Lymnastis Motschulsky 1862
Creators: name: Kirichenko, Marina B.
name: Gontarenko, Andrej V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Carabidae
Lymnastis

description: Genus Lymnastis Motschulsky, 1862
Paralimnastis Jeannel, 1932: 176 type species Limnastis swaluwenbergi Jeannel, 1932 Zuphiolum Fairmaire, 1897: 344 type species Zuphiolum angusticeps Fairmaire, 1897 (= Lymnastis niloticus Motschulsky, 1862)
Type species. Lymnaeum indicum Motschulsky, 1851.
Diagnosis. Unicoloured small species. Surface of the body with short pilosity. Antennomeres completely pilose. Most species with developed eyes and wings. One or two supraorbital seta. Pronotum usually cordiform. Elytra elongate and usually covering entire abdomen; apex deeply dehiscent; striae usually distinct; apical striae absent or rudimentary developed.
Lymnastis novikovi Michailov, 1998 (Figs 1–5)
Lymnastis novikovi Michailov, 1998, The Kharkov Ent. Soc. Gazette, VI, iss. 2: 28–30.
Diagnosis. Small species, pale yellow coloured. Integument transparent and thin. Upper surface of body somewhat shiny. Eyes composed of four ommatidia; two supraorbital setae. Elytra long-oval, pubescent short and sparse. Microsculpture of dorsal surface comparatively weak. Wings undeveloped. Male genitalia as in Figs 3, 4. Limited to steppe habitats in Ukraine as described below.
Redescription. Body length 1.51–1.69 mm, maximum width 0.51–0.69 mm (holotype 1.58 mm and 0.58 mm, respectively). Body colour (with the exception of eyes) and appendages pale yellow. Head: moderately wide, narrower than pronotum (ratios: PW/HW 1.52); laterally behind clypeal suture with a shallow oblong impressions.
Eyes small, not protruding and composed of four ommatidia. Two supraorbital setae present. Vertex with several coarse punctures and two shallow orbicular impressions. The dorsal surface of head without short hairs. The head over the eyes with weakly visible narrow transverse meshes (Fig. 5). Antennae moniliform, reach the base of the elytra; median antennomeres slightly wider than long. Antennae completely pilose.
Pronotum: (ratios: PW/PL 1.33; PW/PBaW 1.42) broadest at anterior third, narrowed to base; dorsally rather convex. The base of pronotum 0.95 times narrower than the anterior margin. Anterior margin of pronotum moderately emarginated, anterior angles rounded. Side of pronotum before posterior angle weakly sinuate, posterior angle rectangular. Base of pronotum in middle markedly produced, lateral parts of base slightly oblique. The lateral margin of pronotum finely bordered. Three setiferous punctures in lateral margin: one in anterior angles, second in first quarter of pronotum length, third at hind angle. Median line distinct and not reaching to apex. Side of pronotum with erect and rarely hairs. Microsculpture on disc of pronotum entirely obsolete, only transverse meshes visible at the posterior angle.
Elytra: comparatively parallel-sided, long-oval (ratios: EL/EW 1.51; EW/PW 1.39; EL/PL 2.79 times longer than the pronotum), slightly widened posteriorly. Their maximum width behind the middle. Base of elytra straight and not beaded; humeri distinct and slightly rounded; apex cleft in middle (Figs 1, 2). Striae not punctuate, towards apex distinct. Elytral intervals flat, with one row of setiferous punctures bearing short hairs. Scutellar setiferous pore absent. A single dorsal pore situated in apical third 3rd interval near the 3rd stria. The 2nd interval widened to apex of elytra, 4 and 5 striae joining on the apex. Wings not developed. Dorsal surface with microsculpture of transverse lines and weakly isodiametric meshes.
Ventral side: head and prothorax impunctate; head pubescent; abdomen without punctures, with sparsely short erect hairs. Female with two setae at apex of terminal sternite.
Legs: femora and tibiae with short pubescence. Tarsomeres 1 and 2 of male anterior tarsi moderately broadened. The 1 and 5th segments of male posterior tarsi equally long; 2nd to 4th approximately as long as wide.
Male genitalia (Figs 3, 4): aedeagus in the distal part expanded; curved in dorsal-ventral; length 0.33 mm. Endophallus with a small C-shaped sclerified copulatory piece (Fig. 3). Parameres asymmetric: left slightly longer (0.127 mm) than the right paramere (0.103 mm). Both parameres bearing 3 setae, but setae of right paramere are longer (0.07 mm) than left ones (0.05 mm).
