Tropopterus robustus, Liebherr, James K., 2019

Liebherr, James K., 2019, Revision of Tropopterus Solier: A disjunct South American component of the Australo-Pacific Moriomorphini (Coleoptera, Carabidae), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 66 (2), pp. 147-177 : 147

4. Tropopterus robustus sp. nov. Figures 1D , 3 E–H , 6 D–E , 7C , 8C , 9D , 10

Diagnosis

(n = 5). The combination of small, very broad body, and punctate discal elytral striae 1 and 2 ( Fig. 1D ) diagnoses this species: standardized body length 5.2-6.0 mm; pronotal MPW/PL = 1.36-1.41; and elytral MEW/EL = 0.74-0.81. The pronotal hind angle is right to acute, the apex of the angle denticulate, and the lateral margins convergent just before the angles. The pronotum anterior margin is beaded only along the lateral 1/3 to 1/4 each side. The parascutellar striole is absent, and instead the sutural stria continues to the well-developed basal groove laterad the scutellum. These small beetles have the most well-developed elytral striae in the genus, striae 3-7 traceable on the disc, and the sutural stria is narrowly and smoothly grooved apically. Ventrally the prosternum is deeply depressed medially from the prosternal process 2/3 of the way to the anterior prothoracic margin. The mesepisternum is mostly smooth, with only 2 or 3 punctures in a furrow at the deepest part of the sclerite’s concave surface. And the metepisternum and metepimeron are fused along the lateral margins of those sclerites; a derived character otherwise only observed in T. fieldianus . The microsculpture is distinctive, with the vertex covered with well-developed isodiametric to slightly transverse microsculpture, the pronotum covered with a dense transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 3 –4× length, and the elytral disc covered with dense transverse lines connected into a mesh over only portions of the surface.

Description.

Head capsule broad, eyes moderately convex, ocular ratio 1.35-1.48, eyes covering most of moderately protruded ocular lobe, ocular lobe ratio 0.90-0.92, horizontal diameter of eye crossing 20 ommatidia; antennae relatively stout, antennomere 9 length 1.67 × maximal diameter; mandibles short, distance from anterior condyle to apex of left mandible 1.67 × distance from condyle to lateroapical margin of labrum; mentum basal breadth 2.75 × length from lateral apex to base, paramedial pits moderately deep; ligular apex truncate, two setae separated by four setal diameters, paraglossae elongate, extended beyond ligular apex more than distance from base to ligular margin. Pronotum broad, lateral margins convergent before minutely denticulate hind angles; basal margin lined with well-developed marginal bead, median base anterad bead longitudinally, shallowly strigose medially, minutely punctate laterally; median longitudinal impression with elongate lenticular pit at front of median base, narrow and shallow on disc, deep near anterior transverse impression; anterior transverse impression broad and shallow across width; anterior margin beaded only in lateral 1/3 to 1/4 each side, smooth medially; front angle protruded, subangulate mesally, rounded laterally; lateral seta separated from very narrow lateral marginal depression by two diameters of setal articulatory socket; laterobasal depression broadly subquadrate, central tubercle connected anteriorly to disc, mesal surface irregular near punctate median base. Elytra broadly hemiovoid, basal groove deep, slightly irregular at bases of striae, angle with lateral marginal depression obtuse-rounded; sutural stria deeply punctate on disc, the punctures isolated, smooth and moderately deep apically, the sutural striae of the two elytra bordering an upraised sutural callus at conjoined elytral apices; stria 8 deep mesad anterior and posterior series of lateral setae, shallow at midlength, variously interrupted there; lateral elytral setal series variable, with either: anterior series of 5 setae, 2 intermediate setae, and 6 apical setae; or 6 anterior setae, 2 intermediate setae, and 6 posterior setae; or 7 anterior setae, 2 intermediate setae, and 4 posterior setae; lateral marginal depression narrow anteriorly, broadened in apical half, lined with transverse sculpticells apically; subapical sinuation distinctly concave, elytral plica visible in dorsolateral view. Metepisternum slightly elongate, maximal width 0.82 × lateral length. Abdomen with visible ventrites 3-6 broadly depressed laterally; suture between ventrites 1 and 2 nearly straight, ventrite 2 depressed within slight sinuation; anterior margins of ventrites 4-6 slightly depressed, but no punctures visible along suture; female apical abdominal ventrite with two setae each side, four shorter medial setae arranged in an apically broader trapezoid. Coloration of dorsal surfaces rufopiceous to piceous with silvery reflection; palpomeres, antennae, legs, and pronotal and elytral margins rufobrunneous; ventral body surface rufopiceous, though proepipleuron dark rufous, elytral epipleuron dark anteriorly and rufobrunneous posteriorly, and apical half of ventrite 6 rufobrunneous.

