Fauna of New Zealand 69 - Landcare Research

Fauna of New Zealand 69 45
elytra, and abdomen piceous black; lateral margins of
elytra dark reddish; antennae (except segment 1), palpi,
and tarsi pale reddish; antennal segment 1, femora, and
tibiae pale, red or infuscate red. Microsculpture absent
on head, feeble and moderately transverse on pronotum,
strong and isodiametric on elytra. Iridescence absent.
Very shiny on head and pronotum, dull on elytra. Head.
Impunctate or finely punctate in frontal furrows, unwrinkled
dorsally, much narrower across eyes than pronotal
apex. Frontal furrows wide, shallow. Eyes normally developed,
moderately large, moderately convex. Tempora
not inflated. Paraglossae membranous, prominent, much
longer than ligula. Thorax. Pronotum (Fig. 105) slightly
convex, impunctate, unwrinkled, slightly transverse, subrectangular;
apex subtruncate; anterior bead incomplete,
broadly interrupted medially; anterolateral angles poorly
developed, rounded; sides slightly rounded anteriorly,
slightly sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads narrow; lateral
depressions absent; each anterolateral setiferous puncture
situated well in front of middle and touching lateral bead;
basal constriction short; posterolateral angles rectangular;
base subtruncate, depressed, slightly narrower than elytral
base. Prosternum impunctate, unwrinkled. Proepisterna
impunctate, unwrinkled. Metepisterna impunctate or
finely punctate. Elytra. Depressed dorsally, convex
laterally. Elongate-oblong. Widest about middle. Basal
margin reaching level of stria 4. Shoulders denticulate.
Sides subparallel. Scutellar setiferous pore absent. Striae
incomplete; striae 1–4 deep, finely punctate; striae 5–7
obsolete. Intervals depressed. Abdomen. Sterna finely
punctate, unwrinkled. Aedeagus. Lateral view (Fig. 61):
strongly arcuate; dorsobasal blade present, wide; apex very
wide, rounded, moderately projecting ventrally. Dorsal
view: apex acute on the right side, rounded on the left.
Material examined. 15 specimens (AMNZ, BMNH,
JNNZ, LUNZ, NZAC).
Geographic distribution (Map p. 178). South Island:
MC–Banks Peninsula: Ahuriri Reserve; Akaroa; Armstrong
Reserve; Flea Bay/Pohatu; Le Bons Bay; Okains
Bay; Panama Rock; The Kaik.
Ecology. Lowland (hills). Dry forests (broadleaf) and
shrublands. Shaded ground; dry soil. Nocturnal; hides
during the day under debris.
Biology. Seasonality: December. Predacious (based on
mouthpart morphology). Occasionally infested with Laboulbeniales
(Fungi).
Dispersal power. Elytra fused along the suture. Subapterous.
Moderate runner. Vagility limited by flight incapacity.
Reference. Larochelle & Larivière, 2001: 63 (catalogue;
biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution,
references).
Remarks. The holotype of Argutor piceus could not be
located in MNHN. Johns (1986) synonymised Sympiestus
modestus with Selenochilus piceus. The authors are also
confident that S. modestus is a synonym of S. piceus, based
on Blanchard’s original description and figure as well as
their examination of the holotype of Sympiestus modestus.
Selenochilus syntheticus (Sharp, 1886) E
Figures 62, 106, 201; Map p. 179
Sympiestus syntheticus Sharp, 1886: 373. Holotype: male
(BMNH) labelled “Sympiestus syntheticus. Type D.S.
Bealey N.Z. Helms. (hand-written on card mount) / Type
H.T. (circular red-bordered label) / Bealey, New Zealand.
Helms. / Sharp Coll. 1905-313.” Condition: Very good; left
antennal segments 7–11 missing.
Sympiestus fallax Broun, 1893: 1007. Holotype: female (BMNH)
labelled “Type (circular red-bordered label; typed) / 1805.
(hand-written) / Castle Hill (typed) / New Zealand. Broun
Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482. (white label with red horizontal
line; typed) / Sympiestus fallax. (hand-written)”. Condition:
Good; left & right antennal segments 3–11 missing. New
synonym.
Sympiestus frontalis Broun, 1917: 370. Holotype: female
(BMNH) labelled “Type (circular red-bordered label;
typed) / 3816. (hand-written) / New Zealand. Broun Coll.
Brit. Mus. 1922–482. (white label with red horizontal line;
typed) / Scarcliff. 20.10.1913. (hand-written) / Sympiestus
frontalis. (hand-written)”. Condition: Excellent. New synonym.
Selenochilus syntheticus: Britton, 1940: 477 (as a junior synonym
of Selenochilus piceus) resurrected from synonymy
by Johns, 1980: 61).
Selenochilus fallax: Britton, 1940: 477.
Selenochilus frontalis: Britton, 1940: 477.
Solenochilus [sic] syntheticus: Johns, 1980: 61.
Description. Body: length 5.1–6.6 mm. Head, pronotum,
elytra, and abdomen black; lateral margins of elytra dark
reddish; antennae, palpi, and tarsi infuscate reddish; femora
and tibiae black or piceous black. Microsculpture absent
on head, moderately transverse, feeble on pronotum, strong
on elytra. Iridescence absent. Very shiny. Head. Coarsely
punctate in frontal furrows, unwrinkled dorsally, about as
wide across eyes as pronotal apex. Frontal furrows wide,
shallow. Eyes normally developed, moderately large, moderately
convex. Tempora inflated, moderately long (about
one-third as long as eyes). Paraglossae membranous,
prominent, much longer than ligula. Thorax. Pronotum
(Fig. 106) slightly convex, impunctate, wrinkled along
median longitudinal impression, moderately transverse,
slightly cordate; apex subtruncate; anterior bead incomplete,
broadly interrupted medially; anterolateral angles
poorly developed, rounded; sides moderately rounded
anteriorly, moderately sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads
narrow; lateral depressions absent; each anterolateral