Type material examined. Holotype: Ƥ, Ukraine, Kharkiv Region, near the Krasnograd city, hole of small rodent, 28.IV.1998, leg. О. О. Novikov (cKES).
Material examined. Ƥ, 3, Lugansk Region, Melovoj district, near the Krynychne village, reserve “Striltsivs’ky steppe”, fresh hills of mole rat, 11.V.2003, leg. V. V. Martynov (SIZK). Odessa Region (leg. Gontarenko): 2 3, 4 Ƥ, right shore of the Kujalnik liman opposite Protopopivka village, under stones, 18.IV.2004 (cGon); 3, Ƥ, same data, 27.IV.2004 (cGon); 4 3, 4 Ƥ, same data, 04.VI.2004 (cGon); 2 3, 3 Ƥ, same data, 15.VI.2004 (SIZK); 1 ex., near the Berezivka city, meadow, grass roots, 13.IV.2008 (cGon).
Distribution and ecology. L. novikovi is known only from Ukraine (Fig. 7). All records are from the steppe natural zone. Species occurs in the burrows of rodents (Kharkiv Region), in the fresh hills of mole rat (Lugansk Region) and under stones on the shore of Kujalnik liman (Odessa Region). Because the species is so uncommonly collected, little is known about its habitats and general natural history.
Based on the record of representative of L. novikovi in rodent burrows, Michailov (1998) suggested that this species is similar to L. tesquorum, which is narrowly specialized to inhabit clefts in the calcareous brown soils of the Kazakhstan steppes (Arnoldi & Kryzhanovskij 1964). However samples collected under stones along the shore of the Kujalnik liman suggest that L. novikovi has a wider range of habitat use.
Discussion. L. novikovi is a microphtalmic and brachipterous species of the genus Lymnastis. This species differs from L. tesquorum lutshniki by the following features: smaller body size (1.51–1.69 mm in L. novikovi and 1.6–1.8 mm in L. tesquorum lutshniki), eyes with four ommatidia (12–15 ommatidia in L. tesquorum lutshniki), short antennae (0.64–0.83 mm in L. novikovi and 0.9 mm in L. tesquorum lutshniki), narrower pronotum (PW 0.4– 0.47 mm in L. novikovi and 0.49 mm in L. tesquorum lutshniki), edging the lateral margin of pronotum complete, pronotum with indistinct microsculpture only in basal margin, elytral shoulders obtuse and rounded.
L. novikovi differs from L. dieneri by the smaller size of body (1.51–1.69 mm in L. novikovi and 1.47–1.73 mm in L. dieneri), smaller eyes, shorter antennae (0.64–0.83 mm in L. novikovi and 0.9 mm in L. dieneri), pronotum without punctuation, elongate elytra (ratio EL/EW 1.41–1.61 in L. novikovi and 1.42–1.48 in L. dieneri), the last abdominal tergite covered by elytra. As compared with L. croaticus, L. novikovi has smaller body size (1.51–1.69 mm in L. novikovi and 1.7–1.8 mm in L. croaticus), shorter antennae (0.64–0.83 mm in L. novikovi and 0.86–0.90 mm in L. croaticus), narrower pronotum (PW 0.40–0.47 mm in L. novikovi and 0.49–0.5 mm in L. croaticus), narrower base of pronotum (PBaW 0.28–0.33 mm in L. novikovi and 0.33–0.35 mm in L. croaticus), pronotum without punctuation, short elytra (EL 0.82–0.99 mm in L. novikovi and 0.98–1.09 mm in L. croaticus), the last abdominal tergite covered by elytra. Differences between L. novikovi and L. luigionii are recognized in the smaller size of body (1.51–1.69 mm and 1.54–1.76 mm respectively), wider pronotum (ratio PW/PL 1.27–1.33 in L. novikovi and 1.16–1.23 in L. luigionii), shorter elytra (ratio EL/EW 1.41–1.61 in L. novikovi and 1.55–1.64 in L. luigionii), elytra with rare pubescence.
