Craspedophorus arnosti, Häckel, Martin, 2016

Häckel, Martin, 2016, A contribution to the knowledge of the subfamily Panagaeinae Hope, 1838 from Africa. Part 1. Revision of the Craspedophorus reflexus group (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Zootaxa 4061 (5), pp. 504-526 : 507

1. Craspedophorus arnosti sp. n.

(Plate 2, Figs 13, 14, Fig. 25 a–f, Plate 4, Fig. 29)

Type material. Holotype (♂): “W Centr. Africa Rep. of, Nana-Mambéré prov. 60 km SE Bouar, 5 km NE Baoro, 600 m VI-09 lgt. A. Kudrna jr.”, (Plate 2, Figs 13, 14, Fig. 25 a–f, Plate 4, Fig. 29). Paratypes: 2♀ same data as holotype (Plate 2, Fig. 14, cMH).

Description. Length 24.1–27.2 mm, width 10.3–11.9 mm. Proportions: Pronotum 1.36–1.45x wider than long, 1.79–2.2x wider than head, elytra 1.27–1.51x wider than pronotum.

Coloration. Body throughout piceous black, opaque, densely covered by black setae; each elytron with a large compound yellowish-orange humeral macula extending from 2nd to 8th interval and consisting of seven about equally elongated spots with margins moderately serrate; elytral margin black. Underside piceous black, opaque, antennae and palps black. Head long, eyes convex, neck constricted.

Pronotum transverse, 1.36x (females)–1.45x (male HT) wider than long, almost hexagonal; maximum width immediately behind midlength; anterior margin flat, front angles distinctly projecting anteriorly and strongly rounded; lateral margins evenly rounded (in male front part of lateral margin more rounded and lateral rim wider; Plate 2, Figs 13, 14), widening gradually to maximum width, then narrowing in straight line toward hind angles; each hind angle with a small indentation preceded by an indistinct incision (male with incision more distinct); base medially parallel with elytral base; laterally base slanted forward, causing hind angle to be wide open; sagittal line indistinct, basal pits strongly impressed, elongated to midlength; surface strongly coarsely and unevenly punctured.

Elytra fused, almost parallel-sided, weekly convex, flattened on disc, wings reduced. Striae deeply impressed, punctured, 1st stria strongly oblique to 2nd stria in the first basal quarter, joining to it near base; intervals fairly convex, finely and densely punctured, sparsely covered by setae.

Underside covered by short setae, finely punctured medially, coarsely punctured near margins; metepisterna longer than wide, wider anteriorly than posteriorly ( Fig. 25 e). Legs moderately covered by black setae.

Aedeagus similar to that in C. reflexus ( Fabricius, 1781) , but in dorsal view differing by apical curvature (Plate 4 cf. Figs 28–29).

Differential diagnosis. Craspedophorus arnosti sp. nov. mostly resembles C. reflexus ( Fabricius, 1781) , differing from it by elytral coloration. In contrast to C. reflexus , which has both elytral maculae (humeral and preapical), in C. arnosti sp. nov. the preapical macula is absent in both sexes. The new species also resembles C. chevalieri ( Alluaud, 1915) of the C. strachani species group in elytral coloration presenting only a single (humeral) macula on each elytron, but exhibiting a more flattened body, differently shaped metepisterna (narrowing posteriorly and longer than wide), and anterior margins of ventrites not crenulated. The last two characters place the new species in the C. reflexus group, within which it can be easily distinguished by the unique elytral color pattern.

Etymology. Named after my friend Arnošt Kudrna (České Budějovice, Czech Republic), a specialist in Cicindelinae .

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 25. C. arnosti sp. n. a. HT (male), dorsal habitus; b. microsculpture of elytral humerus, dorsal view; c. ventrites, ventral view; d. pronotum, dorsal view; e. left metepisternum, oblique ventral view; f. left metepisternum outlined in yellow.