Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus mtsaranus Kurnakov, 1972

Solodovnikov, Igor A., Zamotajlov, Alexandr S., Fominykh, Dmitriy D. & Titarenko, Andrey Y., 2014, Contribution to the knowledge of the Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus Kurnakov, 1962, species complex in Abkhazia (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Carabini), ZooKeys 463, pp. 21-56 : 27-29

Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus mtsaranus Kurnakov, 1972 Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 19-21, 50-57

Carabus (Neoplectes) satyrus mtsaranus Kurnakov, 1972: 114 ( “Chaîne Bzybienne près du village de Mtsara").

Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus mtsaranus : Gottwald 1985: 310; Bousquet et al. 2003: 132; Retezár 2008: 41.

Carabus (Tribax) satyrus mtsaranus : Deuve 2004: 274.

Comparative material examined.

134 specimens were examined (31 specimens measured, 18 male genitalia preparations studied): 12 males, 17 females Abkhazia, Gudauta Distr., valley of River Aapsta, 700 m, V-VII.1993, leg. A. Zamotajlov, F. Miroshnikov (cZAM, cFDD); 49 males, 56 females, Abkhazia, Gudauta Distr, vicinities of Mtsara (Chiryuta), Zashirbara Mt. Range, source of River Mtsara, beech, blackberry, fern site, 575-690 m, 11.V-05.VII.2013, leg. I. Solodovnikov, S. Solodovnikova, V. Kotsur, N. Pichugin (cSIA, cKVM, cPSM, cPNYu, cFDD).

Description.

Large form, males 35.3-37.1 (35.8) mm, females 37.5-41.3 (39.3) mm long, robust. Underside black, dorsum normally with bright metallic lustre, dark blue, violet, black-violet, black, rather seldom green, bronze, crimson, females matte. Body massive.

Head not inflated. Pronotum of variable shape, from subcordate to cordate, transverse. PW/PL = 1.14-1.48 (1.35) in males and 1.26-1.56 (1.41) in females, with base narrower than in the nominotypical subspecies, PW/PB = 1.15-1.26 (1.20) in males and 1.13-1.32 (1.23) in females, hind angles strongly protruding backwards and sidewards, seldom only backwards, pointed apically. Median groove distinct, disk transversally or irregularly rugose, with rugosity gradually strengthening towards median groove. Elytra strongly elongate to ovate, more elongate in males, with quite inconspicuous depression in the middle in females and seldom in males. EL/EW = 1.65-1.85 (1.75) in males and 1.73-1.98 (1.80) in females. Elytral sculpture identical in males and females, forming coarse and precise series of short links. Table 2 lists the main morphometric measurements of the studied populations.

The shape of the male genitalia is practically identical to that of the other Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus taxa. The endophallus differs from the one in Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus , mainly in the shape of the dorsal appendix, which is more elongate and possesses a more extended form, characteristic for populations dwelling in an interfluve of r. Kealasur and Bzyb.

Differential diagnosis.

Resembles Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus besleticus from which it differs in a more elongate and less ovate body shape, the different form of the hind angles of the pronotum, and in having a more coarse elytral sculpture with precise series of rather short links. The color of dorsum is usually more dull and darker than in the nominotypical and other subspecies. For the morphometric characters of this subspecies see Figures 1 - 4.

Distribution.

Populates southern slopes of Bzybian Mt. Range at an altitude of 400-1500 m in an interfluve of r. Gumista - Western Gumista and Khipsta.

Habitat.

Prefers beech and beech-chestnut forest sites, sometimes admixed with box, rich in ground litter at karstic landforms (sometimes even populating also quite sharp and steep ones). This subspecies also occurs at alpestrine and alpine meadows. Activity of imago, depending upon the altitude of the habitation, proceeds from April to August. Carabus (Archiplectes) apollo tenebricosus Kurnakov, 1962, Carabus (Microplectes) argonautarum reischitzi Mandl, 1955, Carabus (Tribax) apschuanus apschuanus Rost, 1893, Carabus (Tribax) constantinovi otcharensis Kurnakov, 1970. Carabus (Megodontus) septemcarinatus , Carabus (Sphodristocarabus) armeniacus dvorschaki Mandl, 1975, and Carabus (Procerus) caucasicus colchicus occur together with this subspecies.