L. novikovi distinguishable from L. angelinii by elytral striae deep and intervals flat, last abdominal tergite covered by elytra; from L. schuelkei— by wider pronotum (ratio PW/PL 1.27–1.33 in L. novikovi and 1.20–1.25 in L. schuelkei), elytral intervals flat, last abdominal tergite covered by elytra; from L. paladinii— by small body size (1.51–1.69 mm in L. novikovi and in 1.51–1.86 mm in L. paladinii), pronotum flat, last abdominal tergite covered by elytra; from L. poggii— by coloration yellowish, short antennae (0.64–0.83 mm in L. novikovi and 0.87 mm in L. poggii), upper surface with indistinct microsculpture, the apex of elytra deeply cleft.
L. novikovi is more easily distinguished from the other Lymnastis species with large eyes and developed wings, namely L. galilaeus, and L. niloticus.
In addition to external morphological features L. novikovi is distinguished by the shape of aedeagus. Unfortunately, there is no information on the morphology of the aedeagus of L. tesquorum lutshniki Arnoldi & Kryzhanovskij, 1964 and L. croaticus Székessy, 1938. Moreover, the systematic position of the taxon “var.” macrophthalmus Székessy, 1938 (Limnastis dieneri croaticus var. macrophthalmus Székessy, 1938) could not be ascertained because of the lack of new material.
Lymnastis galilaeus Piochard de la Brûlerie, 1876 (Fig. 6)
Measurements (Table 1): body length 1.75–1.93 mm; width 0.61–0.73 mm. Ratios: PW/HW 1.32; PW/PL 1.32; PW/PBaW 1.38; EL/EW 1.57; EW/PW 1.48; EL/PL 3.08.
Male genitalia: aedeagus length 0.315 mm. Parameres asymmetric: left slightly longer (0.22 mm) than the right paramere (0.13 mm). Each paramere bears three setae.
Material examined. Odessa Region (leg. Gontarenko): 3 ex., Bilgorod-Dnistrovsk district, near the Karolino- Bugaz village, near railway station "Student's", sea coast, under algae, 27.V.2003 (SIZK, cGon); 2 Ƥ, right shore of the Tiligul liman, near the Kalynivka village, under algae, 4.VII.2004, 5.VII.2004 (cCon); Ƥ, Tatarbunary district, near the Primorske village, Rasejka, sea coast, under algae, 9.VII.2004 (cGon); Ƥ, lower part of the Kujalnik liman, mercury-vapor lamp 250 Wt, 3.VI.2007 (cGon); 7 Ƥ, Bilaivka district, near the Troitzke village mercury-vapor lamp 250 Wt, 21.VIII.2007 (cGon); 29 ex., Savran district, near the Polianetzke village, mercury-vapor lamp 250 Wt, 23.VI.2008 (cCon); 1 ex., Berezivka district, Raukhivka village, mercury-vapor lamp 250 Wt, 27.VI.2008 (cGon); 2 3, Ƥ, same data, 14.VII.2008 (SIZK); 8 ex., same data, 25.VII.2009 (cGon); 7 ex., same data, white light, 28.VI.2010 (cGon); 1 ex., same data, mercury-vapor lamp 250 Wt, 3.VII.2010, (cGon); 2 ex., same data, 8.VIII.2010 (cGon); 1 ex., same data, 14.VIII.2010 (cGon). 2 3, 8 Ƥ, Mykolaiv Region, Kinburn spit, near the Pokrovski Khutor, sea coast, under algae, 27.VI.2005, leg. A. V. Gontarenko (cGon). 1 3, 9 Ƥ, Lugansk Region, Slavianoserbskij district, Trekhizbenka village, light source, 09.VII.2009, leg. S. V. Konovalov (SIZK, cKon).
Distribution and ecology. South Europe (Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Spain), Eastern Europe (Ukraine: Crimea, Odessa, Mykolaiv and Lugansk Regions; Russia: south European territory); North Africa (Algeria); Asia (Iraq, Israel).
According to Jacobson (1915) this species lives in swamps. Koch (1989) indicates that L. galilaeus is stenotopic and hygrophilous species. It inhabits sandy and gravely riverbanks.
This species was first reported for Ukraine at Crimea (Solodovnikov 2001) (Fig. 7). Later in 2003–2005 and 2007–2010 it was found on the coast of the Black sea (Odessa and Mykolaiv Regions). Since 2009 is being found in the steppe of Lugansk Region (East of Ukraine) (Fig. 7).
