Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) manasluensis, Schmidt, 2017

Schmidt, Joachim, 2017, Brachypterous ground beetles of the Trichotichnus subgenus Bottchrus Jedlička (Coleoptera, Carabidae) from the Himalaya, with description of fifteen new species, Zootaxa 4323 (3), pp. 301-358 : 337-339

Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) manasluensis sp. n.

( Figs 93 , 109–114 , 152 , 3)

Type material. Holotype: ♂, “ NEPAL Manaslu Mts. 1600–1800 m, Bara Pokhari Lekh above Bhachok Gaon vill. 29.4.2005, leg J.Schmidt ca 28°14'28"N, 84°24'32"E ” (cJS).

Paratypes: 1 ♂, 2 ♀, same data as holotype (cJS, ZIN).

Description. Habitus as in Fig. 93 . Body length 5.9–6.3 mm, width 2.5–2.8 mm.

Colour: Body piceous, shiny on dorsum, with more or less distinct greenish tinge on pronotum and elytra; labrum, in most specimens also base of mandibles, very narrow lateral margins of pronotum and apical portion of elytral margins paler, reddish brown; palpi, antennae and legs brownish yellow.

Head: Comparatively large for subgenus, with wide neck (in males, HWmax/PWmax = 0.66–0.67, HWmin/ PWmax = 0.52–0.54; in females, these indices 0.67–0.68 and 0.55–0.56, respectively). Eyes convex (in males, HWmax/HWmin = 1.24–1.25, and in females, 1.21–1.22), oval in lateral view. Tempora at most third as long as eye, slightly convex, somewhat abrupt to neck. Genae wide, about 1.5–1.7 as wide as width of antennomere 1, with few short setae. Lateral margin of head between antenna and eye slightly protruded laterally, forming an obtuse angle near eyes, distinctly bordered. Area between supraorbital furrow and upper margin of eye slightly narrower than width of antennomere 2 basally. Supraorbital setigerous pore located just behind level of posterior margin of eye, separated from supraorbital furrow by distance slightly shorter than width of antennomere 3 apically. Labrum slightly concave anteriorly. Clypeus slightly emarginate along anterior margin, moderately convex basally, flatly sloped to apex, with one setigerous pore at each apical angle. Frons and vertex somewhat convex. Mentum and submentum completely fused, submentum on each side with one long seta and one short seta laterally of long seta. Left mandible not truncate, slightly blunted at apex. Dorsal microsculpture not evident even at high magnifications (100x). Antennae in both sexes extending approximately to the basal edge of pronotum, with antennomeres 4–8 markedly longer than wide.

Pronotum: Moderately transverse (PWmax/PL = 1.40–1.43), widest slightly before the end of anterior third, moderately narrowed posteriad (PWmax/PWmin = 1.18–1.20), with one lateral seta inserted slightly before widest point. Sides rounded (more widely in basal third) and slightly sinuate near basal angles. Apical margin slightly emarginate, bordered throughout. Apical angles more or less widely rounded, not or only slightly protruded anteriad. Basal margin nearly straight, slightly oblique laterally, vaguely bordered almost throughout, somewhat longer than apical margin and slightly shorter than base of elytra between humeral angles. Basal angles obtuse, each with sharp denticulate or subdenticulate apex. Pronotal disc convex, strongly sloped to apical angles and moderately so to basal ones, not depressed basally. Lateral gutter very narrow almost throughout, only hardly widened apically. Median line fine, superficial, ending before apical and basal margins. Lateral depressions absent; basal foveae very small and shallow, poorly delimited, or absent. Surface comparatively coarsely and irregularly punctate along base and in latero-basal area; at anterior margin either impunctate or with few vague punctures. Microsculpture not visible even at high magnification (100x), occasionally present at apical angles, consisting of very fine obliterate transverse meshes.

Elytra: In lateral and caudal view convex, in dorsal view oval, elongate, moderately wide (in males, EL/EW = 1.40–1.41; EL/PL = 2.40–2.44; EW/PWmax = 1.22–1.25; in females, these indices 1.35–1.36, 2.37–2.40, 1.23– 1.25, respectively), widest slightly behind middle, with somewhat acute apex. Humeri prominent, angularly rounded at tip, with a tiny acute denticle visible from behind. Subapical sinuation distinct, but not deep. Sutural angle acute, sharp or slightly blunted at tip. Basal edge slightly sinuate, forming an obtuse angle with lateral margin. Striae smooth, slightly impressed along entire length. Parascutellar setigerous pore present, large. Parascutellar striole rudimentary. Intervals slightly convex, interval 3 with a discal setigerous pore at stria 2 at or behind middle. Marginal umbilicate series widely interrupted at middle, with 6 pores in anterior group and 8–9 pores in posterior group. Microsculpture not evident.

