Proleonhardella (Proleonhardella) tarensis Curcic & Pavicevic 2021, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Ćurčić, Srećko
name: Pavićević, Dragan
name: Vesović, Nikola
name: Vrbica, Maja
name: Kuraica, Miloš
name: Marković, Đorđe
name: Petković, Matija
name: Lazović, Vladimir
name: Pantelić, Dejan
name: Bosco, Fabrizio
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Leiodidae
Proleonhardella
Proleonhardella tarensis

description: Proleonhardella (Proleonhardella) tarensis Ćurčić & Pavićević sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E1B53D50-0C09-4E5C-AFB1-AC9F6EBBD426
Figs 5–6
Diagnosis
Proleonhardella (Proleonhardella) tarensis sp. nov. is most closely related to P. (P.) hirtella (from several caves and pits near the towns of Prijepolje (southwestern Serbia) and Pljevlja (northern Montenegro)), P. (P.) weiratheri (Reitter, 1913) (from the Vrteljka Cave, village of Đipi, Mt Sjemeć, near the town of Višegrad, eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina) and P. (P.) neumanni (Apfelbeck, 1901) (from a small unnamed cave, village of Podromanija, near the town of Sokolac, eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina) (Fig. 9) (Perreau 2000; Pavićević et al. 2012). Another congener from Serbia, P. (P.) remyi (from caves and pits in the area of Kamena Gora and near the towns of Prijepolje, Priboj (southwestern Serbia) and Pljevlja (northern Montenegro)), is of bathyscioid shape (P. (P.) tarensis sp. nov. is more elongate and of oval shape), it is significantly longer than the new species (TL R 3.0– 3.5 mm vs 2.185 –2.435 mm in P. (P.) tarensis sp. nov.) and has a quite different shape of aedeagus (stout, with a rounded apex, longer than parameres vs elongate, with a pointed apex, shorter than parameres in P. (P.) tarensis sp. nov.), indicating that these two species are not closely related (Jeannel 1934; Ćurčić et al. 2008a).
The new species differs from its closest congeners in the TL R (2.185 –2.435 mm vs 1.6–1.8 mm in P. (P.) hirtella and 1.6–2.0 mm in P. (P.) weiratheri), antennal length (ending prior to basal third of elytra vs reaching only basal quarter of elytra in P. (P.) hirtella and exceeding middle of body in P. (P.) weiratheri), A1/A2 M (0.76 vs 0.80 in P. (P.) neumanni), A7/A6 M (1.66 vs 1.50 in P. (P.) hirtella), A7/A8 R (1.75–2.00 vs 3.00 in P. (P.) hirtella), A11/A9+A10 M (0.90 vs 1.00 in P. (P.) weiratheri), shape of antennomere VIII (oval and slightly longer than wide in males and spherical in females vs as long as wide in males and almost transverse in females in P. (P.) weiratheri), shape of antennomeres IX and X (slightly longer than wide vs as long as wide in P. (P.) hirtella), position of maximum width of pronotum (sub-basally vs at base in P. (P.) hirtella and P. (P.) weiratheri), shape of mesosternal carina (obtuse-angled vs almost right-angled in P. (P.) neumanni), shape of elytra (narrowed basally vs parallel basally in P. (P.) hirtella and P. (P.) weiratheri and clearly sinuate basally in P. (P.) neumanni), EL/EW (R 1.31–1.39 vs M 1.75 in P. (P.) weiratheri), position of maximum width of elytra (slightly after basal third vs prior to middle in P. (P.) neumanni), and shape of aedeagus (less elongate, with wider apex and larger basal bulb vs more elongate, with narrower apex and smaller basal bulb in P. (P.) hirtella) (Apfelbeck 1901; Reitter 1913; Jeannel 1924, 1934).
Etymology
The species is named after Mt Tara in western Serbia, where its type locality is situated.
Type material
Holotype SERBIA • ♂; western Serbia, town of Bajina Bašta, Mt Tara, village of Kaluđerske Bare, Pit 4-1-3-27; 43°54′30.712″ N, 19°33′11.585″ E; 5 Jul. 2014; Fabrizio Bosco leg.; pitfall trapping; IZFB-21/27.
