Chydaeus andrewesi kumei Ito, 1992

Kataev, Boris M., Liang, Hongbin & Kavanaugh, David H., 2012, Contribution to knowledge of the genus Chydaeus in Xizang Autonomous Region [Tibet] and Yunnan Province, China (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Harpalini), ZooKeys 171, pp. 39-92 : 67-69

Chydaeus andrewesi kumei Ito, 1992 stat. n. Figs 47-50 60 74

Chydaeus kumei Ito, 1992: 52

? Chydaeus (Chydaeus) guangxiensis Ito, 2006: 198

Material examined.

A total of 35 specimens (25 males and 10 females, including 1 male in IOZ and 24 males and 10 females in cFED, cSCH, cWR, and ZIN) were examined from the following localities: China. Yunnan Province. Jinping County: 1 male, Fenshuiling, Leidazhan, roadside, 22°51'41.0"N, 103°13'40.5"E, 2060 m, 17.XII.2003, H.B. Liang leg. (IOZ). Vietnam. Lao Cai Province: 2 males, 2 females, 6 km W of Sa Pa, N slope of Phansipan Mt. Area, 2000-2100 m, near Tram don (base of Hoang Lien Nature Park), 22°21'N, 103°46'E, V.2005, A.V. Abramov leg. (Exp. of Russia-Vietnam Tropical Centre) (ZIN); 1 female, same data, but 1930-2000 m, V.2010, A.V. Abramov leg. (ZIN); 18 males, 6 females, 6 km W of Sa Pa, northern slope of Phansipan Mt. area, May 2008, A.V. Abramov leg. (Exp. of Russia-Vietnam Tropical Centre) (cSCH, cWR, ZIN); 4 males, 1 female, Sa Pa env., ca 1600 m, V.2006, A. Anitchkin leg. (cFED).

Distribution.

Fig. 60 . Previously, this taxon was known only from the single male collected in Sa Pa, northern Vietnam. Based on the new records presented here, this species occurs not only in the mountains of northern Vietnam, but also in southern Yunnan Province (China) adjacent to the Vietnamese border.

Habitat.

Specimens were collected in roadside and road cut open areas and other disturbed areas adjacent to moderately disturbed forest ( Fig. 74 ), hidden under stones and other debris during daylight hours.

Remarks.

Based on Ito’s original description, Kataev and Schmidt (2006) treated Chydaeus kumei as a distinct species of the obscurus group, closely related to Chydaeus andrewesi as characterized by Ito (1992). Examination of specimens of Chydaeus kumei revealed that this taxon possesses all the distinctive features of Chydaeus andrewesi listed by Kataev and Schmidt (2006), including the elongate metepisterna (in both taxa, their length along inner margin is much greater than the width along the anterior margin). Moreover, the structure of the aedeagus in Chydaeus kumei males ( Figs 47-50 ) is virtually identical to that in Chydaeus andrewesi males and, in our opinion, Chydaeus kumei should be treated as a subspecies of Chydaeus andrewesi . The vicariant distributions of these taxa in Yunnan also supports the subspecific status of Chydaeus kumei .

The main distinctive characters of adults of Chydaeus andrewesi kumei are: pronotum markedly narrowed basad, distinctly depressed and comparatively coarsely punctate laterobasally; pronotal basal angles each with a denticulate apex protruded laterad; elytral disc in males with very fine, more or less markedly effaced microsculpture comprised of thin, transverse meshes; proepisterna distinctly punctate anteriorly; and base of the terminal lamella of the median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 47 ) slightly wider than that of other subspecies. We add the following mensural features to Ito’s description: Size: Body length 8.6-10.2 mm, width 3.8-4.5 mm. Proportions: HWmax/PWmax = 0.71-0.74; HWmin/PWmax = 0.59-0.63; PWmax/PL = 1.41-1.48; PWmax/ PWmin = 1.26-1.40; EL/EW = 1.38-1.43, EL/PL = 2.39-2.59 (2.39-2.51 in male and 2.42-2.59 in female), W/PWmax = 1.19-1.29.

Specimens of Chydaeus andrewesi kumei are very similar to those of Chydaeus andrewesi szetschuanus from Sichuan in morphological features, particularly in the shape of the pronotum (with denticulate basal angles), the punctate proepisterna, and the relatively wide elytra; but they differ from the latter mainly in having finer and sparser punctation on the apical half of the pronotum (pronotum densely and coarsely punctate anteriorly in Chydaeus andrewesi szetschuanus specimens).

Chydaeus guangxiensis Ito, 2006 was described from one male from Guangxi ("Below Tienshan Ping, Mt. Miao'er, Xing'an Xian"). We examined two females from the same mountain [one labeled: "Guangxi, Mt. Miao’er, 2000m, 1985.VIII.1, Song Shimei leg. (IOZ); for the other, see Kataev and Schmidt (2006: 145)], that matched the original description of Chydaeus guangxiensis very well. Judging from Ito's original drawings (2006: Fig. 4), the aedeagus of Chydaeus guangxien sis males is identical to that of Chydaeus andrewesi males. The pronotum of Chydaeus guangxien sis adults is smooth or finely punctate anteriorly, as in Chydaeus andrewesi kumei adults, but the denticle at each basal pronotal angle is only slightly evident or absent, as in Chydaeus andrewesi andrewesi specimens. Further study, based on additional specimens, is necessary to determine the taxonomic status of Chydaeus guangxien sis; but it is very likely that this taxon is either consubspecific with Chydaeus andrewesi kumei or, at most, another subspecies of Chydaeus andrewesi .

Figures

Figure 74. Digital photograph of landscape at Fenshuiling, Jinping County, Yunnan Province, China, ca. 2060 m; locality for Chydaeus andrewsi kumei Ito.

Figures 47 - 50. Chydaeus andrewesi kumei Ito (Vietnam, Sa Pa area) 47 Terminal lamella of median lobe, dorsal view 48 Median lobe, left lateral view 49 Median lobe, dorsal view. 50 Median lobe, right lateral view. Scale lines: A = 0.5 mm (Fig. 47), B = 1.0 mm (Figs 48 - 50).

Figures 60 - 61. Toporelief map of southeastern Asia, illustrating localities for Chydaeus species 60 Chydaeus andrewsi Schauberger: Chydaeus andrewsi andrewsi Schauberger = red dots and Chydaeus andrewsi kumei Ito = green squares 61 Chydaeus salvazae Schauberger = red dots. Only new records reported here are shown. Scale bar = 300 km (in 100 km increments).