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Two new subgenera and two new species of Pterostichus from China

(Coleoptera Carabidae)

Article · January 2013

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Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona, 37, 2013 Botanica Zoologia 113-122

Two new subgenera and two new species of Pterostichus from China(Coleoptera Carabidae)

RICCARDO SCIAKY*, GIANNI ALLEGRO**(*Milano; CRA-PLF - Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura - Casale Monferrato)

Abstract

Two new subgenera of Pterostichus are here described. Orientostichus n. subg. contains several species already known from China and neighbouring countries and an additional one, Pterostichus (Orientostichus) pulcher n. sp., from Southern Sichuan, herewith de-scribed. P. pratti (Bates, 1890), of which is here fixed the lectotype upon a specimen from Washan, is here designated as the type-species of the subgenus Orientostichus. The diagnostic combination of characters of this subgenus is: integuments deep black, body and appendages stout, epipleurae “crossed”, mesocoxae with only two setae, mesofemora with no additional setae, last sternite of male often with particular formations (carinae, pits, etc.), aedeagus with very short basal portion and long and twisted apex.Pterostichus (Orientostichus) pulcher n. sp. is mainly characterized by the catenulate elytral sculpture, which is, as far as it is known until now, unique within the subgenus. The second subgenus, Tubuliphallus n. subg., contains only P. (Tubuliphallus) megacephalus n. sp. from Sichuan, herewith described. It is mainly characterised by the peculiar shape of the male genitalia. The diagnostic combination of characters of Tubuliphallus n. subg. is: integuments deep black, body and appendages stout, epipleurae very shortly “crossed”, mesocoxae with only two setae, mesofemora with no additional setae, last sternite of male simple; aedeagus long and slender, with a short prebasal portion joining at almost right angle the median lobe, which is cylindrical, apically truncate and provided with a small preapical ostium. It is not possible, at the present status of knowledge, to place this subgenus near any other of the many subgenera of Pterostichus known from China.The single species here included, P. (Tubuliphallus) megacephalus n. sp., has eyes slightly reduced, tumid tempora and tarsi particularly thick in lateral view. A short discussion on the different types of irregularity in the elytral sculpture within the genus Pterostichus is also provided, with several illustrations showing some instances.Key words: Carabidae, Pterostichus, Orientostichus, Tubuliphallus, China, New species, new subgenera

Riassunto

Due nuovi sottogeneri e due nuove specie di Pterostichus di Cina (Coleoptera Carabidae). Sono qui descritti due nuovi sottogeneri del genere Pterostichus. Il sottogenere Orientostichus n. subg. comprende varie specie già conosciute della Cina e di altre aree dell’Estremo Oriente, oltre a una specie inedita, Pterostichus (Orientostichus) pulcher n. sp., del Sichuan meridionale, qui descritta. P. pratti (Bates, 1890), di cui viene qui designato il lectotipo su un esemplare di Washan, viene designato come specie-tipo del sottogenere Orientostichus. La combinazione diagnostica di caratteri di questo sottogenere è: tegumenti di colore nero profondo, corpo e appendici tozzi, epipleure “incrociate”, mesocoxe con due setole, mesofemori senza setole addizionali, ultimo sterite del maschio spesso con conformazioni particolari (fossette, carene, ecc.), edeago con porzione basale breve e apice lungo e ritorto.Pterostichus (Orientostichus) pulcher n. sp. è caratterizzato dalla scultura elitrale catenulata, che è, alla luce delle attuali conoscenze, unica nel sottogenere.Il secondo sottogenere, Tubuliphallus n. subg., contiene solamente P. (Tubuliphallus) megacephalus n. sp. del Sichuan, qui de-scritto. Tubuliphallus è caratterizzato soprattutto dalla peculiare struttura dei genitali maschili. La combinazione diagnostica di caratteri di questo sottogenere è: tegumenti di colore nero profondo, corpo e appendici tozzi, epipleure brevemente “incrociate”, mesocoxe con due setole, mesofemori senza setole addizionali, ultimo sterite del maschio semplice; edeago lungo e sottile, con una porzione basale breve che si unisce quasi ad angolo retto con la porzione apicale, che è cilindrica, troncata all’apice e munita di un piccolo ostio preapicale. Non è possibile, allo stato attuale delle conoscenze, situare questo sottogenere vicino a nessuno dei numerosi sottogeneri di Pterostichus noti della Cina.La singola specie qui inclusa, P. (Tubuliphallus) megacephalus n. sp. presenta occhi debolmente ridotti, tempie rigonfie e tarsi inspessiti in visione laterale.Viene infine fornita una breve discussione sui diversi tipi di irregolarità della scultura elitrale nel genere Pterostichus, con varie illustrazioni che mostrano alcuni esempi.Parole chiave: Carabidae, Pterostichus, Orientostichus, Tubuliphallus, Cina, Nuove specie, nuovi sottogeneri.

