Ctenognathus tepaki Larochelle and Larivière, 2021

Larochelle & Larivière, Marie-Claude, 2021, Synopsis of the tribe Platynini in New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2021 (864), pp. 1-96 : 36-37

Ctenognathus tepaki Larochelle and Larivière , new species

Fig. 58 , 101 , 146

Ctenognathus tepaki Larochelle and Larivière , new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “[ NEW ZEALAND ND] Spirits Bay, N.Z. (typed) under stone. (hand-written) 20–28:VIII:1957 J.C. Watt. (typed) / J.C. Watt Collection Ent. Div. DSIR, 1966. (typed) / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Ctenognathus tepaki Larochelle & Larivière, 2021 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: one female (NZAC) from the same locality as the holotype and one male (AMNZ) from Cape Maria van Diemen, Motuopao Island (ND), bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 11.6–13.2 mm. Head, pronotum, and elytra black; abdomen rufopiceous; antennae reddish (scape rufopiceous); palpi reddish; femora and tibiae rufopiceous; tarsi reddish. Microsculpture very transverse (with microlines) on head and pronotum, isodiametric on elytra. Iridescence present on head and pronotum. Very shiny on head and pronotum, moderately shiny on elytra. Forebody moderately wide in comparison to elytra. Head. Moderately wide. Mandibles moderately long and curved anteriorly. Labrum strongly transverse, moderately emarginate anteriorly. Eyes moderately convex; two setiferous punctures on inner side of each eye. Tempora not inflated. Neck constriction shallow dorsolaterally. Mentum: medial tooth entire, rounded apically; two setae. Submentum with four setae. Palpi with terminal segment obtuse apically. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, impunctate, obsoletely wrinkled on disc and across base, wide, moderately cordate, widest before middle; apex strongly emarginate; anterolateral angles well developed, broadly rounded; anterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; sides strongly rounded, moderately sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads incomplete, obsolete anteriorly; lateral depressions wide; a single setiferous puncture on each side (anteriorly); posterolateral angles rectangular; laterobasal foveae moderately deep and wide, prolonged forward; posterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially and near posterolateral angles; base emarginate. Legs. Moderately long. Metafemora with three posteroventral setae. Meso- and metatarsomeres 1–4 poorly developed, not carinate dorsally, deeply bisulcate laterally. Metatarsomeres 4 moderately bilobed and asymmetrical apically. Metatarsomeres 5 setose ventrally (with long setae). Elytra. Slightly convex, not sloping down toward apex, oblong, widest about middle. Shoulders slightly rounded. Sides moderately rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore invisible. Scutellar striole short, impunctate. Striae deep, impunctate. Intervals moderately convex; interval 3 with a single very deep, large (foveate) subapical setiferous puncture. Umbilicate series with 21–24 setiferous punctures. Subapical sinuations moderately strong. Apices obtuse. Abdomen. Sterna IV–VI: both sexes with two long apical ambulatory setae. Sternum VII (last visible sternum): male with two long apical ambulatory setae; female with eight to ten long apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view ( Fig. 101 ): strongly arcuate, slender; base slightly convex, with basal lobe very wide; middle strongly biconvex dorsally, strongly concave ventrally, with dorsal membranous area moderately wide in apical half and moderately long; apex slender, moderately convex dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with extreme tip narrow and very long. Dorsal view: narrow, asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to the left); basal bulb moderately distant from membranous area.

Material examined. 74 specimens ( AMNZ, CMNZ, MONZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 146 ). North Island: ND (Te Paki area)– Huka Creek [=Stream]. Matapia Island. Maungapiko [Hill]. Motuopao Island. Murimotu Island. Ngaroku Stream. Spirits Bay. Unuwhao.

Ecology. Coastland lowland. Epigean, fossorial. Sand dunes and adjacent forests. Shaded ground; dry soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day in burrows at the base of plants ( Muehlenbeckia ) or under stones.

Biology. Seasonality: October–January, August. Tenerals: November. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology). Occasionally infested with mites and fungi (Laboulbeniales).

Dispersal power. Subapterous (incapable of flight). Moderate runner.

Collecting techniques. Examining burrows at the base of Muehlenbeckia plants; turning stones.

Remarks. The species is named after the Te Paki area (ND, Aupouri Peninsula) which includes the type locality Spirits Bay, and is applied as a noun in apposition. Ctenognathus tepaki is morphologically close to C. garnerae . In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, C. tepaki has the following distinguishing features: antennal segments 1 rufopiceous, 2–11 reddish; mandibles moderately long and curved anteriorly; pronotum with lateral depressions wide, posterolateral angles rectangular; metatarsomeres 5 setose ventrally (with long setae). The two species are allopatric: C. tepaki is found in northern North Island (ND, top of Aupouri Peninsula), while C. garnerae is restricted to the Three Kings Islands (TH).

Figures

Figures 57–60. Dorsal habitus. 57) Ctenognathus garnerae new species. 58) C. tepaki new species. 59) C. urewera new species. 60) C. cardiophorus. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 101–107. Aedeagus, lateral. 101) Ctenognathus tepaki new species. 102) C. urewera new species. 103) C. cardiophorus. 104) C. adamsi. 105) C. pictonensis. 106) C. tawanui new species. 107) C. perumalae new species.

Figures 142–147. Species distribution maps. 142) Ctenognathus pictonensis. 143) C. sandageri. 144) C. takahe new species. 145) C. tawanui new species. 146) C. tepaki new species. 147) C. urewera new species.