Fauna of New Zealand 69 - Landcare Research

Fauna of New Zealand 69 55
rounded. Abdomen. Sterna impunctate, unwrinkled. Last
visible sternum (sternum VII): male with two apical ambulatory
setae; female with four apical and two medial ambulatory
setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view (Fig. 70): strongly
arcuate; apex very wide and rounded, slightly projecting
ventrally, with slight posterodorsal notch. Dorsal view:
asymmetrical (ostium deflected to the right); apex rather
straight. Parameres. Left paramere setulose (with a few
short setae at apex); right paramere setulose (with numerous
short ventral setae in apical half).
Material examined. Three specimens (NZAC).
Geographic distribution (Map p. 176). South Island:
NN─Upper Maitai. Dun Mountain.
Ecology. Lowland (hills). Forests (beech). Probably nocturnal
and sheltering during the day under cover. The shape
(long mandibles, flattened eyes, depressed body) and pale
colour of the body indicate that the species is endogean
(living in soil crevices or fissures, in deep humus of leaf
litter, under well-embedded stones). The species could be
best collected by soil-washing techniques.
Biology. Seasonality: November. Predacious (based on
mouthpart morphology).
Dispersal power. Elytra fused basally along suture.
Subapterous. Moderate runner. Vagility limited by flight
incapacity.
Remarks. This species is named after Carl H. Lindroth
(1905–1979), the first author’s late mentor and friend, and
a master of faunal taxonomy.
Molopsida lindrothi is morphologically close to M.
cordipennis. In addition to diagnostic characters of the
male genitalia M. lindrothi has the following distinguishing
features: colour testaceous; antennal segment
1 (scape) very long; eyes depressed; tempora inflated,
very long; pronotum subrectangular, with posterolateral
angles rectangular; segment 5 of metatarsi with two pairs
of ventral setae; elytra depressed, subovate.
Genus Rossjoycea Liebherr, 2011 E
Figures 116, 211; Map p. 177
Rossjoycea Liebherr, 2011b: 303. Type species. Rossjoycea glacialis
Liebherr, 2011, by original designation.
Description. Body: length 9.2–10.3 mm; not pedunculate.
Colour mostly dark. Dorsal surface mostly glabrous. Microsculpture
present. Iridescence absent. Metallic lustre
absent. Head. Mandibles short. Labrum slightly emarginate
anteriorly; anterior marginal setae equidistant. Antennae
subfiliform; segments 1–3 glabrous (excluding apical
setae). Eyes normally developed, convex; two supraorbital
setiferous punctures on inner side of each eye. Interocular
fovea absent. Tempora inflated. Mentum feebly depressed,
not excavated laterally; median tooth acute apically,
moderately shorter than lateral lobes; outer side of lateral
lobes slightly rounded. Ligula arcuate and wide apically.
Paraglossae glabrous. Palpi: terminal segment fusiform,
elliptical, glabrous; penultimate segment barely setulose
(only with two short apical setae). Thorax. Pronotum
(Fig. 116) strongly transverse and cordate; anterior bead
incomplete (narrowly interrupted medially); two setiferous
punctures on each side; posterolateral angles acute and
projecting laterally; laterobasal foveae present, deep, not
linear; posterior bead absent; base about as wide as apex.
Scutellum partly visible, broad, entirely inserted between
elytral bases. Metepisterna short, subrectangular. Legs.
Tarsi glabrous dorsally, pubescent ventrally (with four
pairs of ventral setae); segment 4 of pro- and mesotarsi
bilobed apically (cleft for more than half their length).
Elytra. Moderately convex, ovate. Basal margin complete,
reaching level of stria 1. Shoulders normally developed,
rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore present, inserted at base
of stria 1. Scutellar striole present, short, impunctate. Striae
present, complete, impunctate; stria 3 with three to five
setiferous punctures; stria 5 with one or two setiferous
punctures. Interval 8 carinate apically. Umbilicate series
separated into two major groups (8+6 setiferous punctures),
with posterior group continuous. Sutural apices
angular-rounded. Abdomen. Sterna impunctate, wrinkled.
Last visible sternum (sternum VII): male unknown; female
with eight apical and two medial ambulatory setae. Aedeagus
and Parameres. Male unknown.
Geographic distribution. South Island (WD).
Reference. Liebherr, 2011b: 303–308 (taxonomy).
Remark. Genus Rossjoycea is separated from other genera,
by the following exclusive characters: segment 5 of
metatarsi with four pairs of ventral setae; stria 3 of elytra
with three to five setiferous punctures; stria 5 with one or
two setiferous punctures; umbilicate series of setiferous
punctures separated into two major groups (8+6).
Rossjoycea glacialis Liebherr, 2011 E
Figures 116, 211; Map p. 177
Rossjoycea glacialis Liebherr, 2011b: 303. Holotype: female
(LUNZ); “Westland N.P. WD / Castle Rocks Hut” (Liebherr,
2011b).
Description. Body: length 9.2–10.3 mm. Head, pronotum,
elytra, and abdomen black; antennae, palpi, and legs dull
red; femora infuscate. Microsculpture strong and isodiametric.
Dull. Head. Impunctate dorsally, wrinkled in
frontal furrows, slightly narrower across eyes than pronotal
apex. Labrum moderately transverse. Frontal furrows
wide, shallow. Eyes normally developed, moderately large