Clivina dentipes Dejaen, 1825, by original designation: Kult 1947: 31.

The genus Semiclivina (Kult, 1947) is readily recognized by the sculptured band of the proepisternum, extended more or less parallel to the proepisternal margin in the basal part of the proepisternum, curved inward in the anterior part, ended at the anterior end of the proepisternal-prosternal suture (Fig. 1). This structure was differently interpreted by diverse authors (Bousquet 2009: 38) as furrow, ridge or carina or elongate striole (Baehr 2008: 23). In fact it is a slightly elevated band like structure consisting of very fine, regular transverse ridges. This sculptured band (Bousquet 2009: 38) is part of a stridulation organ in the sense of a pars stridens, whereas the corresponding plectrum is a fine, sharp longitudinal ridge, just above the distal part of the lower inner edge of the profemur (Fig. 2). In some species the outer edge of the profemur is produced to a remarkable denticle, but this structure does not interact with the stridulation organ in any way. The function of this stridulation organ has not been observed so far.

This organ is not unique within the Tribe Clivinini: exactly the same structures (the stridulation ridge on proepisterna and the ridge on the distal part of the inner edge of the profemur) together with other features separates the ardistomine genus Ardistomis Putzeys, 1846 from Semiardistomis Kult, 1950, but it is unique within Clivina (sensu lato), forming a very isolated, distinct group, restricted to the western hemisphere and to a single species from Australia (New South Wales) described by Baehr 2008: 23–25. Within the tribe Clivinini no other genera than Ardistomis Putzeys, 1846 and Semiclivina (Kult, 1947) carry a stridulation organ on the proepisternum. Beside this, Semiclivina is characterized by a distal spine-like projection at the outer end of the mesotibia, which is small in some taxa, but clearly identifiable by the apical seta excentrically inserted, in contradiction to a tubercle, which carries the seta at the top of the tubercle (see also Ball 2001: 136, 140; Bousquet 2009: 41, 43); usually five setae in elytral interval 3 (including preapical puncture); elytral striae 1 to 5 free at base (between humeral channel and suture, the basal keel of some species and the flat tubercles at the end of intervals 2 to 5 do not limit this definition); profemur with a sometimes small dentiform projection at the outer edge toward apex; anal ventrite (abdominal sternum VII) with two marginal punctures at each side relatively close together. The species included in Semiclivina are listed in Bousquet (2009: 39–41), where the assignment of some species remains uncertain. It is most likely, that species not included in the subgen. n. Uroclivina comprise a more or less heterogeneous group which form a probably paraphyletic group, defined as Semiclivina (s. str.). This subgenus will be the objective of further investigations in the future.

Semiclivina bergeri sp. n., herewith by original designation; it is the most abundant species of this subgenus.

combination from the genus-name “Clivina” and the specific epithet “urophthalma”.

the species of this subgenus are characterized by the denticle of the posterior margin of the eye, the corresponding incision in the anterior margin of the pronotum at anterior angle and the sculptured band (stridulation organ) on the proepisterna, the latter is the most obvious character of the genus Semiclivina.

Head: clypeus middle part slightly produced, separated from wings, anterior margin slightly concave, clypeus posteriorly separated from frons by a transverse furrow; posterior margin of eye with an acute dentiform tubercle (Fig. 3a); antennal scape distally with a seta, antennomeres 1 and 2 without pubescence, antennomeres 3 to 11 densely pubescent and longer than wide; labrum 7-setose; penultimate palpomere of labial palpus bisetose. Pronotum: with a marginal seta at the end of the anterior fifth and a second one at hind angle; basal border fine, just above the peduncle, finely bordered between basis and hind angle, and from hind angle to markedly produced anterior angles, border in the anterior third broader, anterior margin with a sharp, narrow incision just beneath the front angles, corresponding with the tubercle at hind margin of eye (Fig. 3b); middle furrow and front transverse furrow clearly impressed; proepisterna with a stridulation band. Elytra: scutellar puncture present, scutellar striole indistinct, marked as short furrow just beneath the suture, or not evident; elytral striae 1 to 5 free at base, means within the humeral denticle and suture; basis at the end of interval 1 to 5 sometimes with flat tubercles, which may join with transverse basal keel; elytral intervals distinctly punctured; interval 3 with 5 setiferous punctures. Legs: front femur with a sharp longitudinal stridulation ridge, just above the distal part of the lower inner edge of the profemur; mesotibia with a small distal spur. Abdomen: abdominal sterna IV to VI with a paramedian seta on each side, sterna V to VII with a basal transversal ridge; abdominal sternum VII with a pair of marginal setae on each side relatively close together, all abdominal sterna microsculptured.

