Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) minutus Schmidt 2017, sp. n.
Creators: name: Schmidt, Joachim
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Carabidae
Trichotichnus
Trichotichnus minutus

description: Trichotichnus (Bottchrus) minutus sp. n.
(Figs 70, 87–90, 151, 11)
Type material. Holotype: ♂, “ NEPAL, Kathmandu-Tal Godawari, Mt. Phulchoki N-Hang, 1750 m, Ufergesiebe, 6.V.2001, leg. O. Jäger ” (cJS).
Paratype: 1 ♂, “ NEPAL N Kathmandu Shivapuri Lekh 2–2300 m slope W of Bagmati riv. 22– 23.5.05 leg. Schmidt ” (cJS).
Description. Habitus as in Fig. 70. Body length 5.5–6.0 mm, width 2.5–2.7 mm. Characters as described for T. (B.) ganeshensis sp. n. except as follows: Eyes in lateral view slightly more elongate. Pronotum relatively wider, with basal angles subdenticulate; basal margin vaguely bordered laterally (in holotype) or almost throughout (in paratype); pronotal lateral gutter very narrow almost equal throughout (in holotype) or slightly widened in apical third (in paratype). Elytral striae smooth, not crenulate, slightly impressed along entire length; intervals with slightly more distinct microsculpture. Legs yellowish brown, with femora infuscate. Median lobe of aedeagus (Figs 87–90) with ventral margin slightly convex in middle portion, terminal lamella angularly bent ventrad and sinuate at sides; apical capitulum oblique in lateral view, comparatively large, markedly larger than in T. (B.) ganeshensis sp. n. and T. (B.) pusillus sp. n., approximately equally prominent ventrally and dorsally, in caudal view apical capitulum, as in T. (B.) ganeshensis sp. n., somewhat semi-oval, but lightly more elongate, narrowly rounded at tip (Fig. 89). Internal sac with characteristic pattern of spiny folders in the middle portion of median lobe.
Proportions (males): PWmax/PL = 1.42–1.43; EL/EW = 1.32–1.36; EL/PL = 2.36–2.42; EW/PWmax = 1.24– 1.25; HWmax/PWmax = 0.67; HWmin/PWmax = 0.54–0.55; PWmax/PWmin = 1.23–1.25; HWmax/HWmin = 1.22–1.23.
Etymology. The specific name refers to the small size of the beetles.
Comparison. This new species is very similar in size and external morphology to T. (B.) ganeshensis sp. n., but distinctly differs from it in the male genitalia as follows: aedeagal median lobe (Figs 87–90) relatively smaller, with ventral margin in lateral view slightly convex in middle portion, apical capitulum much larger, approximately equally prominent ventrally and dorsally [dorsal flange of the apical capitulum in T. (B.) ganeshensis sp. n. more prominent than ventral flange, figs. 81–82], in caudal view apical capitulum, as in T. (B.) ganeshensis sp. n., somewhat semi-oval, but slightly more elongate, narrowly rounded at tip (Fig. 89); internal sac with different pattern of spiny folders in the middle portion of the median lobe. Additionally, pronotum in T. (B.) minutus sp. n. relatively wider than in T. (B.) ganeshensis sp. n. (PWmax/PL = 1.42–1.43 versus 1.32–1.39).
Distribution (Fig. 151, 11). Up to today only known from the mountains surrounding the Kathmandu Valley (Shivapuri Lekh, Mt. Phulchoki), at altitudes of 1750–2300 m. This species seems to be a geographical vicariant of T. (B.) ganeshensis sp. n. which is occurs on the south-western slope of the Ganesh Himal (Fig. 151, 10).
description: Published as part of Schmidt, Joachim, 2017, Brachypterous ground beetles of the Trichotichnus subgenus Bottchrus Jedlička (Coleoptera, Carabidae) from the Himalaya, with description of fifteen new species, pp. 301-358 in Zootaxa 4323 (3) on pages 331-332, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4323.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/919606