ZOOSYSTEMATICA ROSSICA, 20(1): 48–53 28 JULY 2011 A new cave-dwelling species of the genus Cimmerites Jeannel, 1928 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechini) from the West Caucasus Новый пещерный вид рода Cimmerites Jeannel, 1928 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechini) с Западного Кавказа I.A. BELOUSOV & A.G. KOVAL И.А. БЕЛОУСОВ, А.Г. КОВАЛЬ I.A. Belousov, All-Russian Institute for Plant Protection (VIZR), 3 Podbelskogo Shosse, St. Petersburg, Pushkin, 196608, Russia. E-mail: [email protected] A.G. Koval, All-Russian Institute for Plant Protection (VIZR), 3 Podbelskogo Shosse, St. Petersburg, Pushkin, 196608, Russia. E-mail: [email protected] A new species of the genus Cimmerites Jeannel, 1928, C. maximovitchi sp. nov., is described from the Akhunskaya Cave and Labirintovaya Cave, both located in the Akhun Karst Massif on the Black Sea Coast of the West Caucasus (Krasnodar Territory, Russia). The new species is rather isolated within the genus Cimmerites and occupies an intermediate position between species related to C. kryzhanovskii Belousov, 1998 and species close to C. vagabundus Belousov, 1998. Though both C. maximovitchi sp. nov. and C. kryzhanovskii are still known only from caves, these species are quite similar in their life form to other members of the genus which are all true endogean species. Новый вид рода Cimmerites Jeannel, 1928, C. maximovitchi sp. nov., описан из Ахунской и Лабиринтовой пещер, расположенных в Ахунском карстовом массиве на Черноморском побережье Западного Кавказа (Краснодарский край, Россия). Новый вид весьма обо соблен в пределах рода, занимая промежуточное положение между видами, род- ственными C. kryzhanovskii Belousov, 1998, и видами, близкими к C. vagabundus Belousov, 1998. Несмотря на то, что C. maximovitchi sp. nov. и C. kryzhanovskii пока известны только из пещер, по своей жизненной форме они не отличаются от других представителей рода, которые являются типично эндогейными видами. Key words: West Caucasus, Russia, caves, endogeans, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechini, Cim- merites, new species Ключевые слова: Западный Кавказ, Россия, пещеры, эндогейный, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechini, Cimmerites, новый вид INTRODUCTION hairs adherent, directed clearly backward), the frons with supernumerary setae (both Among blind genera of the West Cau- the frontal and the parietal setae present, casus, members of the genus Cimmerites for details see Belousov, 1998); the labrum Jeannel, 1928 are easily recognised by a trilobed, with prominent median part; the combination of the following characters: mandibles slender and only weakly curved; the body surface regularly pubescent (the the tooth on the right mandible small, ei- © 2011 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes I.A. BELOUSOV & A.G. KOVAL. NEW CAVE-DWELLING CIMMERITES FROM WEST CAUCASUS 49 ther triangular or asymmetrically biden- TAXONOMIC PART tate; the maxillary palpi asetose; the para- Order COLEOPTERA glossae glabrous or with indistinct hairs; six or seven submental setae; the pronotal Family CARABIDAE sides not ciliate; the posterior lateral seta Subfamily TRECHINAE of the pronotum distinctly removed from Tribe TRECHINI the hind angles; the elytral base completely Cimmerites Jeannel, 1928 bordered; the humeral margin serrate; the apical striole long, finely but distinctly im- Cimmerites maximovitchi Belousov & pressed, joining stria 5 anteriorly; two dis- Koval, sp. nov. (Figs 1–2) cal setiferous pores attached to stria 3; the subapical (= preapical) pore normally on in- Holotype. Male (genitalic preparation); terspace 3, far distant from the elytral apex, Russia, Krasnodar Terr., “W Caucasus, Sochi, located at the apical anastomosis of striae 2 Akhunskaya Cave, traps, 16.V – 31.VIII. 1998. and 3; visible abdominal sternites 4–5 with A.G. Koval leg.”; ZIN. a