S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 52. (Budapest, 1992)

A new Carabus (Neoplectes) species from the Central Caucasus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) By I. Retezár and I. Djavelidze (Received, September 18, 1990) A new Carabus (Neoplectes) species from the Central Caucasus (Coleoptera: Carabidae). - A new species, Carabus (Neoplectes) manviliensis sp. nov. from the Central Caucasus is described. The subgenus Neoplectes was established by Reitter (1885) for a group of Caucasian Carabus species. Gottwald (1982) has set up the new subgenus Archiplectes, and on the basis of the shape of the aedeagus and the structure of its internal sac (endophallus), and the majority of the species were ranged into it. In the subgenus Neoplectes only two species remained: C. (N.) mellyi Chaudoir, 1846 and C. (N.) ibericus Fischer, 1823, with its subspecies (ssp.) lafertei Chaudoir, 1846 and (ssp.) chaudoirianus Lapouge, 1909, distributed in the Central and East Caucasus, in the Lesser Caucasus. A small scries of specimens collected in the environs of city Martvili in Mingrelia is a particular representaive of the subgenus Neoplectes on the western boundary of its distribution range. Carabus (Neoplectes) martviliensis sp. n. The new species essentially differs from the well-known two Neoplectes species ibericus Fish, and mellyi Chaud, in that: 1) aedeagus large, in its last third becoming strongly thick (Figs 1-3); 2) body large, robust, with thick head and broad cordate pronotum, elytra with strongly costate intervals; 3) apical margin of the last abdominal sternite (<3) less sinuous (Figs 4-5). - Full length of body: <5 44-45 mm. 9 44-50 mm. Upper surface of head and pronotum subpolished, violett (â), respectively dull violett (9). Elytra polished, violett (â), respectively dull violett (9), rarely with slight golden lustre (â 9). Lower surface of body, palps, antenna and legs black. Head thick, pleurostoma swollen, eyes less prominent, frons moderately wrinkled, neck more or less smooth. Pronotum broader than long, distinctly cordate, hind angles protruding triangularly backward, disk less wrinkled than head. Elytra broad oval, broadest behind the middle, margin faintly incurved near apex. Intervals strongly costate, primaries and secondaries equally broad, tertiaries only half of them. Primary costae regularly, secondaries irregularly interrupted by large foveae, tertiaries intact. Between costae finely impressed striae with notches. Apical margin of last abdominal sternite (6) less sinuous, nearly straight, bordered with fine furrow. Aedeagus large, robust, its last third very thick. Towards the apex twisted and attenuated. Distribution: Central Caucasus, in the environs of Martvili, in the lower regions (Mingrelia).