Hindwings: Reduced to tiny scales.

Ventral surface: Prosternum and metasternum finely pubescent. Metepisternum ( Fig. 109 ) slightly wider than long, moderately narrowed posteriad. Apex of last visible (VII) abdominal sternite in male rounded ( Fig. 110 ), in female somewhat angulate ( Fig. 111 ).

Legs: Protibia sulcate on upper surface. Profemur with three to five setae on anterio-ventral margin. Tarsi short, metatarsus noticeably shorter than HWmin, with metatarsomeres (particularly 2–4) moderately widened posteriad, metatarsomere 1 approximately as long as metatarsomeres 2+3. Tarsomere 5 with two pairs of ventrolateral setae. In male, pro- and mesotarsi very moderately widened.

Female genitalia: Laterotergite (hemisternite) symmetrical, with two thick setae apically. Basal stylomere with one thick preapical spine on external margin. Apical stylomere moderately curved, with a peg-like spine at both ventral and dorsal edges of outer margin.

Male genitalia: Median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 112–114 ) relatively large, in lateral view very slightly S-shaped, strongly curved at apex ventrad forming a hook with acute tip; ventral margin convex; in dorsal view median lobe almost straight, evenly narrowed to apex in distal third. Terminal lamella in dorsal and caudal views short and narrow, not sinuate at sides ( Figs 113–114 ). Internal sac without distinct sclerotic elements.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the Manaslu Himal where the type series was found.

Comparison. This new species is very similar to T. (B.) cyanescens from East Nepal in general habitus, femora not infuscate (similar in colour to tibiae), protibia finely sulcate, and pronotal lateral gutter scarcely widened anteriad, but readily distinguished from the latter species by slightly smaller size (5.9–6.3 mm versus 6.6–7.2 mm in the examined specimens and 6.1–6.7 mm, according to the original description), mentum and submentum completely fused [in T. (B.) cyanescens , fused laterally and separated by suture medially], metepisternum slightly wider and less markedly narrowed posteriad, humerus with a tiny denticle at tip [in T. (B.) cyanescens , without denticle], apex of last (VII) abdominal sternite narrowly rounded in male and angularly rounded in female [in T. (B.) cyanescens , more widely rounded in both sexes], and microsculpture not evident on pronotal and elytral discs [in T. (B.) cyanescens , meshes visible throughout]. The median lobe of the aedeagus of T. (B.) manasluensis sp. n. ( Figs 112–114 ) is also somewhat similar to that of T. (B.) cyanescens ( Figs 117–119 ) in general shape and having short terminal lamella hooked at apex, but in lateral view much less sinuate, with more thin terminal lamella and without distinct sclerotic elements in the internal sac. Based on the original description ( Ito 1998: 279), T. (B.) loebli from West Bengal (Darjeeling District) is also similar to T. (B.) manasluensis sp. n. and T. (B.) cyanescens in many characters (general habitus, femora not infuscate, pronotal lateral gutter slightly widened anteriad, protibia very finely sulcate on dorsal side, and S-shaped aedeagal median lobe), but distinctly differs from T. (B.) manasluensis sp. n. at least in having larger size (6.3–7.2 mm), mentum and submentum separated by complete transverse suture, humerus without denticle, and median lobe with a large transverse apical capitulum approximately equally prominent dorsally and ventrally. Trichotichnus (B.) brancuccii sp. n., which is also characterized by somewhat S-shaped median lobe, differs from T. (B.) manasluensis sp. n. in having mentum and submentum fused laterally and separated by transverse suture medially, protibia not sulcate, femora distinctly infuscate, and aedeagal median lobe ( Figs 106–108 ) more strongly bent basally and with much longer terminal lamella markedly widened at apex. Trichotichnus (B.) pusillus sp. n., occurring sympatricly with T. (B.) manasluensis sp. n., is easily distinguished from the latter by smaller size (4.8–5.4 mm), last visible (VII) abdominal sternite in female rounded at apex ( Fig. 79 ) and median lobe of the aedeagus in male C-shaped ( Figs 72–77 ).

