Fauna of New Zealand 69 - Landcare Research

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setiferous puncture situated well in front of middle and
touching lateral bead; basal constriction long; posterolateral
angles slightly obtuse; base subtruncate, subdepressed
to slightly convex, slightly narrower than elytral base.
Prosternum impunctate, unwrinkled. Proepisterna impunctate,
unwrinkled. Metepisterna impunctate or finely
punctate. Elytra. Slightly convex, oblong, widest about
middle. Basal margin reaching level of stria 4. Shoulders
denticulate. Sides moderately rounded. Scutellar setiferous
pore absent. Striae incomplete; striae 1–4 shallow or deep,
finely punctate; striae 5–7 obsolete. Intervals depressed.
Abdomen. Sterna finely punctate, unwrinkled. Aedeagus.
Lateral view (Fig. 62): strongly arcuate; dorsobasal blade
absent; apex very wide, triangular-rounded, strongly
projecting ventrally. Dorsal view: apex acute on the right
side, rounded on the left.
Material examined. 25 specimens (AMNZ, BMNH,
CMNZ, JNNZ, LUNZ, NZAC, PHNZ).
Geographic distribution (Map p. 179). South Island:
MB, MC, NC.
Ecology. Lowland, Montane. Dry forests (beech),
scrublands, and tree plantations (pine). Shaded ground;
dry soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day under logs and
fallen branches. The species is xylophilous (associated
with wood).
Biology. Seasonality: October–January, March. Tenerals:
November. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).
Dispersal power. Elytra fused along the suture. Subapterous.
Moderate runner. Vagility limited by flight incapacity.
Reference. Larochelle & Larivière, 2001: 64 (catalogue;
biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution,
references).
Remark. Examination of the types of Sympiestus fallax
and Sympiestus frontalis revealed them to be conspecific
with Selenochilus syntheticus.
Selenochilus ruficornis (Broun, 1882) E
Figures 64, 107, 202; Map p. 179
Cerabilia ruficorne [sic] Broun, 1882: 223 (redescribed in 1883:
223 and 1886: 754). Holotype: male (BMNH) labelled
“Type (circular red-bordered label; typed) / 1338. (typed)
/ Wellington / New Zeal. Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482.
(white label with red horizontal line; typed) / Sympiestus
ruficornis (hand-written)”. Condition: Excellent.
Selenochilus ruficornis: Britton, 1940: 477.
Description. Body: length 4.8–5.9 mm (usually 5.3 mm
and less). Head, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen dark reddish
or piceous black; antennae, palpi, and tarsi reddish;
femora and tibiae rather pale, either reddish or infuscate
Larochelle & Larivière (2013): Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera)
reddish. Microsculpture absent on head and pronotum,
isodiametric on elytra, feeble in basal half, strong in apical
half. Iridescence absent. Very shiny. Head. Coarsely
punctate in frontal furrows, unwrinkled dorsally, narrower
across eyes than pronotal apex. Frontal furrows wide, shallow.
Eyes slightly reduced, rather small, slightly convex
(moderately to strongly convex in other species). Tempora
inflated, moderately long (about one third as long as eyes).
Paraglossae membranous, prominent, much longer than
ligula. Thorax. Pronotum (Fig. 107) moderately convex,
finely punctate across base, wrinkled along median longitudinal
impression or unwrinkled, subquadrate, slightly
cordate; apex subtruncate; anterior bead incomplete,
broadly interrupted medially; anterolateral angles poorly
developed, obtusely rounded; sides moderately rounded
anteriorly, moderately 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 obtuse; base subtruncate, subdepressed, slightly
narrower than elytral base. Prosternum finely punctate,
unwrinkled. Proepisterna finely punctate, unwrinkled.
Metepisterna finely punctate. Elytra. Slightly convex,
oblong, widest about middle. Basal margin reaching
level of stria 4. Shoulders denticulate. Sides moderately
rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore present. Striae complete,
shallow, impunctate or finely punctate. Intervals depressed.
Abdomen. Sterna finely punctate, unwrinkled. Aedeagus.
Lateral view (Fig. 64): strongly arcuate; dorsobasal blade
present, narrow; apex narrow, moderately projecting ventrally.
Dorsal view: apex truncate-rounded.
Material examined. 37 specimens (AMNZ, BMNH,
CMNZ, JNNZ, LUNZ, MONZ, NZAC).
Geographic distribution (Map p. 179). North Island: RI,
TO, WA, WN.
Ecology. Lowland, montane. Wet forests (broadleaf).
Shaded ground; wet soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day
in leaf litter and under stones.
Biology. Seasonality: September–June, August. Tenerals:
February–March, July. Predacious (based on mouthpart
morphology). Occasionally infested with fungi (Laboulbeniales).
Dispersal power. Elytra fused along the suture. Subapterous.
Moderate runner. Vagility limited by flight incapacity.
Reference. Larochelle & Larivière, 2001: 63–64 (catalogue;
biology, dispersal power, ecology, geographic
distribution, references).
Remark. Selenochilus ruficornis is easily separated from
its congeners, by its smaller, less convex eyes.