Zolus kauriensis Larochelle & Larivière & Larochelle & Larivière 2017, new species

Zolus kauriensis new species

Fig. 20, 67, 156

Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled: “ NEW ZEALAND CL (typed) Tapu-Coroglen Saddle 400m 13 Feb 1979 J.S. Dugdale (hand-written) / under stones in bush tunnel (hand-written) / [male symbol] / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Zolus kauriensis Larochelle & Larivière, 2017 (red label; typed).” Paratype: one female (NZAC) from Nihotapu [=Nihotupu], Waitakere Ranges (AK), East side, 29.Nov.1956, K.A.J. Wise, bearing a blue paratype label.

Description. Body length 8.0– 8.3 mm. Head, pronotum, and elytra mostly piceous black; abdomen mostly dark brown, yellow laterally and apically; lateral margins of elytra reddish; antennae, palpi, and legs entirely reddish. Microsculpture very strong, isodiametric on head, very transverse (with microlines) on pronotum, moderately transverse on elytra. Iridescence absent on head and elytra, very strong on pronotum. Very shiny, without metallic luster. Head. Labrum moderately transverse, slightly emarginate anteriorly. Antennae subfiliform, very long: segment 1 (scape) moderately long, about 2x longer than its maximum width. Frontal furrows wide, shallow, convergent. Eyes moderately convex; a single setiferous puncture on inner side of each eye (posteriorly). Tempora not inflated. Mentum: medial tooth entire, acute apically, moderately shorter than lateral lobes. Paraglossae membranous, prominent, about as long as ligula. Thorax. Pronotum strongly convex, finely punctate across base, wrinkled (discally, medioapically, and between laterobasal foveae), subquadrate, widest about middle; apex subtruncate; anterolateral angles poorly developed, rounded; anterior bead complete; sides strongly rounded, not sinuate posteriorly; lateral grooves moderately deep, very long (about as long as adjoining foveae); setiferous punctures absent on each side; posterolateral carinae sharp, moderately long (about half as long as adjoining foveae); posterolateral angles obtuse (with extreme tip rounded); laterobasal foveae well defined, finely punctate, moderately deep, very wide, square, prolonged forward, simple; posterior bead absent; base emarginate, much narrower than pronotal apex, about as wide as elytral base. Legs. Very long. Elytra. Moderately convex, oblong, widest before middle. Basal margin complete, reaching about scutellum. Shoulders obtuse. Sides strongly rounded. Scutellar striole present. Striae complete, very deep, impunctate; stria 3 or interval 3 with three setiferous punctures. Recurrent stria long, sharp, directed apically toward stria 5. Intervals slightly to moderately convex from base to apex. Sutural apices obtusely rounded. Abdomen. Last visible sternum (sternum VII): male with two apical ambulatory setae; female with four apical ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view (Fig. 67): strongly arcuate, not widened in apical half; base moderately biconvex dorsally; middle strongly convex dorsally, slightly convex ventrally, with dorsal membranous area very wide and long; apex subtriangular, slightly convex dorsally, almost straight ventrally, with extreme tip narrow and long. Dorsal view: very wide, asymmetrical (ostium of membranous area deflected to right); apex straight; basal orifice wide, closed anteriorly, moderately distant from membranous area. Parameres with five apical setae.

Material examined. 2 specimens (NZAC).

Geographic distribution (Fig. 156). North Island: AK–Nihotapu, Waitakeres [= Nihotupu, Waitakere Ranges]. CL–Tapu-Coroglen Saddle.

Ecology. Lowland (hills). Forests (broadleaf-podocarp). Nocturnal; hides during the day under stones.

Biology. Seasonality: November, February. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).

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

Collecting technique. Lifting stones.

Remarks. This species is named after the geographic range of the kauri tree (Agathis australis) where the beetle occurs, and the Latin suffix -e nsis, denoting a place, locality, or country. Zolus kauriensis is morphologically close to Z. carinatus. In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, Z. kauriensis has the following distinguishing features: pronotum widest about middle, sides strongly rounded, not sinuate posteriorly, lateral grooves moderately deep, posterolateral angles obtuse and posterolateral carinae moderately long (about half as long as adjoining foveae); elytra oblong, widest before middle, microsculpture moderately transverse, intervals convex. The two species are allopatric: Z. kauriensis appears to be restricted to northern areas of the North Island, while Z. carinatus occurs mostly south of the Central Volcanic Plateau.