A new genus of Odacanthinae from New Guinea (Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae) * By Martin Baehr Baehr, M. (1995): A new genus of Odacanthinae from New Guinea (Insecta, Coleo-ptera, Carabidae). -Spixiana 18/1: 45-48 Crassacantha bidens, gen. nov., spec. nov. from the Vogelkop, Irian Jaya, western New Guinea is described. The genus Crassacantha, gen. nov. is presumably next related to the Oriental-Australian genus Dicraspeda Chaudoir. Dr. M. Baehr, Zoologische Staatssammlung, Münchhausenstr. 21, D-81247 Mün-chen, Germany. Introduction Within a sample of Carabid beetles, collected by A. Riedel on different occasions and in different parts of Irian Jaya (New Guinea), a specimen of Odacanthinae was found that could not be identified by use of any of the current generic tables of the Oriental-Australian Odacanthinae (Sloane 1917, 1923, Liebke 1938, Jedlicka 1963, Darlington 1968). Hence it belongs to a new genus. Since I have seen examples of almost all Australian and New Guinean and of most Oriental Odacanthine genera, the mentioned new genus is being described, although it is based on this unique specimen. The Australian-New Guinean Odacanthine fauna is very rieh in structurally rather plesiomorphic genera (for lists of genera and species see Darlington 1968, Moore et al. 1987) that exhibit at the same time certain apomorphic characters, e. g. the spinöse elytral apices in several species of different genera, or the loss of the elytral striation in certain species. In particular spinöse elytra seem a rather common character in the Odacanthinae from New Guinea (Darlington 1968) and may represent an adaptation to arboricolous habits. However, the fauna of the Australian region presumably comprises a larger amount of plesiomor-phic genera and species than the faunas of the other regions, and with the genus Porocara it includes even the most primitive odacanthine genus at all, both in morphology and ecology (Baehr 1986, in press). Highly evolved genera like Collums, Casnoidea and others, however, so common in the other regions, are comparatively rarer in the Australian region. Measurements Measurements have been made with a stereo microscope by use of an ocular micrometer. Length has been measured from apex of labrum to tip of elytra including the elytral spines. Hence, measurements may slightly differ from those of other authors, especially Darlington (1968). Results of the entomological explorations of A. Riedel in New Guinea 1991. 45
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