transverse row of setae; the first protar- Paratypes. Russia, Krasnodar Terr.: 4 (3) somere simple or dilated in males, the sec- males, 2 females, collected with holotype (MPU, cAK, cIB); 1 (1) male, 1 female, same locality, ond always simple. It is worth noting that traps, 28 Aug. 1997 – 16 May 1998; leg. A. Koval the shape of the labrum and mandibles, the (cAK, cIB); 2 (1) males, 2 (1) females, same lo- structure of the tooth on the right mandi- cality, traps, 11 Aug. 1999 – 26 Aug. 2000; leg. ble, the maxillary palpi completely glabrous A. Koval (cAK, cAG); 3 males, 5 females, same and the chaetotaxy of the abdominal ster- locality, traps, 26 Aug. 2000 – 19 Aug. 2001; leg. nites are unique within the Nannotrechus- A. Koval (ZIN, cAK, cIB, cAG, cVZ); 5 (4) males, complex (the Caucasian subset of the Neo- 2 females, same locality, traps, 19 Aug. 2001 – 6 trechus phyletic series sensu Jeannel, 1928) Aug. 2002; leg. A. Koval (ZIN, MPU, cAK, cIB); and each of these characters is sufficient to 1 female, same locality, traps, 30 Aug. 2003 – 31 Aug. 2004; leg. A. Koval (cAK); 1 (1) male; “W diagnose members of the genus. The new Caucasus, Sochi, valley of Khosta River near species described below matches perfectly Akhun Mt., Labirintovaya Cave, traps, 26.VIII. the diagnosis of the genus. It belongs to a 1998 – 23.VIII. 1999. A.G. Koval leg.”; cAK. 30 group of species characterised by the first specimens (17 males, 13 females) measured. protarsomere simple or nearly so in males, Description. Rather small-sized spe- the tooth on the right mandible triangular, cies (as compared with most congeners), and the elytral striation rather shallowly males and females approximately equal impressed. in size, body length (without mandibles) Measurements used in the present study 2.35–2.75 (on average, 2.53) mm. Habitus were taken as described earlier (Belousov, slender and elongate, subcylindrical, dor- 1998). The number of specimens studied is sum convex. Colour of body, including legs followed by the number of genitalic prepa- and antennae, uniformly amber-testaceous, rations given in parentheses. rather pale. Body surface pubescent, mod- The following abbreviations are used: erately shining. MPU, Moscow Pedagogical University, Head medium-sized, 0.74–0.81 times as Moscow; ZIN, Zoological Institute, Russian wide as pronotum (in females, on average, Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg; larger: 0.79 versus 0.77 in males). Tempora cAG, collection of A. Gitzen (Neuhofen, gently convex, subparallel-sided in the mid- Germany); cAK, collection of A.G. Koval, dle. Frontal furrows slightly and regularly Saint Petersburg; cIB, collection of I.A. Be- arcuate, nearly parallel in median part. La- lousov, Saint Petersburg; cVZ, collection of brum distinctly trilobed, median lobe being V. Zieris, Pardubice (Czech Republic). markedly shorter than lateral ones (Fig. 1). © 2011 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes, Zoosystematica Rossica 20(1): 48–53 50 I.A. BELOUSOV & A.G. KOVAL. NEW CAVE-DWELLING CIMMERITES FROM WEST CAUCASUS 0.95) times as long as ely- tra, not reaching level of anterior discal pores on elytra and surpassing pro- notal base by three apical antennomeres. Third an- tennal segment 0.98–1.13 (mean 1.05) times as long as second and 2.00–2.74 (mean 2.34) times as long as wide. Middle antenno- meres considerably lon- ger than wide. Additional chaetotaxy of head as fol- lows: two to five (in al- most half the cases three) frontal setae; if their num- ber greater than two, an- terior two setae normally arranged transversely; usually four (more seldom three and quite seldom two) parietal setae. Trans- verse parietal impression shallow but distinct. Nor- mally two well-isolated temporal setae and one more seta located ventrad. Two clypeal setae on each side of head. Labium free, though labial suture ex- tremely fine. Labial tooth