Paratypes SERBIA • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; IZFB-21/28 to 21/33 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; SBS-21/7 • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; western Serbia, town of Bajina Bašta, Mt Tara, village of Šljivovica, Sovljačka Pećina Cave; 43°52′39.7″ N, 19°30′56.3″ E; 7 May 2003; Dragan Pavićević leg.; pitfall trapping; SBS- 21/8 to 21/10 • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; CDP-21/62 to 21/66 (Fig. 5).
Description
HABITUS. Body oval, relatively elongate, TL R 2.185 –2.435 mm (R 2.185–2.32 mm in males, 2.435 mm in females), colour brownish-red (one teneral female specimen yellowish), shiny, pubescent and with a fine punctuation (Fig. 5A).
HEAD. Short, wide, slightly longer than wide (HL/HW R 1.00–1.06), anophthalmous (Fig. 5A). Antennae long and narrow, ending prior to basal third of elytra, apically widened and flattened. Antennomere II longer than antennomere I (A1/A2 M 0.76). Antennomeres III–VI small, narrow, of similar shape and length. A3/A2 M 0.58. A3/A5 M 1.19. Antennomere VII apically widened, obovoid. A7/A6 M 1.66. Antennomere VIII half as long as antennomere VII, oval and slightly longer than wide in males (A8LW M 1.31), while somewhat shorter (A7/A8 M 1.75), nearly as long as wide (A8LW M 1.04) and spherical in females. Antennomeres IX and X slightly longer than wide (A9LW M 1.28 and A10LW M 1.21, respectively), apically widened. A9/A8 M 1.60 in males, 2.00 in females. Antennomere XI ovoid, twice as long as wide in males, somewhat shorter in females (A11LW M 1.92), slightly shorter than two preceding antennomeres combined (A11/A9+A10 M 0.90). Occipital carina present. Hairs yellow, erect. Microsculpture composed of small isodiametric meshes.
THORAX. Pronotum transverse, almost twice as wide as long (PL/PW M 0.59), widest sub-basally (Fig. 5A). Lateral pronotal margins arcuate, most rounded medially, almost sub-parallel prior to hind pronotal angles. Anterior pronotal margin somewhat convex medially, base almost straight, around twice as long as anterior pronotal margin (PB/AM M 1.985). PL+EL/AL M 1.685 in males, 1.94 in females. Fore angles prominent, obtuse, rounded, hind angles sharp, rounded, prominent, directed backwards. Microsculpture of pronotum composed of large isodiametric meshes. Hairs yellow, recumbent (Fig. 5B). Pronotal disc weakly convex. Mesosternal carina high, obtuse-angled, anterior margin convex, posterior margin straight, setose and with unpronounced teeth (Fig. 5C). Mesosternal carina with an apical tooth.
ELYTRA. Elongate (EL/EW M 1.39 in males, 1.31 in females), more than twice as long as pronotum (EL/ PL M 2.46), obovoid, sub-parallel below humeral angles, conspicuously narrowed basally, rounded medially, attenuated apically (Fig. 5A). Apex rounded. Sutural striae absent. Scutellum small, triangular. Elytra widest slightly after basal third. Microsculpture composed of large isodiametric meshes. Hairs yellow, recumbent (Fig. 5D). Elytral disc gently convex apically, more steeply distally. Pygidium completely covered by elytra.
LEGS. Moderately elongate and thin, with hairs (Fig. 5A). Tibiae with a few spines. Anterior tarsi tetramerous in both genders, dilated in males (P1LW M 1.50 in males, 2.00 in females).
ABDOMEN. Median lobe of aedeagus elongate, thin, sub-parallel, sub-terminally somewhat widened, then narrowed apically (Figs 5E, 6A). Apex triangular. Basal bulb large, elongate, with a sub-triangular basal projection. Copulatory piece weakly chitinised, consisting of a basal phanera, median paired stripes and distal paired sclerotizations. Median lobe proximally weakly curved, distally more curved, gradually narrowed distally in lateral view (Fig. 6B). Basal bulb relatively narrow in lateral view. Parameres slender, thin, longer than median lobe, sub-terminally widened, terminally narrowed, basally arcuate and distally straight in lateral view, with three setae: one apical terminal, one apical inner and one sub-apical inner (Fig. 5F). Two apical parameral setae close-set. Parameral apices directed inwards. Parameres basally slightly curved, distally relatively straight, sub-terminally widened, terminally narrowed, apically directed downwards in lateral view (Fig. 6B).
