Clivina mekongensis Lesne, 1896

Clivina mekongensis Lesne, 1896 View in CoL

( Figs 2 H View Fig , 3 N View Fig , 4 L View Fig , 5 N View Fig )

Clivina mekongensis LESNE, 1896: 241 View in CoL ; 1904; 67; ANDREWES, 1930: 115; CSIKI, 1927: 508; BALKENOHL, 2001: 15; 2022: 119; LORENZ, 2005: 143; 2024: W9WZ.

TYPE MATERIAL

Holotype: sex unknown, with labels and data: white, black printed “MUSEUM PARIS CAMBODGE A: PAVIE” / red, black printed “TYPE” / white, handwritten in black ink “ Clivina mekongensis type Lesne ” / white, handwritten in black ink and black printed “mekongensis Lesne type det. K. Kult 47” ( MNHN).

REMARKS

The holotype has been investigated in the MNHN. There is no other type material of this species. Lesne did not mention how many specimens served for the description. So, it is assumed the holotype is the only existing type material. Three terminal tarsomeres of the left hind leg are missing. The specimen was glued longer time ago between the pronotum and abdomen.

At the MNHN, the holotype was compared in a one-to-one fashion with eight male and female specimens (of the collection CMBB) .

The species is described by LESNE (1896; 1904).

ADDTIONAL MATERIAL

LAOS. 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ , 11 specs, N-Laos, Khan river, at light, 5km E Luang Prabang, leg. K-W. Anton , 21.IV.1999 / Clivina mekongensis LESNE det. Balkenohl, 2018 / Compared with holotype M. Balkenohl ( CMBB); 1 ♂, 1 ♀ , LAOS, Phongsali prov., Meung Khoa district, Ban Houaywang , 10.- 17.06.2010 lg. S. Khamppilavong / helferi-gr. DET. DR. A. DOSTAL 2011 ( CADW); 1 spec. , N-LAOS, 10 km nördl. v. Luang-Prabang, Mekong 240 km nördl. v. Vientiane Lichtfang , Primärwald 2.9. 1992, 250m; Somsy leg. / Clivina mekongensis LESNE det. Balkenohl, 1999 ( CMBB); 1 ♀ , LAOS, BAN PHABAT 200M, 05.- 11.05.1999 LEG. M. SNIZEK ( CADW); 1 spec. , CAMBODGE PNOM-PENH /VITALIS DE SALAVAZA) Mme A. VUILLET 1920 MUSEUM PARIS / DÉCEMBRE ( CADW) .

VIETNAM. 1 ♀, 1 spec. , VIETNAM: Laichun Prov. Banpobai EL: 102.60, NL 22.00 6.-12. June 2009 Local collectors ( CIBD) .

COMPENDIOUS DESCRIPTION

A big sized rufo-fuscous subcylindrical species with the following measurements: Body length 7.28-7.95 mm (x = 7.65 mm *), width 1.92–2.15 mm (x = 2.05 mm *), ratio L/W of pronotum 0.95–0.98 (x = 0.97*), ratio L/W of elytra 1.94–1.99 (x = 1.07*); (*n = 10). Labrum seven-setose, snapped off ventrally anterior to the line of setigerous punctures, widely bilobed anteriorly. Head with surface coreaceate. Median part of clypeus distinctly separated from clypeal wings, clypeal-wings sharp. Eye convex, projecting laterally, gena distinct. Clypeo-frontal furrow indicated by flat indistinct impressions laterally. Neck constriction missing. Frons convex, facial carina developed as short longitudinal tubercle. Pronotum ( Fig. 3 N View Fig ) as long as wide. Strikingly square, distinctly convex in frontal view, slightly convex in lateral view, surface slightly coreaceate and with punctures, basally with isodiametric reticulation, anterior angle with distinct projecting tooth, lateral margin with indistinct sub-crenulation, proepisternum with isodiametric reticulation and transverse wrinkles. Elytra ( Fig. 2 H View Fig ) long-oval, indistinctly convex laterally, with maximum width nearly at middle; striae one to four ending free at base, interval three with three setigerous punctures, interval two with one setigerous puncture close to apex; intervals almost flattened, all intervals completely reticulated, laterally isodiametric, at middle irregular; interval eight carinate apically, seven with step like carina at apex, interval three and four with tubercle at base. Abdominal sternite isodiametrically reticulated, last visible segment in addition coreaceate. Hind wing fully developed. Intermediate tibia with row of around a dozen distinct tubercles with setae at the lateral side. All tarsomeres of regular size.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 4 L View Fig ). Aedeagus regularly arcuate, apex formed like an oval pen in cross section. Endophallus with wider group of teeth. Parameres distinctly distorted, spatulate at apex, asetose.