rather narrow, distinctly cleft at apex. Usually six (occasionally seven) sub- mental setae. Palpi slen- der, their last segments relatively long, gradually narrowing toward apex. Penultimate segment of labial palpi quadrisetose. Maxillary palpi glabrous. Fig. 1. Cimmerites maximovitchi sp. nov., habitus. Pubescence of head short and irregular. Mandibles slender, slightly curved in api- Pronotum (Fig. 1) weakly transverse, cal third. Retinaculum of right mandible 1.13–1.27 (mean 1.19) times as wide as small and narrow, subtriangular, though long, cordiform, strongly constricted at usually with a small second denticle. An- base; sides distinctly sinuate in posterior tennae of medium length, 0.92–1.04 (mean half. Posterior angles rather large, vari- © 2011 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes, Zoosystematica Rossica 20(1): 48–53 I.A. BELOUSOV & A.G. KOVAL. NEW CAVE-DWELLING CIMMERITES FROM WEST CAUCASUS 51 Fig. 2. Cimmerites maximovitchi sp. nov., male genitalia: median lobe of aedeagus, lateral view (a), parameres (b), median lobe of aedeagus, dorsal view (c). able in shape, from slightly acute to sub- shoulders subrectangular, their exterior rectangular, pointed apically, their apices margins clearly serrate. Elytra 1.53–1.65 produced backward and occasionally out- (mean 1.60) times as long as wide, 1.31– ward. Anterior angles rather strongly pro- 1.50 (mean 1.43) times as wide as pronotum duced forward. Lateral margins narrowly (in males elytra on average larger, 1.44 ver- reflexed. Pronotum at anterior margin sus 1.42 in females) and 1.64–1.96 (mean 1.06–1.16 (mean 1.10) times as wide as at 1.84) times as wide as head (1.87 in males basal margin, and 1.34–1.47 (mean 1.39) versus 1.80 in females). Elytral apex slight- times as wide at broadest part as at base. ly attenuated, more noticeably in females. Basal margin slightly to moderately con- Basal border of elytra continuous, strongly cave. Transverse prebasal impression reg- developed and more or less distinctly sinu- ularly arcuate. Basal foveae not large but ate. Lateral margins beaded and rather nar- comparatively deep. Median part of pro- rowly reflexed, more strongly in humeral notal base with only a few irregular wrin- area. Elytral striae moderately impressed kles. Transverse apical impression distinct and distinctly but not coarsely punctured, though shallow, more distinctly developed nearly effaced on apical slope and except for laterally. Posterior lateral seta clearly re- four or five inner striae in basal half of ely- moved from hind angle, lateral margin dis- tra. Apical striole long and well-impressed, tinctly salient at its level. Anterior lateral sinuate and connected to stria 5 anteriorly. seta located in anterior quarter of prono- Apical carinula weak but distinct. First tum length (26 %). Median line distinct, discal pore usually located at level slightly becoming deeper near base. Pubescence of anterior to umbilicate pore 4, second one pronotum long and regular. Lateral mar- weakly behind level of umbilicate pore 6, gins glabrous, not ciliate. preapical pore at level between umbili- Elytra rather narrow and convex, widest cate pores 7 and 8. Within humeral group near mid-length, their sides broadly round- of umbilicate series, pores 1 and 2 closest, ed and slightly angularly bent near middle, pores 2 and 3 m ost distant. Umbilicate pore © 2011 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes, Zoosystematica Rossica 20(1): 48–53 52 I.A. BELOUSOV & A.G. KOVAL. NEW CAVE-DWELLING CIMMERITES FROM WEST CAUCASUS 5 strongly removed from lateral margin as gin of the elytra, and posterior lateral seta of compared to pore 6. Discal formula (for the pronotum markedly removed from the details, see Belousov, 1998): 19–27 (mean hind angles (the lateral margin of the pro- 23), 51–58 (mean 54), 76–84 (mean 79). notum slightly protruding in front of the Formula of