Original scientific paper
Two new highly specialised subterranean beetles from the Velebit massif (Croatia): Velebitaphaenops (new genus) giganteus Casale & Jalžić, new species (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechini) and Velebitodromus ozrenlukici Lohaj, Mlejnek & Jalžić, new species (Coleoptera: Cholevidae: Leptodirini)
Achille Casale
; Università di Sassari, Dipartimento di Zoologia e Genetica Evoluzionistica, Via Muroni 25, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Branko Jalžić
; Department of Zoology, Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Roman Lohaj
; Institute of Forensic Sciences, Sklabinská 1, SK-812 72 Bratislava, Slovakia
Roman Mlejnek
; Caves Administration of the Czech Republic, CZ-678 01 Blansko, Czech Republic
Abstract
Two new highly specialised troglobitic beetles from the Velebit massif (Croatia, Dinaric chain) are described from deep caves in the Crnopac massif.
Velebitaphaenops (new genus) giganteus Casale & Jalžić, new species (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechini) is markedly characterised by its large size, and the peculiar combination of features in the mouth parts, chaetotaxy, and male genitalia. Its putative position amongst the aphaenopsoid trechine taxa of the Dinaric range is illustrated and discussed.
Velebitodromus ozrenlukici Lohaj, Mlejnek & Jalžić, new species (Coleoptera: Cholevidae: Leptodirini) is close to the type species of the genus, Velebitodromus smidai Casale, Giachino & Jalžić, 2004, described from Nothern Velebit (Lubenovac). The new species is markedly distinct by its shorter and wider elytra, and other diagnostic features illustrated both in text and in a key for identification.
Data on the distributions and habitats of these two new, unexpected and interesting taxa are also provided.
Keywords
Velebitaphaenops giganteus; Carabidae; Trechini; Velebitodromus ozrenlukici; Cholevidae; Leptodirini; new genera; new species; Coleoptera; Velebit; Croatia; subterranean environment; hygropetric environment
Hrčak ID:
83273
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2012.
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