Cerabilia (Cerabilia) kaihoka Larochelle and Lariviere, new species

Cerabilia (Cerabilia) kaihoka Larochelle and Larivière, new species

Fig. 9, 20, 29, 44

Cerabilia (Cerabilia) kaihoka Larochelle and Larivière, new species. Holotype: male (NZAC) labeled “ New Zealand NN Upper Kaituna Tck. [= Track] 9 Feb 86 nr. Collingwood det. J. Nunn (hand-written) / J. T. Nunn Collection (typed) / HOLOTYPE [male symbol] Cerabilia (Cerabilia) kaihoka Larochelle & Larivière, 2024 (red label; typed).” Paratypes: two females (NZAC) from Kaihoka [= Kaihoka Lakes] (NN), bearing blue paratype labels.

Description. Body length 6.3–7.4 mm; stout. Head and pronotum rufous; elytra rufopiceous, lateral margins rufous in apical half; abdomen rufopiceous; antennae, palpi, and legs rufotestaceous. Microsculpture strong, isodiametric on head, moderately transverse on pronotum, very transverse (with microlines) on elytra. Iridescence present on pronotum and elytra. Shiny on head, pronotum, and elytra. Head. Eyes moderately large, moderately convex. Tempora not inflated. Frons wrinkled (with oblique strioles). Mentum with median tooth subtruncate apically. Palpi with terminal segment obtuse apically. Thorax. Pronotum slightly convex, obsoletely wrinkled mediobasally, subrectangular, moderately wide compared to elytra, widest before middle; apex strongly emarginate; anterolateral angles well developed, obtusely rounded; sides strongly rounded anteriorly, slightly sinuate posteriorly; lateral beads narrow throughout; a single setiferous puncture on each side (anteriorly), each setiferous puncture distant from lateral bead by about two puncture widths; median line incomplete apically and basally; posterolateral angles slightly obtuse; laterobasal foveae double, inner foveae deep, parallel; posterior bead incomplete, obsolete medially; base moderately emarginate, much wider than apex. Tip of scutellum slightly projected behind elytral base. Prosternum wrinkled anteriorly. Elytra. Subovate, widest about middle, moderately convex. Basal margin strongly arcuate, complete, reaching scutellum. Shoulder tooth well developed, obtuse. Sides strongly rounded. Scutellar setiferous pore present, inserted at base of stria 2. Striae shallow, complete basally. Intervals depressed; interval 3 with a medial setiferous puncture adjoining stria 2. Umbilicate series with 15 setiferous punctures separated into two major groups (7+8). Subapical sinuations absent. Apices obtuse. Abdomen. Sternum VII of male without dense coarse punctures medially. Aedeagus. Lateral view (Fig. 9): strongly arcuate, moderately wide; base rather straight dorsally, without basal lobe or bead; middle slightly convex dorsally, slightly concave ventrally; apex rather straight dorsally, slightly concave ventrally, with extreme tip moderately wide, moderately long, moderately curved downward. Dorsal view (Fig. 20): apex very wide, rounded, not deflected to the left.

Material examined. 6 specimens (NZAC).

Geographic distribution (Fig. 44). South Island: NN–Collingwood. Kaihoka Lakes. Lower Parapara River. Puramahoi. Upper Kaituna Track.

Ecology. Lowland. Epigean, silvicolous, hygrophilous. Wet forests (beech). Shaded ground. Probably nocturnal and hiding during the day under cover.

Biology. Seasonality: November, February, June. Predacious (based on mouthpart morphology).

Dispersal power. Subapterous. Moderate runner.

Collecting technique. Probably turning stones or logs.

Remarks. This species is named after the locality Kaihoka Lakes (NN) where the beetle occurs, applied as a noun in apposition. Cerabilia kaihoka is morphologically close to C. takaka. In addition to diagnostic characters of the male genitalia, C. kaihoka has the following distinguishing features: body length 6.3–7.4 mm; head rather small, with strong microsculpture and moderately large eyes; tempora not inflated; pronotum widest before middle, apex strongly emarginate, inner laterobasal foveae parallel; elytra with basal margin strongly arcuate, reaching scutellum. Cerabilia kaihoka is found in the northwest of the South Island (NN), west of the Abel Tasman National Park area, while C. takaka occurs in the Abel Tasman National Park and its vicinity.