umbilicate series: 4–5 (mean seta). Nonetheless, C. maximovitchi sp. nov. 4.6), 9–11 (mean 10.1), 17–19 (mean 18.3), can be easily distinguished from the above 20–26 (mean 24.6), 38–41 (mean 39.4), two species by its considerably greater 50–55 (mean 52.6), 72–79 (mean 74.6), size (2.34–2.74 mm versus 2.00–2.26 in its 81–90 (mean 86.3), thus, median group counterparts), a more ovate, less parallel- only weekly distant from humeral one. Ely- sided habitus with the elytra widest and tral pubescence average for genus. most convex near their mid-length, ante- Microsculpture of dorsum isodiametric, rior angles of the pronotum more strongly rather shallow, more so in middle of frons produced, lateral margins of the pronotum and pronotum, becoming deeper on occiput much more strongly sinuate before the hind and base of pronotum. angles, elytral striae shallower and less Ventrites irregularly and densely pubes- strongly punctured (the outer striae at their cent. Normally, apart from a pair of much base and most striae on the apical slope are longer paramedian setae, five to eight hairs indistinct), and a quite variable shape of present on each side of abdominal ventrites the aedeagus with the apex attenuated and along their posterior margins. Anal ventrite pointed in lateral view. Additionally, the with one pair of setae in male and two pairs new species differs from C. kryzhanovskii in female. in having slightly longer antennae (on av- Basal segment of male protarsi not di- erage, the elytra are 1.05 times as long as lated, without distinct tooth on inner cor- antennae in the new species vs. 1.12 in C. ner, but scarcely pointed here, and hence, kryzhanovskii), a proportionally smaller its shape somewhat different from that in head (which, on average, is 0.54 times as females. wide as elytra and 0.78 times as wide as pro- Aedeagus (Fig. 2a–c) slender, with sim- notum vs. 0.58 and 0.81, respectively, in C. ple and narrow apex distinctly curved up- kryzhanovskii), humeral umbilicate pores ward in lateral view; lamella parallel-sided more distant from the elytral base, and some for most of its length, broadly rounded at other characters of secondary importance. apex in dorsal view. Parameres average in From C. kurnakovi, the new species differs, length, rather stout, each bearing four apical apart from the above mentioned characters, setae, left one slightly arcuate in distal half in a more cordiform shape of its pronotum, and provided with a small ventral apophy- and, especially, a more slender median lobe sis. Sagittal aileron well-developed. Copu- of the aedeagus with its apex much narrow- latory piece spatulate, slightly sclerotised, er in lateral view. located in apical third of aedeagal tube. As far as the male genital characters Comparisons. The new species appears concerned, C. maximovitchi sp. nov. is most to be most closely related to Cimmerites similar to C. vagabundus Belousov, 1998 kurnakovi Jeannel, 1960 from the Bzybian known from the Aibga Mountain Range Mountain Range (Abkhazia) and C. kryzha- (Sochi region). The only difference is shape novskii Belousov, 1998 from the Malaya Ka- of the median lobe which, in the new spe- zatshebrodskaya Cave (Sochi region, Kras- cies, is more distinctly curved at the base in nodar Territory, Russia). All these species lateral view, having its apical portion more share the same set of main characters: an strongly attenuated. Externally, the new elongate habitus, simple protarsi in males, a species differs readily from C. vagabundus triangular-shaped retinaculum on the right and close C. subcylindricus Belousov, 1998 mandible, a strongly serrate humeral mar- from Iegoshka Mount (Sochi region) in the © 2011 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes, Zoosystematica Rossica 20(1): 48–53 I.A. BELOUSOV & A.G. KOVAL. NEW CAVE-DWELLING CIMMERITES FROM WEST CAUCASUS 53 following characters: a concolourous