GONOSTYLI. Straight, elongate, thin, with one apical seta, three inner setae and one outer seta (Fig. 5G).
SPERMATHECA. Small, hook-like, widest in middle, apically sub-spherical (Fig. 5H).
FEMALE ABDOMINAL STERNITE VIII. Large, transverse, setose in distal half, with a small, narrow anterior process. Microsculpture consisting of transverse polygonal meshes (Fig. 5I).
Comparisons
Proleonhardella (P.) hirtella, P. (P.) weiratheri and P. (P.) tarensis sp. nov. are somewhat elongate and their aedeagus is narrower than in the remaining congeners, suggesting their specific position within the genus. Based on these features, they are similar to Bozidaria gen. nov., but are much shorter (TL R 1.6– 1.8 mm in P. (P.) hirtella, 1.6–2.0 mm in P. (P.) weiratheri and 2.185 –2.435 mm in P. (P.) tarensis sp. nov. vs 2.51–2.80 mm in B. serbooccidentalis gen. et sp. nov.), share other characteristics of Proleonhardella and additionally differ from the new genus in the shape of the antennae, the median lobe of the aedeagus, the basal bulb and its basal projection.
Proleonhardella (P.) tarensis sp. nov. and its closest relatives (P. (P.) hirtella, P. (P.) weiratheri and P. (P.) neumanni) share the presence of elongate, somewhat convex elytra, which are more than twice as long as the pronotum. Furthermore, the new species, P. (P.) hirtella and P. (P.) weiratheri have a somewhat elongate body shape, while the body shape in the remaining Proleonhardella taxa is more or less bathyscioid. These three species have an elongate aedeagus, contrary to other known congeners, in which the aedeagus is more or less short (Jeannel 1924, 1934). The shape of the aedeagus of P. (P.) neumanni wasn’t mentioned in the description of the species or elsewhere (Apfelbeck 1901; Jeannel 1924).
Bionomy, distribution and type locality
The type specimens were gathered using pitfall traps with rotten meat as bait in Pit 4-1-3- 27 in the village of Kaluđerske Bare, as well as in the Sovljačka Pećina Cave in the village of Šljivovica (Fig. 9). Both localities are situated on Mt Tara, near the town of Bajina Bašta, western Serbia. Beetles were found in the inner (from the middle to the innermost point), totally dark parts of the cave sites. The entrance of Pit 4-1-3-27 is situated at 868 m a.s.l., the total length of its investigated channels is 28 m, while its depth is 22 m. After a short vertical passage, the pit opens into a large chamber which contains big rocks at its lowest part. At this point another vertical passage starts, at the end of which is situated a small, moist semicircular chamber with a clay substrate and rocks (Bosco 2016). Beetle specimens were found in the inner part of the larger chamber, among rocks, and in the smaller chamber with a clay substrate and rocks, on the floor and vertical limestone walls with a high level of humidity (presence of trickling water). The entrance of the Sovljačka Pećina Cave is situated at 1080 m a.s.l. and its total length is 43 m (Bosco 2016). The cave is located in a coniferous forest in a valley where the Sovljak stream runs. It is entirely horizontal and consists of a single channel which is oriented to the left. Its height is slightly decreasing towards the end. Beetle individuals were found in the inner part of the cave, on the floor among rocks, both on limestone and clay substrate, where a high level of humidity (presence of trickling water) was evident. Images of the cave localities and the places where the specimens were found in the caves are shown in Figs 7–8. The new species is most probably endogean and is likely to be found outside caves as well – in the deep soil strata and other speleological sites in the surroundings.
description: Published as part of Ćurčić, Srećko, Pavićević, Dragan, Vesović, Nikola, Vrbica, Maja, Kuraica, Miloš, Marković, Đorđe, Petković, Matija, Lazović, Vladimir, Pantelić, Dejan & Bosco, Fabrizio, 2021, On the diversity of subterranean beetles of the Dinarides: new leiodid taxa (Coleoptera: Leiodidae) from Serbia, pp. 55-81 in European Journal of Taxonomy 782 (1) on pages 68-74, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2021.782.1589, http://zenodo.org/record/5761502