New records of the genus Dolichoctis Schmidt–Göbel from New Guinea and surrounding islands (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiinae)

New records of the genus Dolichoctis Schmidt–Göbel from New Guinea and surrounding islands (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiinae).— New records of species of the carabid genus Dolichoctis Schmidt–Göbel from New Guinea and several surrounding islands are dealt with. Apart from two new species that were described in another recent paper (Baehr, 2003), records of the following species from New Guinea are annotated: D. aculeata Chaudoir, D. biak Baehr, D. dentata Darlington, D. laticollis Baehr, D. striata Schmidt–Göbel, D. subquadrata Darlington, D. subrotunda Darlington, and D. suturalis Darlington. D. aculeata Chaudoir is also recorded for the first time from the island of New Britain. Additional material of D. spinipennis Chaudoir corroborates its status as a separate species, being particular for the Moluccas.


Introduction
Since the author's revision of the New Guinean species of the lebiine genus Dolichoctis (Baehr, 1999), additional material from New Guinea and several neighbouring islands has accumulated that includes two new species described in another paper (Baehr, 2003) and several new records, including material that corroborates the specific status of a doubtful species from the Moluccas that was previously known only from the two type specimens.
The new species and records are the result of sampling efforts by several collectors, namely M. Balke (Berlin, now London), A. Riedel (München, now Karsruhe) and A. Weigel (Pößneck). Additional material came from the canopy fogging and light sampling activities of O. Missa (Brussels).
The full synonymies of previously described species can be gathered from Baehr (1999

Note
This species is quite common in New Guinea as is demonstrated by the numerous material collected by O. Missa during his sampling activities of canopy fogging and lighting. The first record from New Britain of D. aculeata corroborates the rather wide range of this species that is now known from the whole area between Sulawesi and some Moluccan Islands and New Guinea, New Britain and North-eastern Australia. The New Guinean specimens were all collected in light traps exposed in lowland rain forest. Baehr, 1999: 145 New record. 2{ 1}, Irian Jaya, Biak, 30 km NE, Saba E, 01° 07 ' S, 136° 18' E, 30 XII 1998, leg. A. Weigel (CBM, CWP).

Note
An uncommon species closely related to D. aculeata Chaudoir, apparently endemic to Biak Island off the North-west coast of New Guinea. The newly recorded specimens were probably sifted from the bark of logs in lowland rain forest. Darlington, 1968: 128;Baehr 1999: 132 New record. 1}, Canopy Mission P. N. G., Madang province, Baiteta, at light, 12 VI 1996 (several data), leg. Olivier Missa (IRSNB).

Note
Thus far a rare species that was known only from the type locality in central Papua New Guinea. The new record considerably extends its range into the western part of New Guinea. Chaudoir, 1869: 251;Baehr 1999: 130 New record. 3{, MALUKU: Is. Morotai, W. Daruba, Raja, 18-19 XI 1999, 50-300 m, leg. A. Riedel (CBM, SMNS). Note For a long time this species was rendered synonymous with the more widespread D. aculeata Chaudoir. Baehr (1999) suggested that D. spinipennis most probably is a distinct species, though he stated that it has only been known from the island of Batjan in the southern Moluccas and was apparently never recaptured since description. Newly collected material from Morotai Island that clearly agrees with both type specimens of D. spinipennis corroborates that D. spinipennis is a distinct species, and furthermore that it is more widely distributed in the Moluccas though probably restricted to this island group.

Note
Many new records are available on this widespread and very common species, mostly sampled at light, in part also fogged from the canopy in lowland rain forest. The rich New Guinean material available to the author varies to a large degree in size, shape of pronotum and elytra, presence and/or extent of elytral markings, and depth of elytral striation. It seems, however, that, at least as the New Guinean records are concerned, this is a single species in spite of its apparent high degree of variability. However, specimens from Southern Asia on the one hand, and from Northern Australia on the other, differ to such a degree that their specific identity is highly doubtful. Examination of the whole complex is in progress, but the picture is not yet clear. For the present, therefore, this complex is considered a single "species", and this may be true for the population occurring in the Papuan Subregion, although it is still unclear whether this population is conspecific with the name-bearing South Asiatic population. Darlington, 1968: 130;Baehr 1999: 144 New records. 1{ 2}, Canopy Mission P. N. G., Madang province, Baiteta, at light, 4 V 1996, 10,12 VI 1996.

Dolichoctis subrotunda Darlington
Note A small species with even wider distribution that appears right throughout New Guinea and also in North-eastern Australia. The newly recorded specimens were either sampled at light, or fogged from canopy in lowland rain forest. Darlington, 1968: 129;Baehr 1999: 147 New records. 2}, Canopy Mission P. N. G., Madang province, Baiteta, at light, 18 III 1996, 23 V 1996.

Note
Likewise, a rather common and wide-ranging species. Both mentioned specimens were collected at light.

Remarks
The new records reported herein in some ways alter distribution, but not the species inventory of the genus Dolichoctis in the Papuan Subregion. The new record of D. spinipennis Chaudoir corroborates its status as a separate species probably restricted to the Moluccas. The new record of D. aculeata Chaudoir from New Britain demonstrates the occurrence of this species in the Bismarck Archipelago. At this point it should be stressed, however, that as long as we do not exactly know habits and life histories of the New Guinean Dolichoctis, because most recorded specimens were collected at light, little can be stated about ranges of the species and distribution pattern of the whole genus. At the same time, we are unable to estimate the population density of the species or even to distinguish between "common" and "uncommon" species, not to mention the reasons why any species should be "uncommon". Therefore, any considerations about frequency and distribution of the New Guinean Dolichoctis are preliminary; this applies even more to the species occurring on the Moluccas, the Bismarck Archipelago, and Solomon Islands.
Nevertheless, with a further new species described in another paper (Baehr, 2003) the status of New Guinea as a stronghold of endemism for the genus Dolichoctis is underlined, because the number of species common to New Guinea and South-east Asia again is reduced and apparently now only includes the widespread D. striata Schmidt-Göbel of the nominate subgenus, and D. aculeata Chaudoir of the predominantly Papuan subgenus Spinidolichoctis Baehr, which latter species -besides occurring on New Guinea, New Britain, and in Northern Australia-also occurs on Sulawesi and Buru Islands. However, even the common "species" Dolichoctis striata remains doubtful in some ways, because specimens at the authors disposal from the Philippine Islands, the Moluccas, various parts of New Guinea, New Britain, and Australia rather differ in certain aspects of their external shape and structure from those of the Greater Sunda Islands and continental South Asia, and thus, it is quite uncertain whether this complex can be maintained as a single "species" in future. Presumably, it should be better -or even it must be-dismembered into subspecies or even separate species. This survey, however, is not yet finished and thus far, no clear picture has been gathered.
With regard to habits, the canopy fogging records of some species are worth noting, because habits and ecology of any New Guinean Dolichoctis species so far is barely known, since most available specimens were collected at light. Some records of specimens sifted from the bark of standing or fallen trees suggest a barkinhabiting way of life, but this opinion perhaps must be revised in view of the new fogging records. Certainly, Dolichoctis species may live on the bark, but the extent to which they also stay in the canopy or between branches, twigs, and leaves in the lower storey of trees, is uncertain.