Neocarventus northlandicus Larivière and Larochelle, 2022

Larivière, Marie-Claude & Larochelle, André, 2022, Synopsis of the subfamily Carventinae in New Zealand (Heteroptera: Aradidae), Insecta Mundi 2022 (961), pp. 1-54 : 30-31

Neocarventus northlandicus Larivière and Larochelle , new species

Fig. 42 , 67 , 69 , 85

Neocarventus northlandicus Larivière and Larochelle , new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “ NEW ZEALAND ND Abbey Caves [ Reserve ] 19 Nov 1997 G. Hall, W. Kuschel, R. Leschen #14 (typed) / under rotting logs (typed) / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Neocarventus northlandicus Larivière & Larochelle, 2022 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: 3 males (1 AMNZ, 2 NZAC) and 4 females (1 AMNZ, 3 NZAC) from the same locality as the holotype, bearing blue paratype labels.

Description (incrustation removed). Body moderately narrowed anteriorly; length about 3.1 mm (male), 3.5 mm (female). Dorsal color (male) pale to moderately dark reddish brown; nearly black medially on pronotum and mesonotum, laterally on metanotum, on dmtg I–II, on base and sublateral portions of tergal plate; pale yellowish to yellowish brown on most of tergal plate and connexivum (tergal plate sometimes broadly margined with dark brown). Female similarly colored except for usually darker forebody, bright whitish yellow to yellowish brown tergal plate, strongly contrasting against dark thorax, less distinct apodemal spots on abdomen, and mostly pale connexivum. Eyes reddish tinged with brown. Antennae and legs (especially tibiae) somewhat paler than main body. Ventral color mostly matching main dorsal color; underside of abdomen darker than tergal plate in female. Head. Antenniferous tubercles broadly subtriangular (inner margin subrectilinear to slightly convex), their apices bluntly rounded and divergent. Antennae. Segment I narrowed, smooth in basal fourth to third, then thickened; II slightly curved basally, gradually thickened toward apex; III pedunculate in basal fifth, gradually thickened toward apex; IV fusiform, pilose in apical third to half. Thorax gradually increasing in width from pronotum to metanotum (subtriangular, less strongly narrowed anteriorly than in other Neocarventus species). Pronotum about 2.5× wider than long medially, including collar. Anterolateral angles rounded-subquadrate to rounded-subtriangular, slightly produced, not reaching in front of collar. Lateral margins subrectilinear, slightly oblique. Posterolateral angles rounded-subquadrate, unproduced. Mesonotum about 3.2× wider than long medially, including backward projection (male), 3.4× (female). Lateral margins subrectilinear to very slightly concave, moderately oblique. Posterolateral angles rounded-subtriangular (often more acutely subtriangular in male), slightly to moderately produced, rather flat (often upturned in male). Metanotum. Disc moderately elevated near apex of mesonotal projection. Lateral margins slightly sinuate, straight or slightly convex basally. Posterolateral angles moderately elevated, slightly produced, forming narrowly subtriangular, acutely tipped spines (male); slightly thickened, forming very short, narrowly rounded lobes (female). Abdomen widest across tergite III (male), tergites III–IV (female). Tergal plate (dmtg III–VI). Disc slightly to moderately elevated (male), slightly elevated (female). Lateral margins slightly convex (male), slightly to moderately convex (female). Dmtg VII moderately elevated posteromedially (male). Connexivum. Posterolateral angles of dltg III–V rounded, slightly produced (IV–V usually more so), VI rounded, barely produced, VII broadly rounded-subtriangular, slightly to moderately produced, flat or somewhat reflexed (male); posterolateral angles more rounded, III–IV unproduced, V–VI barely produced, VII slightly more produced than V–VI, rather flat (female). Male genitalia. Right paramere ( Fig. 42 , inner lateral view) elongate, shaft strongly concave posteriorly, head broadly rounded apically, with margin of subrectangular projection thickened, distinctly notched. Ventral surface. Abdomen. Ventral mediotergites (vmtg) IV–VI barely depressed medially (male, female); VII with strong transverse wrinkles in apical fourth (male).

Other characters as in N. angulatus .

Material examined. 44 specimens ( AMNZ, NZAC).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 85 ). North Island: ND–Abbey Caves Reserve ( AMNZ, NZAC). Mount Manaia ( NZAC). North Cape ( NZAC). Paihia ( NZAC). Parakahi [= Parihaka] Park [Whangarei] ( NZAC). Poor Knights Islands, Aorangi [ Island], Puweto Valley ( NZAC). Russell Forest Track, 0–1 km S, Russell-Whakapara Road ( NZAC).

Biology. Altitudinal range. Lowland (up to 400 m). Habitat. Occurs in broadleaf forest and shrublands. Collected in groups on the moist, often moldy bark from the underside of fallen rotting branches about 3–5 cm in diameter; found in small numbers in leaf litter. Seasonality. Adults and tenerals: November–December. Nymphs: November. Mating probably occurs in November–December.

Remarks. The name of this species is derived from Northland, the region where it is found, and the suffix -icus (Greek, -ikos) which means ‘belonging or pertaining to’. Neocarventus northlandicus is easily recognized as follows: subtriangular thorax, less strongly narrowed anteriorly than in other Neocarventus species; posterolateral angles of metanotum (male) slightly produced, forming narrowly subtriangular spines; forebody contrastingly dark, especially in female; the shape of male parameres. Neocarventus northlandicus is known from Northland (ND), mostly in the east and the north. A series of undetermined females taken from Waipoua Forest (NZAC), in the west of Northland, may belong to N. northlandicus ; male specimens are needed to confirm this identification.

Figures

Figures 36–43. Male right paramere, inner lateral. 36) Carventaptera spinifera. 37) C. hallae new species. 38) Modicarventus kirmani new species. 39) Neocarventus angulatus. 40) N. potterae new species. 41) N. montanus new species. 42) N. northlandicus new species. 43) Tuataraptera unca.

Figures 64–67. Dorsal habitus. 64) Neocarventus angulatus, male. 65) N. potterae new species, male. 66) N. montanus new species, male. 67) N. northlandicus new species, male. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 68–71. Dorsal habitus. 68) Neocarventus angulatus, female. 69) N. northlandicus new species, female. 70) Tuataraptera unca, male. 71) T. unca, female. Scale line = 1 mm.

Figures 85–87. Species distribution maps. 85) Neocarventus northlandicus new species. 86) N. potterae new species. 87) Tuataraptera unca.