Mirachlaenius barbarae Facchini, 2011

Guéorguiev, Borislav & Will, Kipling, 2025, A new genus and tribal placement for Ceneus speculiferus Fairmaire, 1879, comments on Grundmannius Basilewsky, 1965, Mirachlaenius Facchini, 2011 and Stenoodes Basilewsky, 1953, and a key to the Oriental and Australasian genera of Chlaeniina Brullé, 1834 (Coleoptera, Carabidae), Zoosystema 47 (15), pp. 231-259 : 249-252

Mirachlaenius barbarae Facchini, 2011

( Figs 15 ; 16A, B ; 17A, B )

Mirachlaenius barbarae Facchini, 2011: 349 .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — India • 1 ♀; South India, Devata, Nilgiri Hills ; Stegmann leg.; SMNS 1983 .

TAXONOMIC SUPPLEMENT ( BASED ON SPECIMEN EXAMINED)

Added to the information noted by Facchini (2011: 348-350) in the original description based on two male specimens, we report following new morphological data. Stipes with long dorsal seta, as long as length of stipes; antennomere 2 with short ventral seta. Maxilla with two-segmented galea. Penultimate labial palpomere glabrous, except for two, minute apical ventral setae. Mentum with two long, paramedial setae; mentum tooth truncate at apex. Submentum with two very long, lateral setae. Pronotum without setal fringe along basal edge. Basal and lateral margins of elytra forming small denticle at humerus; left elytron with two small, nearly imperceptible, discal setiferous punctures, first puncture in anterior fifth on interval 3 adjacent to stria 3, second puncture in center of interval 3 near apical end, closer to apex than to suture, right elytron without discal punctures (this character state in partial accordance with Facchini 2011: 350 who stated that just one discal pore was present on one of the elytra); parascutellar puncture large, foveate, at angular base of stria 1; apical portion of stria 7 with three setiferous punctures, terminal puncture closer to apex than to suture and distant from two anterior punctures; umbilicate series consisting of 21-23 setiferous punctures of various sizes. Prosternum with shallowly impressed median sulcus; prosternal process wide at apex, unbordered. Metepisternum wider than long, with anterior border longer than internal border, without sublateral longitudinal sulcus. Protrochanter with anterior seta. Mesocoxa with one posteromedial seta and one or two lateral setae; mesotrochanter with posterior seta. Metacoxa with only anterolateral seta. Metafemur without posterior setae. Abdominal ventrites 3-5 with ambulatory setae each side; last ventrite with four setae in female. Pygidial glands system with a bilobed reservoir – larger reniform lobe (main part of reservoir) and smaller spherical dorsal lobe ( Fig. 15 ). Collecting duct arising from ventral basal part of a narrow channel (here named “reservoir junction channel”) connecting main lobe of reservoir with efferent duct. Laterotergite with eight to ten small distal setae on posterior margin ( Fig. 16A ). Gonocoxite 1 broad, slightly longer than wide, apex without setae. Gonocoxite 2 elongate, slightly curved, base well protruding outward, without ensiform setae, with two close, very fine and short nematiform setae (hardly visible at highest magnification), situated in an elongate pit-like depression near apex of gonocoxite ( Figs 16A, B ). Spermathecal complex with small bursa copulatrix; spermatheca narrow and very long, slightly but clearly differentiated to very long seminal canal and short, coiled receptaculum ( Figs 17A, B ); spermathecal gland elongate, with spermathecal canal slightly differentiated, connected near middle of receptaculum; common oviduct with villous canal.

REMARKS

Since the original description ( Facchini 2011), the specimen we examined is the first female and the third individual known of M. barbarae . Study of this material allowed us to make a contribution to the morphology of the species especially regarding the female reproductive and pygidial defensive gland structures, Additionally, we report on some external characters not discussed in the original description.

Forsyth (1972: 299-300) discussed a compound reservoir of the pygidial gland with a main reservoir and a dorsal lobe that occurs in the tribes Harpalini Bonelli, 1810 , Licinini Bonelli, 1810 , Platynini Bonelli, 1810 , Anthiini Bonelli, 1813 and Dryptini Bonelli, 1810 (ibid. 288, fig.42). Pygidial gland dorsal lobes are also present in Sphodrini Laporte, 1834 ( Will et al. 2010) and some Pterostichini ( Baehr & Will 2019) . Expanded and lobe-like structures on the efferent duct is known from some Abacetini Chaudoir, 1873 ( Will et al. 2000). An independent evolution of a separate main reservoir and dorsal lobe connected by a reservoir junction channel is found in species of Sphodrosomus Perroud, 1864 ( Pterostichini ) from New Caledonia ( Will 2006). A reservoir without a dorsal lobe is found in Chlaeniini and most other carabid tribes ( Balestrazzi et al. 1985; DazziniValcurone & Pavan 1980; Will 2000). Given the paucity of studies of the pygidial gland system for most species of carabids, it is not surprising that our investigation revealed a bilobed gland reservoir in the genus Mirachlaenius . What is even more interesting in the pygidial gland system of this genus, it is the presence of a narrow channel ( Fig. 15 ) that links between the main reservoir and the efferent duct. This specific structure is named reservoir junction channel. This is the first such structure observed in Chlaeniini and among carabids the only known analogous form is that of the pterostichine Sphodrosomus .

Figures

FIG. 15. — Mirachlaenius barbarae Facchini, 2011, female, tergum VIII with pygidial gland system (secretory lobes lacking), dorsal view. Abbreviations: cd, collecting duct; dlr, dorsal lobe of gland reservoir; ed, efferent duct; mpr, main part of gland reservoir; rc, reaction chamber; rjc, reservoir junction channel; tg, tergum VIII. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIG. 16. — Mirachlaenius barbarae Facchini, 2011, female, left gonocoxite, ventral view: A, overall view with attached laterotergite; B, apical part of gonocoxite 2. Abbreviations: asl, apical setae of laterotergite; gc1, gonocoxite 1; gc2, gonocoxite 2; lt, laterotergite; ns, nematiform setae; sp, sensorial pit. Scale bars: A, 0.3 mm; B, 0.05 mm.

FIG. 17. — Mirachlaenius barbarae Facchini, 2011, female, reproductive tract, ventral view: A, overall view with attached gonocoxae and laterotergites of segment IX; B, apex of spermatheca. Abbreviations: bc, bursa copulatrix; co, common oviduct; gc1, gonocoxite 1; gc2, gonocoxite 2; hg, hindgut; rc, receptaculum; sg, spermathecal gland; smc, seminal canal; sp, sensorial pit; spc, spermathecal canal; vc, villous canal of common oviduct. Scale bars: A, 1 mm; B, 0.5 mm.