114 RICCARDO SCIAKY - GIANNI ALLEGRO

Introduction

Continuing our studies on the Chinese Pterostichus we noticed two undescribed species with peculiar char-acters: one of them showed a distinctive catenulate ely-tral sculpture, but in the aedeagal structure was similar to many species from south-east Asia well characterized but until now lacking a definite subgeneric assignment. The other one was, on the other hand, extremely iso-lated within the genus both in the external and the ae-deagal characters. The description of these two species and of the two relative new subgenera are the main aim of this work. Besides that we present a short, introduc-tive study on the irregularities of the elytral striation in the genus Pterostichus.

Acronyms used in this publication are as follow:CAl: Gianni Allegro Collection, Moncalvo (Asti), ItaliaCSc: Riccardo Sciaky Collection, Milano, ItaliaIZAS: Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sci-ences, Beijing, ChinaSCAU: South China Agriculture University, Guang-zhou, ChinaHT: HolotypePT (PTT): Paratype(s)

Orientostichus nov. subg.

The species allied to Pterostichus pratti Bates, 1890 have never been attributed to any definite subgenus. Jedlicka (1962) ranged some of these species as incer-tae sedis within the genus Pterostichus. Even the latest species described, P. gallopavo Sciaky & Wrase, 1997, was deliberately described without a definite subgeneri-cal attribution. We noticed, however, that these species presented a series of joint characters, both in the ex-ternal and in the aedeagal morphology, that separate the group from all the known subgenera and justify the creation of a new subgenus.

DescriptionA subgenus of Pterostichus of medium or large size

(12-26 mm), characterised by black integuments, stout body and appendages. Head smooth, with short fron-tal sulci, eyes large and convex; pronotum transverse, with sides from completely rounded to slightly sinu-ate before hind angles; anterior seta usually single, but exceptionally multiplicated (P. pulcher n. sp.); posterior seta in the angle; hind angles from completely rounded to right. Elytra with complete striation, usually regu-lar but exceptionally “catenulate” (P. pulcher n. sp.) or carinate in the apical half (P. semirugosus (Andrewes,

1947), P. ferreroi Straneo, 1989); epipleurae distinctly “crossed”. One setigerous puncture in interval three in the apical third, exceptionally missing (P. distinctis-simus Jedlicka, 1940); marginal series of pore-punctures continuous, not interrupted in the middle. Legs rather short and stout; onychium glabrous or with few couples of setae underneath; mesocoxae with only two setae, mesofemora with no additional setae. Last sternite of male often with particular formations (carinae, pits, etc.). Aedeagus characterised by very short basal por-tion and by long and twisted apex.

This subgenus includes at present several species from different Chinese regions and other oriental countries: P. pratti Bates, 1890 (Sichuan, Yunnan, Fujian, Gansu, Guizhou), P. curtatus Fairmaire, 1886 (Yunnan), P. simil-limus Fairmaire, 1886 (Yunnan), P. perlutus Jedlicka, 1938 (Sichuan), P. davidi Tschitscherine, 1897 (Yunnan), P. deceptor (Tschitschérine, 1898) (Sichuan), P. gallopavo Sciaky & Wrase, 1997 (Schaanxi) , P. machulkai Jedlicka, 1931 (Sichuan), P. tachongi Jedlicka, 1936 (Gansu), P. distinctissimus Jedlicka, 1940 (Taiwan), P. semirugosus (Andrewes, 1947) (Myanmar), P. ferreroi Straneo, 1989 (Thailand) and P. lesticoides (Straneo, 1939) (“Indo-Chine”). We also know many undescribed species cer-tainly belonging here, that will be described in future.

Type species: Pterostichus pratti Bates, 1890

ComparisonsThe systematic position of this new subgenus is not

easy to assess: in the stout body structure and aedea-gal characters it shows a certain resemblance to the subg. Pseudethira Sciaky, 1997, mainly distributed in the Himalayas although at least a couple of species are found in China.

