Fauna of New Zealand 69 - Landcare Research

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moderately projecting ventrally. Dorsal view: asymmetrical
(ostium deflected to the right); apex deflected to the
left. Parameres. Glabrous.
Material examined. 18 specimens (AMNZ, BMNH,
CMNZ, JNNZ, LUNZ, NZAC).
Geographic distribution (Map p. 181). South Island:
MC–Cass. Lake Sumner. NC–Arthur’s Pass (Coral Creek,
Mount Aicken, Temple Basin), Bealey. OL–Clipping’s
Bush (near Kingston). WD–Upper Otira Valley.
Ecology. Lowland, montane, subalpine. Forests (beech,
podocarp) and scrublands. Shaded ground. Nocturnal;
hides during the day in leaf litter, under stones, and in
moss growing on tree–trunks. The body shape (poorlydeveloped
eyes, inflated tempora, depressed elytra) and
pale colour suggest that the species is endogean (living
in soil crevices or fissures, in deep humus of leaf litter,
under well-embedded stones).
Biology. Seasonality: October to December, February.
Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology). Occasionally
infested by fungi (Laboulbeniales).
Dispersal power. Elytra fused basally along suture. Subapterous.
Moderate runner. Occasional climber (on trees).
Vagility limited by flight incapacity.
Reference. Larochelle & Larivière, 2001: 67 (biology,
dispersal power, ecology, geographic distribution).
Remarks. Examination of the holotype of Tarastethus
longulus revealed it to be conspecific with Trichopsida
debilis. This is the only species of Trichopsida with the
pronotum strongly wrinkled and punctate throughout.
Trichopsida propinqua (Broun, 1917) E new
combination
Figures 91, 139, 234; Map p. 183
Tarastethus propinquus Broun, 1917: 369. Holotype: male
(BMNH) labelled “Type (circular yellow-bordered label;
typed) / 3814. [male symbol] (hand-written) / New Zealand.
Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922-482. (white label with red
horizontal line; typed) / Lomond. 6.3.1914. (hand-written)
/ Tarastethus propinquus. [male symbol] (hand-written).”
Condition: Excellent. Paratype: female (BMNH) labelled
“Paratype (circular yellow-bordered label; typed) / 3814.
(hand-written) / Ben Lomond. 6.3.1914. (hand-written)
/ New Zealand. Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922-482. (white
label with red horizontal line; typed) / Tarastethus. propinquus.
(hand-written).” Condition: Excellent.
Molopsida propinqua: Britton, 1940: 477.
Description. Body: length 4.7–6.6 mm. Head, pronotum,
and elytra black (forebody sometimes reddish black);
abdomen reddish black; antennae, palpi, and legs entirely
pale red. Microsculpture very transverse (with microlines),
feeble on head and pronotum, strong on elytra. Iridescence
Larochelle & Larivière (2013): Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera)
absent. Very shiny. Head. Impunctate and unwrinkled
dorsally, much narrower across eyes than pronotal apex.
Mandibles very long. Labrum moderately transverse
and emarginate anteriorly. Antennae: segment 1 (scape)
moderately long, about 1.5× longer than its maximum
width; segments 1–3 glabrous (excluding apical setae).
Frontal furrows wide, deep. Eyes reduced, moderately
small, slightly convex. Tempora convex, moderately long
(about two-thirds as long as eyes). Mentum: medial tooth
acute apically, slightly shorter than lateral lobes. Ligula
narrow apically. Paraglossae membranous, prominent,
much longer than ligula. Palpi: terminal segment fusiform,
not elliptical, sparsely setulose; penultimate maxillary
segment sparsely setulose. Thorax. Pronotum (Fig. 139)
moderately convex, impunctate or punctate across posterior
bead, wrinkled along median longitudinal impression
and between laterobasal foveae, quadrate, moderately
cordate; apex slightly arcuate; anterolateral angles (in
lateral view) poorly developed, obtusely rounded; sides
strongly rounded anteriorly, not sinuate posteriorly; lateral
beads narrow; lateral depressions absent; two setiferous
punctures on each side; each anterolateral setiferous puncture
situated well in front of middle and touching lateral
bead; posterolateral angles acute, denticulate; laterobasal
foveae absent; posterior bead interrupted medially; base
emarginate medially, slightly oblique laterally, about as
wide as apex, much narrower than elytral base. Prosternum
impunctate, unwrinkled. Proepisterna impunctate, unwrinkled.
Metepisterna impunctate. Elytra. Depressed dorsally,
slightly convex laterally, subelongate, widest about middle.
Basal margin complete. Shoulders obtuse, denticulate.
Sides slightly rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore absent.
Scutellar striole bipunctate. Striae mostly complete
(striae 6–7 obsolete), shallow, indistinctly punctate;
stria 3 without setiferous punctures. Intervals depressed.
Sutural apices angular. Abdomen. Sterna impunctate,
unwrinkled. Last visible sternum (sternum VII): male with
four apical ambulatory setae; female with four or six apical
and two medial ambulatory setae. Aedeagus. Lateral
view (Fig. 91): strongly arcuate; apex moderately wide,
subtriangular-rounded, moderately projecting ventrally.
Dorsal view: asymmetrical (ostium deflected to the right);
apex deflected to the left. Parameres. Setulose (with a few
short setae at apex).
Material examined. 67 specimens (AMNZ, BMNH,
CMNZ, JNNZ, LUNZ, NZAC).
Geographic distribution (Map p. 183). South Island: CO,
DN, FD, OL, SL, WD.
Ecology. Lowland, montane, subalpine, alpine. Forests
(beech, broadleaf, podocarp), shrublands, scrublands, and
alpine meadows. Shaded (mostly) or open ground; wet
soil. Nocturnal; hides during the day in the soil, deep leaf