Male genitalia (n = 5). Aedeagal median lobe broad dorsoventrally, apex broadly downturned apicad ostium, with a small mucro on ventrobasal face of apex ( Fig. 3E ); internal sac with sclerotized spicular fields ( Fig. 3E ), including a ventrobasal spicular sclerite ( Fig. 3G ); short flagellum and flagellar sheath both present. Antecostal apodeme of abdominal IX extended distally, the extension ranging from broad and expanded distally ( Fig. 3D ), to narrow and parallel-sided ( Fig. 3H ). Right paramere varying slightly in length, the ventral surface lined with many (14-18) setae, the apex bearing two longer setae, and the apicodorsal surface lined with five to eight small setae ( Fig. 6D, E ); left paramere broadly rounded dorsally, with length varying in concert with right paramere ( Fig. 6D, E ), apex of variable length and breadth, bearing two longer apical setae and also small subapical setae of variable position and number.

Female reproductive tract (n = 1). Bursa copulatrix broader basally, with narrow apex, length twice breadth, compressed under microslide cover slip ( Fig. 7C ), surface relatively thick, translucent; spermatheca globose; spermathecal gland ovoid; spermathecal gland duct entering spermathecal duct basad spermathecal reservoir; basal gonocoxite 1 with apical fringe of two slender setae ( Fig. 8C ); apical gonocoxite 2 triangular, base moderately extended laterally, with two lateral ensiform setae, one dorsal ensiform seta, and two apical nematiform setae.

Holotype male, dissected (FMNH): CHILE: Malleco Prov., / Puren Nat. Mon. / Contulmo, 350 m, / 13.II.1985 // FMHD#85-1001, mixed / forest litter, S. &J. / Peck, P#85-118. / berlese / FIELD MUSEUM NAT. HIST. // dissection vial // Tropopterus / robustus / Liebherr ♂4 / J.K. Liebherr 2019 // HOLOTYPE / Tropopterusb / robustus / J.K. Liebherr 2019 (black-margined red label).

Paratype: Chile: Cautín Prov., Bellavista, Lago Villarrica, N shore, Berlese wet forest litter, 39°12.55'S, 72°08.14'W, 30-i-1986, Platnick & Schuh (CAS, 1), Villarrica, upper Flor del Lago, lot CH2002/3.41, 39°10.00'S, 71°59.07'W, 700 m el., 12-i-2003, Will (EMEC etoh, 5), Villarrica, 15 km S, Nothofagus woods, 39°24.62'S, 72°13.69'W, 14-ii-1993, Ward (CMNH, 2). Malleco Prov., M. N. Contulmo, Sendero Lemu Mau, Nothofagus obliqua - Eucalyptus cordifolia ++ w/ fern & bamboo understory, lot 1059, FMHD#2002-063, Berlese leaf and log litter, 38°00.74'S, 73°11.13'W, 410 m el., 8-xii-2002, Newton & Thayer (FMNH, 13), lot 1059, FMHD#2002-061, Flight intercept trap, 38°00.74'S, 73°11.13'W, 410 m el., 8-24-xii-2002, Thayer, Newton, Solodovnikov, Chani & Clarke (FMNH, 1), M. N. Puren, Contulmo, lot FMHD#85-1001, Berlese mixed forest litter, 38°00.90'S, 73°13.76'W, 13-ii-1985, S. & J. Peck (FMNH, 1), no other data, lot CH2002/3.124, Will (EMEC etoh, 1). Valdivia Prov., Huilohuilo, Neltume, 1 km WSW, Site B, Valdivian Rain Forest, leaf litter, sifting/photoeclector, 39°51'S, 71°57'W, 390 m el., 28-xi-1987, Ashworth, Figiseth & Maliscke (NDSU, 1), 7-i-1988, Ashworth, Figiseth & Maliscke (NDSU, 1), Pte. Blanco, Choshuenco, 8 km NW, Site A, Valdivian Rain Forest, leaf litter, sifting/photoeclector, 39°48'S, 72°05'W, 180 m el., 25-xi-1987, Ashworth, Figiseth & Maliscke (NDSU, 1).

Etymology.

The adjectival species epithet robustus is used to denote the broad body form of beetles of this species.

Distribution and habitat.

