Zeanillus pellucidus Sokolov, 2016, sp.n.
Creators: name: Sokolov, Igor M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Carabidae
Zeanillus
Zeanillus pellucidus

description: Zeanillus pellucidus, sp.n.
Figs. 1 D, 2C, 3E–F, 4D, 5D, 6D, 7E, 8C, 9C, 10CHN, 11E, 12Q–T, 14E, 15E, 16D, 18A
Type material. HOLOTYPE, male, in NZAC, board-mounted, undissected, labeled: / New Zealand DN Roy Cooper Res Oamaru 2 Aug 0 7 / Washed soil sample broadleaf forest /.
PARATYPES (21 specimens, 5 dissected), 8 males and 11 females labeled same as holotype; 1 female labeled: / New Zealand DN Glen Warren Res Oamaru 19 Jan 0 7 / Washed soil sample /; 1 male labeled: / New Zealand: DN, Glen Warren Reserve, Oamaru, 150m, washed soil sample, dry coastal broadleaf forest, H45/864483 J.Nunn 12 Jan 2008 /.
Specific epithet. The specific epithet is a Latinized adjective in the masculine form and is derived from the Latin adjective pellūcidus meaning "transparent". The epithet refers to the translucent elytra of the new species.
Type locality. New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Oamaru, Glen Warren Reserve.
Recognition. Adults of this species (Fig. 11 E) are distinguished from other congeners by the characters listed in the subgeneric diagnosis.
Description. Size. Small for genus (SBL range 1.41–1.64 mm, mean 1.54± 0.058 mm, n=20).
Habitus. Body form subdepressed, ovoid, moderately elongate (WE/SBL 0.35±0.007), head of moderate width for genus compared to pronotum (WH/WPm 0.75±0.019), pronotum of moderate width in comparison to elytra (WPm/WE 0.74±0.022).
Color. Body color testaceous, appendages testaceous.
Prothorax. Pronotum slightly long (LP/LE 0.41±0.017) and slightly transverse (WPm/LP 1.34±0.039), with slightly sinuated and markedly constricted posteriorly lateral margins (WPm/WPp 1.84±0.090). Width between anterior angles much greater than between posterior angles (WPa/WPp 1.44±0.057).
Elytra. Moderately depressed, comparatively short (LE/SBL 0.47±0.023) and moderately wide (WE/LE 0.75±0.031). Lateral margins slightly divergent at basal half, subparallel at middle and evenly rounded to apex in apical third.
Male genitalia. Median lobe (Fig. 12 Q) with slightly concave ventral margin and semicircular short apex. Apical orifice area with a pair of short ostial fields. Sclerites of internal sac very short, united basally, with unequally sclerotized branches. Left paramere without apical constriction (Fig. 12 S). Ring sclerite with short and moderately transverse handle (Fig. 14 E).
Female internal genitalia. Goncoxite 2 with long ensiform setae (Fig. 15 E). Spermatheca sclerotized, slightly elongate, with two compartments (Fig. 16 E). Spermathecal duct short with few coils. Attachments of spermathecal duct and gland to spermatheca close together.
Geographical distribution. This species inhabits coastal plain of North Otago, where it is known from one locality only (18A, blue diamond).
Way of life. Specimens were collected from soil in a dry broadleaf coastal forest.
Relationships. Zeanillus pellucidus is a morphologically isolated species within the genus. The presence of postorbital seta, shared with the members of Zeanillus s.str., putatively, suggests the latter as the closest relatives. However, striking differences between two taxa in the structure of male genitalia and spermatheca suggests that they are not very close. It is likely that Z. pellucidus is a highly derived taxon of ancient origin and its relationship to the representatives of other subgenera is equidistantly remote.
description: Published as part of Sokolov, Igor M., 2016, A taxonomic review of the anilline genus Zeanillus Jeannel (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidiini) of New Zealand, with descriptions of seven new species, re-classification of the species, and notes on their biogeography and evolution, pp. 1-37 in Zootaxa 4196 (1) on pages 17-19, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4196.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/167648