The species are restricted to South America, ranging from French Guyana, southward through the Amazon Basin to southern Brazil, Paraguay, North and Central Argentina and most likely also Uruguay (no evidence from this country so far).

Way of life. most specimens of Clivina (sensu lato) usually live near wet places or in swamps. Some species, like Clivina fossor (Linnaeus, 1758) are not bound to humid habitats. Most of the species are macropterous, capable of flight mostly during night, especially at temperatures above 25°C. Specimens of Uroclivina obviously live also close to humid habitats: they were collected at light and sometimes in extraordinary large series near rivers, lakes or other wet places.

Latinized noun, genitive case, an eponym based on the surname of my friend and partner, Helmut Berger jun., who organizes and joins me in my entomological excursions all over the world.

A typical Uroclivina – species with basal border of elytra without a keel, elytral stria 1 in the basal part closely joining suture; abdominal sterna without punctuation, but with distinct microsculpture, median lobe of aedeagus flattened, blade-like.

Color: mature individuals are unicolorous dark brown to piceous, with annexes lighter, reddish-brown, immature ones are all variations lighter up to light yellow-brown, usually all stages are met within a population. Microsculpture: glossy, pronotum and elytra with a fine, sometimes barely visible, more or less isodiametric microsculpture, but still glossy Head (Fig. 3): middle part of clypeus more produced than lateral wings, anterior margin slightly concave, bordered, wings unbordered; preocular area finely bordered; upper surface of clypeus glossy without microsculpture, except microscopic fine punctures; clypeus divided from frons by a transverse furrow; longitudinal sulci broad, ground microreticulate, bearing a seta at basal level of clypeus on each side; frons glossy, with a very shallow central foveola; above supraorbital setae with a broad ridge, medially bordering a small longitudinal reticulate groove; neck finely punctuate, interrupted at middle; posterior margin of eye with the characteristic tubercle. Pronotum: convex, disc somewhat flattened, about as wide as long (range 0, 88x to 1, 04x, see Table 1); surface glossy, but with fine microreticulation, fine transverse wrinkles in the basal two thirds, declivity at base with transverse wrinkles more dense and distinctly shagreened; anterior angles strongly produced forward, mediad with a sharp and narrow incision, which corresponds to the postorbital tubercle. Elytra: about twice long as wide (range: 1.93× – 2.11×, see Table 1); subparallel, convex at sides, disc somewhat flattened, glossy, with very fine microreticulation; elytral striae distinctly engraved from base to apex, with gross punctures at base which become finer towards apex; 7th and 8th interval narrowed at base and sometimes elevated to a keel; first elytral stria bending inwards towards suture at base, from the second sixth onwards it continues parallel to suture up to the apex. Legs: fore-tibia 4 dentate, the proximal one very small, triangular, upper surface distinctly sulcate; mesotibia with a small distal spur on the upper edge, which is about two times longer than wide. Abdominal sterna (Fig. 4a): IV to VI finely transversally microreticulate, isodiametric at sides, VII completely isodiametrically microsculptured, with 2 pairs of marginal setae in both sexes, relatively close together. Male genitalia (Fig. 6a-d): median lobe blade-like flattened, apex spatulate; parameres long and slender, left one about twice as broad as the right one, with 2 setae at apex, right one with an apical fringe of about 10 setae. Female genitalia: stylus tall, slender, bent inwards, apex acute, lateral with one big seta, ventral with 4 smaller setae (Fig. 6e-f).

see Table 1; length 4.49–6.32 mm, width 1.22–1.68 mm

Geographical distribution. The range of this species extends from the Mato Grosso of Brazil southward to Paraguay and Argentina.

Holotype: ♂, Argentina NE, S of Corrientes, River Parana, 16. 01. 2009, leg. M.

