Stomis exilis ssp. pauli ssp. nov.

https://zoobank.org/e873ccd5-d763-43e2-8933-60ac0ae9d838

Diagnosis. A Stomis of medium length (9.2–11.5 mm), black with evident bronze or green hue on head, pronotum and elytra, with head narrow, but with eyes rather convex; pronotum with maximum width at the level of anterior third, margins almost rectilinearly constricted towards hind angles; elytra without shoulder denticle, markedly elongate and moderately flat on disc, with striae rather shallow; median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view narrow and very elongate, with inferior margin sinuate; in dorsal view with apical lamella thicker than in the two other subspecies.

Description. Habitus as in Fig. 9. Length 9.2–11.5 mm; body black with bronze or green hue on elytra; antennae, tibiae and tarsi dark reddish-brown, femora black; mandibles dark reddish-brown, other buccal parts reddish-brown; head smooth, with evident but feeble ocular convexity; mandibles very long, longer than rest of the head, the right one without notch; eyes rather small, not protruding from ocular convexity. Pronotum narrow, longer than wide, widest at the anterior fourth; lateral margins rectilinearly constricted towards base, only with a hint of sinuation just before base; anterior margin feebly advanced at middle; anterior angles scarcely distinct; base rectilinear at middle, advanced forward at sides; all basal surface with scattered punctuation; basal foveae rather narrow, starting from the basal angles, longer than one third of the pronotal length; basal angles almost completely rounded, scarcely distinguishable; basal seta not in the basal angle but moved forward; lateral gutter narrow all along its length. Elytra elongate oval, rather convex, widest almost at middle, with evident humeral tooth; striae feebly but evidently punctate, well distinct until apex, although more superficial in the apical fourth; intervals very slightly convex, humeri very rounded in shape; lateral gutter well marked and rather wide, mainly in anterior and posterior fourth. Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view narrow and very elongate, with inferior margin sinuate; in dorsal view with apical lamella thicker than in the two other subspecies (Fig. 36). Ratios: El/Pl = 2.17; Ew/Pw = 1.35; El/Ew = 1.61.

Type-locality: W Henan, Quanbaoshan, Xiong’er Shan, 34° 07’ N 111° 25’ E, 1800–2000 m.

Type-series. Holotype: W Henan, Quanbaoshan, Xiong’er Shan, 34° 07’ N 111° 25’ E, 1800–2000 m, 24.V– 16.VI.2010, Jaroslav Turna leg. (CM) . Paratypes: W Henan, Quanbaoshan, Xiong’er Shan, 34° 07’ N 111° 25’ E, 1800–2000 m, 24. V –16. VI.2010, Jaroslav Turna leg.: 4 ♂ (CM); W Henan, Funiu Shan, Baotianman, 33° 31’ N 111° 56’ E, 1500–1750 m, 10. V –6.VII.2006, Jaroslav Turna leg.: 2 ♀ (CM) ; W Henan, Funiu Shan, Baotianman, 33° 31’ N 111° 56’ E, 1500–1750 m, 15. V –5. VI.2009, Jaroslav Turna leg.: 1 ♀ (CM) ; W Henan, Funiu Shan, Shirenshan, 33° 42’ N 112° 15’ E, 2000 m, 9. V –9.VII.2006, Jaroslav Turna leg.: 2 ♀ (CM) ; W Henan, Shenlingzhai, Xiong’er Shan, 34° 17’ N 111° 43’ E, 1500–1750 m, 25. V –17. VI.2010, Jaroslav Turna leg.: 2 ♀ (CM).

Etymology. This specific epithet is from the Latinized first name of my friend Paolo Magrini, an excellent specialist of endogeous coleopterological fauna.

Distribution. Known from few localities in western Henan; until now it is the easternmost species of Stomis known from continental China.