Carabus (Archiplectes) pseudopshuensis Zamotajlov, 1991

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 : 38-43

Carabus (Archiplectes) pseudopshuensis Zamotajlov, 1991 Figs 5, 6, 7, 12-15, 78-89

Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus pseudopshuensis Zamotajlov, 1991: 36 ("Environs of Pskhu"); Bousquet et al. 2003: 132; Retezár 2008: 41;

Carabus (Tribax) satyrus pseudopshuensis : Deuve 2004: 275.

Carabus (Archiplectes) pseudopshuensis : Fominykh and Zamotajlov 2012: 444; Retezár 2013: 4.

Comparative material examined.

3351 specimens were examined (135 specimens measured, 60 male genitalia preparations studied): 2 males, 4 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., left bank of River Aguripsta near outfall of River Belaya, beech forest site, 800-1000 m, 11.V-27.VI.2010, leg. D. Fominykh, I. Solodovnikov (cZAM, cFDD, cSIA); 5 males, 5 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., left bank of River Aguripsta near Mt. Svyataya, 800 m, 10.V-28.VI.2010, leg. D. Fominykh, I. Solodovnikov (cZAM, cFDD); 4 males, 2 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., vicinities of Village Pskhu, S slope of Mt. Svyataya, beech forest site, 650-700 m, 10.V-28.VI.2010, leg. I. Solodovnikov, D. Fominykh, (cSIA); 21 males, 25 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., SE of Village Pskhu, hamlet Bitaga, Mt. Bzybskaya, 550-650 m, beech forest site, 12.V-30.VI.2010, leg. I. Solodovnikov, D. Fominykh, (cSIA); 547 males, 763 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., left bank of River Aguripsta near Village Pskhu, W slopes of Mt. Chibiskha, 700 m, 25.IV-04.VII.2013, leg. D. Fominykh (cZAM, cFDD, cSAA, cBAS); 48 males, 62 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., right bank of River Bzyb, S slopes of Mt. Chibiskha, 550 m, 25.IV-04.VII.2013, leg. D. Fominykh (cZAM, cFDD); 5 males, 4 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., right bank of River Bzyb, S slopes of Mt. Chibiskha upstream hamlet Bitaga, karst, beech forest site, 600-620 m, N43°21'29.36" / E040°49'58.89", 25.IV-04.VII.2013, leg. D. Fominykh (cSIA); 6 males, 6 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., right bank of River Baul near Village Sanchara, 1030 m, N43°24,9', E040°51,4', VII.2010, leg. I. Retezár (cZAM, cFDD); 2 males, 2 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., vicinities of Village Sanchara, River Baul, beech forest site, 20.VII.1991, leg. M.N. Maksimenkov (cSIA); 2 females, same locality, 800 m, 10.VIII.1989, leg. M.N. Maksimenkov (cSIA); 2 males, Village Sanchara, VI.1991, leg. M.N. Maksimenkov (cSIA); 1 male, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., Pskhu, 10.IX.1991, local collector (cSIA); 3 males, 4 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., Bzybian Mt. Range, upper reaches of RRiver West Gumista, Dou Pass, 1300 m, 30.IV-19.VII.2012, leg. D. Fominykh (cFDD); 10 males, 13 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., N slopes of Bzybian Mt. Range near Bzyb valley, 1000 m, 30.IV.2012, leg. D. Fominykh (cZAM, cFDD, cSAA); 40 males, 30 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., N slopes of Bzybian Mt. Range near Bzyb valley, 800 m, 30.IV-19.VII.2012, leg. D. Fominykh (cZAM, cFDD, cSIA, cSAA); 351 males, 449 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., N slopes of Bzybian Mt. Range, right bank of River Reshevie, 700-1000 m, 1.V-20.VII.2012, leg. D. Fominykh (cZAM, cFDD, cSAA, cBAS); 2 males, 5 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., left bank of River Bzyb, right bank of River Reshevie, beech, maple, fern forest site, 670-720 m, 13-14.V.2010, leg. I. Solodovnikov (cSIA); 9 males, 18 females, same locality, 13.V-02.VII.2010, leg. I. Solodovnikov, D. Fominykh (cSIA, cPIG, cKVM); 14 males, 16 females, same locality, 04.V-20.VII.2012, leg. D. Fominykh, A. Safronov (cSIA); 386 males, 516 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., N Slopes of Bzybian Mt. Range near Village Serebryanyi, 500-600 m, 25.IV-05.VII.2013, leg. D. Fominykh (cZAM, cFDD); 5 males, 8 females, Abkhazia, Sukhum Distr., vicinities of Village Pskhu, hamlet Serebryanyi, left bank of River Bzyb, karst, beech forest site, 600-620 m, N43°21'52.90" / E040°48'52.90", 25.IV-05.VII.2013, leg. D. Fominykh (cSIA).