dor- this cave as well as all specimens from the sum (in the two latter species, the elytra are Akhunskaya Cave were captured only in distinctly paler than both the head and the the pitfall traps which were installed in the pronotum); a more ovate habitus, with lon- most remote and difficult of access parts of ger legs and antennae; more strongly pro- the caves, though traps were placed ran- duced pronotal anterior angles; the sides of domly throughout all the caves. the pronotum more strongly sinuate before Habitat. Though found only in caves, the large and acute hind angles; a less paral- Cimmerites maximovitchi sp. nov. doesn’t lel-sided elytra, with distinctly attenuated exhibit any special troglobitic adaptations apex and more strongly rounded humeri, other than those usually occurring in en- and, especially, a simple, non-dilated basal dogean species. In this respect, it is quite segment of the male protarsi. similar to C. kryzhanovskii which is also To summarize, despite of certain simi- known only from caves. A comparatively larity with some congeners, C. maximovit- dry microclimate in the immediate vicinity chi sp. nov. appears to be rather isolated of Akhun Mount may result in the species within the genus Cimmerites and occupies becoming associated with deeper hypogean an intermediate position between the two horizons, at least in summer. groups of species mentioned above: that of Etymology. The species is named in C. kryzhanovskii and that of C. vagabundus. memory of one of the founders of the Rus- Distribution. The new species was found sian speleology, an outstanding scientist, in two caves located in the Akhun Karst Professor Georgy Alexeevitch Maximo- Massif not far from Khosta (Sochi region, vitch (Russia, Perm, 1904–1979). Krasnodar Territory, Russia). One of these, the Akhunskaya Cave, is situated on the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS western slope of Akhun Mount at an eleva- tion of 350 m above sea level. It represents We heartily thank A.I. Roubchenya (Be- one of few Caucasian labyrinth caves. In larus, Minsk) who helped us while collecting its morphology, the cave is similar to some material in caves. Our special gratitude goes to V.A. Koval (Saint Petersburg) for his long- huge gypsum caves of Podolia (Ukraine). term assistance in the field work. We are pleased We have been exploring the Akhunskaya to thank A.E. Korolev (Saint Petersburg) for Cave since 1988. Nonetheless, a few speci- mounting some type specimens. We are also in- mens of the species described in the pres- debted to the Gorbachevs’ and Gakayevs’ fami- ent paper, had been firstly collected only 10 lies (Sochi) for their cordial hospitality during years afterwards. In summer, the air tem- our stay in the area of investigations. perature was observed to range between 8 and 11 °C. In this cave, C. maximovitchi REFERENCES sp. nov. co-occurs with Caucasorites victori Belousov, 1999. The second cave, the La- Belousov, I.A. 1998. Le complexe générique de Nannotrechus Winkler du Caucase et de la Cri- birintovaya Cave, is located in the valley of mée (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechini). Pen- the Khosta River in the southeastern spurs soft, Sofia–Moscow–St. Petersburg. 256 p. of the same mount at an elevation near 100 Jeannel, R. 1928. Monographie des Trechi- m above sea level. Morphologically, the nae. Morphologie comparée et distribution cave is a system of narrow corridors. It is géographique d’un groupe de coléoptères. distinct in having rather high air tempera- (Troixième livraison). Les Trechini caver- tures ranging from 12 to 15 °C the whole nicoles. L’Abeille, Journal d’Entomologie, 35: year round even in the most remote parts. 1–808. A single male specimen originated from Received February 7, 2011 / Accepted June 1, 2011 © 2011 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes, Zoosystematica Rossica 20(1): 48–53