The affinities of Orientostichus within the genus are not clear. With respect to the superficially similar sub-genus Sinoreophilus Sciaky 1996, which to date includes six species from Sichuan, Qinghai, Shaanxi and Gansu (Sciaky, 1996b; Sciaky & Wrase, 1997), Orientostichus differs in many characters such as the chaetotaxis of mesofemora (Figs. 8-9), the usually glabrous onychi-um, the “crossed” elytral epipleurae and the structure of aedeagus. Moreover, it has not been possible for us to find any clear relationship with other Chinese sub-genera of Pterostichus with “crossed” epipleurae (Mor-phohaptoderus Tschitschérine 1898, Pseudohaptoderus Tschitschérine 1888, Jedlickaia Sciaky 1997, Megabea Sciaky 1997). It has already been pointed out that mor-phological characters that mark phylogenetic history of the subgeneric Pterostichus groups are few, with most

115TWO NEW SUBGENERA AND TWO NEW SPECIES OF PTEROSTICHUS FROM CHINA (COLEOPTERA CARABIDAE)

features being plesiomorphic and widely distributed in the genus or autapomorphic for species or small species groups (Will & Gill, 2008). This is the reason why the reciprocal relationships of many subgenera of Pterosti-chus deserve further investigation.

The species Pterostichus pratti Bates, 1890, which we choose as type-species of the subgenus because it is the earliest described, has a type-series including several specimens from two localities. For this reason we con-sider it useful to fix a Lectotypus. In the collection of the Museum of Paris, there are 8 syntypes of this spe-cies, 5 ex. in the collection of H.W. Bates, and the other 3 ex. in the collection of R. Oberthur. These syntypes are labelled as such:

1 ♂, “Wa-Shan / 6000ft. / A.E. Pratt coll / June 1889”; “Pterostichus / prattii / Bates”; “Ex. Musaeo / H.W.Bates / 1892”; “Lectotypus / Pterostichus / pratti / Bates / Des. Sciaky’ 95” [red label];

1 ♂, “Chia-Ting-Fu / 1000 ft. / A.E. Pratt coll. / July 1889.”; “Ex. Musaeo / H.W.Bates / 1892”; “Syn-type” [red label];

1 ♂ and 2 ♀s, “Wa-Shan / 6000ft. / A.E. Pratt coll / June 1889”; “Ex. Musaeo / H.W.Bates / 1892”; “Syntype” [red label];

1 ♀, “Wa-Shan / 6000ft. / A.E. Pratt coll / June 1889”; “Pterostichus / Prattii / Bates”; “Museum Paris / Coll. R.Oberthur / 1952”; “Syntype” [red label].

1 ♂, 1 ♀, “Wa-Shan / 6000ft. / A.E. Pratt coll / June 1889”; “Museum Paris / Coll. R. Oberthur / 1952”; “Syntype” [red label].

We decided to fix as Lectotype the specimen with determination label by Bates coming from Wa-Shan (type locality mentioned in the literature, close to

Baoxing, in the Sichuan province). The specimen from Chia-Ting-Fu (locality whose modern name is Leshan) can also be regarded as a syntype, because this locality was mentioned in the foreword of the original publica-tion, although not mentioned in the description.

Derivatio nominisThe name of this subgenus alludes to its distribution

in the eastern palearctic region (Oriens) followed by the suffix –stichus, reminding of the generic epithet.

Pterostichus (Orientostichus) pulcher n. sp.

DiagnosisA Pterostichus (Orientostichus) of medium size (15.5-

17.5 mm), characterised by catenulate elytral sculpture, shiny teguments in both sexes, setose onychium and “crossed” epipleurae. In the same area also Pterostichus (Circinatus) bullatus Allegro & Sciaky, 2010 can be found, which shows elytral blistered sculpture but is easily distinguishable by smaller size and by shape of pronotum.

Type-locality: China, S Sichuan, Ebian, Yizhi Yakou, Xi-aoliang Shan-Si He.

Type-series: HT ♂ China, S Sichuan, Ebian, Yizhi Yak-ou, Xiaoliang Shan-Si He, 2800-3100 m, 19.VII.2007, Cavazzuti P.F. leg. (IZAS); PTT 4 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀, topo-typical (CAl, CSc); 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ China, Sichuan prov., Yizi pass btw. Meigu county and Ebian county, mixed forest, 2923 m, N28.67477 E103.05248; 12.VI.2012, in dead log, Shi H. & Liu Y. leg. (IZAS); 99 ♂♂ 97 ♀♀ China, Sichuan prov., Yizi pass btw. Meigu county and Ebian county, mixed forest, 2923 m, N28.67477 E103.05248; 15.VI.2012, by pitfall trap, Shi H. & Liu Y. leg., (IZAS); 9 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ China, Sichuan prov., Ebian county, Heizhugou, 3140 m, 22.VII.2009, Gao L. & Lin W. leg. (SCAU).

Derivatio nominisThe name of this species derives from the latin adjec-

tive “pulcher”, meaning “beautiful, fine”, alluding to the elegant habitus and to the graceful sculpture of elytra.

