pavićević gen. et sp. nov. from the Simina Jama Pit, village of Gornje Košlje, Debelo Brdo saddle, Mt Povlen, near the town of Ljubovija, western Serbia. Holotype male (IZFB-21/1), aedeagus. A. Dorsal view. B. Lateral view. Scale bar = 200 μm.

Fig. 9. Map of the distribution of taxa of the genera Bozidaria Ćurčić & Pavićević gen. nov. and Proleonhardella Jeannel, 1910. White circles: B. serbooccidentalis Ćurčić & Pavićević gen. et sp. nov. Turquoise star: P. (Pholeuonillus) adolfi (Reitter, 1911). Light blue sun: P. (Proleonhardella) matzenaueri matzenaueri (Apfelbeck, 1907). Dark blue sun: P. (P.) matzenaueri ottonis Müller, 1917. Purple flower: P. (P.) leonhardi (Breit, 1913). Yellow cross: P. (P.) apfelbecki Jeannel, 1924. Brown circles: P. (P.) remyi Jeannel, 1934. Green squares: P. (P.) hirtella Jeannel, 1934. Pink pentagon: P. (P.) neumanni (Apfelbeck, 1901). Red triangle: P. (P.) weiratheri (Reitter, 1913). Orange rhombuses: P. (P.) tarensis Ćurčić & Pavićević sp. nov. Scale bar = 50 km.

Fig. 4. A plan and a longitudinal section of the Simina Jama Pit, village of Gornje Košlje, Debelo Brdo saddle, Mt Povlen, near the town of Ljubovija, western Serbia (modified after Anđelić et al. 2011). The red circles indicate the places where specimens of Bozidaria serbooccidentalis Ćurčić & Pavićević gen. et sp. nov. were found.