Female gonocoxite and epipleurite ( Fig. 5 N View Fig ). Gonocoxites falciform, robust, evidently sclerotized, with gonocoxites dimer and movable, with seven medium sized setae and laterally with 12 setae, with two long SSO. Epipleurite triangular, formed by a moderately stable velum furnished with three setae at middle.

Variation. The coreaceate-like structures on the head and pronotum varies from specimen to specimen. The microstructure is more or less deeply engraved giving a more or less opaque appearance. In one of the specimens five setigerous punctures are present on interval three at the left side.

DISTRIBUTION

The species is found in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

The Clivina westwoodi -species group

RECOGNITION

Pronotum and elytra flattened. Female gonocoxites dimer, with coxite one and two fully movable to each other, with coxite two scapiform, nearly straight, less sclerotized, with one or two seta(e) at apex. Epipleurite formed by hyaline velum. Labrum five-, six or seven-setose, clypeus with median part separated from clypeal wings by more or less distinct but always clearly visible notches. Elytron with striae one to four ending free at base, interval three of elytron with four or five setigerous punctures, interval eight more or less carinate posterior humerus and apically, interval seven apically with or without carina. Abdomen with last visible abdominal sternite (segment VII) with two marginal setigerous punctures widely separated. Intermediate tibia with distinct protuberance at apical third, tarsomeres of front and intermediate leg widened in most of the species. Hind wing fully developed, species from New Guinea / Papua also with reduced alae. Colour piceous or fuscous, dorsal surface in many species with extended parts of isodiametric reticulation.

The Clivina westwoodi -species group comprise the following nine described taxa.

Clivina westwoodi Putzeys, 1867 View in CoL

wallacei View in CoL wallacei Putzeys, 1867 View in CoL

wallacei View in CoL philippinensis Kult, 1951

depressa Kult, 1951

subdepressa Kult, 1951

integra Andrewes, 1929

monticola Andrewes, 1931

vigil Darlington, 1962

quadrataconvexa Balkenohl, 2023

For some of the species the status is not clear, also due to their ambiguous designation of the historic type material. Moreover, some of the descriptions are very short with missing key characters. The whole group is in need for a separate intensive deep dive.

Specimen incertae sedis

The following specimen could not be interpreted by its unclear character states: 1 ♀, CHINA Foochow 1935-6 M S Yang / Pres. By Imp. Inst. Ent. B.M.1938-626 (NHMUK). In NHMUK it was sorted under C. vulgivaga but it is more close to C. pileolata . However and in contrast to C. vulgivaga and pileolata the gonocoxites in this specimen are scapiform. It might represent a new species but should be based on more data and specimens.

Discussion

Members of the C. vulgivaga -species group from the centre of the Oriental region seem to be a very closely defined group due to both, the similar configuration of the female external reproductive tract and the male aedeagus, beside the homogenous characters of the external integument. These characters are also shared by the group members occurring at the border to and in the Palaearctic region. Species from New Guinea / Papua do not share all of these similarities. They were treated in this species group due to their falcate type of the female external reproductive tract beside the very basic characters of the historically so called ‘ C. helferi -species group’. In reality, they do not really fit into the C. vulgivaga -species group and represent possibly a group of its own not jet defined more concretely. The species are not reported or treated for Australia in the exhaustive revisions of the genus Clivina by BAEHR (2008, 2015, 2017) and are obviously not represented there. They are also not emerged from the islands like the Moluccas, Sulawesi, Timor, or Java. For other small ground living Carabidae from New Guinea / Papua, LIEBHERR (2017) reports a high degree of endemism. The Clivinini at hand represent only a few specimens making conclusions hypothetical. It is also possible, they occur in New Guinea / Papua, only.

The circle of similar forms, described as Clivina dealata dealata , C. d. brachyptera, and C. d. antecessor might be distinct species, not only subspecies. However, on the basis of only a few specimens and for reasons of conservatism no taxonomic action is taken at this time.