Taridius wrasei Kirschenhofer, 2010

Fedorenko, Dmitri N., 2012, Notes on the genus Taridius Chaudoir, 1875 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini), with descriptions of six new species from Vietnam, ZooKeys 244, pp. 67-89 : 83-85

8. Taridius wrasei Kirschenhofer, 2010 Figs 9192533, 3440

Taridius wrasei Kirschenhofer, 2010: 25 (Sabah, Borneo).

Description.

Similar to the previous species, except for as follows: body smaller, 7.2-8 mm in length. No bronzed luster over elytral dark pattern, DSS rounded and occupying intervals 1 to 4 and usually also expanded onto 5th, DLS much larger, triangular, on intervals 7 and 8, terminating one forth and three fifths from base and apex, respectively (Fig. 9). Pale color more strongly developed on ventral surface, including metacoxae, metaventrite mesal to the line between mesocoxa and outer tip of metacoxa, as well as sides of first three abdominal sternites. Microsculpture rather sharp throughout.

Eyes larger, together with short genae more convex, semicircular in outline, head broadest level to about middle of eye tubercle length; usually two, long, frontal carinae on each side and a weak outer one. Vertex fairly flat, neck-constriction almost indistinct.

Pronotum 1.2-1.26 (mean 1.24, n=3) times as wide as head, 1.34-1.4 (mean 1.37) times as wide as long, basal margin slightly and regularly convex backwards or with medial part slightly surpassing lateral ones, these being oblique forwards and nearly straight; sides barely to distinctly sinuate before obtuse to subrectangular and rather sharp hind angles. Front transverse impression obliterate or very shallow, basal transverse impression rather shallow as well, a rather deep pit at bottom of fairly large basal fovea, paralateral line hardly traceable in basal third. Basal border entire, anterior border interrupted medially. Transverse rugosities dense and fairly sharp throughout, sparser and shallower only in the middle of disc. Punctation absent from disc and almost so over reflexed side margins.

Elytra rather flat, 1.47-1.53 (mean 1.5) times as long as wide, 1.70-1.77 (mean 1.73) times as wide as pronotum.

Penis as in Figs 19 and 25, apical lamella fairly long, parallel-sided, widely rounded at tip; left paramere with a short and widely rounded apex (Fig. 33). Female gonocoxite and gonosubcoxite IX (Fig. 40) more slender, and with smaller ensiform setae than in the previous species.

Material.

♂, ♀ (SIEE), E-Malaysia, Sabah, Mt. Kinabalu, Natn. Park, 1700 m asl, 16-30.07.2002, leg. Kurbatov & Zimina; ♂, same data, but road Kota - Kinabalu - Tambunan, km 52, 1600-1800 m asl (MPSU).

Geographic distribution.

Sabah, Borneo.

Comments.

According to Kirschenhofer (2010), this species is barely different from Taridius pahangensis from Pahang, Malay Peninsula, mainly in a sharper dorsal microsculpture. If so, the latter species may have two or three frontal carinae on each side of the head instead of only one as specified originally.