Dolichina Brullé, 1834

Zhu, Pingzhou, Shi, Hongliang, Liu, Shengdong & Liang, Hongbin, 2024, A new genus and a new species of Sphodrini (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Changbai Mountain, China, with notes on the tribe, Zootaxa 5519 (1), pp. 90-102 : 91-93

Subtribe Dolichina Brullé, 1834

Dolichina Brullé, 1834: 295 . Type genus: Dolichus Bonelli, 1810

Diagnosis. Adults of this subtribe can be recognized by combination of the following characters: (1) stridulatory organ absent on base of head; (2) lateral bead of prosternal process absent in most species; (3) claws pectinate; (4) aedeagus left side up in repose; (5) right paramere of aedeagus styloid; and (6) gonocoxite II with sensory pit absent or represented by a very small depression.

Based on the pectinate claws and styloid right paramere, Dolichina may be most similar to subtribe Calathina , but can be distinguished from the latter by the markedly reduced sensory pit of gonocoxite II. Whereas, Dolichina shares the markedly reduced sensory pit of gonocoxite II with the subtribe Synuchina , but differs by the shape of the styloid right paramere of aedeagus.

Distribution. Most of the genera and species of subtribe Dolichina are distributed in the eastern Palearctic Region, except for Dolichus halensis (a widespread species in the Palearctic Region, from Eastern Asia to Western Europe), and the genus Anchomenidius (two species endemic to northwest Spain).

Monophyly and relationships. From the morphological respect, the only character that might support the monophyly of Dolichina is the reduced sensory pit on female gonocoxite II. However, the single origin of the character state remains unproven (Schmidt & Will 2020; Schmidt et al. 2022). In the molecular research, the genus Anchomenidius is always separated from other genera of Dolichina but close to either Sphodrina or Pristosiina (Ruiz e t al. 2009). In a word, the monophyly of Dolichina and its relationships with other subtribes of Sphodrini are still unknown.

By the way, the “ Xestopus sp. ” in Ruiz’s study is more likely a misidentification of Morphodactyla potanini in my (PZ Zhu) point of view, for the former is a genus endemic to the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and the latter is a very common species in Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi, China.

Genera included. Dolichina , a subtribe within Sphodrini , is represented by 35 species (including the new species described in the present paper). Eight genera are presently included in Dolichina : Acalathus Semenov , Anchomenidius Heyden , Casaleius Sciaky &Wrase , Dolichus Bonelli , Doliodactyla Sciaky &Wrase , Morphodactyla Semenov , Xestopus Andrewes , and the below described Peiyuia gen. nov.

Remarks. Schmidt and Will (2020) provided a summary of important morphological characters for all the genera and subgenera of the subtribes Calathina and Dolichina , which have benefitted the continued taxonomy of Sphodrini . However, some of these characters are inaccurate or incorrect for Dolichina , based on the numerous specimens we have examined in this research. Herein, we would like to revise these characters as follows:

(1) The shape of mentum tooth shows intraspecific variation in some species. It is simple in most specimens of Dolichus halensis and D. davidis , but can be slightly emarginate or bifid in a few specimens. While, it is bifid in most specimens of Morphodactyla potanini , but a few specimens are only slightly emarginate.

(2) The pronotal laterobasal setae show interspecific variation in the subgenus Procalathus and the genus Morphodactyla . They can be removed from lateral margins or situated along lateral margins in two groups.

(3) Prosternal process of the lateral bead is present in Dolichus as observed by Lindroth (1956) and Habu (1978).

(4) The number of setigerous pores on elytral interval 3 shows both interspecific and intraspecific variation in Acalathus and Morphodactyla . Two is common number, but one, three, four or absent occurs in a few specimens of different species. For example, Morphodactyla yulongensis has 3–4 setigerous pores on elytral interval 3 ( Lassalle 2011).

(5) The metepisternum is always elongated in genus Dolichus but in Xestopus it is elongated or short ( Zhu et al. 2021).

Although not listed in Schmidt and Will (2020), the form of claws is a very important character in Sphodrini . Casaleius is the only genus with smooth claws in all genera of both Dolichina and Calathina , according to Sciaky and Wrase (1998). But in seven specimens we examined, there are always tiny but visible teeth on their claws. More materials are needed to judge whether it is an intraspecific variation or misinterpretation. On the other hand, the claws are not mentioned in the description of Anchomenidius feldmanni ( Wrase & Assmann 2001) , of which the freehand sketching seems to show smooth claws but still need to be verified.

Key to genera of the subtribe Dolichina

1. Size small, usually BL <9 mm (only Anchomenidius feldmanni ( Spain) is slightly larger, BL = 9.7–10.3 mm); body more or less depigmented; apical hook of the right paramere present (though very small in Casaleius and Anchomenidius )......... 2

- Size large, usually BL> 10 mm (only Acalathus fallax (Qilian Mountains) is slightly smaller, BL = 8.4–12.1 mm); body not depigmented; apical hook of the right paramere absent (body slightly depigmented and apical hook of the right paramere distinctly present in some Xestopus species, but their BL> 16 mm).............................................. 4

2. Elytra striae obliterated; interval 3 without setigerous pore; China (Xizang)................................ Casaleius

- Elytra striae distinct; interval 3 with 2 setigerous pores; China (Jilin) and Spain.................................... 3

3. Pronotal laterobasal setae removed from lateral margins; apical hook of the right paramere large and distinct; parascutellar setae always present; China (Jilin)............................................................... Peiyuia gen. nov.

- Pronotal laterobasal setae situated at lateral margins; apical hook of the right paramere very small; parascutellar setae absent sometimes; Spain.......................................................................... Anchomenidius

4. Parascutellar setae absent........................................................................ Acalathus

- Parascutellar setae present.............................................................................. 5

5. Elytral interval 3 without setigerous pore; lateral grooves absent on metatarsomeres I–IV; apical hook of the right paramere present; Himalaya ( China, Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan)............................................... Xestopus

- Elytral interval 3 with at least one setigerous pore; lateral grooves present on metatarsomeres I–IV; apical hook of the right paramere absent...................................................................................... 6

6. Lateral bead of prosternal process present; almost all the Palearctic Region, from Eastern Asia to Western Europe... Dolichus

- Lateral bead of prosternal process absent; Eastern Asia ( China, North Korea, and South Korea)....................... 7

7. Pronotal laterobasal seta absent; China (Shaanxi)................................................... Doliodactyla

- Pronotal laterobasal seta present; China (Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Chongqing, Hubei, Jilin), North Korea and South Korea................................................................................... Morphodactyla