A key to European species of the genus Lymnastis except for those ones recently described by Magrini (2010) and Magrini and Wrase (2012) (we could not get materials of these new species) is given below. Measurements of species except of L. novikovi were taken according to Magrini (2010). Therefore L. angelinii Magrini, 2010, L. paladinii Magrini, 2010, L. poggii Magrini, 2010, and L. schuelkei Magrini & Wrase, 2012 are wanting form the key.
Key to Lymnastis Motschulsky taxa from Europe (recent species not included)
1. Eyed and winged species................................................................................ 2
- Small-eyed and wingless species......................................................................... 3
2. Size larger, length 2.5–2.6 mm. Coloration of body yellow-red. Two supraorbital setae. Posterior angles of pronotum rectangular. Elytra parallel-side and shoulders not protruding. Aedeagus length 0.38 mm (see Figs 44–47 in Magrini 2010). Southern Europe (Italy); North Africa..................................................... L. niloticus Motschulsky, 1862
- Size smaller, length 1.7–1.93 mm. Coloration of body yellow-brown. One supraorbital setae. Posterior angles of pronotum obtuse. Elytra parallel-side, shoulders protruding. Aedeagus length 0.29–0.31 mm (see Figs 39–42 in Magrini 2010). Central and Southern Europe, Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Southern Russia: Krasnodar kray); North Africa; Asia...................................................................................... L. galilaeus Piochard de la Brûlerie, 1876
3. One or two last tergite of abdomen open. The apex of elytra with shallow cleft. Pronotum convex...................... 4
- The last abdominal tergite covered or nearly covered by elytra. The apex of elytra dehiscent. Pronotum flat.............. 5
4. Length 1.7–1.8 mm. Pronotum convex, anterior margin of pronotum densely punctuate; pronotum width 0.49–0.50 mm. The pubescence of elytra dense, but irregular; ratio length/width of elytra 1.52–1.54 (see Fig. 48 in Magrini 2010). Croatia ...................................................................................... L. croaticus Székessy, 1938
- Length 1.47–1.73 mm. Pronotum moderately convex, anterior margin of pronotum sparsely punctuate; pronotum width 0.43– 0.48 mm. The pubescence of elytra dense and regular; ratio length/width of elytra 1.42–1.48. Aedeagus length 0.29–0.30 mm (see Figs 54–57 in Magrini 2010). Hungary ............................................. L. dieneri Székessy, 1938
5. Edging the lateral margin of pronotum distinctly only the back half. The ratio width/length of pronotum 1.4. The last tergite of
abdomen open. Upper of body with microsculpture. Length 1.6–1.8 mm. Ciscaucasia (Stavropol kray)........................................................................... L. tesquorum lutshniki Arnoldi & Kryzhanovskij, 1964 - Lateral margin of pronotum with edging................................................................... 6
6. The ratio width/length of pronotum 1.16–1.23; lateral margin of pronotum narrow and regular. The upper surface of body with microsculpture. The last abdominal tergite barely visible. Length 1.54–1.76 mm. Aedeagus length 0.27 mm (see Figs 61–63 in Magrini 2010). Italy, Hungary ........................................................ L. luigionii Dodero, 1899
- The ratio width/length of pronotum 1.27–1.33; lateral margin of pronotum narrow and regular. The upper surface of body with weakly visible microsculpture. The last abdominal tergite covered by elytra. Length 1.51–1.69 mm. Aedeagus length 0.32– 0.34 mm (Figs 3, 4). Eastern and Southwest Ukraine .................................... L. novikovi Michailov, 1998
Acknowledgements
We kindly acknowledge Vladimir Martynov (Donetsk, Ukraine) and Sergej Konovalov (village Trekhizbenka, Ukraine) for loan of material and colleagues from Kharkiv Entomological Society for possibility to study the type material. We wish to thank Roman Babko and Zlata Gershenson (SIZK, Ukraine), Janusz Fyda (Jagiellonian University, Poland) for their comments on the manuscript, and John Spence (University of Alberta, Canada) for improving English text. We are deeply grateful to the editor and reviewers (Jacques Coulon and Martin Baehr) for their helpful comments.
description: Published as part of Kirichenko, Marina B. & Gontarenko, Andrej V., 2013, Lymnastis of Ukraine with the redescription of Lymnastis novikovi (Coleoptera: Carabidae), pp. 233-240 in Zootaxa 3641 (3) on pages 234-240, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3641.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/219541