DescriptionSize mm 14.4-17.5 (from tip of mandibles to elytral

apex). Micropterous. Body and appendages black, an-tennae black, palpi and tarsi brown. Teguments shiny and similar in both sexes, microsculpture delicate and isodiametric on elytra, almost absent on head and pro-notum. Habitus as in Figs. 1-2.

Figs. 1-2 – Habitus of the male HT (1) and of a female PT (2) of Pterostichus pulcher n. sp. Scale bar: 5 mm.


Head large, smooth, narrower than pronotum; eyes markedly convex. Tempora short and obliquous; col-lar constriction absent. Frontal furrows short, apically divergent, sometimes backwards widened.

Pronotum feebly transverse, widest at about 2/3 from base, with sides markedly sinuate before hind an-gles; base as wide as the anterior margin. Fore angles scarcely projecting forward, hind angles right or some-what acute. Lateral gutter narrow all along its develop-ment, not crenate; 3-4 marginal setae on each side in the anterior half and one at the basal angle. Base feebly concave, smooth and impunctate, without distinct mar-gination; two basal impressions, linear and impunctate, the inner long about one third of pronotum, the outer shorter. Index width pronotum/length pronotum = 1.3, index length elytra/length pronotum = 2.6-2.7, index width elytra/width pronotum = 1.2-1.3.

Elytra narrow (index length/width = 1.6) and con-vex, feebly dilated in apical half and with sides feebly rounded; striae smooth, intervals convex, the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th interrupted by large setigerous foveae, con-figuring a catenulate sculpture, with a total of 5-7 setae on each interval. Shoulders rounded, without humeral tooth, the basal margin forming a largely obtuse angle with the lateral one. Juxtascutellar stria short; basal um-bilicate pore absent. Metepisterna short and impunc-tate. Elytral apex regularly rounded in both sexes, with an evident preapical emargination.

Pygidium of male centrally swollen but devoid of carinae.

Legs long and slender, tarsi slender; onychium with 1-2 couples of thin setae underneath. Chaetotaxis of mes-ofemora showing only the two “normal” setae (figs. 3-4).

Aedeagus rather long (about 3 mm) and stout, with ostium displaced on left side, regularly curved from base to apex in lateral view (figs. 5-6). Apical portion longer than the basal one. Apex simple, almost rectilinear in lateral view and with a long and bluntly pointed apical lamella in dorsal view (fig. 7). Armature of endophallus consisting of a poorly sclerotized but echinulate proxi-mal copulatory piece, distally rounded. Right paramere relatively short and stout, rounded at apex (fig. 8). Gonocoxites almost straight and blunt at tip (fig. 9).

AffinitiesThe systematic position of P. pulcher within the sub-

genus Orientostichus is not clear. It is the only species showing two peculiar characters, namely the “catenu-late” sculpture of elytra and the multiple anterior pro-notal setae. These two characters have not been ob-served in any of the other species of the subgenus, but curiosely are similar in another species of Pterostichus

Figs. 3-4 – Chaetotaxis of mesofemora in the subgenus Sinoreophi-lus (3) and in Pterostichus (Orientostichus) pulcher n. sp. (4)

Figs. 5-6 – Aedeagus in left lateral (5), right lateral (6) view of Pter-ostichus pulcher n. sp. Scale bar: 1 mm

collected in the same area: Pterostichus (Circinatus) bul-latus Allegro & Sciaky, 2010. In spite of these two char-acters that are unique within the subgenus, the other characters (chaetotaxy, aedeagus, etc.) agree well with


those of the subgenus, therefore we think this is its cor-rect systematic position.

DistributionP. pulcher n. sp. is known from a few localities in the

counties of Ebian and Meigu, in Southern Sichuan. In the type locality, about 300 Km SSW of Chengdu, at mid distance between Ebian and Meigu it was collected in the area of Yizhi Yakou, in a natural humid forest mainly composed by conifers and a dense bamboo un-derwood, on a mountain top. In this site P. pulcher n. sp. lives in sintopy with P. (Circinatus) bullatus Allegro & Sciaky, 2010 and P. (Circinatus) cavazzutii Allegro & Sciaky, 2010. Curiously, although P. pulcher is not strictly related to these species, it shares with both spe-cies the character of the multisetose margin of prono-tum; moreover, P. bullatus shows sculptured elytra too.

