Duvalius bozidari , a new cave-dwelling species of trechine ground beetles ( Coleoptera : Carabidae : Trechinae ) from western Serbia

A new trechine ground beetle species, Duvalius (Neoduvalius) bozidari sp. n. (from two underground objects in the surroundings of the city of Valjevo, western Serbia), is described and diagnosed in the current study. The male and female genitalia and other taxonomically important morphological structures are presented. The new species is clearly different from the closest relatives and is endemic to caves in a limited area in western Serbia.


Research Article
The karstic mountainous regions in Serbia (Dinarides in the western part of the country, and Carpathian and Balkan mountains in the eastern and southeastern parts) are not sufficiently studied so far.There we may expect some new troglobitic and endogean trechine taxa to be found in the future.
A few field trips performed by an author of the paper (M.P.) and Fabrizio Bosco (A.F. Linder Association for the Study of Karst, Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy) in two underground objects in western Serbia (the surroundings of the city of Valjevo) resulted in the discovery of a new Duvalius (Neoduvalius) species: D. (N.) bozidari sp.n.We present the description and the diagnosis in the current study.

Material and Methods
The diagnosis of D. (N.) bozidari sp.n. is based on the study of the type series of one male and two females collected during 2014 and 2015 in two underground objects (Jovanjska Pećina Cave and Filipov Ponor Pit) in the surroundings of the city of Valjevo (western Serbia).All specimens were collected by hand.
The collected specimens were studied in the laboratory of the Institute of Zoology, University of Belgrade -Faculty of Biology, Belgrade, Serbia.The ground beetle specimens were dissected, analyzed and photographed.Dry beetles and the genitalia were glued onto separate rectangular paper labels situated on the same entomological pin.
A Nikon SMZ 18 stereomicroscope with a Nikon DS-Fi1c digital camera attached, as well as a Leica DMLS light microscope with a Leica DC 300 camera attached were used for studying and photographing morphological features of the beetle habitus and internal structures (genitalia and male abdominal sternite IX).Description.TL R 3.84-4.395mm (M 4.17 mm), male: 4.395 mm, females: R 3.84-4.28mm (M 4.06 mm).Body and appendages red-yellowish, mouthparts except mandibles yellowish, setae yellowish, labrum with a median basal black dot in holotype and a paratype, while in another paratype the dot is missing.Body smooth, except genae.Body in dorsal view brilliant.Vertex with a discernible isodiametric microscupture.The rest of head in dorsal view smooth and glossy.Pronotum basally with a minute transverse microscuplture, while the remaining part being glossy.Elytral disc with a minute transverse microsculpture.
Elytral chaetotaxy: 1 st discal setae on fourth interstriae, at the level between 3 rd and 4 th post-humeral setae (in holotype male and a paratype female) or somewhat below the level of 4 th post-humeral setae (in another paratype female).Second discal setae on 3 rd striae, below the mid-elytra level and slightly above the level of fore median setae of the umbilicate series.Distance 2 nd discal seta-base of elytra/2 nd discal seta-apex of elytra R 1.12-1.53,M 1.315.Pre-apical discal setae situated on the joining point of 2 nd and 3 rd striae, much closer to elytral suture than to elytral apex.Post-humeral setae 1 and 2 mutually somewhat more distanced than the distances 2-3 and 3-4 (the latter two distances being the same).Third and fourth posthumeral setae on eighth striae, out of elytral marginal furrow.The distance between fore and median groups of the umbilicate series around twice as long as the length of fore series.Legs of medium length (Fig. 1a).Hind tarsi relatively long and narrow (male: EL/HTL 2.76; females: R 2.61, M 2.61).First metatarsomere much longer than 2-3 combined, slightly shorter than 2-4 combined.A weakly expressed fissure on each protibia at the outer side.First protasomere length/width in holotype male 1.33.
Both gonocoxites and gonosubcoxites IX as presented in Fig. 1e.Gonocoxites IX short and wide, curved, gradually narrowing distally, each with a pointed apex, basally joined with rounded gonosubcoxites IX of moderate length (Fig. 1e).
Etymology.The new trechine species is named after the late Acad.Prof. Dr. Božidar Ćurĉić, father of the first author, a famous Balkan arachnologist, biospeleologist, developmental biologist and taxonomist.
Distribution.So far, D. (N.) bozidari sp.n. is known only from the type localities (Jovanjska Pećina Cave and Filipov Ponor Pit) in the vicinity of the city of Valjevo, western Serbia.
Habitat.The species inhabits cave habitats in the surroundings of Valjevo in western Serbia.Type series of the new species was collected by hand in posterior, totally dark parts of two investigated underground objects.The specimens have been found under stones and on floor in moist places of the caves.
(from the apices of mandibles to the apex of elytra) HW maximum width of head HL head length (from the anterior margin of clypeus to the posterior end of genae) ANL total antennal length including the scape PW maximum width of pronotum PL length of pronotum (along the median line) PB pronotal base length EW maximum width of elytra EL length of elytra (as linear distance along the suture from the elytral base to the apex)