Description.

Medium-sized form, length 26.5-34.0 mm, males 28.0-32.0 mm, females 28.5-34.0 mm long. Underside black, dorsum normally with bright metallic lustre, green, dark blue, bronze, crimson, violet, less often black, with transitional color forms in males, dichromatic and trichromatic individuals being also known, females matte. Body slender.

Head not inflated. Pronotum variable in shape, from transverse to subquadrate. PW/PL of individuals from the right bank of River Bzyb hardly depends upon altitude in males and constitute constantly 1.32-1.39, in females, upon decrease of altitude, PW/PL varies from 1.38 at 700 m to 1.48 at 1100 m. Hind angles slightly protruding backwards. In the left-bank populations, pronotum of nearly the same proportions or less transverse, particularly in females. PW/PL varies there in males of three studied populations from 1.26 to 1.39, and in females - from 1.34 to 1.42, reaching extreme value of 1.23 in the population, inhabiting environs of the hamlet Serebryanyi. Elytra oblong-ovate in the right-bank populations, also vary in shape from distinctly elongate to almost ovate. EL/EW gradually varies in males depending upon altitude decrease from 1.89 to 1.69, in females such correlations are not obviously revealed and irregularly varies from 1.69 to 1.76. Elytral sculpture varies from almost smooth to coarsely granular, with strongly pronounced punctation in the middle interspaces. EL/EW is more or less stable in the left-bank populations and measures 1.66-1.70 in males and 1.60-1.75 in females. Elytral sculpture granular, interspaces regular, nearly straight, some male specimens possess somewhat confused elytral sculpture. The main morphometric measurements are presented in Table 1 .

The structure of endophallus testifies to the assignment of this form to the reitteri -group. It is easily distinguishable from Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus , Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus , and Carabus (Archiplectes) juenthneri by the shape of the dorsal appendix, which is less elongate and possesses a more rectangular form.

Differential diagnosis.

Strongly resembles Carabus (Archiplectes) juenthneri juenthneri , which occurs sympatrically in some localities on the right bank of River Bzyb; however, it differs in smaller body size, more elongate and ovate body, and also in the structure of the male genitalia. Upstream, in the valley of River Aguripsta, Carabus (Archiplectes) juenthneri juenthneri completely substitutes this taxon. On the left bank of River Bzyb it also occurs sympatrically with Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus resheviensis from which it differs in considerably smaller body size and different male genitalia. The authors have succeeded in collecting in such localities few transitional individuals, apparently being hybrid forms. Morphometric characters are illustrated in Figures 5 - 6.

Distribution.

Populates the left bank of the River Aguripsta from the confluence of River Belaya (its left tributary) up to its outfall, and also right board of River Bzyb, upstream confluence of River Aguripsta, also occurs at northern slopes of Bzybian Mt. Range, reaching its watershed at 1300 m, where dwells together with Carabus (Archiplectes) apollo tenebricosus , however it has not been found at its southern slopes, where apparently it is completely substituted by the latter.

Habitat.

Inhabits mainly beech and fir-beech mixed forests, developed on rich ground litter, and also petrous forest taluses at karstic landforms. The population density is rather high in its known geographic range, except for the middle flow of River Aguripsta (natural border of its distribution area), the maximum density of imago is recorded for the altitude interval of 600-900 m. Activity of imago proceeds from April to July, solitary individuals are sometimes observed at the end of summer or the middle of September. The following forms of Carabus occur sympatrically on the left bank of River Bzyb: Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus resheviensis , Carabus (Archiplectes) apollo tenebricosus , Carabus (Tribax) apschuanus apschuanus , Carabus (Tribax) constantinovi otcharensis , Carabus (Tribax) circassicus circassicus (natio abasinus ), Carabus (Microplectes) argonautarum reischitzi , Carabus (Megodontus) septemcarinatus , Carabus (Eucarabus) cumanus Fischer von Waldheim, 1823, Carabus (Sphodristocarabus) armeniacus dvorschaki , and Carabus (Procerus) caucasicus colchicus ; on the right bank of River Bzyb: Carabus (Archiplectes) juenthneri juenthneri , Carabus (Tribax) apschuanus schoeni Novotný & Voříšek, 1988, Carabus (Tribax) constantinovi otcharensis , Carabus (Tribax) circassicus circassicus (natio abasinus ), Carabus (Microplectes) argonautarum reischitzi , Carabus (Megodontus) septemcarinatus , Carabus (Eucarabus) cumanus , Carabus (Pachycarabus) imitator katharinae Reitter, 1896, Carabus (Sphodristocarabus) armeniacus janthinus Ganglbauer, 1887, and Carabus (Procerus) caucasicus colchicus .