DiscussionSeveral recent contributions (Allegro & Sciaky,

2010; Sciaky 1994a, 1994b, 1995, 1996a, 1996b, 1997; Facchini & Sciaky 2000, 2003; Sciaky & Wrase 1997) have been devoted to the knowledge of Pteros-tichus of the mountains of Sichuan as well as of the

neighbouring Chinese provinces. In spite of these con-tributions, this fauna is still poorly known and rich in endemic species still to be discovered. It is therefore not surprising the recent finding of P. pulcher, a distinctive and elegant new species, in a primary forest where two other Pterostichus species had been already discovered (Allegro & Sciaky, 2010).

As far as the irregular sculpture of elytra is con-cerned, it is interesting to note how this character can appear in different groups with no relationships with each other within the subfamily Pterostichinae and in other subfamilies. Within the genus Pterostichus, this character can be found in many instances in several species belonging to many unrelated subgenera. It is interesting to note that in the related group of Po-ecilini there are no known instances of irregular elytral sculpture.

The main ways the elytral sculpture can vary are two: through a multiplication and/or enlargement of the discal pore-punctures or through a modification of the elytral striae, that can become more irregular in structure or direction. Some of the variations in the ely-tral sculpture known to us are the following (the sub-generic assignment is the one proposed by Bousquet (2003), although we do not always agree with it):- striae uneven, more or less regularly interrupted,

giving the impression of a series of pits: P. (Oreo-philus) cribratus Dejean, 1828 (fig. 10a), P. (Plectes) drescheri (Fischer von Waldheim, 1817) (fig. 10b), P. (Myosodus) lacunosus (Chaudoir, 1844), P. (My-osodus) starcki Heyden, 1855, P. (Myosodus) aibgen-sis Stark, 1890, P. (Myosodus) zamotajlovi Belousov, 1991;

- multiplication and slight enlargement of the elytral foveae on intervals 3, 5, 7: P. (Myosodus) avaricus Abdurachmanov & Kryzhanovskji, 1983 (fig. 10c);

- multiplication and marked enlargement of the ely-tral foveae on intervals 3, 5, 7, that “attract” the adjoining striae, so that the elytra appear regularly catenulate: P. (Myosodus) batesi (Tschitschérine 1894) (fig. 10d) P. (Myosodus) schoenherri Falder-mann, 1836; P. (Orientostichus) pulcher n. sp. (figs. 1-2);

- multiplication and marked enlargement of the ely-tral foveae on all intervals (although more evident in the even ones) becoming confused and coalescent in the apical half of elytra: P. (Circinatus) bullatus Allegro & Sciaky, 2010 (fig. 11a);

- irregular sculpture of all intervals, giving a “ham-mered” aspect: P. (Sinoreophilus) validior Tschitsché-rine, 1888 and P. (Sinoreophilus) scalptus Sciaky and Wrase, 1997 (fig. 11b);

Fig. 7 – Aedeagus in dorsal view of Pterostichus pulcher n. sp. Scale bar: 1 mmFig. 8 – Right paramere of Pterostichus pulcher n. sp. Scale bar: 0.5 mmFig. 9 – Gonocoxite of Pterostichus pulcher n. sp. Scale bar: 0.5 mm


- multiplication of the elytral foveae on striae 2, 4, 6: P. (Calopterus) variolatus (Dejean, 1828), P. (Calop-terus) pilosus (Host, 1789) (fig. 11c);

- multiplication of the elytral foveae on intervals 3, 5: P. (Orsonjohnsonius) johnsoni Ulke, 1889 (fig. 11d), or intervals 3, 5, 7: P. (Oreophilus) impressus (Fair-maire & Laboulbène, 1854) (fig. 12a);

- striae partly distinct, mainly in anterior half, with large umbilicate pore-punctures in intervals 2, 4, 6, 8, posteriorly confluent and indistinct: P. (Met-allophilus) interruptus Dejean, 1828 (fig. 12b), P. (Lenapterus) subrugosus Straneo, 1955 (fig. 12c), P. (Lenapterus) cancellatus (Motschulsky, 1860), P. (Lenapterus) vermiculosus (Ménétriés, 1851), P. (Lenapterus) rugosipennis Jedlicka, 1932 (fig. 12d), P. (Lenapterus) punctatissimus (Randall, 1838) (fig. 13a);

- striae indicated by irregular lines of points, becom-ing confused towards the elytral apex: P. (Petrophi-lus) turanensis Jedlicka, 1954 (fig. 13b);

- points of striae isolate, forming irregular longitu-dinal lines mixed with longitudinal lines of smaller points in the middle of each interval: P. (Metallophi-lus) mirus (Tschitscherine, 1894) (fig. 13c);

- sculpture completely irregular, with no striae dis-cernable: P. (Metallophilus) rugosus (Gebler, 1823) (fig. 13d).