Snizek, (CDW). 4247 Paratypes: Argentina: 2 Ex., Argentine Republic, Villa Ana, F.C.S. Fe, December 1924, K.J. Hayward, Paratype Clivina marquardti Van Emden, (CDW); 1 Ex., dtto, January 1926, (CDW); 1 ♀, dtto, December 1925, at light, (CDW); 1 ♂, Argentine, Prov. Corrientes, zw. Lago Ibera & Santo Tome, 26. 09. 1997, (CDW); 84 ♂, 69 ♀, 4046 Ex, Argentina NE, S of Corrientes, River Parana, 16. 01. 2009, leg. M. Snizek, (CBP, CDW, CBM, NMW); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Argentina, NC, Gran Chaco, Salada riv., S of Macapilo (SE Salta), 20.01.2009, leg. M. Snizek, (CDW); 3 ♂, 3 ♀, Argentina NW, Salta prov., Chicoana riv., El Carril, 28.01.2009, leg. M. Snizek, (CDW); 6 ♂, 8 ♀, Argentina NW, Salta prov., Andes mts., N of Cachi, 2600 m, 25. 01. 2009, leg. M. Snizek, (CDW); 8 ♂, 5 ♀, Argentina N, S of Salta (50 km), E of Coronel Moldes, 23. 01. 2009, leg. M. Snizek, (CDW); 1 Ex., S-Amerika: Argentinia, Prov. Entre Rios/Dept Colon, 5.-10.II.1989, leg. Liebig, (CBM); Brazil: 2 ♂, 1 ♀, Corumba, Matt. Grosso, Cl. urophthalmoides Kult, Paratypes (CDW); 3 ♂, Corumba, Matt. Grosso, Cl. urophthalmoides Kult, (CDW); Paraguay: 2 Ex. Paraguay, S. Antonio, (CDW); 1 ♂ Paraguay, Prov. Pres Hayes, Buffalo Bill, 23.16S 58.54W 108 m, 01.12.2010 Sv. Bily leg., (CDW); 2 Ex., Paraguay Asuncion, 2.X.1991, (CBM).

Latinized noun, genitive case, an eponym based on the surname of the collector of this species, my colleague and friend Herbert Schmid.

a typical Uroclivina – species with base of elytra with a keel at the end of intervals 3 to 5; elytral stria 1 extended parallel to suture, not joined to suture near base; abdominal sterna with very fine, transverse microreticulation and a group of shallow punctures at sides; median lobe of aedeagus flattened, blade-like.

Color: both individuals are immature and lighter reddish-brown; it is most likely that mature individuals are unicolorous dark brown to piceous, with annexes lighter, reddish-brown. Microsculpture: frons, pronotum and elytra with a fine, sometimes barely visible, more or less isodiametric microsculpture, but surface glossy. Head: middle part of clypeus more produced than lateral wings, anterior margin slightly concave, bordered, wings unbordered, preocular area finely bordered; upper surface of clypeus glossy without microsculpture, except microscopic fine punctures; divided from frons by a transverse furrow; longitudinal sulci broad, surface microreticulate, bearing a seta at basal level of clypeus on each side; frons glossy, but with fine, sometimes indistinct microreticulation, with a very shallow central foveola; above supraorbital setae with a broad ridge, medially bordering a small longitudinal groove, in this area the microreticulation more distinct; neck finely punctate, interrupted at middle in the holotype, not interrupted in the paratype; posterior margin of eye with the characteristic tubercle. Prothorax: convex, disc somewhat flattened, about as wide as long (0.97x, see Table 2); surface glossy, but with fine microreticulation, fine transverse wrinkles in the basal two thirds, declivity at base with transverse wrinkles more dense and more distinctly shagreened; anterior angles markedly produced forward, mediad with a sharp and narrow incision, which corresponds to the postorbital tubercle. Elytra: about twice long as wide (range: 1.94× – 1.98×, see Table 2); subparallel, convex, broadest in the apical third, glossy, with very fine, barely visible microreticulation; elytral striae distinctly engraved from base to apex, with gross punctures at base which become finer towards apex; 6th to 8th interval narrowed at base and elevated as a keel; first stria elytral extended more or less parallel to suture, not bent inward toward suture at base; a fine, scutellar keel extended from the basal tubercle at the end of the second interval obliquely posteriorly to suture. Legs: fore-tibia 4 dentate, the proximal dentiform projection very small, triangular, upper surface indistinctly sulcate; profemur with a sharp denticle at the proximal end of the outer edge; mesotibia with a small distal spur on the upper edge, which is about two times longer than wide.

