Harpalus rufipes

Kataev, Boris M. & Liang, Hongbin, 2015, Taxonomic review of Chinese species of ground beetles of the subgenus Pseudoophonus (genus Harpalus) (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Zootaxa 3920 (1), pp. 1-39 : 6-8

The rufipes species group

Holosus Fisher von Waldheim, 1829: 21 [nomen oblitum (see Bousquet 2002: 176)]. Type species: Carabus ruficornis Fabricius, 1775 (= Carabus rufipes DeGeer, 1774 ), designated by Bousquet (2002: 176).

Pseudoophonus Motschulsky, 1844 : table between pp. 196 and 197. Type species: Carabus ruficornis Fabricius, 1775 (= Harpalus rufipes DeGeer, 1774 ), designated by Motschulsky (1864: 208).

Erpeinus Motschulsky, 1844: 197 . Type species: Harpalus pastor Motschulsky, 1844 , designated by Noonan (1976: 36).

Empeirus Motschulsky, 1844 : XI (nomen novum pro Erpeinus Motschulsky, 1844 ). Type species: Harpalus pastor Motschulsky, 1844 , designated (pro Erpeinus ) by Noonan (1976: 36).

Pseudophonus Motschulsky : Ménétriés, 1848: 37 (unjustified emendation).

Migadophonus Tschitschérine, 1897: 47 . (as a subgenus of Ophonus Dejean, 1821 ). Type species: Ophonus aenigma Tschitschérine 1897 , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Pronotal basal margin bordered (sometimes border interrupted or indistinct medially or laterally). Elytral intervals 1, 3, 5 and 7 without row of discal pores, but in some species one discal pore occasionally present on interval 3. Protibia with two (rarely three) ventroapical spines arranged in a transverse row. Tarsomere 5 without spines ventrally, only with thin setae and hairs (as in Fig. 9).

Composition and distribution. This species group comprises the majority of the species (26 Palaearctic and Oriental, and 12 Nearctic species) of the subgenus; 21 species are known from China. Based on the morphological characteristics, the Palaearctic species can tentatively be divided into five subgroups.

The rufipes subgroup comprises seven species known from China: Harpalus eous Tschitschérine ; H. griseus (Panzer) ; H. jureceki (Jedlička) ; H. roninus Bates ; H. ussuriensis Chaudoir ; H. rufipes (DeGeer) ; H. aenigma (Tschitschérine,); and one species distributed in Japan: H. pseudophonoides Schauberger. These species are characterized by the elytra densely pubescent throughout and the apical spur of protibia not dentate at margins.

The pastor subgroup includes four species, all known from China: H. fokienensis Schauberger ; H. pastor Motschulsky ; H. simplicidens Schauberger ; and H. coreanus (Tschitschérine) , which are characterized by the elytra pubescent at most on lateral intervals, the pronotum with basal angles sharp at apex, often denticulate, and the apical spur of protibia not dentate at margins.

The tridens subgroup includes only two species, both distributed in China: H. tridens Morawitz and H. suensoni Kataev , which are characterized by the elytra pubescent at most on lateral intervals, the pronotum with basal angles sharp at apex, often denticulate, and the apical spur of protibia markedly dentate at margins.

The sinicus subgroup comprises seven species known from China: H. sinicus Hope ; H. pseudohauserianus Kataev ; H. davidi (Tschitschérine) ; H. sericatus (Tschitschérine) ; H. babai Habu ; H. indicus Bates ; H. hauserianus Schauberger ; and two species distributed in India and Pakistan: H. meridianus Andrewes and H. meghalayensis Kataev. These species are characterized by the elytra pubescent at most on lateral intervals, the pronotum with basal angles more or less widely rounded at apex, and the apical spur of protibia not or markedly dentate at margins.

The singularis subgroup, with one Chinese species, H. singularis Tschitschérine , and two Japanese species: H. azumai Habu and H. aogashimensis (Habu) . These three species are recognizable by having the elytra pubescent at most on lateral intervals, the peculiar shape of pronotum with distinct obtuse basal angles, blunt at apex, the apical spur of protibia not dentate at margins, and the peculiar armature of the internal sac of aedeagus with two large spines.