Tubuliphallus nov. subg.

Studying the Pterostichus of the subgenus Circina-tus from China (Allegro & Sciaky, 2010), our attention was attracted by a species which appeared superficially similar in external morphology to those ranged in that subgenus. Anyway, at a deeper analysis it revealed such marked differences in the aedeagal morphology that we were induced to describe for it a new subgenus which remains, at the present status of knowledge, monospe-cific. We consider that the attribution of this new spe-cies to a new subgenus is deserved mainly on account of the peculiar features of the male genitalia, which are very well distinct from the ones of all the other known subgenera.

Type species: Pterostichus megacephalus n. sp.

DiagnosisA subgenus of Pterostichus of medium size, charac-

terized by reduced eyes, stout tarsi and cylindrical shape of the median lobe of aedeagus.

Derivatio nominisThe name of this subgenus derives from the com-

pound Latin adjective “tubuliphallus”, meaning “with a tubular penis”, alluding to the peculiar shape of ae-deagus.

DescriptionThis subgenus includes at present a single species of

medium size (P. megacephalus n. sp.) with peculiar charac-ters within Pterostichus. In particular, the median lobe of aedeagus long and slender, with a short prebasal portion joining at almost right angle the apical portion, which is cylindrical and apically truncate; ostium very small and in pre-apical dorsal position (figs. 16-18); the api-cal lamella is very small. The armature of endophallus is poorly sclerotized and provided with an apical lamellar piece, markedly projecting from the small ostium. The right paramere is rather short and bent at an obtuse angle.

The external diagnostic combination of this sub-

Fig. 10 – Habitus of Pterostichus species showing different elytral sculpture: a. P. (Oreophilus) cribratus; b. P. (Plectes) drescheri; c. P. (Myosodus) avaricus; d. P. (Myosodus) batesi.


genus is: integuments deep black, body and append-ages stout, epipleurae very shortly “crossed”, mesocoxae with only two setae, mesofemora with no additional setae, last sternite of male simple. Other relevant char-acters are the reduced eyes, the tumid tempora and the short and very thick tarsi (in lateral view).

ComparisonsThe systematic position of this new subgenus is rather

uncertain. The shape of pronotum could remind that of subgenus Circinatus, but all the other characters, mainly the aedeagal ones, are different. The external morphol-ogy of P. megacephalus n. sp. is somewhat similar to Pter-ostichus (? subgenus) reuteri Wrase & Schmidt (2006), which shares some features like the habitus, the large head, the reduced eyes, the short antennae, the shifted angular seta of pronotum, the epipleura not ‘crossed’, but is completely different in the shape of aedeagus and right paramere. In any case, the cylindrical shape of the

Fig. 11 – Habitus of Pterostichus species showing different elytral sculpture: a. P. (Circinatus) bullatus; b. P. (Sinoreophilus) scalptus; c. P. (Calopterus) pilosus; d. P. (Orsonjohnsonius) johnsoni.

Fig. 12 – Habitus of Pterostichus species showing different elytral sculpture: a. P. (Oreophilus) impressus; b. P. (Metallophilus) interrup-tus; c. P. (Lenapterus) subrugosus; d. P. (Lenapterus) rugosipennis.

median lobe of aedeagus is unique inside Pterostichus and makes difficult to hypotesize any reliable relationship.

Pterostichus (Tubuliphallus) megacephalus n. sp.

DiagnosisA Pterostichus (Tubuliphallus) of medium size (14.9-

15.2 mm), completely black in colour. very peculiar in the tubular shape of the aedeagus, apically truncate and provided with a very small ostium.

Type-locality: China, C Sichuan, Xiling Snow Mts.Type-series: HT ♂ China, C Sichuan, Xiling Snow Mts., 2100-3100 m, 1-3.VIII.1996 (CSc); PT 1 ♀, topotypical (CAl).

Derivatio nominisThe name of this species derives from the com-


pound Greek adjective “megacephalus”, meaning “with a large head”.

DescriptionSize mm 14.9-15.2; body black, legs, palpi and an-

tennae brown. Habitus as in figs. 14-15.Head large, elongate, smooth, much narrower than

pronotum; eyes strongly reduced and feebly convex. Tempora very long, convex and obliquous, 1.5 times longer than eyes; collar constriction absent. Antennae relatively short and fine, last antennomere hardly reach-ing the basal border of pronotum, setose from anten-nomere 4.