Abdominal sterna: abdominal sterna IV to VII very finely transversally microreticulate, mesh pattern isodiametric at sides, abdominal sternum VII with a group of about 10 fine and shallow punctures on each side, and with 2 pairs of marginal setae in both sexes, relatively close together. Male genitalia (Fig. 9 a-c): median lobe blade-like flattened, apex spatulate; parameres long and slender, left one about twice as broad as the right one, with 7 setae at apical margin, right one with a apical fringe of about 10 setae. Female genitalia, ovipositor: stylus long, slender, bent inwards, apex acute (Fig. 9 d-e).

see Table 2; length 6.17–6.43 mm, width 1.58–1.68 mm.

known only from French Guyana

Holotype: ♂, Fr. Guyana, Mt. Singes, 01.08.2007, leg. Herbert Schmid, (CDW); Paratype: 1 ♀, same dates as Holotype, (CWD).

Brazil, Mato Grosso, Corumba

original series from the same locality, about 30 specimens, holotype in the author’s collection (collection Kult in CDW), paratypes in the collections of ETHZ, IRSNB, MNHN, ZMHB: Kult 1947: 35

known from type locality only: Brazil, Matto Grosso, Corumba

1 ♂, Holotype with red label “TYPE” and a handwritten determination label “Semiclivina urophthalmoides KT.” det. K. Kult 1946, Corumba, Matt. Grosso, (CDW)

in the collection of Karel Kult this species is represented by the Holotype (see above for details) and 2 males, 1 female, Corumba, Matt. Grosso, with the labels in red “COTYPE”, without determination labels; 3 males, Corumba, Matt. Grosso, one with the handwritten determination label “Clivina urophthalmoides m.” det. K. Kult [without year], most likely also Paratypes of Semiclivina urophthalmoides (Kult, 1947), but not indicated as such; 2 Ex., Argentine Republic, Villa Ana, F.C.S. Fe, December 1924, K.J. Hayward, Paratype Clivina marquardti Van Emden; 1 female, ditto, January 1926; 1 female, ditto, December 1925, at light; 2 Ex. Paraguay, S. Antonio, with a red printed label “Compared with Type, K. Kult, 1950”. It is noticeable, that the individual labeled as Type is much smaller (4.3 mm) than the other ones. This led to the investigation of the other Semiclivina urophthalmoides (Kult, 1947) specimens with dissection of genitalia and abdomen. The result of this investigation was that all other specimens mentioned above except the Holotype, are markedly different (see Figs. 6a-d, 7a-d) and belong to another species, which is described above as Semiclivina (Uroclivina) bergeri. The differentiation of these two species is given in the key.

Amazonia

3 Ex., “Amazone”: Putzeys 1863: 38; Coll. Putzeys (IRSNB).

Amazonia

1 Ex Brazil: Para, (CDW).

Kult 1947: 35 examined the type of Clivina urophthalma Putzeys, 1863 and compared it with his Clivina urophthalmoides Kult, 1947; Van Emden 1947: 862–863 did this as well, both authors agreed in the interpretation of Clivina urophthalma Putzeys, 1863 in comparison to Clivina urophthalmoides Kult, 1947. The specimen of Clivina urophthalma Putzeys, 1863 in Kult’s collection fits very well Putzeys’ description (Putzeys 1863: 37–38) and the interpretation of above mentioned authors.

Brazil: Bahia

1 Ex. Coll de Castelnau (MNHN): Putzeys 1868: 10

Brazil: Bahia

1 ♀, Brazil: Tapajos, (CDW).

Van Emden 1947: 862–863 examined type material of Clivina oxyomma Putzeys, 1868, the specimen represented in Kult’s collection fits well Van Emden’s interpretation of this species and the short description of Putzeys (1868: 10).