Distribution ( Fig. 152 , 3). Bara Pokhari Lekh mountain range on the south-western slope of Manaslu Himal, Lamjung District, western Central Nepal, at altitudes of approximately 1600–1800 m, where it occurs sympatricly with T. (B.) pusillus sp. n. ( Fig. 151 , 9 ).

Figures

FIGURE 151. Distribution of the Himalayan species of Trichotichnus subgenus Bottchrus. 1, T. holzschuhi Kirschenhofer, 1992; 2, T. baglungensis sp. n.; 3, T. parvulus sp. n.; 4, T. bubsaensis sp. n.; 5, T. schawalleri sp. n.; 6, T. obliquebasalis sp. n.; 7, T. panchhaseensis sp. n.; 8, T. siklesensis sp. n.; 9, T. pusillus sp. n.; 10, T. ganeshensis sp. n.; 11, T. minutus sp. n.; 12, T. cyanescens Ito, 1998; 13, T. martensi sp. n.; 14, T. opacus Ito, 1998.

FIGURE 152. Distribution of the Himalayan species of Trichotichnus subgenus Bottchrus. 1, T. gupchiensis sp. n.; 2, T. brancuccii sp. n.; 3, T. manasluensis sp. n.; 4, T. loebli Ito, 1998; 5, T. sikkimensis sp. n.; 6, T. hingstoni Andrewes, 1930.

FIGURES 91 – 94. Himalayan species of Trichotichnus subgenus Bottchrus, photographs of habitus. 91, T. gupchiensis sp. n., paratype, male. 92, T. brancuccii sp. n., paratype, male. 93, T. manasluensis sp. n., paratype, male. 94, T. cyanescens Ito, 1998, male from Dhabeli.

FIGURES 109 – 114. Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) manasluensis sp. n. (109, 111, paratypes; 112 – 114, holotype). 109, left metepisternum; 110, apex of last (VII) abdominal sternite, male; 111, same, female; 112, 114, median lobe of aedeagus; 113, apical capitulum. 109 – 111, ventral view; 112, lateral view; 113, caudal view; 114, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm (A: Figs 109 – 112, 114; B: Fig. 113).

FIGURES 115 – 119. Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) cyanescens Ito, 1998 (specimen from Dhabeli). 115, left metepisternum; 116, apex of last (VII) abdominal sternite, male; 117, 119, median lobe of aedeagus; 118, apical capitulum. 115 – 116, ventral view; 117, lateral view; 118, caudal view; 119, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm (A: Figs 115 – 117, 119; B: Fig. 118).

FIGURES 103 – 108. Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) brancuccii sp. n. (103, 105, paratype; 104, 106 – 108, holotype). 103, left metepisternum; 104, 105, apex of last (VII) abdominal sternite, males; 106, 108, median lobe of aedeagus; 107, apical capitulum. 103 – 105, ventral view; 106, lateral view; 107, caudal view; 108, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm (A: Figs 103 – 106, 108; B: Fig. 107).

FIGURES 71 – 79. Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) pusillus sp. n. (71, 78, 79, paratypes from Dudh Pokhari Lekh; 72, specimen from Annapurna; 73, 74, paratype from Bara Pokhari Lekh; 75 – 77, holotype). 71, left metepisternum; 72 – 73, 75, 77, median lobe of aedeagus; 74, 76, apical capitulum; 78, apex of last (VII) abdominal sternite, male; 79, same, female. 71, 78 – 79, ventral view; 72 – 73, 75, lateral view; 74, 76, caudal view; 77, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm (A: Figs 71 – 73, 75, 77 – 79; B: Figs 74, 76).

FIGURES 5 – 13. Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) holzschuhi Kirschenhofer, 1992 (5 – 7, paratype; 8 – 13, specimens from Sete). 5, terminal lamella of aedeagus; 6 – 8, 11, median lobe of aedeagus; 9, apical capitulum; 10, left metepisternum; 12, apex of last (VII) abdominal sternite, male; 13, same, female. 5, 7, 8, dorsal view; 6, 11, lateral view; 9, caudal view; 10, 12, 13, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm (A: Figs 5 – 8, 10 – 13; B: Fig. 9).