Pronotum long, hardly transverse, constricted in the basal half. Sides sharply sinuate before hind angles. Fore angles slightly projecting forward, hind angles almost right and blunt. Lateral gutter narrow but posteriorly explanate and vanishing; one marginal seta on each side in the anterior half; posterior seta decisely shifted forwards respect to basal angle. Base weakly concave, smooth with sparse and very delicate punctures be-tween the internal basal impressions which are long and linear. Index width pronotum/length pronotum =

Figs. 14-15 – Habitus of the male HT (14) and of the female PT (15) of Pterostichus megacephalus n. sp. Scale bar: 5 mm.

Figs 16-17 – Aedeagus in left lateral (16), right lateral (17) view of Pterostichus megacephalus n. sp. Scale bar: 1 mm

Fig. 13 – Habitus of Pterostichus species showing different elytral sculpture: a. P. (Lenapterus) punctatissimus; b. P. (Petrophilus) turan-ensis; c. P. (Metallophilus) mirus; d. P. (Metallophilus) rugosus.


Fig. 18 – Aedeagus in dorsal view of Pterostichus megacephalus n. sp. Scale bar: 1 mmFig. 19 – Right paramere of Pterostichus megacephalus n. sp. Scale bar: 0.5 mmFig. 20 – Gonocoxite of Pterostichus megacephalus n. sp. Scale bar: 0.5 mm

1.07, index length elytra/length pronotum = 1.87, in-dex width elytra/width pronotum = 1.20.

Elytra narrow (index length/width = 1.46) and convex, weakly dilated in apical half; striae deep and strongly punctate; intervals convex. Third interval with two setigerous punctures adjoining stria 2, the ante-rior just behind middle, the posterior at 3/4 of elytral length. Shoulders rounded, without humeral tooth, the basal margin forming a largely obtuse angle with the lateral one. Iuxtascutellar stria short. A pore is present at base of 2nd stria. Epipleurae preapically not visibly ‘crossed’. Umbilicate series composed by 7+1+9 seti-gerous punctures. Metepisterna short, about as wide as long, and smooth.

Legs slender, tarsi short and very thick in lateral view; onychium without setae underneath. Mesocoxae with 2 setae only.

Aedeagus long and slender, with prebasal portion joining at almost right angle the median lobe, which is cylindrical and apically truncate; ostium very small and in pre-apical dorsal position (figs. 16-17). Apex simple, rectilinear in lateral view, slightly bent to the right in dorsal view (fig. 18), with very small apical lamella. Ar-mature of endophallus poorly sclerotized and provided with an apical lamellar piece, markedly projecting from ostium. Right paramere relatively short and angulate in the distal part (fig. 19). Gonocoxites slender and acuminate at tip (fig. 20).

AffinitiesThis species looks rather isolated within the genus

Pterostichus, mainly on account of the peculiar shape of aedeagus and of the endophallus.

DistributionP. megacephalus is only known from the type locality,

in Central Sichuan, where it was collected in syntopy with Pterostichus (Circinatus) beneshi Sciaky, 1996 and Pterostichus (Circinatus) xilingensis Allegro & Sciaky, 2010.

DiscussionIn spite of a few recent contributions (Allegro &

Sciaky 2010; Sciaky 1994a, 1994b, 1995, 1996a, 1996b, 1997; Facchini & Sciaky 2000, 2003; Sciaky & Wrase 1997 Shietal, 2013), the Pterostichus fauna of the mountains of Sichuan, as well as of the neighbour-ing Chinese provinces, is poorly known and probably rich in endemic species still to be discovered. In this context, the phylogenetic relations among the different subgenera appear hardly definable. The peculiar mor-phology of aedeagus put the subgenus Tubuliphallus in

a quite isolate position and stimulates further investiga-tions on the Asiatic Pterostichus complex.

Acknowledgements

The Authors are very grateful to Pierfranco Cavaz-zuti (Pagno – Cuneo) for the kind gift of interesting material collected by him and for the important infor-mations about the collecting circumstances. Further-more they recognize the invaluable systematic observa-tions provided by Dr. Hongliang Shi (Beijing), great specialist of Carabidae Pterostichinae, during long and friendly discussions and mail exchanges.

References

ALLEGRO G., SCIAKY R., 2010 - Review of the Chinese subgenus Circinatus of Pterostichus, with de-scription of six new species (Coleoptera Carabidae). Bollettino del Museo civico di Storia naturale di Ve-rona, Botanica Zoologia, 34: 3-18.


BOUSQUET Y., 2003 – Pterostichini, in Löbl I. & Smetana A. (eds.): Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera. Volume 1. Archostemata - Myxophaga - Adephaga. Apollo Books. 819 pp.

