Harpalus (Pseudoophonus) singularis Tschitschérine, 1906

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 : 32-33

Harpalus (Pseudoophonus) singularis Tschitschérine, 1906

( Figs 82–83 )

Harpalus (Ophonus) tridens var. singularis Tschitschérine, 1906: 250 . Type locality: "vallee du Ja-ho", Sichuan, China. Harpalus (Pardileus) szetschuanus Schauberger, 1930: 173 . Type locality: "Kwanshien", Sichuan, China. Harpalus chengjiangensis Huang, 1993: 451 , 454, syn. n. Type locality: Chengjiang, Beibei (29°51'N 106°27'E), 260 m,

Chongqing, China.

Type material. Lectotype of H. tridens var. singularis Tschit. [designated by Kataev (1997: 134)]: ♂, labeled " tridens var. singularis m., Typ, Tschitscherin det.", "Val. Ya R., 29.III.–5.IV.93, Potanin" [in Cyrillic] ( ZIN).

Additional material examined [in addition to the specimens listed by Kataev (1997)]. China. SICHUAN: 1 ♂, "Beipei near Chungking, 1956", Hwang Tien-yun leg. ( ZIN); 1 ♀, S of Ying-kuan-chiai, 14.VII.1929, H. Stevens leg. ( FMNH). HUNAN: 2 f, Baojing Co., 300 m, 1.VIII.1987, Liao Subai leg. ( IOZ); 1 ♂, Jianghua Co., VI.1978, Peng Jianwen & Yin Shicai leg. ( IOZ); ZHEJIANG: 1 ♂, Xian Ju Forest Station, 1977, Gao Zhaowei leg. ( IOZ); 1 ♂, "Mokan Shan, 20.VI.1936, O. Piel leg." ( IOZ). GUIZHOU: 1 ♀, "Kouy-Tcheou [= Guizhou], Abbe Largeteau" ( MNHN); 3 ♂, 1 ♀, "Kouy-Tcheou [=Guizhou], Reg. de Pin-Fa, Pere Cavalerie, 1910" ( MNHN); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Xishui County, Dabaitang, 550 m, 24.IX.2000, Liang H.B., IOZ & Guizhou Univ. Joint. Expedition ( IOZ); 1 ♀, Guiyang, Huaxi, 15.IV.2007, Y. Liu leg. ( IOZ). GUANGXI: 3 ♂, 1 ♀, Jinxiu, 200 m, 15.V.1999, Zhang Xuezhong leg. ( IOZ); 1 ♂,1 ♀, Jinxiu, 15.X,1981 ( IOZ); 3 ♂, Jinxiu, 900 m, 16.V.1999, Gao Mingyuan & Li Wenzhu leg. ( IOZ). FUJIAN: 1 ♀, W Fujian, ca 2 km SE Xinqiao, 27.05°N 117.1°E, 10.V.2005, J. Turna leg. (cWR); 1 ♂, 2 ♀, W Fujian, Taining E env., pitfall traps, 26°9'N 117°15'E, 9–28.V.2005, J. Turna leg. (cZRS, ZIN); 2 ♂, 3 ♀, Sangang / light trap, 1982. IX.20, Liao Subai leg. [in Chinese ], " Harpalus chengjiangensis Huang , 1993.6.23, det. Huang Tongling" ( IOZ); 1 ♀, Sangang, 740m, 17.IX.1982, Liao Subai [in Chinese ] ( IOZ) [det. as H. chengjiangensis by Huang Tongling]; 1 ♂, Sangang, 740m, 18.IX.1982, Liao Subai [in Chinese ] ( IOZ) [det. as H. chengjiangensis by Huang Tongling]; 1 ♀, Sangang (Wuyishan), 20.IX.1982, Liao Subai leg. ( IOZ); 5 ♂, Sangang, 16.IX.1982, Liao Subai leg. ( IOZ); 1 ♂, Sangang, 28.IX.1979, Xu Jianfei leg. ( IOZ); 1 ♀, Wuyishan, 740 m, 16.IX.1982, Zhao Angang leg. ( IOZ); 1 ♂, Sanming Co., 17.X.1981, no collector ( IOZ). TAIWAN: 1 ♂, Taipei county, Neitong Forest Recreation Area, 6 km S Wulai, swept from vegetation, 7.IV.2002, Gy. Fábián & O. Merkl leg. ( TMB); 2 ♂, 3 ♀, Taipei county, Haeng-Lu Dyi, around lights, 2–21.IV.2002, Gy. Fábián & O. Merkl leg. ( TMB); 1 ♂, Ilan county, Fu-Shan Botanical Garden, 700 m, at light, 25–27.IX.2000, L. Papp, L. Peregovits & L. Ronkay leg. ( TMB); 1 ♀, Taipei Co., Beitou (NW Taipei City), "Yangmingshan cemetetery", 300 m, decaying trunc of Pinus, 22.X.2007, S. Vit leg. (cWR). Vietnam. 1 ♂, W Binly, 1200 m, 28.V.1963, Kabakov leg. (cAK); 1 ♂, N Vietnam, Lang Son Prov., Huu Lien, IV.2010, Spiridonov leg. ( ZIN); 1 ♂, Lao Cai Prov., near Cat Cat Vill., 2.5 km SW of Sa Pa, 22°19'37"N 103°49'21"E, 1400–1450 m, V.2010, A.V. Abramov leg. ( ZIN); 1 ♀, Hoang Lien Son Prov., Sa Pa, 11–15.V.1990, V. Kubaň leg. ( NHMB); 1 ♂, " Tonkin sept., frontiere de Chine, ha-Giang, A. Weiss, 1901" ( MNHN); 1 ♀, Tonkin, Vinhphu Prov., Tamdao, 2–11.VI.1985, Kuban leg. ( NHMB). Laos. 1 ♀, NE Laos, Pr. Hua Phan Ban Saleui, Phou Pan (Mt.). ca 20°12'N 104°01'E, 1300–1900 m, 11.IV.–15.V.2012, C. Holzschuh leg. ( NME); 1 ♂, same as preceding, but 1–31.V.2011, local collector ( NME).

