Fauna of New Zealand 69 - Landcare Research

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of middle. Shoulders moderately rounded, denticulate.
Sides slightly rounded. Scutellar striole uni- or bipunctate.
Striae complete, very deep, coarsely punctate. Intervals
slightly convex, more strongly so apically. Sutural apices
angular. Abdomen. Sterna coarsely punctate. Last visible
sternum (sternum VII): male with four apical and two
subapical ambulatory setae; female with four apical and
two medial ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral view
(Fig. 72): slightly arcuate; apex moderately wide, mostly
rounded, not projecting dorsoventrally, with a posterobasal
tooth-like projection. Dorsal view: symmetrical (ostium
expanding equally towards sides); apex rather straight.
Material examined. 90 specimens (AMNZ, BMNH,
CMNZ, JNNZ, LUNZ, NZAC).
Geographic distribution (Map p. 181). South Island:
BR, NN.
Ecology. Lowland, montane. Wet forests (beech, broadleaf,
podocarp). Shaded ground; wet soil. Nocturnal; hides
during the day mostly under the loose bark of logs and
tree-trunks, also under stones and in moss. The species is
primarily corticolous (associated with the bark of trees).
Biology. Seasonality: October to June, August. Tenerals:
December, March, June. Predacious (based on mouthpart
morphology).
Dispersal power. Elytra fused basally along the suture.
Subapterous. Moderate runner. Regular climber (of logs
and trees). Vagility limited by flight incapacity.
Reference. Larochelle & Larivière, 2001: 67–68 (biology,
dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution).
Remark. Tarastethus puncticollis is easily distinguished
from its congeners by the presence of punctation over the
entire surface of the pronotum.
Tarastethus simulans Broun, 1894 E reinstated
Figures 73, 118, 213; Map p. 181
Tarastethus simulans Broun, 1894: 309. Holotype: female
(BMNH) labelled “Type (circular red-bordered label;
typed) / 2673 (hand-written) / Westland / New Zealand.
Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482. (white label with red horizontal
line; typed) / Tarastethus simulans. (hand-written).”
Condition: Very good (right antennal segments 7–11 missing).
Paratype: female (BMNH) labelled “Paratype (circular
yellow-bordered label; typed) / 2673. (hand-written) /
Capleston. Westland. (hand-written) / New Zeal. Broun
Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482. (white label with red horizontal
line; typed) / Tarastethus simulans (hand-written).” Condition:
Fair (antennae and tarsi with some segments missing).
Original combination reinstated.
Molopsida simulans: Britton, 1940: 277.
Description. Body: length 5.0–6.6 mm. Head, pronotum,
elytra, and abdomen testaceous to reddish black; lateral
Larochelle & Larivière (2013): Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera)
margins of elytra light to dark reddish; antennae, palpi,
and legs entirely pale red. Head. Coarsely punctate in
and between frontal furrows, unwrinkled dorsally, much
narrower across eyes than pronotal apex. Labrum moderately
transverse, truncate anteriorly. Antennae: segment 1
(scape) moderately long, about 1.5× longer than its maximum
width. Frontal furrows wide, deep. Eyes moderately
large and convex; two supraorbital setiferous punctures on
inner side of each eye. Interocular fovea shallow. Tempora
convex, short (about one-third as long as eyes). Mentum:
medial tooth moderately shorter than lateral lobes. Paraglossae
membranous, prominent, much longer than ligula.
Thorax. Pronotum (Fig. 118) strongly convex, coarsely
punctate across base, finely punctate along lateral beads,
impunctate or slightly to moderately punctate anteriorly,
impunctate on disc, unwrinkled, moderately cordate; apex
straight; anterolateral angles well developed, rounded;
sides moderately rounded anteriorly, moderately sinuate
posteriorly; lateral beads slightly to moderately widening
from apex to base; lateral depressions absent; each
anterolateral setiferous puncture situated well in front of
middle and touching lateral bead; posterolateral angles
rectangular or acute and projecting laterally, not denticulate;
laterobasal foveae well defined, coarsely punctate,
deep, wide, oblong; base very slightly arcuate, rather
straight medially, slightly oblique laterally, much wider
than apex, slightly narrower than elytral base. Prosternum
punctate, unwrinkled. Proepisterna impunctate or barely
punctate, unwrinkled. Metepisterna punctate. Elytra.
Widest in front of middle. Shoulders moderately rounded,
denticulate. Sides slightly rounded. Scutellar striole uni- or
bipunctate. Striae complete, very deep, coarsely punctate.
Intervals depressed or slightly convex, becoming more
convex apically. Sutural apices angular. Abdomen. Sterna
coarsely punctate. Last visible sternum (sternum VII):
male with four apical and two subapical ambulatory setae;
female with four apical and two medial ambulatory setae.
Aedeagus. Lateral view (Fig. 73): slightly arcuate; apex
very wide (enlarging in apical third), rounded-triangular,
not projecting ventrally, with a posterobasal tooth-like
projection (longer than in T. puncticollis). Dorsal view:
symmetrical (ostium expanding equally towards sides);
apex slightly deflected to the left.
Material examined. 225 specimens (AMNZ, BMNH,
CMNH, CMNZ, LUNZ, NZAC).
Geographic distribution (Map p. 181). South Island: BR,
MB, MC, NC, NN, WD.
Ecology. Lowland, montane, subalpine. Wet forests
(beech, broadleaf, podocarp). Shaded ground; wet or dry
soil. Nocturnal; active at night on logs and moss; hides
during the day under logs. The species is xylophilous
(associated with logs)