FACCHINI S., SCIAKY R., 2000 - Revision of Pterostichus Bonelli, 1810 subg. Pseudohaptoderus Tschitscherine, 1888 and description of new taxa (Co-leoptera: Carabidae, Pterostichinae). Koleopterologis-che Rundschau, 70: 1-10.

FACCHINI S., SCIAKY R., 2003 – Five new spe-cies of Pterostichinae from Hubei (China) (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Koleopterologische Rundschau, 73: 7-17.

JEDLICKA A., 1962 - Monographie des Tribus Pterostichini aus Ostasien (Pterostichi, Trigonotomi, Myadi) (Coleoptera, Carabidae). - Abhandl. u. Berichte Staatl. Mus. f. Tierk., Dresden, 26: 177-346.

SCIAKY R., 1994a – Revision of Pterostichus subg. Morphohaptoderus Tschitscherine, 1898 with descrip-tion of ten new species from China (Coleoptera: Car-abidae). Koleopterologische Rundschau, 64: 1-19.

SCIAKY R., 1994b - Sinosteropus new subgenus and three new species of Pterostichus from China (Co-leoptera Carabidae). Natura Bresciana, 29 (1993): 193-201.

SCIAKY R., 1995 - Pterostichus (Anomostichus) ano-mostriatus, new subgenus and new species from China (Coleoptera, Carabidae). Entomologica Basiliensia, 18: 61-64.

SCIAKY R., 1996a - Circinatus new subgenus and three new species of Pterostichus from China (Coleop-tera, Carabidae). “Natura Bresciana” Ann. Mus. Civ. Sc. Nat. , Brescia, 20 (1994): 217-231.

SCIAKY R., 1996b – New taxa and new synonyms

among Pterostichinae from Asia (Coleoptera, Carabi-dae). Entomofauna, 17 (29): 429-440.

SCIAKY R., 1997 - New subgenera and new species of Pterostichini from China (Coleoptera, Carabidae). Boll. Mus. civ. St. nat. Venezia, 47 (1996): 153-176.

SCIAKY R., WRASE D.W., 1997 - Twenty-nine new taxa of Pterostichinae from Shaanxi (Coleoptera, Carabidae). Linzer biol. Beitr., 29 (2): 1087-1139.

SHI H., SCIAKY R., LIANGH H., ZHOU H., 2013 - A new subgenus Wraseiellus of the genus Pter-ostichus Bonelli (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Pterostichini) and new species descriptions. Zootaxa, 3664 (2): 104-135

Will K.W., Gill A.S., 2008 – Phylogeny and clas-sification of Hypherpes Auctorum (Coleoptera: Car-abidae: Pterostichini: Pterostichus). Annals of Carnegie Museum, 77 (1): 93-127.

WRASE D.W., SCHMIDT J., 2006 – Descrip-tion of a new subgenus and five new species of the ge-nus Pterostichus Bonelli, 1810 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Pterostichini) from northern Myanmar and Yunnan. Veröffentlichungen Naturkundemuseum Erfurt, 25: 203-215.

Indirizzo degli autori:

Riccardo Sciaky - Via Fiamma 13, 20129 Milanoemail: [email protected]

Gianni Allegro - CRA-PLF Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura-Unità di Ricerca per le Produzioni Legnose Fuori Foresta, 15033 - Casa-le Monferrato, AL. email: [email protected]

Figs. 1-2. Habitus of the male HT (1) and of the female PT (2) of Pterostichus pulcher n. sp. Scale bar: 5 mm.

14 15 Figs. 14-15. Habitus of the male HT (14) and of the female PT (15) of Pterostichus megacephalus n. sp. Scale bar: 5 mm.

b a

c d

Fig. 10 – Habitus of Pterostichus species showing different elytral sculpture: a. P. (Oreophilus) cribratus; b. P. (Plectes) drescheri; c. P. (Myosodus) avaricus; d. P. (Myosodus) batesi.

b a

c d Fig. 11 – Habitus of Pterostichus species showing different elytral sculpture: a. P. (Circinatus) bullatus; b. P. (Sinoreophilus) scalptus; c. P. (Calopterus) pilosus; d. P. (Orsonjohnsonius) johnsoni.

b a Fig. 12 – Habitus of Pterostichus species showing different elytral sculpture: a. P. (Oreophilus) impressus; b. P. (Metallophilus) interruptus; c. P. (Lenapterus) subrugosus; d. P. (Lenapterus) rugosipennis.

c d

b a

c d Fig. 13 – Habitus of Pterostichus species showing different elytral sculpture: a. P. (Lenapterus) punctatissimus; b. P. (Petrophilus) turanensis; c. P. (Metallophilus) mirus; d. P. (Metallophilus) rugosus.

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