Diagnosis. This species is somewhat similar to H. indicus and H. hauserianus in having elytra with only two lateral intervals punctate and with microsculpture on disc in baso-medial portion consisting of narrow transverse meshes, but distinctly differs from two these species in having more prominent humeral denticle, visible dorsally, and in shape of pronotum with rather deep lateral depressions, separated from somewhat deep and narrow basal foveae by convex areas. Besides, one or two lateral intervals of elytra are very finely pubescent. Metafemur has three setigerous pores along posterior margin. The median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 82–83 ) has two separate spines in the internal sac. Body length 9.2–11.2 mm.

Distribution. China: mainly in the central and southern parts. In China, the species was previously known from Zhejiang, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and Fujian ( Kataev et al. 2003; Liang & Liu 2007). We examined additionally specimens from Taiwan. The records by Hua (2002) from Heilongjiang, Jilin, Nei Mongol, Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Anhui, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Hunan and Xizang seem to be based on misidentifications.

The species is also distributed in Vietnam ( Kataev 1997) and Laos. The species is reported from Laos and the Chinese province Taiwan for the first time.

Remarks. As stated by Kataev (1997), H. singularis is very similar and apparently closely related to two allopatric Japanese species: H. azumai Habu from Ryukyu Islands and H. aogashimensis (Habu) from Aogashima Island. All three species seem to form a monophyletic subgroup based on unique combination of characters: shape of pronotum with distinct obtuse basal angles, blunt at apex, microsculpture on elytral disc in baso-medial portion consisting of clearly transverse meshes, presence of three (rarely four) setigerous pores along posterior margin of metafemur and aedeagus with two large spines in internal sac. Harpalus azumai is distinguished from H. singularis by elytra punctate on all intervals and pronotum with flatter latero-basal areas (its median lobe is illustrated in Figs. 84–85 ). Harpalus aogashimensis , which is known to us only from Habu’s descriptions ( Habu 1957, 1968, 1973), is recognizable by pronotum with impunctate baso-medial area; like H. singularis , its elytra are impunctate on disc. The records of H. aogashimensis from China (Guangdong and Sichuan) ( Hua 2002) are surely based on misidentification.

Harpalus chengjiangensis was described from two specimens (male and female) collected in Chengjiang, Beibei, Chongqing, China. According to the original description ( Huang 1993), this species is "close to H. babai , but differs in dorsal surface of head glabrous, interval 7 without additional pores, hind femur with 3 setae near hind margin, sternite 5 glabrous". We had no opportunity to study the type specimens, but several males and females examined by us from Fujian (see material above), which were determined by Huang Tongling as H. chengjiangensis , belong to H. singularis . Because all the distinctive characters mentioned in the original description of H. chengjiangensis fit those of H. singularis , we treat the former name as a junior synonym of the latter.

Figures

FIGURES 82 – 85. Harpalus, median lobe of aedeagus. 82 – 83, H. singularis (Sichuan, lectotype); 84 – 85, H. azumai (Shima Island). 82, 84, view from the left side; 83, 85, dorsal view. Scale = 1.0 mm.