P. J. Darlington, Jr.
A New Leleupidiine Carabid Beetle from India.
Psyche 75:208-210, 1968.

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A NEW LELEUPIDIINE CARABID BEETLE
FROM INDIA*
BY P. J. DARLINGTON, JR.
Museum of Comparative Zoology
The tribe Leleupidiini Basilewsky (1951, 1953, 1954) is a group of small-eyed, flightless, ant-like carabids (Fig. I) related to (per- haps eventually to be considered a subtribe of) the tribe Zuphiini but differing in form, in having the first antenna1 segment not scaphi- foim and the palpi remarkably modified (labial palpi with apical segments greatly enlarged), and in other details. Little is known about the ecology or behavior of these insects, but one New Guinean species apparently lives in leaf litter on the floor of rain forest, and this may be the habitat of other members of the tribe. They may mimic some of the small ants that forage on the ground in forest. The tribe has a relict distribution, with several genera localized in Africa, one (below) in North India and Sikkim, and one (Colasidia Basilewsky 1954) known from one species from Singapore (Basilew- sky) and two from New Guinea (Darlington ms). All known species are flightless, but the group is evidently derived from a winged ancestor, and its dispersal may have been effected by flight. Individuals arc usually very rare. The two previously described Asiatic and the two New Guinean species are all known from single individuals. The finding of a third Asiatic species, based on two specimens, is therefore an event of some evolutionary and zoogeo- graphic interest, at least to students of Carabidae. Formally, the genus concerned is :
Genus GUNVORITA Landin
Landin 1955.
Type species: G. elegans Landin (1955) of Sikkim. Notes: This genus differs rather strikingly in form from the only other known Oriental Ieleupidiine genus, Colasidia Basilewsky of Singapore and New Guinea. However, I am not prepared to discuss generic characters or relationships, but wish now merely to record the following new species.
Gunvorita indica n. sp. (Fig. I)
Description. Form as in Fig. I, strikingly ant-like, very convex; dark brown, appendages reddish yellow; whole upper surafce with *Manuscript received by the editor September 1, 1968 208
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Darlington - Leleupidiine Beetle
Figure 1. Gunworita indica nsp.
moderately long pubescence ; surface shining under pubescence, with- out distinct reticulate microsculpture, but head in part sparsely punc- tulate (nearly smooth at middle), pronoturn more closely punctate, elytra moderately coarsely irregularly punctate. Head long; width head/prothorax 0.81 and 0.81 (width of head measured across genae) ; eyes small, less prominent than genae; genae divergent behind eyes, then broadly rounded almost to neck; antennae stout, middle segments slightly longer than wide; maxillary palpi small, labial palpi with last segment greatly enlarged (as usual in tribe). Prothorax long-cordate ; width/length 0.84 and 0.90; base/apex 1.30 and 1.25 ; lateral margins subobsolete, each with one or two strong setae at or just before basal angle (unsymmetric in holotype) and a long seta c. 1/3 from apex (present on one side in one speci- men and probably originally present on both sides in both individuals but often broken off or indistinguishable from the general pubescence) ; disc with middle line fine and faint, other impressions obsolete. Elytra narrowed anteriorly to broadly rounded humeri; width elytra/ prothorax 2.02 and I .98 ; submarginal umbilicate punctures (difficult to distinguish in the general puncta,tion and pubescence) not closely grouped but more numerous and less widely spaced anteriorly than



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210 Psyche [September
posteriorly; striae indicated but not well defined. Inner wings atrophied. Lower surface extensively pubescent, but proepisterna not pubescent. Secondary sexual characters: c? tarsi not modified; presence or absence of setae at apex last ventral segment not deter- mined. Legs: femora rather stout, tibiae moderate, tarsi (especially posterior) slender; middle and hind tibiae each with curved or hooked spur on inner angle ; claws simple. Measurements: length 5.7 - 5.9 ; width 1.9 - 2.0 mm.
Types. Holotype c? (British Mus.) and I $2 paratype (MCZ Type No. 31,673) both from Ghoom, Darjeeling India, May 26, 1931 (Dr. M. Cameron).
Notes. This new species differs from Gunvorita elegans Landin ( 1955) in being larger (elegans, length 4 mm) , with head more evenly rounded posteriorly. The sexes of the 2 specimens have been determined easily because the tips of the c? copulatory organs and of the $ styles are visible without dissection. I have not made a very detailed description of the new species, and have not dissected the specimens, because the tribe needs further study, and the very limited material should be reserved for study at that time. BASILEWSKY, P.
1951. Rev. 2001. Bot. Africaine 44: 178. 1953. Rev. 2001. Eot. Africaine 47: 264. 1954. Rev. Fr. dlEnt. 21: 213.
LANDIN
1955. Arkiv f. Zoologi, Serie 2, 8: 467.



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