This species is distributed from latitude 38° S– 39°51'S ( Fig. 9D ), within the Northern Valdivian entomofaunal province ( O’Brien 1971). It has been recovered from Berlese samples of mixed forest litter, wet forest litter, or combined leaf and log litter. One specimen was collected in a ground-level collecting pan associated with a flight intercept trap. This species has been collected contemporaneously with the leiodid beetle Anaballetus chilensis ( Newton et al. 2017: Chile: Cautín Prov., Bellavista, N shore Lago Villarrica, FMNH; and Chile: Malleco Prov., N. M. Contulmo, Sendero Lemu Mau, FMNH).

Figures

Figure 1. Tropopterus spp., dorsal view; range of standardized body lengths in mm. A. T. montagnei female; Petorca Prov., Q. Tigre Zapallar, Catapilco (MNHN). B. T. giraudyi female; Valdivia Prov., Chaihuin (EMEC). C. T. peckorum male; Quillota Prov., P. N. La Campana (FMNH). D. T. robustus female; Malleco Prov., M. N. Contulmo (FMNH). E. T. canaliculus female; Malleco Prov., P. N. Nahuelbuta (FMNH). F. T. duponchelii male; Arauco Prov., Caramavida (MCZ).

Figure 3. Male aedeagal median lobe, left view, and antecostal apodeme and tergite of abdominal IX, dorsal view. A-B. T. giraudyi; Chili, " Tropopterus nitidus Sol. ", Chaudoir Coll. (MNHN). C, D. T. peckorum; Quillota Prov., P. N. La Campana (FMNH) (D darkened to allow viewing of teneral dissection). E-H. T. robustus; Malleco Prov., M. N. Contulmo. E-F. (CMNH). G, H. (FMNH). For abbreviations used to label structures see Table 1.

Figure 6. Paired sets of left parameres (above) and right parmeres (below), ectal view, for male specimens of Tropopterus spp. Parameres are in anatomically correct orientation with ventral surface toward bottom of drawing. A, B. T. giraudyi. A. Malleco Prov., P. N. Nahuelbuta (FMNH). B. Chili, " Tropopterus nitidus Sol. " [sic], Chaudoir Coll. (MNHN). C. T. peckorum; Quillota Prov., P. N. La Campana (FMNH). D, E. T. robustus. D. Malleco Prov., P. N. Contulmo (CMNH). E. Cautin Prov., Bellavista (CAS). F, G. T. canaliculus. F. Malleco Prov., P. N. Nahuelbuta (FMNH). G. Arauco Prov., Caramavida (NMNH). H-I. T. duponchelii. H. Talca Prov., Altos de Vilches (MNHN). I. Arauco Prov., Caramavida (MCZ). J, K. T. minimucro. J. Cautin Prov., Bellavista (EMEC). K. Llanquihue Prov. P. N. Vicente Perez Rosales (FMNH). L. T. fieldianus; Valdivia, La Union (FSCA).

Figure 7. Female reproductive tract and gonocoxae of abdominal segment IX, ventral view. A. T. montagnei; Petorca Prov., Q. Tigre Zapallar, Catapilco (MNHN). Spermatheca disassociated from bursal assemblage. B. T. giraudyi; Llanquihue Prov., P. N. Vicente Perez Rosales (FMNH). C. T. robustus; Malleco Prov., M. N. Contulmo (FMNH). D. T. canaliculus; Malleco Prov., P. N. Nahuelbuta (FMNH). E. T. duponchelii; Arauco Prov., Caramavida (MCZ). F. T. minimucro; Valdivia Prov., P. N. Oncol (EMEC). For abbreviations used to label structures see Table 1. Vertical scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 8. Left gonocoxa (except where noted), ventral view, for Tropopterus spp. Specimen information is parallel to that in Figure 7 A-F. For abbreviations used to label structures see Table 1. A. T. montagnei. B. T. giraudyi. C. T. robustus. D. T. canaliculus. E. T. duponchelii. F. T. minimucro (right gonocoxa).

Figure 9. A-I. Geographic distributions of Tropopterus spp. A. T. montagnei. B. T. giraudyi. C. T. peckorum. D. T. robustus. E. T. canaliculus. F. T. duponchelii. G. T. trisinuatus. H. T. minimucro. I. T. fieldianus. J. Geographical distributions of Tropopterus spp., labeled as per figures above, hierarchically arranged by phylogenetic relationships of the taxon cladogram, Fig. 10.

Figure 10. Cladogram returned under all cladistic protocols described in text; tree length = 97, CI = 57, RI = 47, fast character optimization shown. Outgroup choice of Pharetis thayerae based on results in Liebherr (2020). Geographic region abbreviations after taxon name include: eastern Australia (EOZ); Santiagan entomofaunal province (San); Northern Valdivian entomofaunal province (NV); Southern Valdivian Entomofaunal province (SV).